The Seahawks fired defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr and ‘defensive passing game coordinator’ Andre Curtis on January 18th.

The search to find replacements is still ongoing. Which, I suppose, isn’t a big issue given the NFL coaching cycle has been a lot slower this year.

What we do know is that Clint Hurtt is going to be defensive coordinator, as revealed by the Seattle Times. On the same day, ESPN reported initially that Ed Donatell would be joining the staff in a ‘senior defensive role’.

The Times added that talks were ongoing with Sean Desai, the former Chicago Bears defensive coordinator, to also join in some capacity (presumably Curtis’ old role).

It was a very reasonable approach. Hurtt, Donatell and Desai have a background with Vic Fangio. It made sense for the Seahawks to tap into that coaching tree, given Fangio is arguably the best defensive leader in the business. They were never going to bring him to Seattle to run Pete Carroll’s defense so this was a fair alternative.

Hurtt is well respected in Seattle and would be retained. Donatell could act as a mentor of sorts, while adding his own input. He also has a long-lasting relationship with Carroll. Desai is seen as an up-and-comer who was praised for his work in Chicago (and he’s taken multiple defensive coordinator interviews over the last fortnight).

Now, it appears the plan is falling apart.

Donatell has reportedly emerged as the favourite to be Minnesota’s defensive coordinator. You can’t blame him. He’d get to run a defense for Kevin O’Connell. He’d get to mentor a young Head Coach instead of a young defensive coordinator.

Yet the advantage of having him in Seattle mostly justified the appointment of Hurtt. It was an experienced voice, with a strong history of working with Fangio, coming in to offer input.

If you lose that, what are you left with? Carroll and Hurtt, who were both on the staff last year, merely replacing Ken Norton Jr?

It’s been reported that Karl Scott is set to join Seattle instead as ‘defensive passing game coordinator’. To me, this would be a marked difference between the original combo.

Scott has only one year of experience working in the NFL, coaching defensive backs for Minnesota. That’s it.

His previous experience was all in college. And fair enough, he spent three years coaching DB’s in Alabama. It’s a good gig. Yet we all know Nick Saban has a lot of control over the secondary and it has to be said, the recruiting is so good there — how easy is it to judge a coach for developing Patrick Surtain? The fifth overall player, regardless of position, in the nation when he committed to Alabama?

Ditto Trevon Diggs — who, let’s not forget — went from top-10 pick to round two in the final season of his Alabama career due to a perceived lack of development and some other issues.

Regardless, I can’t say I know anything about Scott. He might be a hotshot coach destined for the top. But the original plan blended youth and experience, a deep connection with the Fangio system and it was easy to understand.

Now, it could be Hurtt, Carroll and Scott. Hurtt had a season with Fangio in Chicago. There’s no ideas coming over from that system, really.

It’s still plausible I suppose that Desai could come to Seattle. It’d be kind of hard to understand why, though. In what role, if defensive coordinator and defensive passing game coordinator are both off the table? And given he’s speaking to multiple teams about being a DC, is it not plausible he could get a better job elsewhere? Perhaps even with Donatell in Minnesota?

It just feels very familiar and consistent with this team.

Carroll has not built a strong staff in years. I do, actually, think his initial flush was good. I think Tom Cable and Darrell Bevell, as disliked as they became, were good for the Seahawks. Bringing back Dan Quinn worked. The support staff was good, with people like Kris Richard and Ken Norton Jr earning promotions either in Seattle or elsewhere.

What have we had since though? The reset coincided with major changes that underwhelmed and under-delivered. Both coordinators appointed in 2018 have since been fired. We’ve seen the return of Carl ‘Tater’ Smith. One of Carroll’s sons remains on the staff. There’s a ‘jobs for the boys’ feel around Seattle.

The jury’s out on Shane Waldron — who was not ‘hand picked’ by Russell Wilson as some like to make out. Rather, he was the one on the list of candidates selected by Carroll that Wilson was most interested in. It wasn’t a strong list.

Now, we have this ongoing situation.

It feels like Carroll’s control is a problem. To be a coordinator on either side of the ball, you have to do what Carroll wants. And with respect, I’m not sure recent history makes that an appealing option.

They can’t offer an up-and-coming offensive mind a chance to run an offense and then grab a Head Coaching gig. Any defensive-minded coach has to run the Carroll defense.

It’s restrictive — and it hasn’t been a pathway to promotion since the Super Bowl years which are nearly a decade ago now.

Look at other teams. The Giants just brought in Brian Daboll to revolutionise their offense. He’s quite content to get a proven, quality DC to run his defense in Wink Martindale. That arrangement would never happen on Carroll’s watch.

It could be that the same people who cooked up the ‘Bear front’ plan, had defensive ends dropping in coverage and didn’t have the first clue on how to maximise the haul spent on Jamal Adams are now going to be putting together the next plan.

That is not inspiring and speaks to a franchise that continues to muddle along, acting — as I’ve said before — as a vanity project for Carroll.

The Seahawks currently feel like they are mostly here for Carroll’s benefit — to end his career doing things his way, rather than plotting a proper pathway towards success. The place has a stale feel, like it isn’t really going anywhere — with no real accountability from the top and a fan-base offering very little pressure externally.

It might actually be best for Seattle to see what they can get for Russell Wilson from a team like Washington and embrace a bigger rebuild. I don’t agree but some would make that case. It’ll never be considered though because Carroll, aged 70, needs to win now. So he’s going to do what’s best for him.

They need to make some bold moves in free agency and therefore take some difficult decisions on who to keep (Bobby Wagner?) or retain. Carroll insists they’re close and that most of their cap space will be taken up ‘keeping the band together’. Yet this roster does not feel remotely close to contending, despite Carroll’s claims that they are.

You could make a big case that Seattle would be best served going all-in to get the best coordinators and staff money can buy with Carroll becoming more of a figure-head leader. No chance though. Because Carroll has to be in control of everything.

It would probably be better for Seattle, having invested so much in Wilson, to actually create an environment where he’s involved in personnel and philosophy. Joe Burrow was only talking last week about the way he’s afforded a lot of input. We all know Mahomes gets the same treatment. Wilson, seemingly, does not — because Carroll’s in charge and he doesn’t want that.

This franchise might as well be called the ‘Seattle Carroll’s’.

As we saw this off-season, it took two wins against a Detroit Lions team (fielding their backup quarterback) and a slumping Arizona (which finished the season on a 1-5 run, including a humbling and emphatic loss to the aforementioned Lions) to move on from any talk of big changes being needed. That week-16 loss to Chicago (with their third string QB starting) and a losing record are a distant memory.

The outcome of the end-of-season meeting, which many have rushed to say was run-of-the-mill, was the Norton firing.

A scapegoat, perhaps? K.J. Wright certainly thought so.

And now the attempt to replace him is like a Wilson scramble on third down. This way, that way, errrr — hope for the best.

There’s still time for this team to put things right. They could even do what they should’ve done all along and just ask Fangio to sign a blank cheque and come in to run his system. Or they could just make Donatell the DC after all and work out a compromise with Hurtt.

I’ve been critical in this article but I’ll be the first to hold my hands up if they pull off a great plan after all.

Yet the early signs of this defensive staff search are a continuing trend of a franchise that is all at sea. A bit of a mess. That’s not a good sign ahead of a crucial free agency period where expectations are this team will do things differently (and better) than in the past, while also managing further potential drama surrounding the future of the quarterback.

If you missed my 5000-word review of the Russell Wilson situation yesterday, check it out here.

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I wanted to write a ‘lay of the land’ piece given all of the coaching hires are now complete and we have a clearer picture of the NFL landscape.

Why is Russell Wilson so quiet?

We’ve not had any ‘Dan Patrick’ moments and nothing has been reported since Ian Rapoport’s article about Wilson’s future (which has since been disputed by people connected to Wilson).

There wasn’t anything to be gained by speaking out before the coaching hires were finalised. Now that they are, I’m not sure the situation has really changed.

Potential suitors do exist but with varying degrees of appeal.

Plus, Wilson has made it clear his preference is to stay in Seattle — but it’s equally clear he wants to see a different approach towards building and fielding a contender. It would serve him well to at least bide some time and get a feel for what Seattle’s plans are in free agency. So the timing isn’t right to say or do anything.

The chances are he’d just create a media storm, potentially damage relationships in the Seahawks locker room and it might not lead to anything other than unrest.

Thus, everyone just has to play a waiting game for now.

Who are the potential suitors?

I was surprised to see how defiant the Giants have been about Daniel Jones. Plenty of teams like a smokescreen — see Arizona and Josh Rosen (before drafting Kyler Murray) or Chicago and Mike Glennon (before drafting Mitchell Trubisky). This feels genuine though — that Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen are ready to give Jones another chance to make it work.

I would’ve had the Giants pegged as suitor #1 on any list due to their draft stock and desperate need to generate some positive PR. It seems, instead, that they’re prepared to let the GM and Head Coach control the situation. They appear keen to build through the draft and see if Daboll can do to Jones what he did to Josh Allen.

