There’s a lot to this article — so if you’ve only come for the mock draft, it’s at the end. Firstly though, I want to share a few more thoughts and suggestions 48 hours after a franchise-changing day for the Seahawks.

Clearly, it wasn’t a ‘normal’ meeting

A few weeks ago, the end-of-season meeting between Jody Allen, Pete Carroll and John Schneider received a lot of national media attention. Mainly, it seemed, because nobody outside of Allen’s inner-circle knew what was about to happen.

Members of the local media were quick to dismiss the meeting as ‘normal’. It was described as ‘no news’. Based on a quick scan of articles written at the time, I found this description of the get-together:

“The franchise sees this as a regular thing and not a potentially earth-shattering referendum on the front office.”

Since the meeting, the Seahawks have:

— Fired their defensive coordinator
— Added two new younger defensive coaches
— Moved on from Mike Solari
— Traded Russell Wilson
— Cut Bobby Wagner

It’s fair to suggest, with hindsight, this was probably anything but a normal, run-of-the-mill meeting. Even if everyone agreed major changes were required — the decision was fairly seismic.

Some of the people most vocal about this being a ‘normal’ meeting were the same people insisting, obnoxiously at times, that there was absolutely no chance Russell Wilson would be traded.

Whatever source those people were using is clearly prepared to tell people what they want to be relayed to the public — but not necessarily what is actually going on behind the scenes.

It’s worth wondering, then, exactly what the outcome of that meeting was.

One article sticks in the memory.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote, prior to the meeting:

The feeling in some league circles is that Pete Carroll is safe — he’s not ready to retire, and the Seahawks would have major guts to fire a legend outright — but that it might be time for Carroll to concede personnel final say to John Schneider. The two work together seamlessly, anyway, so the transition would be easy. And the move would embolden the personnel staff that sometimes feels handcuffed by coaches’ preferences.

Was this actually quite prophetic?

It’s felt for a while that John Schneider would be open to trading Wilson. It’s common knowledge he and Wilson’s agent, Mark Rodgers, don’t exactly see eye to eye (to put it mildly).

While many were focusing on whether Carroll would be prepared to embrace a rebuild, perhaps the bigger question is whether it was solely his call to make?

Cutting Wagner, too, feels like more of a long term move.

I doubt we’ll ever find out what the actual power-structure is these days. It could easily be nothing’s changed. They could be aggressive in the next two weeks to ‘try’ and build a contender quickly — which would be in-line with Carroll’s competitive thinking.

I raise all of this for a reason though. If Schneider has gained greater power in the personnel decision making process — is this more likely to mean the Seahawks embrace a long-term approach?

GM’s like having picks to spend. It’s their time to shine. To express themselves. To show what they’re about.

This tweet caught my eye earlier today:

Kirk Cousins has a fan in Pete Carroll. One source still indicated the Seahawks are headed for a two-year reset, however. https://t.co/nNGMkE4wKe

— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) March 10, 2022

Let’s park the Cousins talk for now (although if you want more on it, read this article I wrote in January on the prospect of Cousins in Seattle).

Focus on the last sentence.

“One source still indicated the Seahawks are headed for a two-year reset.”

I’m speculating, of course, but this to me sounds like the kind of approach a GM would prefer, rather than a 70-year-old Head Coach we’ve all been assuming is in a great hurry to return to the top of the NFC.

Keep that in mind when pondering what comes next. If it is a two-year reset, they might be more inclined to use their draft picks this year to flesh out their roster. They might draft a quarterback this year or next, rather than make a wild trade for an experienced player. They might be less inclined to retain ageing veterans.

That said, it does seem like both the Seahawks and Wilson were just ready to move on. So it’s entirely possible very little has changed in terms of power structure. It’s just that Carroll has aligned his thinking with Schneider over a trade.

We’ll find out soon enough. It’s something to consider though — whether things have changed — and how that could shape their approach this off-season.

Deshaun Watson thoughts

Personally I’m not interested in trading for Watson. He likely faces a NFL suspension whatever the outcome of his legal situation. He hasn’t played for a year. Most of all though — Seattle’s roster needs rebuilding. There’s no point having Watson with no supporting cast.

It’s not that long ago that Jeremy Fowler reported Watson (who has a no-trade clause) was open to going to Tampa Bay or Minnesota.

Those are probably the two teams to focus on — even though Watson’s agent disputed the report.

The Vikings are said to be in a hurry to succeed — while Tampa Bay are still living off the expectations of contention courtesy of Tom Brady.

It makes you wonder if these two teams will make the biggest tilt — thus making Kirk Cousins available for a team such as the Colts or, yes, the Seahawks. As much as I’m underwhelmed by that prospect, we have to embrace the fairly significant murmur that Carroll is a big admirer of Cousins and has been for some time, dating back to before the 2012 draft.

Drew Lock’s addition could be telling

Things can change quickly and it’s always good to have a contingency plan. However, I can’t help but wonder why the Seahawks acquired Lock as part of the Wilson trade if they intended to go all out and acquire Deshaun Watson or Kirk Cousins?

In that instance, you wouldn’t need him, would you? Unless they suddenly want to change 10 years of thinking on backup quarterbacks and actually have someone of relative significance.

It arguably would’ve made more sense to have another pick from Denver instead, even a late rounder, if you’re just going to land a big name replacement.

This is complete projection on my behalf but I suspect bringing Lock in is indicative of a team that fully expects to have a competition at quarterback this year — between a couple of veterans and maybe a rookie — rather than make a big splash move.

Will the Seahawks try to add a familiar face?

This video from Mike Garafolo, discussing free agents who might be paid more than expected, was interesting today:

From @gmfb: A look at five NFL free agents who are going to secure a bigger bag in the next week than many might expect.pic.twitter.com/EFc0g0v5ux

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 10, 2022

It did make me think again about Seattle’s approach next week. As I said yesterday, I’d personally prefer to avoid signing older players. Target players in their mid-20’s you can grow with. In 2011 they added Sidney Rice and Zach Miller at great cost. Those are the types of signing I’d like to see now.

I listed the following names: Carlton Davis (CB), Christian Kirk (WR), Charvarius Ward (CB), Brian Allen (C), Austin Corbett (G), Bradley Bozeman (C), D.J. Jones (DT), Donte Jackson (CB), Michael Gallup (WR), Russell Gage (WR), Joseph Noteboom (T), Justin Reid (S) and Cedrick Wilson (WR).

On Garafolo’s list, one name stood out that they might look to add.

J.D. McKissic was in Seattle between 2016-18. Back in the day, he was celebrated by various members of the LOB-era team for his toughness and attitude. He never made it with the Seahawks but he’s since flourished as a receiving-running back in Washington.

I’m not saying I would do it — but I wonder if Seattle might. Not only to add a creative player who can be used in lots of different ways — but also because if his attitude and approach was as good as Richard Sherman and co. thought — they might see him as a potential leader and glue-guy as a new, younger core comes together.

You need culture setters. They might view him that way.

We’ll learn a lot on Monday

When free agency begins, I’ll be keeping an eye on the big name pass rushers.

Clint Hurtt has already spelt out their desire to add a ‘game-wrecker’. There’s a fantastic opportunity to do just that with the #9 pick — with the likes of Kayvon Thibodeaux, Jermaine Johnson and David Ojabo in range.

If they go out and sign an expensive veteran instead, it might suggest they really like at least one of these quarterbacks and will take them at #9 to avoid missing out.

If they ignore the veteran pass rushers — it’ll be a strong hint that they’ll take one with their first pick instead.

Could the Seahawks like this QB class more than we think?

I broke down the top rookies yesterday (check it out here). The short version is Malik Willis, Matt Corral, Desmond Ridder and Kenny Pickett all have characteristics, traits and/or experience that could appeal to John Schneider and Pete Carroll.

They’ve tended to think out of the box during their time in Seattle. They might even like the fact this class has been downplayed and lacks big, flashy names.

I could even imagine a situation where they’re comfortable with one or more of this quartet and therefore feel pretty relaxed about who they’ll end up with. They’ll no doubt be doing their homework in the coming weeks and it’s possible a decision on who pertains to be ‘their guy’ is yet to be made.

Will Levis highlights

I keep telling people to check Levis out because I think he’s a better prospect than Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. I wrote about Levis back in the New Year if you want more. I figured I’d post a highlights video myself in this piece. Take a look…

Left tackle options

What is Duane Brown thinking at the moment? Is he inclined to return to the Seahawks or perhaps head elsewhere to end his career with a team in position to contend in 2022?

It might even be better for Seattle to try and get younger here, to grow with a different player over the next 3-4 years.

Eric Fisher is going to test free agency and has only just turned 31. After a reasonable season in Indianapolis, he could provide the Seahawks with a longer-term blocker. He also already has a Super Bowl ring so might be inclined to join a team that can sell him a vision (and a nice financial package) rather than one expected to try and make the Super Bowl in 11 months.

It’s also interesting that reports are saying Dallas are talking to teams about La’el Collins. Dallas can’t trade him, surely, due to the cap issues outlined here. He can be released though as a post-June 1st cut.

If he was available he could also be an interesting option for Seattle. There are some character issues but he graded at an 82.0 last season playing right tackle. He’s only 28-years-old.

Could the Seahawks move on from Jamal Adams?

NFL contracts are pretty challenging to read.

On paper it looked like dealing Adams or Tyler Lockett was nearly impossible due to their dead cap hits. NBC Sports Boston pointed out why it’s not so tricky with Lockett (although I don’t see any prospect of him being dealt — Carroll loves Lockett). Blog contributor Curtis Allen has since pointed out to me something similar with Adams.

The Seahawks owe Adams a $12.4m bonus but it hasn’t been paid yet. If they can talk a team into trading for him and paying that bonus, the dead hit will be far less. You’d only lose $7m.

It would impact whatever compensation you get back. You’d probably have to give him away. They did that with Percy Harvin (albeit in a far different situation).

I fear the Adams trade has become an elephant in the room for Seattle. An ugly reminder of blown picks and resource — a bad move that really needs to be written-off and moved on from.

Maybe a fresh start on defense can get the best of him? It’s possible. But the Adams trade has become a meme at this point. It might benefit the team to just move on, rather than have it be a negative talking point.

It might also benefit the player. It hasn’t worked out for him, apart from in his bank account. He might prefer to go somewhere else to kick-start his career.

As Mike Florio pointed out yesterday — he also might be somewhat agitated that he’s ended up back on a team that is rebuilding, shortly after working his way out of New York to play for what he perceived to be a contender.

I don’t think it’ll happen. I doubt anyone would want to pay him the bonus — or commit $25m over two years — for a player with shoulder injuries.

For a fourth rounder I’d take the hit and move on. I think all parties need a fresh start. There’s nothing wrong with taking a shot and missing. The Seahawks and Adams missed with this one and a parting might be best.

Updated mock draft

Congrats if you’ve read all that and stuck around for the mock.

First round

#1 Jacksonville — Evan Neal (T/G, Alabama)
With neither of the top two pass rushers doing anything particularly out of the ordinary at the combine, the Jaguars settle on the man who topped Bruce Feldman’s ‘freaks list’ and start him at tackle or guard.

#2 Detroit — Aidan Hutchinson (DE, Michigan)
An ideal fit in terms of need and Hutchinson, a local hero, stays in Michigan.

#3 Houston — Kayvon Thibodeaux (DE, Oregon)
They need a top pass rusher and despite the question marks over Thibodeaux, his talent remains tantalising.

#4 New York Jets — Travon Walker (DE, Georgia)
His combine performance was good enough to fly into the top five.

#5 New York Giants — Trevor Penning (T, Northern Iowa)
They have a franchise left tackle. Penning is ideally suited to the right side, creating a nice book-end for the Giants.

#6 Carolina — Ikem Ekonwu (G, NC State)
I think he’s overrated and his combine performance overblown (check his explosive testing and agility numbers). However, there’s plenty of buzz about him going this early and the Panthers are expected to go O-line here.

#7 New York Giants — Sauce Garnder (CB, Cincinnati)
Running in the 4.4’s was a major plus and teams appear to really like his mental make-up, length and college production.

#8 Atlanta — Garrett Wilson (WR, Ohio State)
After trading Julio Jones and losing Calvin Ridley to suspension, the Falcons suddenly have a desperate need at receiver. Russell Gage is also a free agent.

#9 Seattle — Jermaine Johnson (DE, Florida State)
The Seahawks have talked about adding a game-wrecking pass-rusher. After dominating the Senior Bowl, Johnson could be that man.

#10 New York Jets — Lewis Cine (S, Georgia)
Robert Salah is well aware of the impact a tone-setting, physical, hard-hitting safety can have on a team’s identity.

#11 Washington — Kyle Hamilton (S, Notre Dame)
After running a 4.59, can you take him this early?

#12 Minnesota — Jordan Davis (DT, Georgia)
I wanted to put him in the top-10 but too many teams have other needs.

#13 Cleveland — Chris Olave (WR, Ohio State)
Receiver is a key need and Olave’s outstanding forty-time could propel him into the top-15.

#14 Baltimore — Derek Stingley (CB, LSU)
I’ve resisted dropping Stingley but there’s a fairly constant murmur about his stock. The injury situation doesn’t help. Neither does his lack of length (30.5 inch arms). Could he fall? Maybe. He still has incredible potential though.

#15 Philadelphia — David Ojabo (DE, Michigan)
He had a good-not-great combine. I suspect Jermaine Johnson will go before Ojabo. Johnson has had an outstanding off-season and made headlines at the Senior Bowl. He was the clear alpha among the linebackers at the combine, barking at the others and keeping the energy high. That’s tough to compete with.

#16 Philadelphia — Trent McDuffie (CB, Washington)
The Eagles need a linebacker but the value will be good in round two at that position. Thus, they can afford to pivot to a dynamic defensive back like McDuffie.

#17 LA Chargers — Devonte Wyatt (DT, Georgia)
I recently watched a video detailing how Branden Staley’s defense doesn’t function properly without a dynamic interior disruptor. Thus, Wyatt is the perfect fit here.

#18 New Orleans — Charles Cross (T, Mississippi State)
Another one who had a good-not-great combine. The Saints might need to replace Terron Armstead, who’s a free agent.

#19 Philadelphia — Jameson Williams (WR, Alabama)
It’s easy to forget, because of the injury, just how absolutely fantastic Williams was in 2021.

#20 Pittsburgh — Malik Willis (QB, Pittsburgh)
Mike Tomlin doesn’t really try and hide which players the Steelers might draft. He was stomping around prominently at TJ Watt’s pro-day. He did the same at Devin Bush’s. Watching him basically standing right next to the Senior Bowl drills while Malik Willis was throwing seemed like a fairly obvious tell.

#21 New England — Kyler Gordon (CB, Washington)
If they lose JC Jackson they’ll need a replacement. Gordon didn’t run as well as expected but neither did Joe Haden back in the day.

#22 Las Vegas — Travis Jones (DT, Connecticut)
When you test as well as Dontari Poe, there’s not much chance you’ll get out of round one. Especially when you dominated the Senior Bowl, excelled at the combine and can run a 4.58 short shuttle at 325lbs.

#23 Arizona — Boye Mafe (DE, Minnesota)
Mafe feels like an ideal replacement for Chandler Jones, if he departs.

#24 Dallas — Abraham Lucas (T, Washington State)
If I’m proven wrong, I’ll hold my hands up. But I think the way ‘draft media’ is projecting Lucas is total and utter bollocks. First round talent.

#25 Buffalo — Zion Johnson (G, Boston College)
Explosive offensive linemen tend to go early. Per his combine testing, Johnson is one of the most explosive players to enter the league in recent years.

#26 Seattle (v/TEN) — Matt Corral (QB, Ole Miss)
If the Seahawks have identified a quarterback they like in this draft, it won’t be too hard to trade back into the late first round. The Titans don’t have a second-rounder, so might be inclined to drop back. This might only cost the Seahawks a fourth round pick. Corral’s competitive spirit and a recommendation from Lane Kiffin could put him in contention to be Seattle’s guy.

#27 Tampa Bay — Tyler Linderbaum (C, Iowa)
I like Linderbaum but he’s being overrated. Look at the range the center’s went last year. It wouldn’t surprise me if he lasted to #41.

#28 Green Bay — Perrion Winfrey (DT, Oklahoma)
Defensive tackles who run a 4.89 with a 1.6 10-yard split tend to go in round one. Especially ones who excel at the Senior Bowl.

#29 Miami — Bernhard Raimann (T/G, Central Michigan)
His lack of length is a concern but Miami’s GM took Liam Eichenburg a year ago so it’s clearly not such a big issue for him.

#30 Kansas City — Arnold Ebiketie (DE, Penn State)
If they cut Frank Clark they’ll need a replacement.

#31 Cincinnati — Kaiir Elam (CB, Florida)
I think they’ll build their O-line in free agency. Elam ran better than expected and the Bengals, over the years, have been happy to invest picks at cornerback.

#32 Detroit — Drake London (WR, USC)
They need a receiver and London could provide value and upside here.

Second round

#33 Jacksonville — Greg Dulcich (TE, UCLA)
Trevor Lawrence needs an outlet and Doug Pederson knows how to make good use of an athletic tight end.

#34 Detroit — Devin Lloyd (LB, Utah)
His character and playing style fits the profile the Lions are looking for.

#35 New York Jets — Jeremy Ruckert (TE, Ohio State)
This is a big need and although Ruckert didn’t test, he has the pass-catching qualities New York needs at tight end.

#36 New York Giants — Trey McBride (TE, Colorado State)
The run on TE’s continues and the Giants are another team who could tap into the talent pool early in round two.

#37 Houston — Andrew Booth (CB, Clemson)
He didn’t test at the combine which makes him a difficult projection. He has reasonable size, at least.

#38 New York Jets — Channing Tindall (LB, Georgia)
I just get the sense Robert Salah will love Tindall’s all-action approach and dynamic physical profile.

#39 Chicago — Jalyn Armour-Davis (CB, Alabama)
Few players declare early from Alabama unless they get positive intel on their draft stock. JAD showed at the combine why he is destined to go earlier than people think.

#40 Tennessee (v/SEA) — Cole Strange (C, Chattanooga)
The Titans’ starting center is a free agent and Strange’s explosive testing scores plus an impressive Senior Bowl put him firmly in round two.

#41 Seattle — Leo Chenal (LB, Wisconsin)
The Seahawks put a lot into agility testing at linebacker. Chenal ran a 3.94 short shuttle and a 6.84 three cone at his pro-day yesterday. He’s physical, explosive and quick and could be a fine replacement for Bobby Wagner.

#42 Indianapolis — Desmond Ridder (QB, Cincinnati)
The Colts have got to keep taking shots until they find a guy.

#43 Atlanta — Breece Hall (RB, Iowa State)
He tested in the Jonathan Stewart category and thus, will likely go in the same range.

#44 Cleveland — Sam Williams (DE, Ole Miss)
After running a 1.60 split he has every chance to secure a second round placing.

#45 Baltimore — George Karlaftis (DE, Purdue)
He didn’t test as well as some predicted and he has short arms. He reminds me of AJ Epenesa in terms of stock — a player projected to go very early but lasts deep into round two.

#46 Minnesota — Josh Paschal (DE, Kentucky)
He’s a disruptive, explosive defender who does a superb job making plays against the run and could be used as a five technique.

#42 Washington — Quay Walker (LB, Georgia)
The Commanders badly need to add a linebacker.

#48 LA Chargers — Nakobe Dean (LB, Georgia)
He’s undersized at 5-11 and 229lbs and that could keep him on the board longer than Tindall and Walker. He didn’t test at the combine.

#49 New Orleans — Kenny Pickett (QB, Pittsburgh)
They need to start taking some QB shots in the draft.

#50 Miami — Troy Andersen (LB, Montana State)
A remarkable combine and a strong Senior Bowl secure Andersen’s second round slot.

#51 Philadelphia — Christian Harris (LB, Alabama)
The Eagles love speed and Harris has that after running in the 4.4’s. He’s a great option for Philly in round two.

#52 Pittsburgh — Daxton Hill (S, Michigan)
I was underwhelmed by his combine. He promised a lot and didn’t really deliver.

#53 Las Vegas — Jahan Dotson (WR, Penn State)
The Raiders need to add some receiving talent after a difficult year.

#54 New England — Nick Cross (S, Maryland)
Cross, to me, screams hybrid Patriots defender who will appeal to Bill Belichick.

#55 Arizona — Kenneth Walker (RB, Michigan State)
He looked like a dude at the combine. Sometimes you just have to look at a player to think — they’re going to be really good. Walker gives off that vibe.

#56 Dallas — Cam Jurgens (C, Nebraska)
Country-strong, athletic and capable of great things at the next level.

#57 Buffalo — Tariq Woolen (CB, UTSA)
He ran brilliantly as expected but he looked a bit stiff during drills — which could keep him on the board a bit longer than initially expected.

#58 Atlanta — Logan Hall (DT, Houston)
He’s an inside-out rusher and they need an edge — but at this point they’ve just got to add talent.

#59 Green Bay — Jalen Tolbert (WR, South Alabama)
He’s so smooth on tape. I can see Aaron Rodgers building early trust with Tolbert, who knows how to get open.

#60 Tampa Bay — Bryan Cook (S, Cincinnati)
He’s be an excellent partner for Antoine Winfield Jr.

#61 San Francisco — Roger McCreary (CB, Auburn)
He’s extremely competitive and has a knack of playing the ball at the crucial moment.

#62 Kansas City — Jaquon Brisker (S, Penn State)
They might need to replace Tyrann Mathieu in the secondary.

#63 Cincinnati — DeMarvin Leal (DT, Texas A&M)
Underwhelming tape keeps him available and he’s the type of player the Bengals like to take a chance on.

#64 Denver — Tyler Smith (T, Tulsa)
With their first pick in the draft they bolster the O-line for Russell Wilson.

Third round

#65 Jacksonville — Alec Pierce (WR, Cincinnati)
#66 Detroit — Wan’Dale Robinson (WR, Kentucky)
#67 New York Giants — Dameon Pierce (RB, Florida)
#68 Houston — Treylon Burks (WR, Alabama)
#69 New York Jets — Zach Tom (C, Wake Forest)
#70 Jacksonville — Cam Taylor-Britt (CB, Nebraska)
#71 Chicago — Christian Watson (WR, North Dakota State)

#72 Seattle — Zamir White (RB, Georgia)
This could be one of the steals of the draft. I love Zamir White after really studying his tape. He fits Seattle’s size preferences, he’s explosive and he has the chance to provide a consistent, tone-setting running style to the offense.

#73 Washington — John Metchie (WR, Alabama)
#74 Atlanta — Dominique Robinson (DE, Miami-OH)
#75 Tennessee — Cade Otton (TE, Washington)
#76 Baltimore — Kerby Joseph (S, Illinois)
#77 Minnesota — Calvin Austin (WR, Memphis)
#78 Cleveland — Chad Muma (LB, Wyoming)
#79 LA Chargers — Jalen Wydermyer (TE, Texas A&M)
#80 Houston — Matthew Butler (DT, Tennessee)
#81 New York Giants — Drake Jackson (DE, USC)
#82 Indianapolis — Damone Clark (LB, LSU)
#83 Philadelphia — Sean Rhyan (G, UCLA)
#84 Pittsburgh — Rasheed Walker (T, Penn State)
#85 New England — Darrian Beavers (LB, Cincinnati)
#86 Las Vegas — George Pickens (WR, Georgia)
#87 Arizona — Jake Ferguson (TE, Wisconsin)
#88 Dallas — Brian Asamoah (LB, Oklahoma)
#89 Buffalo — Phidarian Mathis (DT, Alabama)
#90 Tennessee — Skyy Moore (WR, Western Michigan)
#91 Tampa Bay — Jack Coan (QB, Notre Dame)
#92 Green Bay — Jelani Woods (TE, Virginia)
#93 San Francisco — Jalen Pitre (S, Baylor)
#94 Kansas City — Kevin Austin Jr (WR, Notre Dame)
#95 Cincinnati — Kenyon Green (G, Texas A&M)
#96 Denver — John Ridgeway (DT, Arkansas)
#97 Detroit — Tyreke Smith (DE, Ohio State)
#98 Cleveland — Haskell Garrett (DT, Ohio State)
#99 Baltimore — Nik Bonitto (DE, Oklahoma)
#100 New Orleans — Tyrion Davis-Price (RB, LSU)
#101 Miami — Kyle Phillips (WR, UCLA)
#102 Kansas City — Eyioma Uwazurike (DT, Iowa State)
#103 LA Rams — DeAngelo Malone (DE, Western Kentucky)

Seattle’s remaining picks

#151 Seattle — Smoke Monday (S, Auburn)
The guy is just a dude. A physical, pounding tone-setter who loves football.

#152 Seattle — Ed Ingram (G, LSU)
The Seahawks don’t have much depth at guard. If they do transition to a blocking scheme that prefers athleticism over size/power — Ingram ran a 5.02 at 307lbs. He also has 33.5 inch arms — which they’ll like — and 10 inch hands.

#227 Seattle — Percy Butler (S, Louisiana)
Special teams is always a big deal for Seattle. Butler is a dynamic gunner who flies to the ball and has no concern for his own personal wellbeing. I can imagine the Seahawks making sure they get him for kick-coverage duties alone.

Final thought

The Seahawks set themselves up for success in 2012 after drafting a pass rusher, a linebacker and a quarterback. It’s a coincidence but that’s exactly what I have them doing in this mock draft too with their first three picks.

Jermaine Johnson would provide an ideal book-end for Darrell Taylor, setting up the best young pass-rushing duo in the league. Matt Corral would be competing with Drew Lock and another veteran to start at QB. Leo Chenal is a plug-and-play linebacker who plays the kind of aggressive football this team intends to feature in 2022.

If they preferred not to take a quarterback this year and wait until 2023 — the options at #40 would remain strong. They could take Cole Strange to play center (or Cam Jurgens), there are inside/out pass-rushers like Josh Paschal and Logan Hall available. They could add a physical, explosive safety such as Nick Cross. There are lots of plausible alternatives.

If you missed it yesterday, I was on 710 Seattle Sports with Jake & Stacy discussing the aftermath of the Russell Wilson trade and Bobby Wagner release.

Here’s the segment, check it out:

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I don’t often post two articles in a day but this hasn’t been a usual 24 hours.

Firstly, if you missed it earlier, I was on 710 Seattle Sports with Jake & Stacy discussing the aftermath of the Russell Wilson trade and Bobby Wagner release.

Here’s the segment, check it out:

I also want to share some thoughts on how I ‘hope’ the Seahawks approach the next few weeks…

Don’t waste draft resources

It was a terrifying moment when I started to read a tweet saying Carson Wentz was being traded. Right up until the point it said ‘Washington Commanders’ instead of ‘Seattle Seahawks’.

I really hope they avoid making any trades like this. They’ve done it before. They gave the Chargers a third rounder and swapped second rounders in 2010 to acquire Charlie Whitehurst.

Don’t waste picks on mediocre quarterbacks. Lean into what this is — a rebuild. Use your picks to craft a new, young core.

I wish we could all make a pact. Low expectations across the board in 2022, acknowledging this is a process now. If you have to wait 12 months to get a quarterback and live with a year of Drew Lock, Tyrod Taylor, Marcus Mariota or someone of that ilk — so be it. You’re not going to win a Super Bowl in 2022 by going after Carson Wentz types.

Use the resources on offer to build the next foundation.

Don’t trade for Deshaun Watson

Watson clearly isn’t a mediocre quarterback but I still don’t have any appetite to see a big trade for him. The legal side of things needs to play out and I’m not passing judgement on that for now. I just don’t think using all the stock you’ve acquired and giving it to Houston for Watson is the right thing to do.

You’d essentially be in the same position you were before. You’d not have the picks or money to really improve your roster. You’d be a tier-B team, capable of the playoffs but not much more. You’d struggle to fill a lot of holes.

I’d prefer some longer term thinking this off-season.

Still look to spend in free agency

With $42m available this year and $120m next year, there’s no reason not to try and add talent.

Let’s view this as 2011, rather than 2010.

That year they went big after Sidney Rice, Zach Miller and Robert Gallery. They hit on two signings. It was an attempt to accelerate the building of the team.

With Wilson in Denver and Wagner cut, there’s little need now to go after ageing vets in an aggressive ‘win now’ mode. It’s time to target the best young players, who can grow with you.

That list, for me, includes Carlton Davis (CB), Christian Kirk (WR), Charvarius Ward (CB), Brian Allen (C), Austin Corbett (G), Bradley Bozeman (C), D.J. Jones (DT), Donte Jackson (CB), Michael Gallup (WR), Russell Gage (WR), Joseph Noteboom (T), Justin Reid (S) and Cedrick Wilson (WR).

All are in their mid-20’s. I wouldn’t be opposed, for example, to signing all three of the Rams’ offensive linemen listed above if your intention is to recreate their scheme up front. The list includes players proven in man-coverage and receivers who will complement what you already have.

There is room for experience and I’d still make a call to someone like Calais Campbell. You need leadership and guidance and he would provide it. I doubt he’d have much interest in joining a rebuilding team but there’s no harm in trying.

Don’t feel pressured with your re-signings

I like Quandre Diggs and appreciate what he’s done in Seattle. For me, though, he’s not a player you need to throw money at. He’s 29, you acquired him on the cheap. The trade worked and he should only be back in Seattle if the market comes to you.

You’re already paying Jamal Adams a fortune. Just add another veteran safety or draft a rookie — especially now there isn’t the intense pressure to be a contender in 2022.

I would like Duane Brown back because whoever plays quarterback is going to need protection. I’d rather not be forced into spending #9 on a Charles Cross type. If he moves on, I’d pivot to Eric Fisher or Joseph Noteboom.

Both Rashaad Penny and DJ Reed are worth retaining given their age. I suspect they’ll both be back.

If they’re embracing a youth-movement and a new foundational core — I don’t think they should move too aggressively to retain ageing players.

Make a decision on D.K. Metcalf now

The top receivers are being paid between $20-27m a year. Devante Adams could re-set the market if/when he agrees an extension in Green Bay.

Do you want to pay Metcalf that kind of money?

Personally, I am comfortable paying him. If he was a 24-year-old free agent, he’s exactly the type of player we’d want them to target. The Seahawks have money to spend from next year onwards so they can afford it. Provided you create an ‘out’ within 2-3 years, there seems very little reason not to pay Metcalf and roll the dice on him justifying his salary.

However, they could also look at what Metcalf has shown. Three years in — his speed is a huge factor and he’s clearly a talented player. Yet he’s never quite turned into a Mike Evans, Julio Jones, Calvin Johnson type who becomes unstoppable. He doesn’t make the most of his size to dominate receivers, even when covered. There are frustrating moments, such as ill-timed drops and plays you feel he should make.

He’s still an X-factor though. A player opponents have to game-plan for.

You need those.

It’d be tempting to push this issue into next year. You can always franchise him and trade him, which is what they did with Frank Clark. Yet the contract won’t get any cheaper in a year and you also run the risk of his stock diminishing if a bad quarterback is throwing him the football in 2022.

Make a call now. If you can imagine paying him a top salary, there’s nothing to worry about. If you know you won’t pay as much as $25m a year — answer the phone on trade calls. The Jaguars and Jets have young QB’s needing a big target. The Eagles and Patriots need a weapon. The Browns and Falcons desperately need one.

You should be able to set up quite a bidding war if you want to.

And with plenty of young receivers available in free agency, plus another loaded draft class at the position, you won’t be caught short.

I would make a decision now on his future.

What I’d do at quarterback

As I said in today’s other piece (which is worth checking out for quarterback reviews of the 2022 draft class) — the Seahawks didn’t make the Wilson trade without a plan at the position. They have a clear target or targets in mind.

It could be that they like 1-4 players in the draft — or they’re working towards adding a specific veteran.

I’d be shocked if they’re playing this by ear, rolling with the punches and just seeing what’s out there now.

Which is why I have a little bit of fear they’ll spend more than they should on a lesser veteran rather than having the patience you need with a rookie.

I want them to do one of two things:

1. Identify someone you really like in the draft and if they’re not going to be there at #40, prepare to move back into round one to get them. Use the #9 pick on a pass rusher, not a quarterback, unless you’re convinced one of this group will be elite.

2. Wait 12 months for the next draft and target Will Levis.

I would prefer to see a young quarterback added this year or next. Firstly, it’s more exciting. Secondly, it’s cost-effective. Thirdly, they won’t be a re-tread who wouldn’t be available if they were any good.

I’ve criticised this 2022 QB class like everyone else but I do think there are reasons why the Seahawks would like all of the top four (Corral, Willis, Ridder, Pickett). I actually think they’ve made this Wilson trade because they might be comfortable taking any of the four.

It wouldn’t surprise me if all this Deshaun Watson talk is a distraction tactic to throw people off the scent of their actual intentions.

Frankly, if they draft any of the top QB’s in this class — I could spend a decent chunk of time discussing what all do well. And yes, they have flaws too. But when you think about it, isn’t that the case with all quarterbacks not slated to go in the top 5-6 (where Seattle isn’t picking this year anyway)?

If they decide to wait until 2023 to go after ‘their guy’ — there won’t be any complaints from me. Use your picks to build up your roster and set the table.

The Seahawks can look back to go forwards

I think there are players in this draft that can help the Seahawks emulate some of what they did a decade ago.

For example, I think there are a ton of running backs in this class that can help establish a tone-setting force on offense — connecting the unit to the rest of the team. Zamir White, Kenneth Walker and Dameon Pierce are personal favourites but I could list several other names with the potential to get Seattle where they need to be.

You can create the kind of dynamic edge rush they used to have with Bennett/Avril/Clark by pairing Darrell Taylor and Carlos Dunlap with one of Jermaine Johnson, Kayvon Thibodeaux, David Ojabo or Boye Mafe (although Mafe lacks the length they like at the position).

I even think Johnson and Taylor could shape the personality and toughness of the team, much in the way Kam and Marshawn did in the past.

If you want a Michael Bennett inside/out rusher — there’s Logan Hall, Josh Paschal or DeMarvin Leal.

They’ve said goodbye to Bobby Wagner, almost certainly, because they see the riches at linebacker in this class. Channing Tindall plays with a violence they’ve missed. However, earlier today Leo Chenal ran a 3.94 short shuttle and a 6.84 three cone. That, I guarantee, will place him firmly on Seattle’s radar.

There are other linebackers too. It’s a crazy group.