The Saints are currently not as attractive following Sean Payton’s departure. From last years list — the Bears are out of the picture, the Cowboys re-signed Dak Prescott and it only leaves the Raiders.

There are other options.

Denver are going to be incredibly aggressive this off-season. The appointment of Nathaniel Hackett could be appealing to a quarterback like Wilson, given the working relationship (and success) he had with Aaron Rodgers. The Broncos have a good roster. Yet it’s pretty clear, with the addition of Hackett, that Rodgers is their top target.

The Washington Commanders (first time I’ve written it) are making a lot of noise about being in the market for a veteran quarterback.

Firstly, they literally had Mike Silver write an article for the official team website. Here’s a section of what he wrote:

As (Ron) Rivera trudges forward following a disappointing, 7-10 season and looks to 2022, his overriding goal is clarity. Sometime in the next several months, he expects to address the most important position on his football team in a definitive and inspired manner, giving Washington’s fans — and the men in his locker room — a reason to get excited.

There are many, many potential targets, some of which I’m told it would be better not to mention by name, lest the people in charge of the teams for which they are currently under contract take umbrage and unleash the NFL’s tampering police. So no, I won’t be specifically citing any accomplished quarterbacks who may or may not be married to a famous singer, engaged to a famous actress or infamously shelved by a slew of civil lawsuits. Nor will I explicitly ponder the possibility that if a coaching change happens in a city celebrated for its nightlife a certain QB may not stay in said city — as I did in a recent column for another website.

Rivera and Silver have a long-lasting relationship dating back to their youth. It appears Silver has been invited to write this piece, for the team, to make it clear that they intend to target one of Russell Wilson (who is mentioned first), Aaron Rodgers, DeShaun Watson or Derek Carr.

That’s not usual. It speaks to Washington’s determination to address the quarterback position and they’re letting everyone know about their intentions.

Albert Breer also wrote an article for SI.com on the same theme:

The Washington Football Team is preparing to take a big swing at a quarterback this offseason, per team sources. The team has just one quarterback, veteran Taylor Heinicke, under contract for next year, more than $40 million of cap space to work with and the 11th pick in the draft to potentially dangle in a trade.

As to the effort to find its next franchise quarterback, with big names like Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson potentially out there, Washington feels like it has plenty to pitch such a veteran. While Brandon Scherff’s free agency looms (it’ll be open-minded approaching a new contract), WFT had the NFL’s sixth-ranked offensive line per PFF last year, and its depth was proven through significant absences that led to the coaches going to their fourth center, fourth tackle, and fourth and fifth guards.

Washington also has a 1,000-yard receiver (Terry McLaurin), a 1,000-yard rusher (Antonio Gibson) and other weapons on the offensive side of the ball, like Logan Thomas and Curtis Samuel, returning from injury. And the defense has a good foundation in its still-young defensive line, particularly with Chase Young coming back from ACL surgery.

Then, there’s the intangible factors—getting to live in the D.C. area and being on the front end of a team rebrand that’ll be unveiled Wednesday. And the fact that the cap flexibility would give a quarterback a shot to bring a piece or two with him.

This is a sales pitch. It’s also, presumably, the sales pitch Washington will make (officially or unofficially) to the aforementioned quarterbacks when the time comes.

The team that once spent a fortune on Albert Haynesworth, used three picks on RGIII and acquired Donovan McNabb at great expense are preparing to make another big splash. They missed out on Matt Stafford a year ago. This is a desperate franchise in need of a PR shot in the arm. They need this relaunch, with a new name, to generate excitement. They know they can only do that by landing a big name QB. They will likely be prepared to spend a fortune to try and make it happen.

According to this radio host at least, there could be some mutual interest between the Commanders and Wilson.

The Steelers should be involved in trade talks but it remains to be seen how aggressive they’ll be. The Colts are seemingly not content with Carson Wentz’s performances but they’ve already used their 2022 first round pick on him. The Panthers desperately need a solution but feel unattractive. The Eagles are a wildcard.

Most of these teams have a problem. They either don’t have the draft stock to make an obscene offer and/or they can’t offer a viable replacement quarterback to the Seahawks. Thus, it makes a potential deal — however motivated certain teams might be to reach an agreement — especially challenging.

Is Wilson’s happy and content?

Probably not, no — and if you’re willing to look at this with an open-mind, nothing has changed from a year ago. The Seahawks have the status quo running operations and Wilson clearly still has reservations about Pete Carroll, John Schneider and Matt Thomas’ ability to put together a contender with their personnel decisions and football philosophy.

As we’ve discussed many times before — Wilson’s preference is quite clearly to stay in Seattle but he wants the organisation to make the necessary moves to be a genuine contender. The crux of Wilson’s dissatisfaction is purely down to that — the personnel and philosophy decisions being made have consistently not elevated this team, leading to squandered seasons. The results, one playoff win in half a decade, speak to that. Yet no changes were made to the top-table in Seattle this off-season.

It’s completely naive, however, to think that just because Wilson has issues that he can just march into the front office and make demands about his future. I think all of the decision makers will be very aware of how Wilson feels at this point. I suspect Wilson is also very realistic about this situation. The Seahawks won’t trade him without a clear pathway to finding a replacement. Thus, everyone is left in this slightly awkward holding pattern.

That is why we’ve had weeks of Wilson, when asked, saying he’s ‘hopeful’ of staying in Seattle, rather than making any firm commitment. It’s a way to answer a question and dodge a question at the same time. At the Pro-Bowl last week, Wilson again made reference to being ‘hopeful’ of staying. There’s no reason to use this language unless you’re keeping your options open — which clearly Wilson is.

A really positive, aggressive free agency is what is needed to get everyone pulling in the same direction. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen.

We know the Seahawks have their ‘way’ of operating. They avoid the first wave of free agency and then try to find value in the second and third waves. They aim to ‘recruit’ players to come and play in Seattle without necessarily spending big money. This approach hasn’t worked for years and they’ve been left signing bad players and journeymen for too long.

You’d think a team willing to be so aggressive to trade what they did for Jamal Adams would also throw caution to the wind on the open market — especially given their total lack of recent post-season success. Perhaps a losing season will edge them towards a different approach? We can only hope — but it’s time to try something new. For the sake of the team and for the opportunity to build bridges with the quarterback.

Could trade talks still kick into gear?

Absolutely, yes.

Firstly, the NFL is a copycat league. If the Rams win the Super Bowl (although their mere presence in the game is probably enough) — teams will try to emulate them. LA saw they had a good roster but were lacking at quarterback. They made a very aggressive, expensive trade for Matt Stafford and the results speak for themselves.

Other teams will feel they can do the same thing.

Clearly Denver has that mindset. As we’ve heard from Mike Klis — Aaron Rodgers is Plan A and Russell Wilson is Plan B for the Broncos.

A dearth of options in the draft also plays into this. Teams can’t see a Joe Burrow available at the top of round one. If they want to find a solution at quarterback, the trade market is the way to go.

Of the big name quarterbacks in the draft, all but Matt Corral attended the Senior Bowl. It was not an attractive showing and it’s hard to imagine teams left Mobile feeling confident about the early round options.

When I read this article by ESPN discussing trades for Rodgers, Wilson and others — I had a bit of a chuckle. It’s clear some members of the media aren’t on top of the landscape of the NFL currently.

A bad QB draft class, plus the Rams’ success, is going to drive the veteran market to new heights. I think teams are going to be prepared to spend a lot on quarterbacks. Teams like the Seahawks and Packers are going to have a decision to make.

It’s entirely possible both Seattle and Green Bay receive fantastic offers and still say ‘no’. There’s no reason for the Packers to do anything other than everything it takes to make Rodgers happy. For the Seahawks — they would need a viable pathway to a replacement or they’d just end up in the same position as all the teams scrambling around for a solution this off-season.

I think Seattle’s situation is slightly different because it’s been reported multiple times that John Schneider is open-minded to a trade. We don’t know what conversations he, Carroll and Jody Allen had recently. For all the talk of Wilson’s legitimate (and in my opinion, justified) dissatisfaction — it’s possible Carroll and Schneider are not as opposed to a trade as some believe. If the right offer came along.

I suspect it’s unlikely because the media members who appear to be close to Carroll, and have been prepared to argue from his perspective over the last 12 months, are all saying the same thing — ‘no trade’.

Carroll appears to think the Seahawks are closer to contention than they actually are and making a significant change at quarterback is probably unfathomable in his eyes. But the extreme short-term nature of his planning, combined with his absolute belief in his own personal philosophy, is arguably opposed to the long term needs of the franchise and of Wilson himself.

As Albert Breer pointed out to Rich Eisen on Friday — Seattle doesn’t have a roster capable of contending. Carroll, and many fans, have seemingly had their heads turned by wins against a hapless Detroit Lions team (fielding their backup quarterback) and a slumping Arizona (which finished the season on a 1-5 run, including a humbling and emphatic loss to the aforementioned Lions).

It’s as if Seattle’s embarrassing loss in week 16 at home to Chicago — who were starting their third string quarterback — never happened.

The Seahawks need a major re-think and Breer suggests what a lot of people would argue — it might be best to let Wilson pursue his lofty career goals elsewhere, grab a haul and embrace a reset in Seattle. Yet what is best for the team and their QB possibly opposes what is best for a 70-year-old Head Coach who sees the end of his career on the horizon.

Unless, of course, he’s willing to be more aggressive in the veteran market.

The franchise, to an extent, currently serves as a vanity project for Carroll. He wants to end his long career doing things his way — and because time is of the essence, certain things are being viewed through a short-term prism (the squandering of picks on Jamal Adams, the determination to keep Wilson). In other instances though, Seattle is passive (their entire approach to free agency).

It’s quite a weird mix of extremes.

In a way it doesn’t matter whether the roster is close or not — the truth is Carroll needs it to be close, so he might as well try and talk it into reality. Yet this feels like the kind of hubris which has led the Seahawks to think they were Jamal Adams away from being a top contender, or that they can simply add a collection of depth pieces in the veteran market and turn water into wine, or that it doesn’t matter who your center is, or that Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa are ‘fixing your pass rush’.

That’s not to say other teams don’t make similar head-scratching decisions. The Niners trading what they did for Trey Lance remains absolutely staggering. You could argue the Chiefs, like the Seahawks before them, haven’t made the most of an opportunity to win multiple Championship’s when they had a capable roster. The Packers’ decision to draft Jordan Love was crazy because it not only pissed off Aaron Rodgers but Love, actually, isn’t very good.

This is a league brimming with dumb decisions and bad execution — highlighting how difficult it is to bring everything together.

That doesn’t justify the decision making in Seattle though — and a change in tactics is needed if this team is going to make the necessary moves in free agency to elevate its chances in 2022.

There is something to remember though — there was talk of Schneider gaining more control before the infamous ‘meeting’ with Jody Allen. For all the loyal media soldiers reporting that the meeting was ‘run-of-the-mill’ — it clearly wasn’t. There were consequences (Ken Norton Jr firing) and certain parties were clearly talking to the big players in the media, speculating what the outcome could be — so there was at least some unknown about the nature of those talks.

It’s hard to imagine Carroll ceding complete control — especially over a decision as big as trading Wilson — but we simply don’t know what was agreed or ordered at that meeting. Breer suggested to Eisen that Allen prefers to keep Wilson, so that could ultimately be all Carroll needs to hear to press on. He should be prepared to be more aggressive this off-season, though, to take a step forward. There’s no point holding on to Wilson if you’re not going to do that.

So yes — the Seahawks refusing all trades might be the most likely outcome at this stage. The truth is though, we just don’t know. Only a very small number of people at the top of Seattle’s food-chain know what they’re planning.

Jay Glazer said he expected the Seahawks to look different in 2022. I doubt he was talking purely about the shuffling of deckchairs that has been the defensive coordinator search.

What would a trade look like?

Three first round picks is a realistic and fair starting point in negotiations if/when they begin. The Seahawks probably wouldn’t answer the phone for anything less — and teams will be willing to pay that and more, in my opinion, to solve a crisis at quarterback.

Let’s put it this way — I think the 49ers have every chance of getting a first round pick, or a decent second rounder, for Jimmy Garoppolo. That’s how desperate teams are. His run to the NFC Championship game, even if it ended in another blown lead and a defeat, will have teams like Denver and Washington believing he’s a viable option if they can’t get to Rodgers or Wilson.

I think teams will bludgeon the Packers with offers for Rodgers and if he signs a new contract, they’ll turn their attentions quickly to Wilson. If the Seahawks say no too (and if they do, they should be prepared to extend Wilson’s contract to end any further speculation) then I think the Niners will be rubbing their hands together at the prospect of a Garoppolo trade. They’ll probably get a terrific offer.

Denver are very much the team to watch in all of this, followed by Washington and Las Vegas. The Broncos are going to be highly aggressive. That’s no secret.

Washington, as mentioned, are making it clear they want a veteran, star quarterback through the media. Their fans want it too — I recently listened to a podcast where one person said he would trade Chase Young and three firsts for Russell Wilson. Looking on the forums — there’s anticipation of a ‘monster’ (their words) offer being made for a veteran quarterback this off-season.

The problem is — even if the Commanders offered three first round picks, Chase Young and maybe even some extra draft stock. Who’s Seattle’s quarterback next year?

How far is Washington willing to go to tempt Seattle and what is the tipping point for the Seahawks where they consider accepting an offer? It’s very difficult to imagine a deal that suits both parties, meaning they might end up settling on Jimmy Garoppolo.

Then there’s the Raiders. Mark Davis was said to be keen on the thought of a ‘rock star’ Head Coach and a ‘rock star’ quarterback. You could argue Josh McDaniels is that coach. What now at quarterback?

Davis isn’t sold on Carr, per reports. There’s been chatter that part of McDaniels’ motivation for departing New England is that while he liked Mac Jones, he isn’t convinced he’s a Super Bowl winning quarterback. Would McDaniels prefer to shoot for a top QB? Especially now he’s living in a division with Mahomes and Justin Herbert, plus whoever Denver brings in? Or does he believe in Carr, who’s been allowed to run his contract down into a final year?

McDaniels is a funny one to project. This is a man who has benefitted for years by working with Tom Brady. He has seen greatness. But he’s also a man who chose to spend a first round pick on Tim Tebow to be his quarterback in Denver.

The Raiders link is the one that still stands out more than the others, because they have a replacement quarterback to offer Seattle. Or, alternatively, they could trade Carr to a Washington or Carolina or Pittsburgh — acquiring more stock to use in a Wilson trade.

Davis is said to be keen on Wilson — and Wilson listed Las Vegas as a destination he would go to a year ago. They have an offensive minded Head Coach. This feels like the team to watch, if there’s any potential of a deal being struck.

Is there any way Seattle would make a deal?

I would predict not. However, their position is being reported in an interesting way.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler appears to be well connected to Seattle. He says he spoke to two people in the organisation recently and they would be surprised if Wilson was dealt. Yet, not for the first time, he qualified it by saying, ‘Wilson would have to force the issue and request a trade’. He then mentioned the Seahawks have held trade talks in the past, with Cleveland and Chicago, and that a trade was ‘always, sort of, on the table’.

It all seems like a jumble of contradictions. You have Wilson keeping his options open every time he speaks about his future ‘hopefully’ being in Seattle. Meanwhile the team are saying ‘no deal’… unless, of course, he requests a trade. And by the way, they’ve had trade talks in the past. But, you know, the relationship’s in a great place.

It feels like a bad soap opera, or perhaps a staring contest. The Seahawks need to sort this out, one way or another, not just allow this to fester as they appear inclined to do.

Is there any way Carroll is open to a deal?

Personally I think no. It would take him getting a replacement quarterback he loves and believes in. I simply don’t think any player of that description is going to come along, so Wilson will remain. He won’t acquire a QB anywhere near as talented as Wilson.

Sometimes I wonder if Carroll might think he can acquire a quarterback who can run ‘his’ offense. Such is his unwavering confidence in his way of doing things, it wouldn’t surprise me. I’m just not buying it in this instance.

Carroll spoke, rightly, about Seattle’s issues on third down last season. I think he believes Wilson can deliver better results there. I also think it was enough of an issue that it warrants a broader conversation.

Seeing the Niners go on a run like they did because they could run the ball and convert third downs could embolden Carroll. Some would argue he should be prepared to make that call but won’t because he’s too loyal to Wilson.

Garoppolo, for example, ranked sixth in the NFL for converted first downs by passing on third down. The players in front of him on the list were Matt Stafford, Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa.

Wilson, on the other hand, ranked 19th in this area.

Again — I think Carroll believes Wilson can do better and improve that side of his game. I also think the finger injury has to be considered whenever analysing Wilson’s 2021 season.

Carroll also knows he can rely on Wilson to throw beautiful passes downfield — something his offense truly values.

The end to the season, when Seattle was also running a lot better, will also presumably give Carroll confidence that they have an in-house solution to this third-down problem.

Yet given the fact Carroll highlighted this as much as he did during the season — and given Wilson has historically not been a great third down passer — he would be doing himself a disservice not to at least have a conversation with Schneider about how to fix this.

Clearly Seattle isn’t trading for Garoppolo. The Niners and Seahawks are not going to come together to make a deal.

As discussed recently, they might have some interest in Kirk Cousins. Or more specifically, Carroll might have interest. There’s also the prospect of the Raiders offering Carr in a trade offer.

However — this is where it gets interesting. Wilson ranked 19th on third down conversions through the air in 2021. Carr ranked 18th, only marginally better, and Cousins ranked 17th. So the three players are clumped together in the same range. Yet Wilson is a far more talented, dynamic and statistically impressive passer. So is there any real benefit to trading Wilson to go with either of these two alternatives? The answer, on this evidence, is no.

As I’ve said — I think Carroll believes in Wilson sufficiently to not have his head turned, regardless of the offers that will come in. And thus — despite the potentially lucrative offers that will eventually be posted — I’d expect him to hold tight. Then it’s up to Wilson to assess the situation — but that likely can’t be done until after he sees what the Seahawks do in free agency.