Need another day three safety who can develop into a heart-and-soul leader? Look no further than Auburn’s Smoke Monday. Need a speedy, punishing, aggressive safety? How about Maryland’s Nick Cross?

There’s potential to add young, dynamic cornerbacks — headlined in my eyes by Alabama’s Jalyn Armour-Davis (assuming they don’t take one at #9). If they want physical skills — why not Cam Taylor-Britt or Roger McCreary?

Then on the O-line you can become young, athletic and forceful with Cole Strange and Cam Jurgens at center, finally sufficiently replacing Max Unger in a similar range to where Unger was drafted in 2009. Abraham Lucas, as you know by now, is also a big blog favourite at offensive tackle.

I could go on and on. Such is this tremendous, energising draft class.

More credit to the team

I didn’t expect them to move on from Bobby Wagner. I thought they’d be sentimental about it and keep him despite, in my eyes, the very clear evidence on tape that he was nowhere close to his best these days.

The social media reactions and statements today suggest he won’t be returning on a different contract. I think that’s the mature and correct decision to make. I think the Seahawks deserve a lot of credit for being brave enough to finally end the Wilson saga and make the big decision that had to be made over Wagner.

I said after Pete Carroll’s combine press conference that it was his best in a long time. Some of the old energy and swagger was back.

I think now we know why. I suspect a weight was about to come off his shoulders. He gave off a renewed positivity which was good to see.

Personally, I tend to feel exactly the same way.

If you missed it yesterday, check out my article offering thoughts on every little sub-section of the Russell Wilson trade — such as whether it was a fair deal, where the team goes from here and what they might do in the draft.

If you enjoy the content on Seahawks Draft Blog then please consider supporting us via Patreon (click the tab below)…

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A heads up that I’ll be on 710 Seattle Sports later today with Jake & Stacy. You can listen online via their homepage if you’re not near a radio in the Seattle area.

The Seahawks didn’t trade Russell Wilson without a clear plan on who their next quarterback is going to be. They either really like one (or more) of the QB’s in this draft. Or they’re bringing someone else in.

Today I want to talk about the options. Here’s a list of names and a thought on each — including a first suggestion which could be described as ‘wild’.

A truly creative Kirk Cousins trade proposal

In January I talked about the prospect of Cousins ending up in Seattle. Pete Carroll has long been an admirer of Cousins, who had an 88.2 PFF grade in 2021.

He has a $45m cap hit this year and the Vikings are currently $19.3m over the cap. They can hack away at their roster by trading or cutting the likes of Adam Thielen, Dalvin Cook or Danielle Hunter to save money. Or they can push money down the line. The most sensible option though is to either do an extension with Cousins — and commit to him — or trade him.

If the Vikings trade him, they immediately save $35m. They can’t cut him because it would cost them the full $45m. So they have a big choice to make. Proceed with Cousins or work on a deal. Any prospective buyer would inherit a $35m cap hit.

The team’s in-house reporter posted a Q&A on Cousins’ future this week, which was interesting. Contained in the piece, Eric Smith suggested the team could offer to take on some of Cousins’ cap hit to get a better return via trade.

Smith feels it would take ‘at least a third rounder’ — although if that’s the starting point in talks, realistically it could be far less. Especially given Cousins has only one year left on his contract. It could be a rental. If the Vikings don’t want to move forward with Cousins, their priority is simply to move his contract.

Could he be had at a cap hit of say $25m, for a day three pick? It wouldn’t be a huge commitment. There’s not much chance of a bidding war either. He’s not going back to Washington. Carolina isn’t an attractive proposition. The Buccs are $19m over the cap and the Saints are $48m over the cap.

Here’s where things get wild, though. I want to pitch something else.

Seeing as the Seahawks have started cleaning house — how about this for a trade?

Jamal Adams for Kirk Cousins, straight up. With both teams eating big salaries to balance the salary cost out.

Minnesota gets Adams for four years, for a quarterback they might be willing to just move on from. Seattle has to eat $28.4m in dead cap hit. Let’s say the Vikings take on an equivalent amount of that cost through Cousins. The Seahawks end up paying little for Cousins this year on a one-year rental to see if it can be a long-term arrangement.

It would get the Seahawks out of the Adams contract. It would give the Vikings a better option than a mere day-three pick.

I appreciate it’s completely out there and the Seahawks might be unwilling to give up on Adams a year after he signed his deal. Equally, the Vikings might not want him.

It’s an interesting thought, even if it’s highly improbable. It would give the Seahawks almost $140m to play with in 2023 though — in case you wanted to extend Cousins at the end of the season.

Other veteran trade options

Deshaun Watson (Houston) — can you seriously go down this road until you have full clarity on his legal situation? And if you spend all your picks on him, aren’t you left in the same situation? A poor roster with an expensive quarterback? I think they’ll do due diligence but no more.

Carson Wentz (Indianapolis) — I can’t see the Seahawks trading for him because the cap hits of around $20-22m on his contract are too high. If he’s released by the Colts, as has been touted, he might get a shot in Seattle. Yet Wentz doesn’t give off any energy these days and although Pete Carroll has spoken glowingly of him in the past, it kind of feels like he’s a busted flush at this point.

Sam Darnold (Carolina) — the fact his season collapsed so dramatically in 2021 speaks to a player who looks like he’s on the way out. However, it’s worth noting that Colin Cowherd touted him as a replacement for Wilson a year ago (and said it with some conviction). The problem is, he’s on the hook for $18m due to his fifth year option. I think the Panthers would have to pay you to trade for him.

Tyler Huntley (Baltimore) — I don’t think he played as well as some people think last season and why would Baltimore deal him given Lamar Jackson’s injuries/illness in 2021 and contract situation? He’ll be too expensive for a still mostly unproven player.

Gardner Minshew (Philadelphia) — I like him and he’s interesting as a player and a person. But I don’t think he has the physical tools Seattle wants in a QB.

Jordan Love (Green Bay) — I was never a fan of him going into the 2020 draft and nothing he showed in spot-start duties has changed my mind. A hard pass unless he’s being given away. You already have one disappointing former high draft pick in Drew Lock to contend with.

Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco) — they’re not going to trade him in the division.

Derek Carr (Las Vegas) — they don’t have a better option with Russell Wilson off the market, so the Raiders will stand by their man.

Free agent options

Tyrod Taylor — I think this would be ideal. He’s respected and when healthy can move the ball. He ranked seventh in the NFL when throwing on third downs in 2021 — an area Seattle struggled badly. He’s been the go-to bridge quarterback for a number of years and would be a safe pair of hands.

Marcus Mariota — It’s easy to have your head turned by the former #2 draft placing and the memory of his Oregon days — but choosing to stay in Vegas to be a backup last year was interesting. Is he content to not start? Or did teams pass for a reason? I don’t get the sense Mariota is desperate for a second chance.

Mitchell Trubisky — Teams are going to convince themselves that he just needs a change of scenery. And maybe he does. But Trubisky looked bad in Chicago, regardless of the Head Coach or scheme. Let’s remember that.

Jameis Winston — his penchant for turnovers feels like an unlikely fit for a Pete Carroll team.

Colt McCoy — well, he’s beaten the Seahawks twice in two years. Stuff like that leaves an impression. It won’t be a shock if he’s given a chance to compete to start.

Teddy Bridgewater — his inability to throw the ball downfield won’t cut it in Seattle.

Jacoby Brissett — they were linked with him when Brian Schottenheimer arrived as offensive coordinator. He had a 76.3 PFF grade when he played in 2021. As competition, he’s an option.

Draft a rookie

I have studied all of the key rookie quarterbacks in this class and wanted to offer thoughts on each. I’m going to try and watch all of their 2021 games by draft time, so these views could adapt and change in the coming weeks.

Matt Corral (Ole Miss)
For a player who weighed and measured at 6-1, 215lbs at the combine — Corral generates terrific velocity on his throws. He has a plus arm thanks to his throwing mechanics. As a runner he can be dynamic — creating big plays when the defense breaks contain and he’s able to scramble. He can be elusive, throwing from different angles and improvising when necessary. The offense at Ole Miss does set the table for him. It’s a system where he basically has to read certain keys and then he knows where to go with the ball. At the next level things will be much more complex, he will need to go through progressions a lot more and this will be a totally different challenge. I think he would be a terrific quarterback in the Kyle Shanahan system, playing on-schedule and running an offense as designed. He’s had some injuries and he takes a lot of punishment when he runs (he needs to learn how to slide and protect himself). Corral has natural talent but can have occasional accuracy issues. He is ultra-competitive and appears to be well liked and respected by team mates.

Malik Willis (Liberty)
In terms of physical profile and athleticism, Willis is top notch. He had a deep-ball competition with Carson Strong at the combine and drove it just as far downfield, flashing major torque and power on his downfield shots. On top of that, he is a major threat as a runner. When he sets off and finds a crease, he can cause damage. Opponents will need to account for his ability to take off week-to-week. My fear is that he’s very much a one-read-and-run quarterback. Too often he rejects easy, wide-open throws because the initial read isn’t there and he just sets off. It might not be the easiest thing to coach out of him because he’s such a brilliant runner, it’s always going to be tempting when he feels pressure to try and run away from it. I doubt he’s ever going to be a patient, timing and rhythm player. Also, his mechanics are troublesome at times and have led to turnovers. In a Greg Roman-style offense that makes the most of his ability as a runner, he could be special. For other schemes, you’re rolling the dice on his physical talent and hoping he can find a balance between hero-ball and staying on-script. Seattle likes tools though and he has them.

Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati)
It’s incredibly hard not to like and admire Ridder’s college career. Cincinnati are a very talented team but without the QB bringing it all together, it’s doubtful they make it to the playoffs. He appears to be an incredibly mature, competitive leader. Physically he’s superb. He ran a 4.52 forty, jumped a 36 inch vertical and even ran a 4.29 short shuttle. He’s extremely slim with a 6-3, 211lbs frame but he’s a great athlete. He was also the only quarterback at the combine with 10 inch hands. He has a decent arm. You can easily start to build a case for him being on Seattle’s radar. He’s a successful four year starter who took his team to new heights, he has physical tools, he has the hand size and the character. On tape he threw some of the prettiest passes you’ll see, especially against Notre Dame (after a poor start to that game). However, his accuracy is also erratic and there are some hairy moments too. You might have to live with that. Any assessment of Ridder probably reads like this — he can lead, he can make plays, he has a ton of physical upside but he might have spells in games where you’re wondering what he’s seeing.

Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh)
Like Ridder, he also took his team to an unexpected level in 2021 by winning the ACC. He did have the Biletnikoff winner to throw too but his supporting cast wasn’t as impressive as Cincinnati’s or Ole Miss’. Firstly — he’s a far better athlete than people give him credit for. He ran a 4.73, jumped a 10-1 broad and ran a 4.29 short shuttle. The famous ‘fake-slide’ is a great example of his athleticism and creativity. He made a huge jump in 2021, throwing 42 touchdowns and he probably should’ve won the Heisman. His arm strength is fine, although not elite. Pickett makes plays at all levels. However, there are a couple of things that stand out. While he’s very good at subtly navigating the pocket to find throwing lanes and extend plays — sometimes he gets a bit too busy in there when he just needs to settle down, let things develop and make an easy check-down. He also drifts too much — he naturally steps his way out of the pocket when throwing with his footwork and he needs to correct that. There’s also the hand-size issue. Pickett has a highly unusual thumb that is basically stuck to the side of his hand. I’m surprised he can grip and throw a football at all — but it seems to work for him. He does play in gloves though and that can impact your touch and feel.

Quick hitters

Jack Coan (Notre Dame) — he doesn’t have the upside of a major prospect but I like him. He ticks a lot of boxes with arm strength, decent agility, good mechanics and he plays with a degree of poise. I think if you want to take a mid-round flier he would be worth it.

Sam Howell (North Carolina) — for me there’s very little to get excited about. He was used a lot as a runner at UNC but that’s not going to translate with his profile. He’s a stocky player with a build similar to Baker Mayfield — but a poor man’s version. It’s hard to imagine him starting and succeeding in the NFL.

Carson Strong (Nevada) — he made some ‘wow’ throws in college but his Senior Bowl performance was like a bucket of cold water. He’s pretty much a statue in the pocket with no escapability. Strong has a big arm and he’s talented but knee issues will determine whether anyone gives him a proper shot at the next level.

Kaleb Eleby (Western Michigan) — There’s plenty to work with here. I think he has better tools than some people think and while he’s likely to be a day three pick, he’s worth a camp or two to see if he can make it happen.

The quarterback class in 2023

People are going to spend a lot of time talking about Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. I’ll keep saying it though — go and watch Kentucky’s Will Levis. He is the name to remember for next year.

If you missed it yesterday, check out my article offering thoughts on every little sub-section of the Russell Wilson trade — such as whether it was a fair deal, where the team goes from here and what they might do in the draft.

If you enjoy the content on Seahawks Draft Blog then please consider supporting us via Patreon (click the tab below)…

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Ok… let’s dive in…

Instant reaction?

Shock that it happened out of the blue, on the day Aaron Rodgers probably expected everyone would be talking about him.

Yet ultimately, not surprised.

This has been on the cards for some time, despite some pretty weighty denials over the last 12 months when a lot of people could see something wasn’t right.

The one thing I wanted to avoid this off-season was more of the same. The Seahawks have become a stale franchise going nowhere. All of the ‘run it back’ talk was disheartening off the back of what amounted to wins against a slumping Arizona (who finished 1-5) and the lowly Detroit Lions.

This was still the same team that lost to Chicago just before those two wins, at home, against the Bears’ third string quarterback.

This was still a 7-10 franchise, a long way from contending.

Big changes were required. The franchise needed a seismic jolt. Many wanted change at the top but it didn’t happen. Yet something needed to be different.

This is the path they’ve chosen.

Has the franchise picked Pete Carroll over Russell Wilson?

No. It’s as simple as this…

Do you want to pay Wilson $45-50m a year, in a new contract, to be agreed over the next 12 months? That’s the going rate — not just for Aaron Rodgers. For Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and eventually, Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray.

If you don’t want to pay that amount — then you only had one other choice. It was to see what was out there in a trade.

Furthermore, I don’t think the Seahawks had much appetite to negotiate another mega contract with Mark Rodgers. The last two were fractious. I think they were ready to move on, rather than go down that road again.

How do you justify trading a franchise quarterback though?

Carroll has a sign hung above the door of the locker room. It says ‘all-in’. You have to tap it on your way out.

I don’t think the Seahawks were ‘all-in’ on Wilson and I don’t think Wilson was ‘all-in’ on the Seahawks in their current form.

The most important relationship on any team is the Head Coach and quarterback. It’s not that Carroll and Wilson dislike each other. I suspect they are still really close. But both men wanted different things.

When you get to that point, the writing is on the wall.

They gave it another year. And now, it was just time.

Is it a fair trade?

I think so. People will have big opinions on this deal. I’m comfortable with it.

I don’t think there’s any point comparing it to the Jamal Adams trade. They overpaid for Adams. It was a crap trade and deserves ridicule. The fact is even if Seattle received three first round picks instead of two, it still would’ve been close to the Adams compensation.

The absolute calamity of the Adams deal shouldn’t reflect on what constitutes a fair offer for Wilson.

If the optics were three first rounders and three players, is that better than two firsts, two seconds and three players? I prefer this structure. You get #9 and #40, guaranteed, rather than say two late first round picks in 2023 and 2024.

In this class, I think you’ll get a tremendous player at #40. This is a terrific opportunity for the team that you wouldn’t necessarily have if that pick was a first rounder in 2024.

Plus, the team knows this class by now. I’ll run through some names later in this piece — but future picks come with a degree of unknown. Two picks in the top-40, days after the combine and a month after the Senior Bowl, carries far less mystery.

On top of this, you get a former top-20 pick in Noah Fant. He’ll cost you $2.2m this year — that’s $3.8m cheaper than Gerald Everett, for what it’s worth. Plus he has a fifth year option, which’ll cost about $6.8m.

They just filled a big hole at tight end at a great price.

I’ve spent the last few days pointing out the Seahawks love agility at the position. A good short shuttle (sub-4.40) and a great three cone (sub-7.10) is what they look for.

Fant ran a 4.26 shuttle and a 6.81 three cone. He’s their type of guy. He also ran a 4.50 forty and jumped a near 40 inch vertical. I’m intrigued to see how the Seahawks will use him.

They needed someone who can create sacks in the interior. Shelby Harris has 12 in his last two full seasons combined. That’s the kind of production they need. Adam Schefter reported that the Broncos considered Harris a ‘locker-room leader’. It sounds like he will provide leadership qualities too.

Drew Lock? Let’s not overreact to this one. He’s a shot to nothing. He’s a 25-year-old player with some starting experience who will compete for the job. That’s it. The Seahawks will add other players to compete with him and might draft someone too. He’s not the future — unless he wins that right.

So overall — you’ve filled two holes (TE + interior pressure) and added cheap competition at quarterback, along with acquiring #9 and #40 this year, to go with two picks next year.

I think it’s a fair trade for Denver and a fair trade for Seattle.

Couldn’t they have got more though?

Let’s remember that Wilson had a no-trade clause.

Was it a seller’s market? Absolutely. However, if Wilson wasn’t prepared to go to Washington with their toxic ownership situation, it wouldn’t matter what they offered.