My suggestion would be to involve Wilson in the planning process to just make absolutely sure everyone is working together. After all, Joe Burrow admitted this week he is asked for input on draft picks and free agent signings in Cincinnati. He mentioned how he appreciated that — and that he’d seen other quarterbacks frustrated because they don’t have that same sway. Mahomes likewise is consulted by the Chiefs.

There’s no reason not to include your $35m investment at the heart of this process. The Seahawks should put that right immediately.

What about the draft class?

There’s no reason to believe the Seahawks see an alternative quarterback solution in the rookie class. Schneider has often looked for players with plus arm strength and major traits. His only QB pick in the first two days of any draft is Wilson and he reportedly really liked Josh Allen and Mahomes.

Players like Kenny Pickett, Matt Corral, Sam Howell, Desmond Ridder and Carson Strong simply don’t have the big, physical traits or the creativity.

The one player who does is Malik Willis. He is a great improviser, a strong runner and he has a big arm. He is capable of making magic happen and that could appeal. However, his technique is so bad that it will lead to turnovers and the way he reads the field is scary. Watch the tape, not the highlights videos. He looks right at wide-open players downfield, turns down throws and tries to scramble instead. He never takes what a defense gives him. It’s all very one-read and run.

People will mock that he sounds like Russell Wilson. Let’s be clear. Willis’ issues reading the fielding and making quick, accurate decisions are on a totally different level to a quarterback with a career passer rating of 101.8, a 292/87 TD/INT ratio and more wins than any other QB in the first decade of his NFL career.

In the right system, Willis can be dynamic. I think in the Greg Roman offense — which would utilise his running as a major plus — he could be a terror. For a team trying to stay on time, move the chains and improve on third downs he isn’t the answer.

Regardless, it feels like the time has long passed that Carroll would be willing to turn things over to a rookie. Any move he makes at quarterback is going to be with the here and now in focus. After a 7-10 season, and in his 71st year, he probably feels he doesn’t have time for a long reset.

Final thoughts

Ultimately I think Ian Rapoport is absolutely right in his assessment, as voiced on the Pat McAfee show on Friday. Wilson is keeping his options open but the Seahawks, in order to actually make a trade, need a proven alternative at quarterback because Pete Carroll is 71 this year and isn’t starting a big rebuild.

It’s very difficult to envisage what Carroll would see as a viable alternative. Thus, I think he will do what he’s been threatening to do — run it back and try and prove that his team is closer than a lot of people think.

Wilson will continue to couch his language when he speaks because he is not convinced the Seahawks will do what it takes to contend again — yet there’s not a lot he can do if the team is unprepared to trade him. His concern about potentially wasting the second half of his career, though, is legit. So if the Seahawks continue to be passive in free agency there’s still a chance he will speak out and request a trade before the draft.

It comes down to this. Don’t be passive in free agency. Acquire proven talent. Be prepared to play the ‘cap game’ like a lot of other teams. You are operating in a small window here. It makes no sense to go all-in for the Jamal Adams trade and then be conservative in free agency.

The Seahawks can be good again in 2022 but they have to be prepared to do things they haven’t done before when the new league year opens.

They need to make some key signings at the start of free agency.

Over to you, Carroll and Schneider.

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Here is my first ‘horizontal’ draft board for the 2022 class.

This is based on tape study and the Senior Bowl. I will continue to adjust the board right through until the end of April — with the combine, pro-days and subsequent medical reports impacting any changes.

I have highlighted a collection of ‘gold’ players I wanted to talk about in this article. These are currently prospects I would be prepared to shout about in a draft room. That’s not to say I don’t rate none-highlighted players very highly. For example, I have graded some players a lot higher than the consensus.

As with the overall grades, these ‘gold’ players might change after the combine etc.

Click on the image to expand the board:

Well over 150 players are included on the board. Players who are absent I either see as UDFA prospects or I simply haven’t had a chance to study yet. Players in red have existing injuries or known character flags. Testing will have a big impact on future changes. For example, poor testing in the short shuttle and three cone is a no-no at tight end. I agree with Seattle’s approach of receivers needing to be sudden, with 4.4 speed a must. Explosive testing will impact the O-line board. You’re looking for special athletes on the D-line. There will be significant changes after the combine.

Highlighted players

Abraham Lucas (T, Washington State)
The prototype NFL tackle prospect. Lucas has a very athletic, long frame with the necessary agility (4.30 short shuttle at SPARQ) to handle the speed rush off the edge. His drop is very good, enabling him to gain position and then use his length to play inside/out. When he connects he usually wins and he has a powerful base to drop the anchor and stone pass rushers. He can get stronger but that will come in time when he gets into a pro-weight training programme. He played right tackle at Washington State but he looks like he could easily shift over to the left. For me, he’s a top-15 pick and a very exciting player within this class.

Dameon Pierce (RB, Florida)
A player who is capable of providing an emotional presence to the locker room, who can impact team mates with his passion for the game and running style. Pierce is a bulldog of a competitor — capable of breaking through contact and finishing runs to demoralise opponents and lift his own sideline. He is extremely explosive (37 inch vertical) and quick (4.50 forty) with ideal size (220lbs) and he’s willing to put a helmet on a pass rusher in pass-pro. He might not have the upside of an Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook or Derrick Henry but he could easily be a Javonte Williams and is worthy of a second round grade.

Tyrion Davis-Price (RB, LSU)
Like Pierce at Florida, it’s surprising that LSU didn’t ride TDP more than they did. He is a big, bruising, explosive back with plus size (6-1, 225lbs) and surprisingly quick feet. He ran a 4.53 at 227lbs at SPARQ and added a 4.40 short shuttle. He can bulldoze through tackles for yards after contact but watch how he avoids second-level defenders with subtle footwork and great agility. He’s flying way under the radar and has a chance to be an impact player in the NFL. Third round grade that could rise based on his combine performance.

Greg Dulcich (TE, UCLA)
Dulcich has a complete profile for a tight end. He can burst down the seam and extend his arms to make difficult catches. He competes for the ball. He can run shorter routes and create separation with a great release and he’ll be a major threat when asked to run a wheel route. You can use him on TE screens. There are plays on tape where he’s broken off long, rampaging runs for YAC. Adding to it all is a complete willingness to block both in the passing and running game. He has fantastic size — 6-3, 248lbs with 34 inch arms and 10 inch hands. I would expect a strong testing performance at the combine. He could be the top TE in a deep draft class at the position. Second round.

Cole Strange (C, Chattanooga)
This is a decidedly poor class at center with only really Taylor Linderbaum warranting a draftable grade. For that reason, I feel obliged to bang the table for Cole Strange. He was challenged to kick inside to center and acquitted himself well at the Senior Bowl. He had some ugly reps, let’s be clear about that. But he also had his fair share of big wins and there were positive signs to take away from Mobile. For starters, he has the ideal frame for a center. He’s 6-4 1/2, 304lbs and he has 33 1/8 inch arms. He sits in his base comfortably, does a good job anchoring with a strong back and his footwork coordinates well with his hands. I would be very intrigued to see what he can do with pro-coaching and a permanent switch to center. Explosive testing will be important at the combine. I’ve given him a third round grade based on potential and would very much want to take a chance on him.

Zach Tom (C, Wake Forest)
I’m listing Tom as a center and accept this is a projection. He played left tackle for Wake Forest but he simply doesn’t have the size to stick at that position (6-4, 297lbs, 33 2/8 inch arms). However, Wake Forest believe he can play any spot on the line and it’s testament to his talent that he’s ended up at left tackle. I couldn’t have been more impressed watching him play outside. His footwork and hand use is good, he locks on to blocks and finishes. His agility and sets are good. He’s a little bit lean in the bottom half but his anchor still seems a strong point. He knows how to turn defenders to create running lanes. There’s an absolute ton to work with here. His frame is much more suited to moving inside and he could be a terrific project at center. His body fits the position and he has 10 1/8 inch hands. This is a horrible center class so we’re having to look for options. Tom has a ton of upside. I’d even be willing to give him a go at left tackle. His tape was that good. Third round grade pre-testing.

Jermaine Johnson (DE, Florida State)
I don’t really need to explain this one. Johnson rocked up at the Senior Bowl and proved he is the complete pass rusher. He has a great repertoire of moves. He can win with speed, power, he engages and disengages with ease, he has deadly agility and quickness and can both set the edge in the running game and attack offensive tackles with a classic speed rush. He has 34.5 inch arms and at 6-4 and 260lbs — he has better size than a lot of the other edge rushers in this class. Johnson is a potential top-10 pick based on what he showed in Mobile.

Boye Mafe (DE, Minnesota)
There’s just a natural fluidity to the way he rushes the passer which I’ll take any day as a starting point. He’s as smooth as silk when he attacks the edge with a speed rush. He’s incredibly quick off the snap and challenges tackles before they’re comfortably in their set. He makes it look easy — when it’s anything but. The way he clears the corner and accelerates to the quarterback carries a ‘wow’ factor. When he needs to engage and play with hands and power — he can do that too. In several 1v1’s and in the Senior Bowl game he brushed off attempted blocks by simply being faster and stronger. On tape you can see him drive into an opponents chest and walk them backwards. It’s said he can jump a 40.5 inch vertical and a 10-6 broad, plus run in the 4.5’s. You’re looking at a player who can probably effectively rush in a rotation as a rookie and then develop and grow his role over time. It won’t be a surprise if, within 2-3 years, he’s one of the more feared pass rushers in the NFL. There’s a bit more of a projection here compared to, say, Jermaine Johnson — but I think you could justify taking Mafe in the first round. If he’s there in the early second, he should be a serious option for the Seahawks.

Jordan Davis (DT, Georgia)
It’s easy to forget that last summer, the national media considered Davis a mid-round, bog-standard nose tackle. For some reason they were completely blind to what Davis was — the most athletic big-man to enter the league since Vita Vea. Now, I think Davis and Vea are different players. I saw Vea live and I’ve never seen a player with his size run around in space like he did. It was super-human. Davis’ change of direction skills are what you’d expect from a 6-6, 340lbs defensive tackle. That’s the difference — Vea is far superior here. That said, Davis has remarkable quickness for his size to shoot gaps and get into the backfield. He surprises blockers with his quickness and how he combines his brute force with niftiness to break through gaps. He’ll be able to hold the point and make life easier for your linebackers. He’ll remove lanes in the running game. Yet he’s also a plus straight-line runner — and his motor runs hot enough that he’ll even chase ball-carriers down given half a chance. For me you have to take him in the top-20. Expect an amazing combine.

Devonte Wyatt (DT, Georgia)
Simply put, Wyatt is a freakish athlete who has flown under the radar for too long. His superb outing at the Senior Bowl has finally garnered some attention but the reality is he’s been a first round talent for months. There simply aren’t many players with his combination of explosive power and quickness at 6-3 and 307lbs. He will legitimately run a 4.8 at the combine and the only question seems to be whether he can crack the 4.7’s. He’s already jumped a 31-inch vertical and a 9-3 broad — so we know he’s explosive. In Mobile you could see the way he used his hands to jolt, disrupt and disengage and once he creates any kind of separation, the speed kicks in and he can finish. He can play any down and distance and he has a shot to be a rare thing in the modern NFL — a pass-rushing, any-down defensive tackle. First round.

Quay Walker (LB, Georgia)
If you want an attacking linebacker who can burst into the backfield and make plays within an aggressive front seven, Walker is your man. While team mate Nakobe Dean is better off playing in space off the edge and Channing Tindall is at home acting as a run-and-hit dynamo from the middle — Walker has a versatility and range that means he can play pretty much anywhere. He can rush off the edge, he can blitz, he can drop and cover, he can close quickly and hit. He’s bigger than Tindall and Dean too and will have broader appeal to teams given he can fit into all schemes. If he tests as well as expected at the combine he will be a top-40 pick.

Channing Tindall (LB, Georgia)
Tindall is everything you want to see in a linebacker. He’s decisive but still reads the game very well. His closing speed is incredible — he flies to the ball-carrier from 0-60 in no time at all. He spots the little quick passes and screens and goes flat-out to make a stop. He’s brilliant at racing to the sideline on anything to the outside. He’s very prepared to race up to the LOS and put a helmet in a gap. People won’t like this — but he plays the game with the kind of destructive abandon that Bobby Wagner no longer possesses. There is zero hesitation to his game. During the Senior Bowl game he flashed his range, tenacity and desire on a special teams tackle where he flew from one side of the field to the other to make a big stop. Tindall jumped a 40-inch vertical at SPARQ and ran a 4.19 short shuttle. He’s comfortably a top-50 prospect for me.

Kerby Joseph (S, Illinois)
I was incredibly impressed by Joseph’s range at safety, despite his longer, leaner frame. From a single-high position he can sprint to the sideline to break up passes. His read/recognition is good at free safety and he can easily handle slot duties and play tight coverage. His arm length (33 1/4 inches) is a difference maker as he leaps and reaches out to break up passes. He had five interceptions in 2021 — among the national leaders. During the Senior Bowl they lined him up in the box and had him cover tight ends — with one memorable break-up of a pass for Trey McBride. I like his personality and measured approach. He’s the type of versatile defensive back you need in the modern game. Second round with room to go even higher with a good combine. A very impressive prospect.

Montaric Brown (CB, Arkansas)
I watched a fair bit of Arkansas at the start of the 2021 season and Brown stood out in a big way. He has a long, lean frame and looks like a Seahawks cornerback. He’s highly competitive for the ball in the air, tracks it well and generally does a good job gaining position in order to make a play on the ball. He had five interceptions in 2021 and for me is one of the most underrated players in the draft. I would bang the table for him in round three and if he’s available any later — take him, develop him and he could compete to start very quickly.

Cam Taylor-Britt (CB, Nebraska)
I love CTB’s attitude and physicality. He is a sledgehammer of a tackler at corner. I expected him to be slightly bigger than the 5-10, 200lbs listed at the Senior Bowl. He does have more-or-less 32-inch arms though and for me, he’s your best bet to add a ‘Brandon Browner’ type aggressive corner to your roster in this draft. He punishes ball-carriers and loves a hit. He can cover and make plays on the ball too — but you’re drafting him for his intensity. CTB broke up 11 passes in 2021 but only had the one interception (he had six in total for Nebraska in three seasons). I just want to get him in the building and have someone willing to put a bit of fear into the opponent again. Third round.

Honourable mentions

I think Perrion Winfrey is exactly the type of player Seattle lacks. An interior force with great athleticism, size and an X-factor. He plays with passion and emotion — he looks like the kind of guy who wants to go to war in the trenches. He was terrific at the Senior Bowl but his play is just so bloody inconsistent on tape, I can’t make him a gold player. A second round grade will have to do for now.

Regulars will know I’m a big fan of Trevor Penning and Bernhard Raimann. I think at the Senior Bowl both players showed positives but also a lack of technical refinement at times. They will need some development work at the next level and that just tempers my willingness to put them in the round one bracket for now. That said, I think both will test well enough at the combine to ultimately end up in the first frame.

Jake Ferguson has been a blog favourite for years and the fact he ran a 4.15 short shuttle at SPARQ makes me think he’ll test very well at the combine in the key agility drills and will end up providing excellent value for the team lucky enough to draft him. I think Wisconsin squandered his college career. That said, he’s only 6-4 and 244lbs with shorter 32 1/4 inch arms. At that size, he better test well. I need to see that before being able to put a gold star next to his name.

David Anenih does a great job rounding tackles to create pressure. He has a lot of what you look for — he’s 6-2 and 251lbs with 34.5 inch arms and a nice 83 1/8 inch wingspan. He uses his length well, he’s quick to burst around the edge and he had a productive career at Houston. He can get smothered at times and you want to know he’ll test as well as the Myjai Sanders, Sam Williams, Boye Mafe types. If he does, he’s certainly one to watch.

Sanders warrants a mention. The Seahawks love those long limbed, lean, explosive pass rushers. He’s a little lighter than ideal (242lbs) but so was Brian Burns and Seattle, apparently, really liked him. Reports suggesting he can run a short shuttle of 4.10 will catch the eye. If he manages that at the combine, he’ll get a gold sticker.

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I will update this post as the game goes along…

— Otito Ogbonnia made a nice interior rush to shut down a running play on the first drive.

— Malik Willis began by showing exactly what he is. When the play breaks down he can take off, find the space and make gains with his legs. He is very much one-read and run. We’ve seen with players like Colin Kaepernick that this can work effectively in the pro’s, with the right scheme. It’s worth noting that Greg Roman made this work with Kaepernick and he’s done the same with Lamar Jackson in Baltimore. I’m not sure how it translates to many other schemes though, especially ones requiring the QB to stay on script and make progressions.

That said, this is what separates Willis from the other quarterbacks. He does have plus athleticism and strength as a runner. But we also saw in this opening drive his hesitancy to pull the trigger and when things break down, it’s play over unless he finds a running crease.

— I love how decisive Channing Tindall is. There’s no wasted time. He reads the play and gets downfield — whether he has to sprint to the sideline or get into the meat-and-bones of the LOS. Tindall is quick and violent, which I’m afraid to say is the opposite of what Bobby Wagner showed in 2021. Tindall drops well in coverage and knows where the sticks are to make sure the defense gets off the field (he defended a pass to Trey McBride on his first defensive series).

— The American team lined up in a 3-4 on defense with three defensive tackles and D’Angelo Malone rushing across from Kingsley Enagbare. Malone recorded a sack, demolishing a tight end (Charlie Kolar) with power before exploding to Kenny Pickett. Malone has showed well in Mobile but at 230-ish pounds he’s very much an OLB rather than an EDGE.

— Travis Jones just made a terrific play to bring down Brian Robinson. Jones just easily disengaged from one of the two Georgia guards and met Anderson at the LOS, giving up only a yard. They kept him on the field for third down and he shoved his blocker right into the face of Malik Willis. Jones is a real force of nature working inside. He can collapse the pocket with power and quickness.