In fact, if he was only willing to go to Denver — and if you’re not prepared to pay him that $45-50m contract over the next year — your options are actually pretty limited. At that point, you have to get the best deal you can with the team your told is an acceptable trade partner.

If anyone was expecting the Broncos to throw in Patrick Surtain or Bradley Chubb — it’s a pipe dream. At best it was going to be Fant or Jerry Jeudy. I don’t blame the Seahawks for picking Fant, if it was a choice between the two.

John and Pete don’t deserve to spend the resources!

I saw this a lot in the comments section on the live stream and I get it. This regime did a poor job with the reset — squandering resources, investing in the wrong areas and then there’s the Adams trade.

They built the team poorly, wasting what was a decent set-up in 2018 to launch a new run.

However, it’s also worth remembering that this same regime built the Super Bowl team. They’re the ones that created a roster that deserves to be remembered as one of the NFL’s greatest.

I can’t say I have much confidence that they’ll come close to doing it again. But I’m prepared to accept that they’re going to be the ones shaping the future — so let’s see what happens.

One other thing on this — I think Carroll, since the 2017 season, has created an uncomfortable situation where he wanted to double-down on his core philosophy and beliefs, while the quarterback (and perhaps some other players) saw a modern, shifting NFL landscape that involved high-octane passing concepts.

Carroll was spinning too many plates. They’d spent money on Wilson and made him the franchise focal point. Yet at the same time, Carroll also wanted to play the game his way. You ended up with a frustrated quarterback who felt he was being held back and a coach trying to accommodate different thoughts, while inside being so determined to stick to his guns.

It never felt like a comfortable fit. The classic example is the way they started the 2020 season on fire, then at the first sign of trouble resorted to type and became deeply conservative.

If nothing else — now Carroll is free to do things his way again, without any pushback. For better or worse.

We get to judge the results.

How will Seattle remember Wilson?

As a hero and a franchise legend, who helped deliver a Super Bowl and did so much for the community.

Marshawn Lynch is always welcomed back to Seattle with open arms — and rightly so. The same welcome should be given to Wilson. I think it will be.

In fairness to Pete Carroll…

In the last few weeks he’s completely turned over his defensive staff, adding fresh ideas. He admitted they’d been ‘arrogant’ about their approach to defense. Now he’s traded Russell Wilson, cut Bobby Wagner and is embracing something many thought he was completely opposed to.

Whether it works out or not, BB-Pete is back.

What do the Seahawks do at quarterback now?

In my opinion, the Seahawks made this trade with a clear idea on what they’re going to do next. That means they have a quarterback, or multiple quarterbacks, in their sights.

It could be that they see several rookies in this class they like. Or one player in particular. Yes, I know the consensus is that this isn’t a good class of QB’s. However, not many people were projecting Russell Wilson to be a legendary quarterback in 2012. That’s why he lasted until round three. Schneider and co had the foresight to make that move and it’s possible, maybe, they like someone just as much this year who can equally prove people wrong.

It’s not plausible to me, though, that you would trade Wilson and enter the unknown without a plan. They must have a plan, that will become obvious by at least the end of the draft.

I think there will be a process now. Firstly, you find out what’s out there. You speak to other teams. Get a feel for the trade market.

One way or another you’re adding another veteran quarterback over the next two weeks. My early guess would be a Tyrod Taylor or Marcus Mariota type. People will also speculate about trades.

It’s not ideal but this is the world we’re in now.

Then there’s the draft. If they really like someone, they might take them at #9 to avoid all doubt. We’ll see. I think it’s more likely, given how this class is viewed, a potential target would be there at #40 — or they might trade into the back-end of round one to get their guy.

In my (now outdated) mock draft published earlier, I actually had the Broncos trading up to #26 to get Matt Corral. The Titans, who don’t have a second round pick due to the Julio Jones trade, could be a good candidate to move down. It might not be that expensive, either.

Who’s your money on?

I’m quite happy to admit I might be doing the whole 2+2=5 here — but I just think there’s something in this picture:

Quick reminder… #Seahawks

📸 @LanceZierlein pic.twitter.com/ZjVnf0MGpp

— Rob Staton (@robstaton) March 8, 2022

Remember — Carroll probably knew by this point that he was going to trade Wilson. Of course, teams don’t have to tap into relationships they have with the Kiffin’s in order to speak with quarterbacks. Teams can have official meetings during and after the combine.

Was this a classic case of competing by Carroll though? A little bit of extra time with a guy he likes? Out of the meeting-environment? Using his connection to the Kiffin’s to buy a little extra time with Corral?

It’s all speculation, of course.

However, I will say this. Corral went to Oaks Christian School — somewhere Carroll is closely connected to.

Watch this video:

Do you get the same impression I do? Firstly — it’s clear how popular Corral is with his team mates. Secondly, doesn’t he just seem like the kind of competitor Carroll loves?

He has a good arm, he’s incredibly mobile and athletic. The Seahawks have already drafted one of Lane Kiffin’s quarterbacks — Alex McGough. And Carroll will get an honest, detailed report from Kiffin, given their relationship.

I think there’s something in this.

Alternatively, I also felt watching Malik Willis at the combine that he would appeal to Seattle. Schneider loves physical tools. Willis has those — a huge arm, dynamic running ability, he can make magic as a runner and thrower.

I just think Corral is better at keeping an offense on time and in rhythm. Willis is very much a one-read quarterback, who too often rejects progressions to play hero-ball as a runner. If the Seahawks want to fix their third down woes — I’m not sure Willis is the right player for that (unless he can pick them up with his legs).

Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Seahawks also like Desmond Ridder and Kenny Pickett.

Ridder is a fantastic athlete who elevated Cincinnati in a big way. He’s an extremely mature, well-liked individual with strong leadership skills. His accuracy has been erratic at times but he also delivered some of the best passes you’ll see last season, especially during a big win against Notre Dame. He has experience, a history of winning and he has 10 inch hands.

Pickett had a brilliant final season at Pittsburgh and also elevated his team to win the ACC against expectations. The ‘fake slide’ play is a great example of how people underestimate his athleticism. He carries himself well and has a personality I suspect Schneider will like. The hand-size is an issue — but he’s also experienced, has a good physical profile and will be liked by several teams.

As strange as it might sound, given all we’ve said about this quarterback class — the Seahawks might see this quartet — and maybe even someone like Jack Coan too — as attractive options.

I’ll study all of the quarterbacks in depth over the coming days.

Could they make a big trade?

I’m sure they’ll do what they always do and ‘be in on everything’. If Derek Carr becomes available, or Kirk Cousins, they’ll probably enquire. I suppose they’ll start doing homework on Deshaun Watson but that would be a very controversial, and expensive, move.

Carroll is 70 and people have talked about his lack of interest in a rebuild. He might want a big name, proven QB to lead this rather than a rookie. I just hope they don’t overpay if they ultimately target a Cousins type.

This should be an opportunity to create a new young core — not recreate the same thin roster, just with a different highly-paid quarterback under center.

What about the 2023 quarterback class?

My advice is to search for Kentucky’s Will Levis on YouTube.

People love to talk about Bryce Young (lots of potential but needs works) and C.J. Stroud (I think he’ll be the next disappointment from Ohio State).

However, I think Levis is the name to watch.

Thoughts on Bobby Wagner’s departure?

Seahawks informed eight-time All-Pro and Pro-Bowl LB Bobby Wagner, a franchise icon, that they are releasing him, per source.

Wagner arrived in Seattle on the same 2012 day as Russell Wilson and now leaves the same day, too. End of an era in Seattle.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2022

Wagner played with hesitancy last season, was far less aggressive and didn’t make anywhere near enough plays. His best days appear to be behind him.

I don’t think people truly appreciate how poorly Wagner played in 2021. I spent a lot of time studying him, on the recommendation of someone who knows a lot more than I do about the position. I was surprised. Wagner actively avoided contact at times. He didn’t look good. It’s difficult to watch tape of players like Channing Tindall and not think — the Seahawks need more youth and violence here.

This is a loaded linebacker class full of physical, fast, pro-ready players. It’s time to go with youth and speed at the position next to Jordyn Brooks and save even more money to invest in the trenches, cornerback and receiver.

I’m going to talk about the draft next — but the linebacker drills were one of the star attractions at the combine. See for yourself:

It’s the end of an era. Time to create an exciting young core.

What will they do with the #9 pick?

If they don’t just ‘get their guy’ at quarterback, I think it’s obvious.

Get a game-wrecking pass rusher.

If they go and sign a Chandler Jones type next week, it might be a tell of their intentions to pick a quarterback early. Otherwise, I fully expect them to take a pass rusher at #9.

The name I’d focus on is Jermaine Johnson.

He was the star of the Senior Bowl and the true alpha of Mobile. At the combine, he was part of a highly energetic linebacker group that lit up Lucas Oil Field. He was the one firing the guys up during drills.

Pairing Johnson with Darrell Taylor does two things. It gives you possibly the best young pair of edge rushers in the NFL. Plus, they are your heart-and-soul players. They will bring the tone, the energy, the physicality. They can be your leaders.

That’s an exciting prospect.

If it’s not Johnson — it could be Kayvon Thibodeaux. There’s plenty of talk that he could fall after a weird off-season process. While that’s a concern — it’s not that long ago that people were comparing him to a lesser version of Myles Garrett.

You could also trade down and consider Boye Mafe. Plus there’s David Ojabo.

This is where I would look. However — let’s say they do sign a big-name edge rusher next week. Then you can also pivot to Jordan ‘Thanos’ Davis. Or Devonte Wyatt. Or you can look at a corner such as Sauce Gardner or Derek Stingley. Or an offensive lineman.

Either way — the options are extremely appealing at #9.

What about the broader draft class?

For weeks now I’ve been saying this draft is so deep — several teams will be able to build a new foundation with this class. That is the opportunity here.

It’s loaded at several positions — running back, tight end, receiver, linebacker, both lines, cornerback and safety.

I’m still working on adjusting my horizontal board but I’m happy to share where I am currently, as I continue to watch players I hadn’t studied pre-combine.

Click to enlarge the image:

There might not be a ‘Trevor Lawrence’ at the top of the board to headline a quarterback class. As you can see though, there are some great options at various positions.

I truly believe you can build with players like Jermaine Johnson, Zamir White, Dameon Pierce, Kenneth Walker, Cole Strange, Cam Jurgens, Josh Paschal, Cam Taylor-Britt, Perrion Winfrey, Logan Hall, Travis Jones, Roger McCreary, Jalyn Armour-Davis, Channing Tindall, Nick Cross, Smoke Monday, Darrian Beavers, Abraham Lucas and others. So many others. Including, possibly, Matt Corral and the other quarterbacks.

Heck — there’s a safety from Louisiana called Percy Butler who just flies downfield as a gunner and hits people on special teams. Go get him.

The challenge for the Seahawks now is to have a great draft and take advantage of what is available.

Although it’s outdated now, I’d still recommend checking out my mock draft from earlier because it still includes a full seven-round projection for the Seahawks plus an idea of the players who will be available at #9 and #40/#41.

One other final point on the draft — every team should set a target of tapping into Georgia’s brilliant array of talent. Particularly the Seahawks.

What does it mean for the rest of the roster?

It’ll be interesting to see what happens with the free agents. Does Duane Brown want to come back to Seattle now? Or Quandre Diggs? They’ve played on losing teams and might not fancy it. Equally, they seem to like it here.

The fact is there’s now less pressure to keep these players. If you’re trying to ‘win now at all costs’ and start the off-season creating more holes, you’re in trouble. Now, the Seahawks can negotiate with openness around their quarterback situation and anyone who stays is going to be fully bought-in.

They have a lot of resources. The cap space next year is projected to be $130m. Given a lot of contracts have lower year-one cap hits, there’s plenty to play with to either retain, replace or add.

In 2011 they signed Sidney Rice and Zach Miller to big money deals to kick-start the roster construction. They might do something similar next week — adding talent that is at a good age.

I’d keep an eye on Christian Kirk, Carlton Davis, Russell Gage, Brian Allen and D.J. Jones who perhaps fit that mix of right age + talent.

Will they trade Tyler Lockett?

Ignore all of this twitter nonsense about Lockett. Aside from the fact you’d be paying him $28m to play somewhere else, Carroll loves Lockett. He’s called him the definition of what they want in a Seahawk numerous times.

He’s going nowhere.

Will they trade D.K. Metcalf?

Only if they’re unwilling to pay him a market value contract between $20-30m. Davante Adams will soon re-set the market, so there’s a big call to make here.

They can afford him so that’s not an issue. I would expect them to pay him and keep a young star on the roster.

And let’s not forget — this is the same Metcalf who often appeared frustrated with Wilson and was seen pointing at Geno Smith during the Washington game, seemingly implying he should be playing instead of a quarterback struggling after returning from a serious finger injury.

Final thoughts

Two things were clear going into this off-season:

1. Something had to change because this franchise had gone stale

2. The Russell Wilson situation had to be sorted, one way or another

Whether people are completely satisfied with the compensation or the direction of the team, personally I feel energised — because something is different and the Wilson saga is over.

I am not confident the Seahawks will get this right. I am fascinated and excited to see what happens next.

If you missed it earlier, check out our 2.5 hour instant reaction live stream which included guest appearances from Joe Fann & Jeff Simmons:

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Live reaction:

Before getting into the mock, which is a full three rounder plus a seven-round projection for Seattle — I want to share a few thoughts on the Seahawks.

In the aftermath of the combine I’ve been arguing that it’s more challenging that originally thought for the Seahawks to get the kind of pass rusher they want at #41. I think a better option would be to address that crucial need in free agency and then focus on another area with their top pick.

This article by ESPN’s Brady Henderson hits the nail on the head. The Seahawks need proven quality added to their pass rush. They’ve needed it for two years, frankly. Now is the time to make that happen.

Henderson suggests two names — Von Miller and Chandler Jones. These are the two names I would focus on too. Yes they are older players. However, they’re also proven and remain highly productive.

In the case of Miller, I can’t think of a better mentor for Darrell Taylor.

Adding one in the first flush of free agency would set the table for the rest of the off-season. Addressing the key need first and foremost would be a statement of intent.

There’s only one thing I’d add to Henderson’s article (which you should check out). If memory serves, the Seahawks offered a fairly generous contract to Jadeveon Clowney in 2020. He turned it down and created a months-long saga as a consequence. So I think the Seahawks have shown they’re willing to pay a high price.

They also signed Luke Joeckel within minutes of free agency starting in 2017 — for a hefty sum that made him the sixth-highest paid guard in the NFL.

So they have offered big money and they have been active in free agency in the first wave in the past, even if it’s not a habit.

It feels like the key to the 2022 off-season is going to be landing that key pass rusher right off the bat — then turning their attention to retaining their own players and finding some value additions in the second wave. They need to be aggressive, as I’ll discuss at the end of the mock.

First round

#1 Jacksonville — Evan Neal (T, Alabama)
With neither of the top two pass rushers doing anything particularly out of the ordinary at the combine, the Jaguars settle on the man who topped Bruce Feldman’s ‘freaks list’ and start him at left tackle.

#2 Detroit — Aidan Hutchinson (DE, Michigan)
An ideal fit in terms of need and Hutchinson, a local hero, stays in Michigan.

#3 Houston — Kayvon Thibodeaux (DE, Oregon)
They need a top pass rusher and despite the question marks over Thibodeaux, his talent remains tantalising.

#4 New York Jets — Travon Walker (DE, Georgia)
His combine performance was good enough to fly into the top five.

#5 New York Giants — Trevor Penning (T, Northern Iowa)
They have a franchise left tackle. Penning is ideally suited to the right side, creating a nice book-end for the Giants.

#6 Carolina — Ikem Ekonwu (G, NC State)
I think he’s overrated and his combine performance overblown (check his explosive testing and agility numbers). However, there’s plenty of buzz about him going this early and the Panthers are expected to go O-line here.

#7 New York Giants — Sauce Garnder (CB, Cincinnati)
Running in the 4.4’s was a major plus and teams appear to really like his mental make-up, length and college production.

#8 Atlanta — Garrett Wilson (WR, Ohio State)
After trading Julio Jones and losing Calvin Ridley to suspension, the Falcons suddenly have a desperate need at receiver. Russell Gage is also a free agent.

#9 Denver — Jermaine Johnson (DE, Florida State)
If Von Miller doesn’t come home, a pass rusher is a key need for Denver.

#10 New York Jets — Lewis Cine (S, Georgia)
Robert Salah is well aware of the impact a tone-setting, physical, hard-hitting safety can have on a team’s identity.

#11 Washington — Kyle Hamilton (S, Notre Dame)
Frankly, after running a 4.59, can you even take him this early?

#12 Minnesota — Jordan Davis (DT, Georgia)
I wanted to put him in the top-10 but too many teams have other needs.

#13 Cleveland — Chris Olave (WR, Ohio State)
Receiver is a key need and Olave’s outstanding forty-time could propel him into the top-15.

#14 Baltimore — Derek Stingley (CB, LSU)
I’ve resisted dropping Stingley but there’s a fairly constant murmur about his stock. The injury situation doesn’t help. Neither does his lack of length (30.5 inch arms). Could he fall? Maybe. He still has incredible potential though.