— Willis’ problems again show up at the end of the first quarter. If you can get him out of the pocket and on the run, then it’s just a question of keeping him in contain and he’ll throw it out of bounds. He can’t throw with timing or poise and he’s hesitant. When he takes off, so often he’s just trying to find space and keep things alive that he isn’t looking downfield for an outlet.

— Myjai Sanders beat Max Mitchell at right tackle with a speed rush. Mitchell was desperately trying to stay with him but Sanders was too good. He grabbed Willis shoulder pad, forcing him off the spot and allowing Tyreke Smith to get a clean-up sack. This was a terrific play from Sanders though — who should be a legit option for Seattle at #41 — and it was a bad play for Mitchell.

— Malone had another really nice rush, this time on a stunt inside. It forces an underthrown pass by Kenny Pickett, which he was fortunate still ended up in a completion. On the next play, Pickett scored on an easy dump-off pass to the Baylor running back to Abram Smith. It was a total bust by the defense.

— Arkansas defensive tackle John Ridgeway is down with an injury. That’s not good news. He’s had a good week. Thankfully he came back on to the field during the next drive.

— Desmond Ridder seemed panicked during scrimmages. When play’s broke down, he just threw wildly. He’s started the same way in this game. On a boot-leg that didn’t go to plan, he was incredibly antsy and threw it away. There’s very little composure on show.

— Zion Johnson flagged for a false start. No doubt Twitter is saying it was the most stylish false start in Senior Bowl history.

— Very good block by Bernhard Raimann on Zach Carter to create a running lane for Abram Smith for a nice gain. Sealed off his edge. Smith dropped a flare pass on third down to end the drive. Should’ve been caught. I know I’ve said this a lot but I couldn’t be more impressed with the way Abraham Lucas drops and sets at right tackle. He is a legit, legit NFL prospect.

— Sam Howell’s first pass was badly dropped. I couldn’t see the receiver involved. The NFL Network is giving the hard sell on Malik Willis, even going as far as to ask Dan Campbell the Lions Head Coach ‘how much do you want to draft him?’. I’m not sure why they’re doing this.

— Boye Mafe sacked Howell and forced a fumble with a tremendous speed rush off the edge. As we’ve been saying all week, Mafe is silky smooth as a pass rusher. It was effortless the way he reacted to the snap, brushed by the left tackle and finished the play. The offense recovered the ball. Mafe, as with Sanders earlier, should be on Seattle’s list of options at #41.

— Wow — Channing Tindall just flew across the field to make a play on special teams. I love Tindall and have been talking about him all season. He is a top, top prospect (there are many, predictably, from Georgia).

— Zion Johnson is working at center again. I have to say, if he’s really as good as Twitter says (as in first round lock at guard) — why is the NFL trying him out as much as they are at center this week? I know it’s a bad center class but it’s not exactly loaded at guard. I’ll reiterate, for me he’s a fairly decent middle-round guard. That’s it.

— Bernhard Raimann is blocking really well in the running game today. That’s the second big edge-sealing block he’s made to spring a run, producing a nice big running lane. On the next play, Abram Smith danced his way for a nice gain. Raimann was involved again, burying Phidarius Mathis on a double-team with Marquis Hayes.

— Fourth down conversion on 4th and 1 by the National team. Terrific job by Abraham Lucas again, ploughing bodies forward and getting a great push to enable a short but successful run. They keep running well to the ride, which isn’t a surprise.

— The second touchdown to make it 13-0 was a nice play-action move by Desmond Ridder. Trey McBride ran a good route, the defense was caught off guard and it was a fairly simple completion for a score. They went for two and Rachaad White ran into Ridder off the snap, ending the play really before it started (White tried to pick it up and run it in but was unsuccessful).

— Sam Howell hesitates and throws a fairly basic short pass. The ball is caught with a thud sound, meaning the commentary team put it down to Howell’s ‘arm strength’. I thought, watching practise, Howell lacked pop in his throws. It appears the QB hype train has moved out of the Malik Willis station and has arrived at the Sam Howell stop.

— Boye Mafe had another pressure attacking the left tackle before half-time. He engaged the blocker with his hands, disengaged and just burst past him with great quickness. Howell scrambled away to avoid the sack but it was another example of Mafe’s quality as an edge rusher.

— Jesse Luketa sacked Howell to end the half. He really needed to get rid of the football but it was a good, quality speed rush by Luketa.

Half-time — 13-0 to the National team

— Carson Strong started at quarterback for the National team to start the second half. He began with a screen pass and Cole Strange looked very mobile and athletic racing to the second level. Strong fumbled the second snap from Strange. It was on the QB. Strange then had a horribly high shotgun snap that Strong did well to handle.

— Dameon Pierce had a run to the left side and then levelled Coby Bryant with a great hit. To Bryant’s credit, he clung on and made the tackle.

— Perrion Winfrey had a sack which was mainly on either coverage or Sam Howell. The quarterback took far too long then tried to scramble, running into Winfrey’s area. He shrugged off the block to chase down Howell. He either needs to get the ball out or credit needs to go to the secondary. This has been an especially underwhelming day from the QB’s.

— Carson Strong threw a floaty, miserable interception to Alontae Taylor on the next drive. It was hideously underthrown, with the receiver wide open. As I was saying — the QB’s look awful.

— Dylan Parham just worked a nice double-team on Travis Jones. Parham has looked good at times working inside. He has a nice frame (6-2, 313lbs) with 33.5 inch arms and 10 1/4 inch hands. As a center prospect, he’s one to watch.

— Myjai Sanders just beat Max Mitchell again. He failed to bring down Sam Howell, who scrambled away from pressure. The main thing is, though, that Sanders again showed his quickness and agility attacking the edge. Mitchell has struggled at times this week. He did, in fairness, just produce a really nice block on Perrion Winfrey in the running game to spring a nice run by Dameon Pierce up the middle.

— Wow, Boye Mafe is incredibly explosive and so dynamic working in space. He just exploded to the quarterback to Sam Howell and created a pressure on a play-action boot-leg. He was flagged though for a pretty ticky-tacky facemask penalty. Howell scored on a scramble on the next play. He had 11 rushing touchdowns for North Carolina in 2021. I’m just not sure he’s quick enough to be a big factor at the next level as a runner.

— D’Angelo Malone just shoved Trevor Penning right into Carson Strong’s lap. Malone is 230lbs and he just owned Penning. Not a good look for the tackle but a great play by Malone who’s had a good game. I maintain that he’s very much a 3-4 OLB at his size but could be a SAM/LEO for Seattle I guess. He’s flashed. Penning, on the other hand, has been a bit disappointing overall.

— Velus Jones just completed a decent +20 yard pass from Bailey Zappe. He created good separation on the route and Zappe found him with a lofted pass.

— You can’t leave Boye Mafe unblocked off the edge. He’s too good in space and he shut down a running play. Then on the very next play Mafe absolutely destroyed Spencer Burford with violent hands and outstanding speed. Mafe obliterated Zappe for a big sack. Wow, just wow. Mafe has had an outstanding game. It forces a field goal for the American team and they trail 13-10 with a quarter to go.

— I just answered a request from Mike Florio who is hosting a Twitter Q&A by asking his thoughts on where Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Jimmy Garoppolo and Kirk Cousins will play next season. Here’s his answer:

Denver. Las Vegas. Pittsburgh. Minnesota. Wild guesses at this point though. Feel strongest about Cousins.

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) February 5, 2022

— Darrian Beavers just did a really good chasing down a trick play. He’s had a good game, mixing in some rangy linebacker play with some edge rushing. He’s expected to test well at the combine.

— The NFL Network are interviewing Jets coach Robert Salah, who praised his GM for doing a great job acquiring extra picks. Salt in the wound. There is no escape.

— Perrion Winfrey just had a big sack with a fantastic, athletic pass rush. He just blew by the guard with such ease. He was so quick and dynamic. He brushed off the attempted block like a NFL player playing a college player, then ran of the field amped to celebrate. He has brought a lot of energy and athleticism to Mobile. His consistency will always concern teams — and rightly so. We’ve discussed the concerns there and you can’t forget them just because of a good Senior Bowl. However, you can’t help but appreciate what he’s showing. Great size, amazing frame, long arms, agility and quickness, plenty of power. He looks the part — and I like his energy and intensity. He’s got the eyes of a killer.

— Desmond Ridder’s back in the game and he just completed a nice pass to Jake Ferguson. He showed patience, let Ferguson develop his route and nailed an accurate throw. Rachaad White followed it up with a really nice burst on a run for a big gain. Shortly after, Ridder had a play-action bootleg leading to another pass to Ferguson who showed what he’s all about by finishing for a touchdown. Ferguson ran right across the line, looked very athletic and that’s what he does. He ran a 4.15 short shuttle at SPARQ and should test well in that drill at the combine — leading to a high grade from teams.

— Of all the quarterbacks, Ridder has looked the best in this game. That hasn’t been particularly difficult to pull off.

— Bailey Zappe is getting a beating. Jesse Luketa got a second sack. Zappe has to be aware of the pressure there. He just moved into space and was a sitting duck waiting for things to develop. Then on the next play, Travis Jones absolutely destroyed Dylan Parham and drove him right into Zappe (who fell over for another sack). Jones has had an incredible week. Pure power and he collapses the pocket time and time again by moving people backwards.

— D’Angelo Malone was unblocked off the edge and just pressured Carson Strong to break up an attempted screen. I don’t know, it feels a bit of a cheat to be lining up with 3-4 concepts here and having players like Malone enjoy the benefits of some creating rush looks. On a bit third down to follow, Strong made a nice completion to Nevada team mate Cole Turner.

— It’s staggering, really, just how average Carson Strong has looked this week. I know he lacks mobility and can’t avoid pressure. He does have arm talent though and we just haven’t seen any evidence of that this week. It’s hard to imagine where he’s going to end up after this display in Mobile.

— Bailey Zappe almost ended the game by throwing a reckless pick-six. It was a little too high for Chad Muma. He followed it up with a floaty near-interception on the next play, that was tipped a couple of times. Then on 4th and 22, two American team players somehow found themselves wide open downfield and they nearly tackled each other. They were lucky it was completed. Yet on the next play, Zappe had a receiver running open again for a touchdown but he horribly under-threw the pass, it was finally picked off and the game ends with the National team victorious 20-10.

Full-time — 20-10 to the National team

Final thoughts

I think Boye Mafe was the star of the game, with multiple impressive plays off the edge. He finished with two sacks, three TFL’s and a forced fumble. You can’t overreact to the Senior Bowl game but alongside what he showed in practise, he could easily work his way into the first round. Myjai Sanders, Abraham Lucas, Perrion Winfrey and D’Angelo Malone also deserve a mention for their consistency — while Channing Tindall, Jake Ferguson Travis Jones, Bernhard Raimann and Darrian Beavers created an impression.

The play of the tackles was largely unimpressive and it was particularly disappointing to see continued issues for Trevor Penning and Max Mitchell.

Thank you to those who followed along with the Senior Bowl coverage this year. Bring on the combine in a month’s time.

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Here is today’s final set of notes. Thursday’s practise was moved indoors and limited to a select few media, so there isn’t as much footage available of the two sessions. What I’ve been able to watch is based on NFL Network coverage and some short clips posted online.

I would recommend checking out my previous notes if you missed them:

Measurements & player profiles
Day one observations
Day two observations
Day three observations

— During National Team scrimmages, there was a really nice seal block by Trey McBride to spring a rushing touchdown in the red zone. He cleaned out the right hand side to present a nice big running lane for the back. I’m not sure McBride has done enough to elevate himself into sure-fire top tight end contention because he lacks suddenness but teams will surely appreciate his willingness to get involved with the blocking side of the game (and do it well).

— Daniel Faalele looked dreadful again in scrimmages. He gave up an easy inside move in red zone drills. No footwork, no mobility. He’s just too big and can’t move off the spot to deal with quickness and speed. He can’t redirect. I’m not sure how you fix this at his size.

— Greg Dulcich has incredible quickness in his release, he separates when running routes and he looks the part. He scored a great touchdown during the red zone sessions too. We’ve been talking about him since September and it seems like the media are finally latching on to him. He looks tremendous and he has every opportunity to be an impact player at the next level.

— Cole Strange had a good win against Travis Jones. Strange’s feet were quite wide which isn’t ideal but he presented a strong base, got a hand inside underneath the neckline and finished the block. He has some talent as a center project.

— Logan Hall showed power on one rep to drive his blocker back into the quarterback. On the second he got away from the same opponent with a nice spin-move. He was just too quick and drew a holding penalty to go with his free run to the QB. His defensive team mates enjoyed these two reps.

— Tyreke Smith did a really good job chewing up space with a great burst in a 1v1 against Trevor Penning. It was a really poor rep from Penning who was slow to slide and got absolutely nowhere near Smith. In the rematch, Smith ran right into Penning who easily grabbed him and tossed him to the ground. Penning then battered Smith on the helmet at the end of the rep, drawing the ire of the Ohio State defender leading to a scuffle.

— Abraham Lucas — easily the most underrated player from the week of practise, ran Arnold Ebiketie out of range with a perfect kick-slide. In the second rep, Lucas completely shut-down Ebiketie with a wonderful block — latching onto his frame and giving no ground. Superb. Lucas is a tremendous talent.

Perrion Winfrey had an easy win in his first rep with a nice swim move, showing off great agility and quickness to dominate his opponent for Fordham. On the second rep he drove him deep into the backfield and it was no contest. Tyreke Smith came over to congratulate Winfrey on his two wins.

— Zion Johnson lined up at centre, stayed square against Travis Jones and easily won their first matchup. On the second rep, Johnson’s footwork was all over the place and Jones swam away from contact and then buried Johnson into the turf. Another ugly rep for Johnson, the most overrated player from Mobile this week.

— Marquis Hayes had a couple of really good wins against his Oklahoma team mate Isaiah Thomas.

— Bernhard Raimann was catching in 1v1’s and his technique has looked off all week. There’s no doubting his athleticism and he’ll be a great tester at the combine — but he looks like someone who needs major technical work when he gets into camp.

— Myjai Sanders had two poor reps against Faalele. He was too upright and just ran right into him. No bend, no real counter. It felt like he was going through the motions and didn’t have much of a plan. It was frustrating to see because Sanders has played with nice quickness off the edge for most of the week.

— All of Logan Hall’s 1v1 reps have pretty much been the same. He’s very busy but doesn’t have refined technique. He’ll try a bit of everything — a spin, a swim, he’ll put his head down and try and bulldoze his way through blocks. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t — but you kind of want to see a little more technical refinement and better hands. There’s no doubting he flashes some power and quickness but if he can’t engage/disengage, push/pull, swim/rip consistently with technique then he’s not going to have many wins at the next level. There’s a ton of potential here but as with some others — he probably needs time in camp to work things out.

— Andrew Steuber had a win against Travis Jones by just stepping back and pulling him to the ground. On the next rep, though, Steuber lunged at Jones and he easily beat him to the angle for a pressure. He hasn’t won every 1v1 rep but Travis Jones has been one of the big winners this week.

— Boye Mafe looks so smooth rushing the edge and had a couple of really good wins during 1v1’s. I’d like to see him combine that with a bit more aggression at times but he’s a silky athlete who looks like a NFL edge rusher.

— Zach Carter had a wonderful edge-setting rep against Max Mitchell during scrimmages. He stood him up with a powerful two-handed punch to the chest. On the same rep, John Ridgeway did a terrific job riding the center, then disengaging to make a play on the running back. Ridgeway looks powerful with great size when he lines up inside. I’m not sure how well he’ll test at the combine but he looks big, powerful and difficult to move.

General Senior Bowl takeaways

— I am not as convinced that Trevor Penning and Bernhard Raimann will go as early as I’ve been projecting. I think Abraham Lucas will go much earlier than the media thinks — because I thought he was terrific in Mobile. Yet I understand others have come away with mixed reviews of his play.

It’s important to remember the league is still desperate for quality offensive linemen. Over recent years, players who test well in the explosive drills (vertical, broad, bench) go very early in the draft. That’s just the way the NFL works. I expect Raimann and Penning to be explosive testers and therefore, they could easily secure the kind of top-10 or top-20 placing I’ve been suggesting. Lucas will run very well and have strong agility marks. That too could promote his stock. So ultimately, I wouldn’t get your hopes up too much that any of the three might last to #41.

However, I would say after the Senior Bowl it’s more likely than not that someone like Bernhard Raimann might be there. And if the Seahawks are serious about fixing their pass rush, they might look to address that in free agency and then target a left or right tackle early in the second round.

— I don’t see any chance of Devante Wyatt lasting to #41 based on what he showed. If he runs in the 4.8’s as expected, he could go much earlier than people are currently suggesting (I had him at #22 in my latest mock draft). I think there’s relative depth at defensive tackle though that could present options in rounds three and four. I don’t think Phidarian Mathis did enough to believe he should be a high second rounder. Logan Hall’s lack of technical refinement could keep him on the board in round two. Travis Jones and John Ridgeway showed enough to think they could provide genuine value in the middle rounds. Perrion Winfrey was given a good press in Mobile but his lack of consistency could keep him on the board into the second day. There are good options here.

— Clearly there’s a whole bunch of defensive ends who warrant serious consideration. I hope the Seahawks target major upside — because testing does matter at the position. They hit a home-run with Frank Clark — who ran a stunning 4.05 short shuttle and jumped a 38.5 inch vertical. Had Darrell Taylor been healthy enough to do any pre-draft testing, it’s easy to imagine him performing well. L.J. Collier, on the other hand, did not test well. They went against their common approach when they drafted him — seemingly in a bit of a blind panic with the way the 2019 draft unfolded. Many of the big name pass rushers performed very well in Mobile — but if the Seahawks are going to draft one, let it be someone with the highest possible upside.