#15 Philadelphia — David Ojabo (DE, Michigan)
He had a good-not-great combine. I suspect Jermaine Johnson will go before Ojabo. Johnson has had an outstanding off-season and made headlines at the Senior Bowl. He was the clear alpha among the linebackers at the combine, barking at the others and keeping the energy high. That’s tough to compete with.

#16 Philadelphia — Trent McDuffie (CB, Washington)
The Eagles need a linebacker but the value will be good in round two at that position. Thus, they can afford to pivot to a dynamic defensive back like McDuffie.

#17 LA Chargers — Devonte Wyatt (DT, Georgia)
I recently watched a video detailing how Branden Staley’s defense doesn’t function properly without a dynamic interior disruptor. Thus, Wyatt is the perfect fit here.

#18 Charles Cross (T, Mississippi State)
Another one who had a good-not-great combine. The Saints might need to replace Terron Armstead, who’s a free agent.

#19 Philadelphia — Jameson Williams (WR, Alabama)
It’s easy to forget, because of the injury, just how absolutely fantastic Williams was in 2021.

#20 Pittsburgh — Malik Willis (QB, Pittsburgh)
Mike Tomlin doesn’t really try and hide which players the Steelers might draft. He was stomping around prominently at TJ Watt’s pro-day. He did the same at Devin Bush’s. Watching him basically standing right next to the Senior Bowl drills while Malik Willis was throwing seemed like a fairly obvious tell.

#21 New England — Kyler Gordon (CB, Washington)
If they lose JC Jackson they’ll need a replacement. Gordon didn’t run as well as expected but neither did Joe Haden back in the day.

#22 Las Vegas — Travis Jones (DT, Connecticut)
When you test as well as Dontari Poe, there’s not much chance you’ll get out of round one. Especially when you dominated the Senior Bowl, excelled at the combine and can run a 4.58 short shuttle at 325lbs.

#23 Arizona — Boye Mafe (DE, Minnesota)
Mafe feels like an ideal replacement for Chandler Jones, if he departs.

#24 Dallas — Abraham Lucas (T, Washington State)
If I’m proven wrong, I’ll hold my hands up. But I think the way ‘draft media’ is projecting Lucas is total and utter bollocks. First round talent.

#25 Buffalo — Zion Johnson (G, Boston College)
Explosive offensive linemen tend to go early. Per his combine testing, Johnson is one of the most explosive players to enter the league in recent years.

#26 Denver (v/Titans) — Matt Corral (QB, Ole Miss)
If the Broncos can’t get to Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson, I think they could well take a shot on Corral — who feels like a good fit for the offense Nathaniel Hackett wants to run. Trading back into round one shouldn’t be too expensive for Denver and the Titans, without a second rounder, might be inclined to add stock.

#27 Tampa Bay — Tyler Linderbaum (C, Iowa)
I like Linderbaum but he’s being overrated. Look at the range the center’s went last year. It wouldn’t surprise me if he lasted to #41.

#28 Green Bay — Perrion Winfrey (DT, Oklahoma)
Defensive tackles who run a 4.89 with a 1.6 10-yard split tend to go in round one. Especially ones who excel at the Senior Bowl.

#29 Miami — Bernhard Raimann (T/G, Central Michigan)
His lack of length is a concern but Miami’s GM took Liam Eichenburg a year ago so it’s clearly not such a big issue for him.

#30 Kansas City — Arnold Ebiketie (DE, Penn State)
If they cut Frank Clark they’ll need a replacement.

#31 Cincinnati — Kaiir Elam (CB, Florida)
I think they’ll build their O-line in free agency. Elam ran better than expected and the Bengals, over the years, have been happy to invest picks at cornerback.

#32 Detroit — Drake London (WR, USC)
They need a receiver and London could provide value and upside here.

Round two

#33 Jacksonville — Greg Dulcich (TE, UCLA)
Trevor Lawrence needs an outlet and Doug Pederson knows how to make good use of an athletic tight end.

#34 Detroit — Devin Lloyd (LB, Utah)
His character and playing style fits the profile the Lions are looking for.

#35 New York Jets — Jeremy Ruckert (TE, Ohio State)
This is a big need and although Ruckert didn’t test, he has the pass-catching qualities New York needs at tight end.

#36 New York Giants — Trey McBride (TE, Colorado State)
The run on TE’s continues and the Giants are another team who could tap into the talent pool early in round two.

#37 Houston — Treylon Burks (WR, Alabama)
A disappointing combine could lead to an even bigger fall.

#38 New York Jets — Channing Tindall (LB, Georgia)
I just get the sense Robert Salah will love Tindall’s all-action approach and dynamic physical profile.

#39 Chicago — Jalyn Armour-Davis (CB, Alabama)
Few players declare early from Alabama unless they get positive intel on their draft stock. JAD showed at the combine why he is destined to go earlier than people think.

#40 Tennessee (v/Broncos) — Quay Walker (LB, Georgia)
After moving down, and with the better TE’s off the board, the Titans go for value and take one of the three linebacker studs from Georgia.

#41 Seattle — Cole Strange (C, Chattanooga)
He had an excellent Senior Bowl and then showed with his combine testing that he’s one of the most explosive offensive linemen to enter the NFL in a long time. He will go in round two, it’s just a question of how early. After avoiding the position for so long, Strange gives the Seahawks a chance to make amends.

#42 Washington — Kenny Pickett (QB, Pittsburgh)
If the Commanders can’t add a big name quarterback they’ll need to add a stop-gap veteran and draft someone.

#43 Atlanta — Breece Hall (RB, Iowa State)
He tested in the Jonathan Stewart category and thus, will likely go in the same range.

#44 Cleveland — Sam Williams (DE, Ole Miss)
After running a 1.60 split he has every chance to secure a second round placing.

#45 Baltimore — George Karlaftis (DE, Purdue)
He didn’t test as well as some predicted and he has short arms. He reminds me of AJ Epenesa in terms of stock — a player projected to go very early but lasts deep into round two.

#46 Minnesota — Josh Paschal (DE, Kentucky)
He’s a disruptive, explosive defender who does a superb job making plays against the run and could be used as a five technique.

#47 Indianapolis — Desmond Ridder (QB, Cincinnati)
The Colts have got to keep taking shots until they find a guy.

#48 LA Chargers — Nakobe Dean (LB, Georgia)
He’s undersized at 5-11 and 229lbs and that could keep him on the board longer than Tindall and Walker. He didn’t test at the combine.

#49 New Orleans — Jahan Dotson (WR, Penn State)
A strong combine performance means this is a good fit for team and player. He’s well suited for this offense.

#50 Miami — Troy Andersen (LB, Montana State)
A remarkable combine and a strong Senior Bowl secure Andersen’s second round slot.

#51 Philadelphia — Christian Harris (LB, Alabama)
The Eagles love speed and Harris has that after running in the 4.4’s. He’s a great option for Philly in round two.

#52 Pittsburgh — Daxton Hill (S, Michigan)
I was underwhelmed by his combine. He promised a lot and didn’t really deliver.

#53 Las Vegas — Leo Chenal (LB, Wisconsin)
His unorthodox frame won’t be for everyone. He has short legs and a long torso. However, he is big, fast, aggressive and he’s a terror when blitzing.

#54 New England — Nick Cross (S, Maryland)
Cross, to me, screams hybrid Patriots defender who will appeal to Bill Belichick.

#55 Arizona — Kenneth Walker (RB, Michigan State)
He looked like a dude at the combine. Sometimes you just have to look at a player to think — they’re going to be really good. Walker gives off that vibe.

#56 Dallas — Cam Jurgens (C, Nebraska)
Country-strong, athletic and capable of great things at the next level.

#57 Buffalo — Tariq Woolen (CB, UTSA)
He ran brilliantly as expected but he looked a bit stiff during drills — which could keep him on the board a bit longer than initially expected.

#58 Atlanta — Alec Pierce (WR, Cincinnati)
This is a skill-heavy trio of picks for the Falcons but don’t they have to do this? They only have Kyle Pitts.

#59 Green Bay — Jalen Tolbert (WR, South Alabama)
He’s so smooth on tape. I can see Aaron Rodgers building early trust with Tolbert, who knows how to get open.

#60 Tampa Bay — Zamir White (RB, Georgia)
This could be one of the steals of the draft. I love Zamir White after really studying his tape a few days ago.

#61 San Francisco — Andrew Booth (CB, Clemson)
He didn’t test at the combine which makes him a difficult projection. He has reasonable size, at least.

#62 Kansas City — Bryan Cook (S, Cincinnati)
If the Chiefs need to replace Tyrann Mathieu’s grit and intensity, Cook would be an ideal choice.

#63 Cincinnati — DeMarvin Leal (DT, Texas A&M)
Underwhelming tape keeps him available and he’s the type of player the Bengals like to take a chance on.

#64 Denver — Damone Clark (LB, LSU)
Another player who just looked the part at the combine.

Third round

#65 Jacksonville — Wan’Dale Robinson (WR, Kentucky)
#66 Detroit — Calvin Austin (WR, Memphis)
#67 New York Giants — Dameon Pierce (RB, Florida)
#68 Houston — Roger McCreary (CB, Auburn)
#69 New York Jets — Jaquon Brisker (S, Penn State)
#70 Jacksonville — Cam Taylor-Britt (CB, Nebraska)
#71 Chicago — Christian Watson (WR, North Dakota State)

#72 Seattle — Logan Hall (DT, Houston)
The Seahawks have selected a defensive lineman with one of their first two picks in six of the last seven drafts. Hall is an inside/out rusher who could provide a much needed interior threat on obvious passing downs. His 4.44 short shuttle at 283lbs appeals to Seattle. He could easily go higher than this — but I thought the same about Rasheem Green and Sam Hubbard in 2018.

#73 Washington — Rasheed Walker (T, Penn State)
#74 Atlanta — Dominique Robinson (DE, Miami-OH)
#75 Tennessee — Cade Otton (TE, Washington)
#76 Baltimore — Zach Tom (C, Wake Forest)
#77 Minnesota — John Metchie (WR, Alabama)
#78 Cleveland — Chad Muma (LB, Wyoming)
#79 LA Chargers — Jalen Wydermyer (TE, Texas A&M)
#80 Houston — Matthew Butler (DT, Tennessee)
#81 New York Giants — Drake Jackson (DE, USC)
#82 Indianapolis — Brian Asamoah (LB, Oklahoma)
#83 Philadelphia — Sean Rhyan (G, UCLA)
#84 Pittsburgh — Tyler Smith (T, Tulsa)
#85 New England — Darrian Beavers (LB, Cincinnati)
#86 Las Vegas — George Pickens (WR, Georgia)
#87 Arizona — Jake Ferguson (TE, Wisconsin)
#88 Dallas — Kerby Joseph (S, Illinois)
#89 Buffalo — Phidarian Mathis (DT, Alabama)
#90 Tennessee — Skyy Moore (WR, Western Michigan)
#91 Tampa Bay — Jack Coan (QB, Notre Dame)
#92 Green Bay — Jelani Woods (TE, Virginia)
#93 San Francisco — Jalen Pitre (S, Baylor)
#94 Kansas City — Kevin Austin Jr (WR, Notre Dame)
#95 Cincinnati — Kenyon Green (G, Texas A&M)
#96 Denver — John Ridgeway (DT, Arkansas)
#97 Detroit — Tyreke Smith (DE, Ohio State)
#98 Cleveland — Haskell Garrett (DT, Ohio State)
#99 Baltimore — Nik Bonitto (DE, Oklahoma)
#100 New Orleans — Tyrion Davis-Price (RB, LSU)
#101 Miami — Kyle Phillips (WR, UCLA)
#102 Kansas City — Eyioma Uwazurike (DT, Iowa State)
#103 LA Rams — DeAngelo Malone (DE, Western Kentucky)

Seattle’s remaining picks

#107 Seattle — Chase Allen (TE, Iowa State)
The Seahawks love tight ends who are willing and capable blockers with plus agility testing. Allen plays with his hair on fire, gets after it in the trenches and he ran a 7.03 three cone. He’s a Seahawks prototype.

#114 Seattle — Smoke Monday (S, Auburn)
The guy is just a dude. A physical, pounding tone-setter who loves football. Give Jamal Adams some aggressive snaps as a blitzing death-backer and allow Smoke Monday to cover at safety.

#152 Seattle — Ed Ingram (G, LSU)
The Seahawks don’t have much depth at guard. If they do transition to a blocking scheme that prefers athleticism over size/power — Ingram ran a 5.02 at 307lbs. He also has 33.5 inch arms — which they’ll like — and 10 inch hands.

#227 Seattle — Percy Butler (S, Louisiana)
Special teams is always a big deal for Seattle. Butler is a dynamic gunner who flies to the ball and has no concern for his own personal wellbeing. I can imagine the Seahawks making sure they get him for kick-coverage duties alone.

Final thoughts

This mock emphasises how much work the Seahawks have to do before the draft. Even with four picks between rounds 2-4 in a deep class, you’re not going to fill loads of needs. And you can’t rely on mid-round picks to start immediately anyway.

It really emphasises the brutal truth of where the Seahawks are. They have starters at left tackle, right tackle, center, free safety, running back, cornerback and tight end all reaching free agency. They badly need to add a quality pass rusher and talent at other positions (see: the reported interest in the receiver market).

This is why they need to make difficult decisions over the next few days. They can’t be ruled by sentimentality on Bobby Wagner. They have to be prepared to be flexible and daring with their use of cap space and void years.

While Dan Orlovsky clumsily argued his point on ESPN yesterday that the Seahawks aren’t good enough, cannot be good enough this year and should trade Russell Wilson to rebuild — frankly there’s a nugget of truth within that.

If they aren’t prepared to make a big call on Wagner and be aggressive with their spending, he’s right. They won’t be good enough. They’ll waste another season. And they’ll likely watch Wilson’s trade stock diminish.

So it’s time to make a call. Be aggressive or embrace a divorce. Add players and go for it in 2022. Or use your biggest asset to reshape the roster.

Which is it going to be? Because more of the same won’t cut it.

With Aaron Rodgers agreeing a new contract with the Packers today, this is a defining period for the Seahawks. Attention will shift to Wilson and unless he signs a new contract too, that talk won’t go away.

Offers will be made. We’ll find out how committed team and quarterback truly are.

Interesting times.

And ultimately, now the Seahawks know what the quarterback market is. Do they want to pay Wilson a contract similar to Rodgers’ in 12 months time? Because if not, they need to accept a parting is inevitable and see what’s out there now.

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Here’s a breakdown of players at each position that the Seahawks might target in the 2022 draft. The list is based on trends relating to physical profile and personal projections based on team needs and players who’ve caught me eye.

Offensive line

Going into free agency, this feels like the strongest opportunity for the Seahawks to marry need with value at the top of round two.

Abraham Lucas is possibly the most underrated player in the draft. Despite having one of the best Senior Bowl performances — and a great combine — nobody’s talking about him. He ran a 4.92 at 6-6 and 315lbs which was impressive enough. Then he ran a sensational 4.40 short shuttle and a 7.25 three cone. His on-field workout was the best of the group. His level of size, length, athleticism and agility is rare. Lucas might be the most athletic college right tackle to enter the league since Tyron Smith. I think he deserve to go firmly in round one but with so little buzz out there, increasingly I’m wondering if he’ll be available at #41. If he is, the Seahawks should be ready to take him.

After a superb Senior Bowl where he showed rapid development across a productive practise week, Chattanooga’s Cole Strange showed he’s an elite athlete at the combine. He ran a 5.03 forty and a 4.50 short shuttle. His 10-0 broad jump was remarkable. The Seahawks (and the rest of the NFL) have put a lot of focus into explosive traits on the offensive line. Our TEF calculation (explained here) projects Strange as a comparable athlete to Tristan Wirfs and he’s more explosive than Creed Humphrey. He also has 33 inch arms and 10 1/8 inch hands. If the Seahawks want to finally address their glaring hole at center, Strange gives them a chance to do so. They would need to take him in round two.

On tape, Cam Jurgens jumps off the screen. He’s tenacious and physical, giving opponents a headache from the first whistle. There are highlight-reel plays where he’s driving second-level defenders 40-yards downfield. He has ideal center size at just under 6-3 and 303lbs plus 33.5 inch arms and 10 inch hands. He’s extremely athletic — running a 4.92. He combines outstanding physical upside with a country-strong frame and an aggressive mentality. I suspect he will be a late second or early third round pick, given the range players at his position were taken a year ago.

A stand-out player at left tackle in college, Zach Tom lacks the size and length to stick outside and is projected to switch to center (where he already has playing experience). He’s 6-4 and 304lbs with 33 1/4 inch arms and 10.5 inch hands. He ran a 4.94 forty and a superb 4.47 short shuttle. His explosive testing marks are identical to Zion Johnson, who might be a first round pick. A physical comp in terms of explosive traits would be Kolton Miller, the offensive tackle in Las Vegas. Given the LA Rams built their O-line by switching athletic tackles to guard, there’s also a chance the Seahawks could start to do the same with a player like Tom.

Tight end

In our big combine preview, we highlighted how critical agility testing is in projecting potential Seahawks picks at tight end.

The data tells us that a three cone in the sub-7.10 range and a short shuttle under 4.50 puts you on Seattle’s radar.

Here are the players who managed those marks at the combine:

Austin Allen — 4.26 (ss), 7.00 (3c)
Chase Allen — 4.43 (ss), 7.03 (3c)
Jake Ferguson — 4.48 (ss), 7.03 (3c)
Greg Dulcich — 4.37 (ss), 7.05 (3c)
Daniel Bellinger — 4.47 (ss), 7.05 (3c)
Cole Turner — 4.41 (ss), 7.06 (3c)
Curtis Hodges — 4.28 (ss), 7.14 (3c)

Peyton Hendershot (4.25) ran a short shuttle but not a three cone.

If they wanted to take Dulcich they’d likely have to do it at #41. He has elevated himself as the likely #1 tight end in the class and could be off the board before Seattle’s top pick.

I like Jake Ferguson in round two but he is difficult to project based on his 4.81 forty and middling explosive traits. It’s possible he could be there in rounds 3-4 and would provide a tremendous pass-catching option for Seattle.

Austin Allen and Chase Allen are two very interesting prospects who warrant serious consideration in rounds 4-5. Chase plays with his hair on fire and can contribute as a fierce blocker and receiver.

Daniel Bellinger and Cole Turner should also go in that range. Curtis Hodges is incredibly tall and lean and more of a project for the final round or UDFA.

If the Seahawks wanted to take a tight end in the early fourth round with one of their two picks — they will have an excellent opportunity to do so.

Jeremy Ruckert and Cade Otton didn’t test. Both are supremely talented and could also be options for the Seahawks.

Running back

The Seahawks have a clearly defined ‘type’ at running back and over the years we’ve been able to project which players they will like (and ultimately draft).

Generally they like running backs who are approximately 5-10-to-6-0 in height, weigh between 215-225lbs (give or take a few) and have strong performances in the vertical and broad jump (explosive traits are absolutely crucial).

There’s a long list of players in this draft who fit the bill:

Breece Hall — 5-11, 217lbs, 40v, 10-6b
Brian Robinson — 6-2, 225lbs, 30v, 9-11b
Dameon Pierce — 5-10, 218lbs, 34.5v, 9-11b
D’Vonte Price — 6-1, 210lbs, 34v, 9-11b
Isaih Pacheco — 5-10, 216lbs, 33v, 9-10b
Jerome Ford — 5-10, 210lbs, 31v, 9-10v
Kenneth Walker — 5-9, 211lbs, 34v, 10-2b
Kevin Harris — 5-10, 221lbs, 38.5v, 10-6b
Leddie Brown — 6-0, 213lbs, 30v, 9-10b
Snoop Conner — 5-10, 222lbs, 29.5v, 9-10b
Rachaad White — 6-0, 214lbs, 38v, 10-5b
Tyler Allgeier — 5-11, 224lbs, 33v, 10-0b
Tyrion Davis-Price — 6-0, 211lbs, 30v, 9-9b
Zamir White — 6-0, 214lbs, 33.5v, 10-8b

If Rashaad Penny isn’t re-signed, Kenneth Walker could easily be a target for the Seahawks. He has a very similar running style to Penny and offers that same home-run threat when he breaks through to the second level. He ran a 4.39 forty and shares a very similar physical profile to Penny. He looked like a ‘dude’ during on-field drills although if you want him, you might have to draft him in round two.

Zamir White is one of the most underrated players in the draft. He’s explosive and quick — running a 4.40 forty. On tape he’s incredibly patient to let his blocks develop, then he stays skinny and explodes through to the second level. He almost always falls forward and is adept at collecting yards after contact. I think he deserves a second round grade but can imagine him lasting into round three, where he would produce tremendous value.

Dameon Pierce plays like a Seahawks running back. He’s incredibly physical and aggressive, explodes through contact and has the same kind of violent running style we’ve seen from a Chris Carson or Thomas Rawls. I think he will be a third round pick.

Tyrion Davis-Price was lighter than expected but he has a strong frame with deceptively quick feet. He’s able to skip away from tackles but he also has the ability to get the hard yards and run through contact. I also think he’s a third rounder.

Snoop Conner is a grown man who has the ideal size and attitude to play running back in Seattle. He lacks some of the upside of the other players but his ability in pass-pro, play-demeanour and finishing ability warrant serious day-three consideration. He has a chance to provide starting upside later in the draft.

I would expect Breece Hall to be the first running back taken, possibly in the top-40. Running a 4.38 at 5-11 and 217lbs with a 40 inch vertical and a 10-6 broad jump puts you in the Jonathan Stewart physical-category.

Wide receiver

We have enough data now to say definitively — unless a receiver runs a 4.4 or faster, the Seahawks are unlikely to consider them until the later rounds.

An incredible nine players ran a 4.3 or faster at the combine with 18 running a 4.4 or faster in total:

Tyquan Thornton — 4.28
Velus Jones — 4.31
Calvin Austin — 4.32
Alec Pierce — 4.33
Danny Gray — 4.33
Bo Melton — 4.34
Christian Watson — 4.36
Garrett Wilson — 4.38
Chris Olave — 4.39
Skyy Moore — 4.41
Isaiah Weston — 4.42
Jahan Dotson — 4.43
Khalil Shakur — 4.43
Kevin Austin — 4.43
Wan’Dale Robinson — 4.44
George Pickens — 4.47
Braylon Sanders — 4.48
Jalen Tolbert — 4.49

With reports yesterday from Jeremy Fowler that the Seahawks are keeping tabs on the receiver market, they could also look to the draft. You’re only as good as your third receiver in the modern NFL. Although I tend to think this needs to be a ‘go big or go home’ type of situation. Either add a top quality WR3 in free agency or just hope that Dee Eskridge can take a step forward this year.

In the second and third round range, keep an eye on Alec Pierce, Calvin Austin and Wan’Dale Robinson. Pierce reminds me of a better version of Gary Jennings with his red-line ability, high-pointing, contended-catch success and ability to get downfield and make plays. Austin’s shiftiness and dynamism is similar to Tyler Lockett while Robinson’s stocky frame and fearlessness is reminiscent of Golden Tate. Kentucky relied on Robinson so much in 2021.

I also think Christian Watson and Jahan Dotson warrant a serious look.

With the exception of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, the rest of the names could provide the Seahawks with an option on day three.

Quarterback

The Seahawks have only drafted two quarterbacks in the Pete Carroll era and the other players they’ve added over the years have had a real mix of skillsets.

However, we know John Schneider loves big physical tools. Malik Willis showed off the biggest arm at the combine, joining Carson Strong at one point in a duel to see who could launch the ball furthest downfield.

Carroll was pictured in conversation with Lane Kiffin, Monte Kiffin and Matt Corral — amid online speculation that the Seahawks really like Corral. I’ll have a piece on him later this week but after doing a bit of digging — I’d suggest Carroll will love Corral’s competitive spirit and leadership.

It’s also worth noting that Alex McGough, one of the two QB’s they’ve drafted since 2010, played for Lane Kiffin at Florida Atlantic. So they’ve drafted from that offense before.

Jeremy Fowler was on ESPN this morning to flesh out his report from yesterday. He said he’s spoken to both camps — the Seahawks’ and Russell Wilson’s. He referenced several things that are clearly directly from Mark Rodgers. Wilson is laying low at the moment but Fowler made it clear he is very much open to going to Denver.

He also says Wilson is not going to force his way out. If a trade happens, it’s because Seattle makes the call.

You can’t have success living in this limbo. It’s why both parties must come together and either agree a long term extension now (which lowers his cap hit to create extra spending money) or embrace a divorce.

Clearly anyone who thinks this saga is over is mistaken. Sadly, it looks like it might drag on for another 12 months.

Fowler also adds that Wilson has some ideas for free agency that he wants heard. My guess is if the Seahawks don’t listen, this could get interesting. It’s possible Fowler’s note yesterday on Seattle sniffing around the receiver market was a message being sent to the quarterback that they are listening.

If/when Aaron Rodgers opts for Green Bay over Denver, things could get interesting.

Meanwhile, Chris Simms stated on PFT today (in conversation with Mike Florio): “Russell Wilson is available to be had. You’ve just got to trust me and Mike.”

In yesterday’s piece I brought up the prospect of Seattle drafting Corral, if available, if they like him — even if Wilson is retained. It sounds preposterous at first — but have a read and make up your own mind.

Defensive tackle

The Seahawks love athletes with unique traits and the defensive tackle class has a handful of truly special athletes. This is a top heavy group though, with little in the way of depth.

If Seattle had their original #10 pick it’d be quite appealing to project one of Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, Travis Jones or Perrion Winfrey to them. We’re talking about a special quartet of world class athletes.

As it happens it seems totally unfathomable that any will last to #41. If they did, however, it would be an exciting prospect.

The position falls off a cliff after that although there is one name to mention. Matthew Butler at Tennessee is well sized (6-4, 297lbs) with good length (33.5 inch arms). He ran a 5.00 forty and then jumped a 32 inch vertical and a 9-4 broad. On tape he makes plays against the pass and run and he’s a gap-shooting penetrator with starter potential at the next level. I suspect he will be a third round pick.

Another option could be Eyioma Uwazurike. He didn’t do any runs but he jumped a 33 inch vertical at 6-6 and 316lbs. He has 35 1/8 inch arms.

Inside/out rushers

With Rasheem Green’s future unclear and with Pete Carroll noting they’d like to improve their interior pass rush, it’s possible they’ll do so by adding a player who can play end on early downs and then reduce inside.

Logan Hall is 6-6 and 283lbs. He ran an excellent 1.68 10-yard split and an impressive 4.44 short shuttle. He has 32 3/4 inch arms which is below Seattle’s preferred 33 inch threshold but he would be ideal as a player who can play across the line and provide interior pressure.

DeMarvin Leal is a similar prospect but with the required length (33 1/4 inch arms). He ran a 4.49 short shuttle at the same weight. His college career promised a lot at Texas A&M but ultimately failed to reach the expected heights.

Joshua Paschal has the same short arms issue as Hall (32 3/4 inches) but he ran a 1.61 10-yard split at 268lbs and jumped a 37.5 inch vertical and a 10-3 broad. On tape he’s a forceful, violent TFL machine who lacks bend and balance off the edge but he’s a versatile defender and a particularly impressive run defender.

EDGE rushers

Despite the loaded options going into the combine, the position failed to deliver. Only two players ran a coveted 1.5 10-yard split and several players had short arms:

Aidan Hutchinson (DE) — 32 1/8
George Karlaftis (DE) — 32 5/8
Myjai Sanders (DE) — 32 5/8
Cam Thomas (DE) — 32 1/2
Boye Mafe (DE) — 32 5/8

As noted several times over the last few days, it feels like Seattle’s best bet is to target a pass rusher in free agency.

Sam Williams could still be an option at #41. He ran a 1.60 10-yard split at 261lbs but looked stiff during drills and will be limited to straight line, pass-rushing attack play given his lack of bend-and-straighten and his problems defending the run.

Amare Barno’s tape is not impressive to say the least but running a 4.36 forty at 6-4 and 246lbs (with 34 inch arms) provides a day three project worth looking at.

Arnold Ebiketie could be an option but he didn’t do any testing in Indianapolis. Ditto Drake Jackson.

DeAngelo Malone and Dominique Robinson both pass the eye test for Seahawks pass rushers. Malone didn’t do any testing after adding 8lbs from the Senior Bowl. Robinson’s runs were sluggish but his 41 inch vertical is evidence of explosive power and upside. Both players could provide value in rounds 3-4.

Linebacker

Clearly the most energetic and exciting workouts at the combine belonged to the linebackers. It was an exceptional showing with the drills containing a ton of energy, noise and impressive physical performances.

Multiple players stood out in the wave and coverage drills. The movement skills were remarkable in some cases as players shifted around the field better than some of the defensive backs. My advice would be to draft a player from this group.

The Seahawks emphasise outstanding physical talent at linebacker and top-level agility performances in the short shuttle. Sadly, hardly any of the players ran a short shuttle due to the NFL’s apparent determination to render the combine utterly useless by moving it to Prime Time, only to register the 68th best ratings on TV on Friday.

There were still several players worth monitoring.

Troy Andersen ran a 4.42 at 6-3 and 243lbs. A former offensive player in college, Andersen flew around the field with ease during drills and looks like a second round pick capable of playing the MIKE or WILL.

Channing Tindall ran a 4.47 and then jumped a 42 inch vertical and a 10-9 broad jump. A self-confessed ‘freak of nature’ — Tindall is a dynamo run-and-hit linebacker who covers ground on tape like he’s attached to a jet engine.

Christian Harris’ tape at Alabama was underwhelming so it was a bit surprising to see how good he looked at the combine. He was silky smooth and one of the best athletes over the course of the four days. He ran a 4.44 and then jumped an 11-0 broad.

Leo Chenal has an unorthodox frame with short legs and a long torso. On tape he’s used as an attack dog blitzing constantly to break into the backfield. He ran a 4.50 at 263lbs and he got in-and-out of the bag drills like he weighed 230lbs. His frame and playing style might not be an obvious fit for Seattle but he’s extremely talented.

Quay Walker ran a 4.52 at 241lbs and while his explosive testing wasn’t quite as sharp as the others, his performance in drills was again outstanding. He moves very easily and can drop comfortably, change direction and accelerate better than most players with his size.

Damone Clark ran a 4.57 at 239lbs. He has good length (33 inch arms) and jumped well — recording a 36.5 inch vertical and a 10-7 broad. In terms of physical appearance he looks sensational. He too moved around the field very easily.

Chad Muma excels in coverage on tape and plays with a passion and desire to get to the ball carrier. He jumped a 40 inch vertical and a 10-9 broad, although his 4.63 forty was slower than most. It didn’t show in drills though where he looked quick with loose hips.

Devin Lloyd was a production machine at Utah and while he didn’t run a blistering forty (4.66), like Muma he looked a lot faster on the field. He jumped a 35 inch vertical and a 10-6 broad.

All of the names above could go between the late first round and third round. I don’t know what will ultimately happen with Bobby Wagner but for me it’s a no-brainer to save $16.6m and tap into this great class. You can find an 8-10 year starter at linebacker this year at a bargain price.

One final other quick note — Jeremiah Moon is a converted defensive end and while he didn’t run well at all in the forty, I thought he had an excellent drills session. He also has 35 inch arms. He could be a day three project as someone who can play outside linebacker.

Cornerback

If the linebacker drills were full of energy — the defensive back drills were the total opposite. They gave off a ‘is it time to go home yet?’ vibe at the end of the week and the coaches should’ve done a better job charging everyone up.

The Seahawks have generally looked for long, tall cornerbacks with 32 inch arms. That changed a year ago when they selected Tre Brown in round four and enjoyed success with DJ Reed. Now they’re talking about incorporating more man-cover concepts which places a premium on speed over length.

If they want an ‘old-fashioned’ Seahawks corner — MJ Emerson definitely fits the bill. He looks like their type of corner from previous years — with 33.5 inch arms, 6-1 in height and 201lbs. He ran a 4.53 and looked excellent during drills. For me, he’s still one to watch.

Jaylen Watson, Alontae Taylor and Tariq Woolen also looked like your typical Seahawks cornerbacks.

If this is a new era though, with man-coverage and speed the key aspects, the following names stood out to me as possible targets:

Jalyn Armour-Davis
Roger McCleary
Cam Taylor-Britt
Cobie Durant

I thought Armour-Davis and McCleary were the two best performers during drills. Both could easily go in round two. Taylor-Britt has a bulldog character and loves to hit and tackle. He might even have some potential as a nickel. Durant has 12 interceptions for SC State and ran a 4.38 forty.

Zyon McCollum was tested with the safety class but after his performance will likely get looks at corner. He could also be someone who goes earlier than people think. His testing performance was off the charts — a 4.33 forty, 39.5 inch vertical, 6.48 three cone and a 3.94 short shuttle. He is an elite athlete who was a team captain at Sam Houston State, collecting 13 interceptions and six forced fumbles in his college career. He might be a day two pick after this.

Safety

Georgia’s Lewis Cine would be an ideal Seahawks target typically given his thunderous hitting ability that energised his team mates. The fact he ran a 4.37 then jumped an 11-1 broad likely shifts his stock high into round one as the top safety in the draft.

Even if the Seahawks retain Quandre Diggs it might be worth looking at this position on day three.

Percy Butler is a special teams demon who ran a 4.36. I would be surprised if he isn’t on Seattle’s radar and an advance warning — I’ll be mocking him to the Seahawks pretty much every time I extend it out to day three.

JT Woods has great size (6-2) and length (32 3/8 inches) and with his 4.36 speed could easily be viewed as a big nickel project. His nine interceptions in the last two seasons could also earn him a shot as a full-time free safety in Seattle. They love speed and production at this spot.

Like Woods, Tycen Anderson has incredible size (6-2) and length (33 inch arms). He’s a box-player but that might be more important with Jamal Adams and Marquise Blair suffering injuries over the last two seasons. He also ran an incredible 4.36.

Final thoughts

By now we all know what this draft class is about. It lacks a defined list of blue-chip, top-10 prospects. So much so that I genuinely think Jacksonville could be justified taking Jordan Davis (aka ‘Thanos’) with the top pick.

However, the depth available on days two and three is remarkable. The Seahawks should protect their picks in rounds 2-4 and aim to be aggressive in free agency.

You can build a young foundation for your roster in this draft. That has to be the aim.

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There’s a lot to get into so I’m going to combine general thoughts on the combine and the direction of the Seahawks, with notes on today’s defensive back workouts…

Lewis Cine should be on your radar

This has been the ‘Georgia’ combine and their star safety added his name to the list of athletic super-humans today.

On tape Cine is an absolute hammer. He loves to get downfield and deliver a monster hit. At times he’s almost reckless with it, just running at 100mph and throwing himself in a gap to belt someone.

He’s the type of defender the Seahawks typically love. Cine regularly lifted team mates with big hits and helped set a tone for Georgia’s brilliant (and loaded) defense.

Now consider what he showed at the combine today. He ran a 4.38 forty, jumped a 36.5 inch vertical and an 11-1 broad. He’s lightning quick, explosive and plays with extreme violence.

With this profile he should go in round one. Based on Kyle Hamilton’s disappointing combine, he should be propelled to the #1 safety slot in this class.

Draft for Georgia

When LSU won the National Championship with their loaded roster a couple of years ago, the general consensus was everyone should be trying to tap into their all-star roster of NFL prospects. Seattle did that by selecting Damien Lewis in round three.

It’s the same this year with Georgia on defense.

Jordan Davis, Devonte Wyatt, Travon Walker, Channing Tindall, Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean, Lewis Cine. It’s an unbelievable group.

Extend it to the offense and include Zamir White, who I’ll talk about later.

Tap into this group. Make sure you come away with a Bulldog (or two).

You can build a foundation in this draft

The combine confirmed that this is a fantastic draft class with amazing depth.

Multiple teams are going to have an opportunity to build a young core they can grow with. There is a legit chance to dramatically improve your team with the options that will be available on day two, stretching into early day three.

The Seahawks are less likely to draft a pass rusher at #41

As noted yesterday, the pass rushers failed to really sing. Only two players ran a 1.5 10-yard split (generally considered an elite time) and several top defensive ends measured with short sub-33 inch arms.

They could still take an inside/out rusher with their top pick. For example, DeMarvin Leal’s 4.49 short shuttle at 283lbs is the kind of time that has typically appealed to this team. Logan Hall also ran a 4.44 at the same weight. Joshua Paschal ran a 1.62 10-yard split at 268lbs.

So that inside/out type could be an option — although it’s worth mentioning Hall and Paschal were two of the players with short arms.

Pete Carroll said at his combine press conference that they were keen to add another Darrell Taylor-type player. There isn’t a player with his balance and ability to bend-and-straighten with dynamic athleticism, explosive power and agility.

Thus, it appears increasingly clear that they should be aggressive to sign a pass rusher in free agency and focus on other areas with their top pick.

Start free agency by landing a Chandler Jones, Von Miller or Harold Landry type (or by acquiring a Danielle Hunter or Za’Darius Smith). There are other options too. Fill that need and nip it in the bud — to set up the rest of your off-season.

As good as this draft is, you can’t rely on this class for a top quality EDGE at #41.

O-line with the top pick is an increasing possibility

Need could meet value perfectly for Seattle. If they do spend money on the pass rush — and retain the players they want to keep at other positions — it could still leave holes at right tackle and center.

Pick #41 could be the ideal range for three very attractive O-line prospects.

I’ve been convinced for months that Abraham Lucas will go in round one. However, he never gets any buzz and I don’t understand why. I spoke to Jim Nagy about it and he expressed the same confusion. Nobody talks about him.

He is a brilliant pass-protecting right tackle with top-level size and athleticism. He ran a 4.92 at 6-6 and 315lbs. He then added the top short shuttle (4.40) and three cone (7.25). Just think about that for a moment. A 4.40 short shuttle at 315lbs.

I’ve said many times — I think he’s the most athletic right tackle prospect to enter the league since Tyron Smith. Back in 2011, Smith ran a 4.93 at his pro-day and a 4.68 short shuttle. Lucas beats both times. The two players share almost identical results in terms of their vertical and broad jumps.

I’m not saying Lucas will match Smith’s career. I do think, however, it’s a good comparison to emphasise just how athletic Lucas is.

For me it’s inconceivable that he’ll be there at #41 but given the total lack of buzz — if he lasts, the Seahawks should be ready to run to the podium and lock him in as their new right tackle.

If he’s gone, the center position could/should take ‘center’ stage.

Cole Strange is going to go in round two. He had a terrific Senior Bowl, showing off a strong back and anchor. He didn’t have a ton of experience at center yet like Quinn Meinerz a year ago, he took to it brilliantly. When he had bad reps he came flying back on the next one. He showed he’s a quick learner.

Then at the combine he flashed world class athleticism. He’s nearly 6-5 and 307lbs with 33 inch arms and 10 1/8 inch hands — so he ticks the size box. He ran a 5.03 forty, jumped a barely believable 10-0 broad jump and ran a 4.50 short shuttle.

His TEF score, that we use to measure explosive traits, is a 3.42. That’s comparable to Tristan Wirfs (3.47). Creed Humphrey scored a 3.25 a year ago.

Strange provides an opportunity to land the highly talented, explosive center they missed out on a year ago by snubbing Humphrey. He won’t last to round three so if you want him, perhaps it’s time to finally invest in a quality center at #41?

There’s an alternative too. Cameron Jurgens is a highly physical player who gets after opponents. He ran a 4.92 at 6-3, 303lbs. He has 33.5 inch arms and 10 inch hands.

He might be available slightly later in round two after a small trade down.

The top defensive tackles aren’t likely to make it to Seattle

If it’s unfathomable to imagine Abraham Lucas lasting to #41, it’s even harder to imagine the top defensive tackles making it.

Jordan Davis should go in the top-10 after proving he’s basically Thanos. Devonte Wyatt will likely be a top-25 pick. Given Dontari Poe was the #11 pick in 2012 — there’s no reason why Travis Jones won’t go in the first round given the way he performed at the Senior Bowl and combine. Perrion Winfrey running an injury-impacted 4.89 at 290lbs with a 1.68 10-yard split is remarkable.

All of these players deserve first round grades. The idea of any of them lasting until the 10th pick in round two is fanciful, unfortunately.

An alternative for Seattle could be Matthew Butler in round three. He combined a strong forty time (5.00) with explosive traits (32 inch vertical, 9-4 broad) and he has the size (6-4, 297lbs) and length (33.5 inch arms) Seattle likes. On tape he plays with penetrating quickness and he makes plays against the pass and run.

Running back and receiver could be sleeper positions

Seattle’s top pick will depend on what happens in free agency. If they address the trenches, they’ll be in a better place to go BPA at #41.

People won’t like it but you can build a case for a handful of skill players.

If Rashaad Penny doesn’t return, you could argue running back is a big need. Let’s just park the debate over positional value for a moment and talk about players.

Breece Hall (217lbs) and Kenneth Walker (211lbs) running a 4.38 and 4.39 respectively gives them a Jonathan Taylor-type profile. Neither player is as good as Taylor but given they also excelled in explosive testing, we’re talking about a pair with the potential, at least, to be among the league-leading runners.

I want to throw another name into the mix.

Georgia’s Zamir White is one of the most underrated players in the class. I watched his tape over the weekend and the way he snakes through gaps, staying small and then exploding into the second level is incredible. He accelerates quickly to the line, plays with patience and finds the holes up front to make gains.

When he takes contact he always falls forward and he finishes runs, with yards after contact a regular occurrence.

He’s 5-11 and 214lbs. He ran a 4.40 forty. He jumped a 33.5 inch vertical and a 10-8 broad. I really like him.

White has an injury history (two ACL’s) that could limit his grade. However — I think he’s a second round talent who could be available in round three. For me, he has star potential.

For the third or fourth year in a row, the depth at receiver is incredibly strong. It might not be a top priority after spending a second rounder on Dee Eskridge a year ago. However, the modern NFL dictates you’re only as good as your third receiver.

Jeremy Fowler noted earlier today that the Seahawks are checking out the receiver market in free agency. It shouldn’t be a surprise. They’ve needed a top WR3 for some time.

I also think that leak is an attempt to send a message to the quarterback that they’re listening. Russell Wilson has petitioned for another top target for some time.

There are some big names available and if the value meets opportunity, they might be able to pull off a coup on a prove-it deal.

If it doesn’t happen then they could look to the draft. Whether it’s round two or three, some extremely talented players will be available. Keep an eye on Alec Pierce, Wan’Dale Robinson, Calvin Austin, Jahan Dotson, Christian Watson and others.

If they move on from Bobby Wagner they can get a linebacker

Georgia’s Channing Tindall is the player I want in Seattle. Highly aggressive. An absolute lightning bolt to the ball-carrier. He ran a 4.47 at 230lbs then jumped a 42 inch vertical and a 10-9 broad.

He might be available in round two.

Yet from there the depth is incredible. Quay Walker, Nakobe Dean, Leo Chenal, Damone Clark, Devin Lloyd, Troy Andersen, Chad Muma, Christian Harris, Brian Asamoah.

The linebacker on-field drills were the most impressive of the sessions in Indianapolis. The workouts were high-energy, with players flying around the field. This is a group you should want to tap into. There are multiple potential top-level starters in this class of linebackers.

The Seahawks should feel very, very comfortable about their position with Wagner. They aren’t going to be left short if they cut him to save $16.6m.

Notes on the defensive back drills from today

Firstly, it was really disappointing to see how low-energy the workouts were. I’m not sure if the coaches were tired after a long week but it felt like several players were coasting a bit and someone needed to deliver a rocket on that field.

That said, the official forty times showed just how quick and dynamic this group can be. Several players ran in the 4.3’s. It’s good news for a Seahawks team that is looking to use more man-cover concepts in 2022.

The two players who stood out to me were Alabama’s Jalyn Armour-Davis and Auburn’s Roger McCleary.

Armour-Davis just looked fantastic. He’s 6-0 and 197lbs but looks bigger due to his well put together frame. He ran a 4.39 and jumped a 34.5 inch vertical. He was silky smooth in drills, showed off a good transition and covered ground very quickly. He has fantastic upside.

McCleary only ran a 4.50 and he lacks size. However — in drills he showed off exactly what you see on tape. He might not have elite quicks in a straight line but he can shift his body in coverage. His movements are subtle and sharp, he flashes good hips and he gets into the right areas. You see on tape he does an outstanding job of sticking in the hip-pocket then breaking on the ball to make plays.

Both players might go too early for Seattle — given their preference to wait on the position. They were the two who caught my eye the most today.

Cam Taylor-Britt is immensely competitive and he loves to hit and tackle. Speed was the biggest concern for him but he ran a 4.38 which is great news. I really like his attitude and the Seahawks have missed having a corner like this.

Speed was also the biggest question mark with Kaiir Elam. He answered that with a 4.39. He’s a tremendously well built corner with a lot of potential. I think he bites too much on tape and he’s overly keen but there’s a lot of potential here.

If the Seahawks want a player more in line with their old approach to cornerbacks (long/lean) — keep an eye on Mississippi State’s MJ Emerson.

At safety, several players ran superb times.

We’ve already talked about Lewis Cine. Nick Cross ran a 4.34. He is a tremendous prospect with a stocky, powerful frame reminiscent of Johnathan Abram.

Percy Butler is a player I want to watch more of. He ran a 4.36 and looks lightning quick operating in space as a potential free safety. His NFL.com profile describes him as ‘an absolute stud as a special-teams performer’ that ‘creates highlight-reel hits as gunner’. Sounds like a guy Pete Carroll will love.

JT Woods really flashed during drills after running a 4.36. The Seahawks love production and speed at free safety. He had nine picks in his final two seasons at Baylor. Tycen Anderson’s 4.36 speed, length (33 inch arms) and size looked like an intriguing mix. I will check him out soon.

Who are the top-10 candidates?

It’s been a big debate for some time but based on what we saw at the combine — and tape study — I’d say the following players have a good shot to go in the top-10:

Jordan Davis
Aidan Hutchinson
Evan Neal
Travon Walker
Sauce Gardner
Trevor Penning

There’s mystery around the character of Derek Stingley and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Clearly they have the talent to be top-10 picks.

Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson could both work into that range. Based on the way they tested, you could arguably make a case for Devante Wyatt and Travis Jones.

Updated horizontal board

I’ll post a full update soon but here’s my immediate reaction to the combine for the first two rounds (click the image to enlarge):

Could the Seahawks look at QB at #41?

Let’s just recap what happened over the weekend. Firstly, Charlie Campbell from WalterFootball.com reported that the Seahawks had interest in Matt Corral. I have no idea how legit this report is. I would offer that it feels counter-productive that a Seahawks source would discuss which players they like before a draft — and thus I am sceptical over this.

Then, this tweet emerged:

Monte
Pete
Lane &
Matt pic.twitter.com/BeuJjD6CMz

— Lance Zierlein (@LanceZierlein) March 5, 2022

At times like this it’s very easy to do the whole 2+2=5.

I don’t see any reason to shirk the topic, either.

By all accounts it feels like both the Seahawks and Russell Wilson are open-minded about ending their relationship — yet neither party actually wants to be the aggressor in a divorce.

Wilson perhaps doesn’t see a particularly attractive alternative right now and might feel he’s better off waiting until next year. If he has a strong 2022 season, he might have better suitors and greater leverage.

The Seahawks might be open to a trade, for the right price. Yet they know Wilson would have to agree to any move due to his no-trade clause. Squaring that circle is tricky and is probably why they continue to put the message out in the media that they won’t consider a trade unless Wilson forces the issue.

Yet here’s the thing. Ian Rapoport, who reported the Washington trade offer for Wilson at the combine, was on the NFL Network again today and stated ‘nobody is ruling anything out’ over Wilson’s future.

It comes down to this — are the Seahawks prepared to pay Wilson $45m a year (or more) in 12 months time? Because if not, he’s leaving one way or another. So you might as well accelerate the process — especially in a buyers market — if you’re counting down the days to an inevitable parting.

Unless, of course, the right offer isn’t there. And it isn’t going to be there right now because possible suitors — like Denver — are still waiting to discover what Aaron Rodgers’ plans are. The Seahawks won’t find out the true value of any potential trade until the Rodgers saga concludes.

Alternatively, it’s possible nobody will offer a mind-blowing deal. Or Wilson won’t agree to join the team making the offer. I suspect if Wilson was prepared to join Washington — and the Commanders were willing to offer multiple high picks and a player like Chase Young or Daron Payne — a deal might happen.

I’m just not convinced Wilson will want to go and answer questions about historical toxicity within that franchise, when he becomes the new face of the organisation.

Plus the ESPN article from earlier included a comment by Jeremy Fowler stating Wilson would prefer Denver over the NFC East.

Here’s a thought though. Let’s say a trade doesn’t happen this year for the reasons discussed.

If the Seahawks really like Matt Corral — and if he was there at #41 — would they take him anyway?

It’d be controversial — just as it was controversial when the Packers selected Jordan Love two years ago.

However — it would provide the team with leverage and protection. They could have a look at Corral this year to see if he is a future starter. If he impresses, it makes it easier to move off Wilson next year.

They could still negotiate a new contract with Wilson, only without the pressure they currently find of not having anywhere to go if they trade him. Wilson’s leverage will be huge in 12 months if Seattle’s only other option is to go after whatever scraps are in the veteran market or the draft.

It would create massive drama, of course. Yet the Seahawks have lived with massive quarterback drama over the last year anyway.

It’s something to keep in mind. If they do like Corral — drafting him and stashing him might not be such a preposterous move from a team perspective.

It could give the Seahawks leverage. It gives them an alternative.

And the worst case scenario is you spent the #41 pick to try and secure your long term future at the most important position in football.

If Seattle has no interest in doing this — they should just extend Wilson’s contract now, commit to him, lower his 2022 cap hit and get to work in free agency.

A final point on Corral. I’m not sure if this means anything. It is interesting to remember, though, that the Seahawks have only drafted two quarterbacks in the Carroll/Schneider era — Russell Wilson and Alex McGough.

Who was McGough’s college coach? Lane Kiffin, when he was at Florida Atlantic.

So they’ve drafted one of Lane’s guys before. Presumably, with his recommendation.

What’s coming up this week

1. A long list of players I think fit the Seahawks

2. A new post-combine mock draft

3. An article on Matt Corral

4. Exhaustive coverage in the build-up to free agency including a new off-season plan

5. Hopefully more streams

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Welcome to the 2022 NFL combine coverage on Seahawks Draft Blog.

Throughout the event I’ll be reacting live to everything happening in Indianapolis with daily live blogs and post-workout reaction articles.

We want you to get involved too so use the comments section to have your say on everything happening at the combine.

On top of that, my podcast partner Robbie Williams is attending each day at Lucas Oil Field. We hosted a live stream (see the video above) reviewing day three and other Seahawks topics so check it out.

Keep refreshing this page for updates.

If you missed my review of the D-line and linebacker workouts, including why I don’t think the Seahawks will address pass rush with the #41 pick, click here.

If you missed the TEF scores and running back targets, click here.

And by clicking here you can view the likely tight end and receiver targets for Seattle.

Forty yard dash times (cornerbacks)

Jalyn Armour-Davis — 4.44 & 4.45
Kalon Barnes — 4.33 & 4.29
Andrew Booth — DNP
Montaric Brown — 4.62 & 4.60
Coby Bryant — 4.56 & 4.55
Tariq Castro-Fields — 4.47 & 4.48
Decobie Durant — 4.41 & 4.46
Kaiir Elam — 4.47 & 4.54
MJ Emerson — 4.58 & 4.61
Akayleb Evans — 4.54 & 4.51
DeMarcus Fields — 4.52 & 4.56
Cordale Flott — DNP
Sauce Gardner — 4.52 & 4.47
Mario Goodrich — 4.61 & 4.65
Kyler Gordon — 4.57 & 4.60
Vincent Gray — 4.61 & 4.57
Joshua Jobe — DNP
Jack Jones — 4.54 & 4.48
Marcus Jones — DNP
Derion Kendrick — DNP
Chase Lucas — 4.56 & 4.55
Damarri Mathis — 4.40 & 4.44
Zyon McCollum — 4.40 & 4.45
Roger McCreary — 4.55 & 4.58
Trent McDuffie — 4.46 & 4.53
Chris Steele — 4.50 & 4.50
Derek Stingley — DNP
Alontae Taylor — 4.41 & 4.44
Cam Taylor-Britt — 4.45 & 4.45
Isaac Taylor-Stuart — 4.50 & 4.49
Josh Thompson — 4.43 & 4.48
Jermaine Waller — 4.72 & 4.68
Jaylen Watson — 4.51 & 4.53
Sam Webb — 4.54 & 4.49
Joshua Williams — 4.57 & 4.61
Pepe Williams — DNP
Tariq Woolen — 4.31 & 4.30
Mykael Wright — 4.58 & 4.64

A reminder that the Seahawks are expected to play more man coverage in 2022. That might mean they drift away from the typical long and lean cornerbacks and look for pure speed and quickness.

Tre Brown ran a 4.42 at his pro-day a year ago.

I like Sauce Gardner but some of the hype is a bit OTT. His forty runs were extremely strained. He will be a first round pick but some people have been calling him the top player in the draft. That’s going way too far.

Cam Taylor-Britt running a 4.45 keeps him on our radar. He is tremendously competitive. I was really impressed with Jalyn Armour-Davis when I watched him. He ran a 4.44.

Kyler Gordon’s forty times are really surprising. He ran much slower than anyone expected.

Akayleb Evans looked really useful in his back-pedal, staying low with good, quick movements. Roger McCreary didn’t run a good forty but I thought his backpedal looked smooth.

Multiple reps in the first drill have been sluggish or stiff so far. Players are labouring, not playing with quickness and being too deliberate in their movements.

My early impressions are this isn’t a class that screams ‘man cover corners the Seahawks are going to love’.

Several players are jogging at the end of these backpedal drills. Someone needs to light a fire among this group.

Jalyn Armour-Davis looks really lean and smooth though. That’s a frame and player you can buy into. I suspect he’ll rise ahead of many of the cornerbacks in this class after today.

Again, McCreary didn’t run an amazing forty but he transitions well, his hips and body turn effortlessly and he was one of the few players to high-point the football downfield.

Tariq Woolen, on the other hand, ran a lightning forty but is extremely stiff in his transition.

Here are some safety jumps…

Vertical:

JT Woords — 39.5
Kerby Joseph — 38.5 👀
Kyle Hamilton — 38
Nick Cross — 37
Lewis Cine — 36.5
Jalen Pitre — 35
Jaquan Brisker — 34.5
Daxton Hill — 33.5

I’m stunned by Daxton Hill’s vertical. He jumped a 43 inch vertical at SPARQ.

Broad:

Lewis Cine — 11-3
Kyle Hamilton — 10-11
Nick Cross — 10-10
JT Woods 10-8
Jaquan Brisker — 10-4
Kerby Joseph — 10-3
Daxton Hill 10-1

As the drills have gone on, Cam Taylor-Britt has started to shine. He’s moving a lot more freely and high-pointing well.

McCreary and Jalyn Armour-Davis are the standouts for me. McCreary ran a 4.50 officially which isn’t too bad. Armour-Davis a 4.39. They are the two players here that I’m focusing on from a Seahawks perspective.

Cam Taylor Britt’s official 40 ended up being a 4.38. Which is miles better than the unofficial time.

Official 40’s:

Kalon Barnes — 4.23
Tariq Woolen — 4.26
Zyon McCollum — 4.33
Alontae Taylor — 4.36
Cobie Durant — 4.38
Tariq Castro-Fields — 4.38
Cam Taylor-Britt — 4.38
Jalyn Armour-Davis — 4.39
Damarri Mathis — 4.39
Kaiir Elam — 4.39
Josh Thompson — 4.40
Sauce Gardner — 4.41
Isaac Taylor-Stuart — 4.42
Trent McDuffie — 4.44
Akayleb Evans — 4.46
Roger McCreary — 4.50
Kyler Gordon — 4.50
Joshua Williams — 4.53
MJ Emerson — 4.53
Coby Bryant — 4.54
Montaric Brown — 4.55

Overall the coaches could’ve done a far better job firing up the players for the cornerback drills. There’s a lot of speed and dynamism among the group but everyone looked like they were in second gear. It was a low-energy session.

Forty yard dash times (safety)

Tycen Anderson — 4.45 & 4.41
Markquese Bell — 4.45 & 4.46
Dane Belton — 4.49 & 4.49
Bubba Bolden — 4.58 & 4.53
Jaquan Brisker — 4.53 & DNP
Percy Butler — 4.39 & 4.43
Lewis Cine — 4.40 & 4.38
Qwynnterrio Cole — DNP
Bryan Cook — DNP
Yusuf Corker — DNP
Nick Cross — 4.40 & 4.41
Kyle Hamilton — 4.59 & 4.61
Kolby Harvell-Peel — DNP
Daxton Hill — 4.43 & 4.41
Kerby Joseph — DNP
Quentin Lake — 4.64 & DNP
Verone McKinley — DNP
Smoke Monday — 4.58 & 4.59
Leon O’Neal — DNP
Jalen Pitre — DNP
Juanyeh Thomas — 4.67 & 4.62
Delarrin Turner-Yell — 4.51 & 4.50
JT Woods — 4.38 & 4.36

Lewis Cine has a shot at the first round with his physical profile. He ran a 4.38 forty, a 36.5 inch vertical and an 11-3 broad. He hits like a hammer too. He would be a great option if, you know, Seattle hadn’t already brought someone else in.

Kyle Hamilton only ran a 4.59 in his first forty which isn’t great. Then he ran a 4.61. The official forty’s have been a lot faster than the timed ones. However, that’s not the kind of time you expect from a top-ten pick at safety.

The safety drills are always overly long and a little pointless for most. They have them run the same drills as the cornerbacks and it’s just a different skill-set.

We’re seeing very little of the safety drills due to a combination of highlights clips and commercials.

Percy Butler moves very well, after running a great forty. I’ll watch more of him this week. Nick Cross is really well put together. Solid frame, he’s a bulldog on film and he ran well.

Daxton Hill is clearly athletic but given there were so many expectations, his overall display has been underwhelming.

As with the cornerbacks, the drills have a distinct lack of energy. Lewis Cine and Kerby Joseph are coasting. Someone light a fire.

I’m ending the live blog for today. A big combine review will be posted shortly.

This was a day that promised much. Overall, it didn’t quite live up to expectations apart from the defensive tackle group. I’ll discuss in this piece why that might nudge Seattle closer to addressing the pass rush in free agency.

Firstly though, we need to talk about the story of the day.

Jordan Davis owns the combine

We’ve just witnessed one of the all-time great athletic performances. It doesn’t matter what the sport is or what the occasion is. Davis’ combine was a wonder of the world. A tour de force to match any physical achievement on the planet.

At 6-6 and 341lbs he ran an official 4.78. To put that into perspective — Nick Bosa ran a 4.79 at 266lbs.

Davis then set a combine record by an offensive or defensive lineman in the broad jump (10-3). He added a 32 inch vertical.

If he’d done the bench press and achieved a fairly standard 27 reps for a 1.00 score in TEF, his weighted TEF score would’ve been an obscene 119.7. Given he’s 341lbs, there’s every chance he would’ve done far more than 27 reps.

It’s not just the testing numbers though. He danced around the field with ease — moving subtly between the bags, changing direction quickly and moving in a way I’ve never seen a defensive tackle move before.

It’s not particularly surprising. In my initial breakdown of the overall class on December 6th, I noted:

Jordan Davis is 6-6 and 340lbs but he will be one of the stars of the combine. He will run quicker than anyone expects and make headlines.

In a year without clearly defined top-10 prospects, he deserves to go in that range. Dontari Poe was a lesser talent and went #11 overall.

Davis is a physical marvel. A superhero.

If the Seahawks had the #10 overall pick, we could’ve been dreaming about drafting him tonight.

The defensive tackle class dominates overall

Davis wasn’t alone — his Georgia team mate Devonte Wyatt looked absolutely sensational too. He ran a 4.77 and moved around the field like a linebacker.

He’s 304lbs.

We’ve never seen players like Wyatt and Davis before. They had 10-yard splits of 1.66 and 1.68 respectively. They are unique athletes. Not in that casual throwaway sense when talking about a pretty athletic player. They are legitimately different to what we see in the NFL.

Travis Jones is 6-4 and 325lbs and ran a 4.92. He ran a 4.58 short shuttle and a 7.33 three cone — both outstanding at his size. He’s also explosive — adding a 9-2 broad jump. In any other year we’d be raving about him. Instead he’s being blanketed by the Georgia duo.

Jones dominated the Senior Bowl by driving opponents backwards with brute force in 1v1’s. Now he’s shown he’s an elite athlete too and he deserves a first round grade.

Perrion Winfrey also had a superb week in Mobile and plays with an aggression and intensity. He got injured running a 4.89 with a 1.68 split. That’s superb. With that level of athleticism he could easily go in round one.

Tennessee’s Matthew Butler is an underrated player in the class. He ran a 5.00 at 297lbs and then jumped a 32 inch vertical and a 9-4 broad. He ticks a lot of boxes for Seattle and could be an early third round target.

DeMarvin Leal also ran a 5.00 but the key positive for him was a 4.49 short shuttle at 283lbs. Teams will like that a lot.

Eyioma Uwazurike will be a player I study tonight after he jumped a 33 inch vertical. He’s 6-5, 316lbs and has 35 1/8 inch arms.

Defensive ends fail to sizzle

There was a lot of hype and expectation among this EDGE group but unlike the defensive tackles, nobody really made any big headlines.

It’s disappointing from a Seahawks perspective. They generally target brilliant athletes who are quick, long, explosive and test well in the short shuttle. It’s hard to find those guys based on what we saw today. There aren’t many Darrell Taylor’s here, if they want to draft a similar partner in crime.

Let’s start with the positives.

Amare Barno will gain further study by teams post-combine after running a remarkable 4.36 — beating Montez Sweat’s record for a pass-rushing forty. He added a 37 inch vertical and a 10-11 broad but his short shuttle (4.45) was disappointing. He’s 6-4, 246lbs with 34 inch arms and could be interesting later in the draft.

Ole Miss’ Sam Williams has felt like a possible Seahawks option at #41. He’s angry, aggressive and has been a very productive pass rusher — with some concerns about his ability vs the run. He ran an excellent 4.46 with a 1.60 10-yard split. His 32.5 inch vertical was well below what was expected though and in drills some of his change of direction movements were stiff. He lacks the natural bend, lean, balance and straightening ability of Darrell Taylor. Even so — he can get after the quarterback thanks to his straight-line speed and aggression.

Dominique Robinson and DeAngelo Malone both pass the eye test in terms of body type for a Seahawks pass rusher. They’re lean and long with muscle definition. Robinson’s runs were mediocre but he jumped a 41 inch vertical. Malone only did on-field drills after adding 8lbs since the Senior Bowl. He appeared to be carrying the extra weight very well.

Joshua Paschal is a blog favourite. He only has 32 3/4 inch arms which could be an issue — the only pass rusher Seattle has taken with sub-33 inch arms of note is Alton Robinson in round four. He’s explosive and powerful and jumped a 10-3 broad. His run of 4.77 was good for a player weighing 268lbs. He didn’t do the short shuttle or three cone which is a shame given he ran a 4.30 shuttle at SPARQ.

Logan Hall ran a 4.44 short shuttle at 283lbs which is impressive. Trevon Walker managed a 4.32 at 272lbs — plus a brilliant 6.89 three-cone. Hall’s was a 7.25.

Boye Mafe ran a 4.53 at 261lbs — then added a 38 inch vertical and a 10-5 broad.

Jeffrey Gunter impressed during drills with his athleticism and mobility. He ran a 4.70 at 258lbs, had a 1.63 split and then added a 4.35 short shuttle. As a possible day-three rotational end, he has potential.

Now onto the question marks.

Only two players ran an elite 1.5 10-yard split — Amare Barno (1.54) and Kayvon Thibodeaux (1.59). I thought we might see multiple testers in that range today.

Why is Myjai Sanders now 228lbs, considerably lighter than the Senior Bowl? Has he been sick? This is a major question mark. His testing numbers were nothing to write home about either and well below expectations.

The following players all had sub-33 inch arms:

Aidan Hutchinson (DE) — 32 1/8
George Karlaftis (DE) — 32 5/8
Logan Hall (DE/DT) — 32 3/4
Joshua Paschal (DE) — 32 3/4
Myjai Sanders (DE) — 32 5/8
Cam Thomas (DE) — 32 1/2
Boye Mafe (DE) — 32 5/8

Kayvon Thibodeaux refused to do any on-field drills, jumps or agility testing for no serious justifiable reason — adding fuel to the fire that he has character flags.

The likes of Arnold Ebiketie and Drake Jackson didn’t run a forty. Jackson looks like he’s added a fair bit of weight — although he did jump a 36.5 inch vertical and a 10-7 broad.

Players who were expected to run blazing short shuttle times only did OK. George Karlaftis (4.36), Myjai Sanders (4.37), David Ojabo (4.45) and Amare Barno (4.45) were all expected to do better.

To compare, Frank Clark ran a 4.05 shuttle.

Aidan Hutchinson was expected to get into that range but only managed a 4.15. It’s still a very good time but there was talk of a similar time to Clark.

It just all felt underwhelming, including during on-field drills.

What does it mean for the Seahawks?

It suddenly looks like a top-heavy pass rush class and with the best players likely to be long gone by #41, I think what we saw today increases the chances of two things happening:

1. The Seahawks address their pass rush need in free agency

2. They are more likely to draft for the offensive line with their top pick, where there is a lot more available depth

I’ll write about this more after the combine. Yet my initial reaction to today is Seattle needs to go out and get a Chandler Jones type (or another) and then focus on potential targets such as Abraham Lucas, Cole Strange, Cam Jurgens or Zion Johnson in round two.

Failing that — look at other positions depending on what happens over the next week or so. You can add a quality linebacker at #41 if you move on from Bobby Wagner, potentially an excellent running back if Rashaad Penny moves on, there’s great talent at receiver and tight end plus we’ll see how the defensive backs get on tomorrow.

But unless one of the top defensive tackles — Wyatt, Jones or Winfrey — falls into round two, it’s hard to suggest which pass rusher actually makes sense with Seattle’s first pick.

We know the Seahawks love special traits. Right now — the players who could be there at #41 with those traits are not edge rushers:

Breece Hall (RB)
Kenneth Walker (RB)
Zamir White (RB)
Greg Dulcich (TE)
Abraham Lucas (T)
Cole Strange (C)
Cam Jurgens (C)
Travis Jones (DT)
Perrion Winfrey (DT)
Channing Tindall (LB)
Troy Andersen (LB)
Leo Chenal (LB)

You could add Boye Mafe to the list but again — he doesn’t have the length Seattle typically goes for.

Several linebackers stand out

Channing Tindall said he was a ‘freak of nature’ in an interview during the 2021 season. He proved it at the combine — running a 4.53 forty and then jumping a 42 inch vertical and a 10-9 broad. He is a special talent — capable of flying to the sideline and hunting down ball-carriers. Tindall is violent, quick and can be a destroyer of screens and stretch plays.

Troy Andersen has been threatening to break into round two after a good Senior Bowl. He ran a 4.42 forty at 243lbs then jumped a 36 inch vertical and a 10-8 broad.

Christian Harris’ tape never really lived up to expectations at Alabama but here he ran a 4.44 at 226lbs then added a 34 inch vertical and an 11 broad.

Damone Clark has the body of a Greek God and ran a 4.56 forty at 239lbs. He jumped a 36.5 inch vertical and a 10-7 broad.

Leo Chenal is stocky and doesn’t have a traditional body type for the position. However, he ran a 4.53 forty at 250lbs then jumped a 40.5 inch vertical and a 10-8 broad. He’s a special athlete.

Chad Muma ran a 4.63 forty and then jumped a 40 inch vertical and a 10-9 broad jump. His short shuttle of 4.28 is pretty good (although not in the range Seattle loves). He also ran a 7.06 three cone. Overall though he’s an explosive, agile athlete who flies to the ball on tape.

Agility testing is key at linebacker and the Seahawks typically target players who run well in the short shuttle. Given how late the linebackers did on-field drills, it’s unclear how many actually did the short shuttle.

I will update this article if/when the full results are revealed. Players testing particularly well (in the 4.00-4.10 range) will almost certainly be on Seattle’s radar.

Join us again tomorrow for the final day of combine coverage. I’ll be hosting a live stream with Robbie Williams at 8:30am (PST). The live blog will then start up once more and we’ll have the usual recap at the end. Workouts start at the earlier time of 11am (PST) tomorrow.

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