— In recent years the Seahawks have tended to prefer experience on the O-line and youth on the D-line. That will clearly change if they target a Chandler Jones or Akiem Hicks type and leave tackle for the draft. The early money should probably be on the opposite. A typically quiet start to free agency — with experience added (or retained) at the tackle spot, setting up the Seahawks to add another pass rusher at #41. That would be aligning the needs with the options available. I would rather see this team be aggressive in free agency and sign star talent — but that hasn’t been how they’ve operated.

— I think we’re going to see a second round run on tight ends with Trey McBride, Jeremy Ruckert and Greg Dulcich all coming off the board — along with junior Jalen Wydermyer. Don’t be surprised if Dulcich is the top TE on some boards. Testing in the short shuttle and three cone will be a difference maker at this position at the combine.

— I’ve not focused on the quarterbacks that much (and the footage of their throws has been limited). However, the impression I got is that this group is as distinctly average as expected. Kenny Pickett just doesn’t excite you. There’s very little pop in Sam Howell’s throws. Malik Willis has the physical tools but his technique on tape, plus his total inability to read the field and go through progressions, make him a serious wildcard for the next level. Desmond Ridder showed a good arm in Mobile but also the same inconsistencies you see for Cincinnati. My expectation is that a very aggressive veteran quarterback market is about to emerge with desperate teams acknowledging the only way to get better at the position is going to be via trade. If Matt Stafford wins the Super Bowl, plenty are going to want to try and copycat the Rams.

— Dameon Pierce has a culture-developing presence that plenty of teams will want to tap into. He might never be a league-leading rusher but he’ll be explosive, he’ll drive through contact and he will give you absolutely everything.

— This week at the Senior Bowl confirmed that while it might not be a great year to have a top-10 pick — I still think it’s an excellent year to have multiple picks in the first two rounds. This class can be a foundation builder — with strengths in the trenches, at cornerback, at tight end and with some particularly impressive characters to go with the talent. A team like the Eagles, for example, could set their roster up for the future (although they won’t solve their question marks at quarterback which in turn could hold them back).

Players who really impressed in Mobile

— I can’t believe how little attention Abraham Lucas has received. Not only does he have a fantastic looking tackle frame — he was by far the best tackle in his kick-slide, he has tremendous agility and quickness to handle speed and he shut down many of the better speed rushers. Did he win every rep? Absolutely not. Yet Zion Johnson had far more ‘bad’ reps and he’s been hyped up to the extreme. Lucas to me was a big winner and if he tests as well as I expect at the combine, he should be a top-15 pick.

— Clearly Jermaine Johnson showed he is a complete pass rusher, capable of winning with speed off the edge, power with his hands and he has plenty of tricks to keep blockers guessing. I thought he was a top-15 lock before the Senior Bowl and he could easily go in the top-10 based on this performance. He’s a good combine away from elevating himself into the top-tier of prospects. He was unstoppable in Mobile.

— Perrion Winfrey is a complete enigma on tape. There are snaps where he looks gloriously disruptive. His extreme length, brilliant frame and clear athletic skills warrant first round consideration. Yet there are so many ‘bad’ snaps on film. Plays where he should finish and doesn’t, or just looks hesitant, or is taking forever to pick his spot to make a play. He’s on his tip-toes and hunches over as he runs, which is odd. In Mobile, with a bit of NFL guidance, he got stronger and stronger as the week went on. By day two and three he was straight to business, more decisive and was making a lot of eye-catching plays. He’s also a high-energy, emotional player — which I like from defensive linemen. You want passion and angst in the trenches. The lack of consistency on tape will hamper him and he will be a major boom or bust prospect. He showed in Mobile, though, that he has the talent to be disruptive.

— Devonte Wyatt just looked exceptional. He’s so quick and powerful — and the fact he isn’t as big and tall as some of the other tackles works in his favour. It’s really hard to get into his frame and when he connects with you — he has the know-how to engage/disengage, rip/swim, find the angle to break into the backfield and shoot through gaps. A tremendous week.

— In a loaded D-line class to begin with, Travis Jones perhaps was the biggest surprise. There were so many reps where he bullied opponents in 1v1 drills — driving them right into the pocket. He has brute force and strength and the way he pushed people around up front reminded me a bit of Tony McDaniel. Seattle has needed someone like that for a while. He also showed well in the figure-of-eight test and he flashed some quickness too — so he might not just be a powerful nose tackle. The combine will be interesting for him.

— I think how team mates respond to others is a key factor in the Senior Bowl evaluation. Watching how everyone rallied to Dameon Pierce on his 1v1 rep — plus the bruising, physical style he brings to the table every day, will not have gone unnoticed. I am convinced he’ll go a lot higher in the draft than people think. Round two is a possibility.

— Greg Dulcich stood out among the tight ends. He blocked well to begin the week and then showed an extra gear when running routes that the other TE’s don’t possess. He’s been a blog favourite from week one of the 2021 college football season and it shouldn’t be a surprise if he nails the forty and agility testing at the combine and leapfrogs some of the bigger name prospects at his position.

— There are plenty of defensive linemen who had good weeks — I want to highlight Florida’s Zach Carter. He’s well sized at 280lbs, won reps with speed and power and should a good range of pass-rushing moves.

— In a bad year for the center position, Cole Strange showed an ability to adjust to the position and maybe have a future there. He had some ugly reps and some very positive reps this week, so he’s a work in progress. For a smaller-school player though, there’s plenty you can work with. He’s well sized with decent length. He might not be an immediate year-one starter but given the weakness of the center position in this class, I think he helped himself.

Players who leave Mobile with question marks

— As mentioned earlier, I don’t think Trevor Penning and Bernhard Raimann did enough to convince teams they deserve to go as early as I’ve been projecting (top-15). They both have serious technical flaws and need work. That said, if they test well in the vertical and broad at the combine — they will still be high picks. The league loves explosive offensive linemen.

— Daniel Faalele got a lot of attention for his size but he had a poor week, he struggles to redirect and I’m struggling to think of a way he makes it at the next level. He’s just too big.

— Max Mitchell was really assured on tape against Texas. I never really saw it in Mobile though. He’s undersized and had a few issues in 1v1’s and scrimmage reps. There’s definitely some natural talent on offer as a blocker but I don’t think he elevated his stock here.

Here is today’s new live blog. Keep refreshing for updates. My notes are based on tape study as drills were uploaded online and broadcast on the NFL Network. I have watched in full the OL vs DL 1v1 drills from Wednesday.

Also, if you missed it yesterday I was on 710 ESPN with Jake & Stacy to discuss the Senior Bowl and the Seahawks off-season. You can listen to the segment via the embed below:

— Travis Jones continues to really impress. Firstly, he looked especially agile in the figure-of-eight drill which bodes well for his combine testing. Then he had a tremendous rep against Cole Strange — once again connecting with his arms and driving him deep into the backfield (which has become Jones’ calling card in Mobile). He has difference-making power and if you’re looking for traits — that’s a very appealing one. On the next rep, Strange adjusted his approach and closed quickly on Jones to eliminate space so he couldn’t drive his hands into his chest and gain contact. However, to be fair, Jones still found a way to latch on and drive the center backwards. On a rep against Zion Johnson Jones also won with a great push/pull move. He flashed a terrific club on another 1v1 rep to create a pressure. Jones has been one of the big winners this week and he has the potential to cause havoc up front as a nose tackle with plus athleticism and incredible power.

— Perrion Winfrey had a handful of really good snaps. In a 1v1 vs Michigan’s Andrew Steuber he showed great hands to slip any attempt to stall his progress. That created separation and he duly finished to the QB. Winfrey showed a nice combination of technique and quickness. On the next rep, Winfrey drove Steuber deep into the backfield with a well executed bull-rush. Later during scrimmages he had another big win — slipping a block to fire into the backfield and make a TFL on the running back. Zion Johnson got the better of him on one rep — Johnson leaned into the block a bit too much but he was still able to stick with Winfrey and gain positioning. On the next rep Winfrey won easily against Johnson with a spin move. There’s no doubting Winfrey’s clear talent and upside. Consistency is the big question mark — and it will be throughout the draft process.

— On a couple of reps we saw evidence of Trevor Penning’s athleticism. He has light feet and moves well. Yet there was evidence of a lack of refinement too. He would drop too far and give up the inside. On tape he’s in attack mode and I’d like to see a bit more of that. He was on the back foot with some of these reps and it isn’t really his style.

— Abraham Lucas did a terrific job on his first rep. He has a superb, natural drop — planting the anchor, engaging and slamming the door shut as the defender attacks the edge, then counters. It was textbook. On the next rep the opposite happened. He was off-balance, lost leverage and was dumped on his backside for an ugly loss that had the D-liners celebrating. I’ve already seen enough from Lucas this week to not have any concern. He is the real deal. He showed that against Myjai Sanders late in the session — again getting into a great position on his drop and catching Sanders, stoning him on contact. On their second rep, Sanders tried a bull-rush and gained some traction.

— Haskell Garrett looked really quick and dynamic in 1v1’s. It’s a shame his arm length probably keeps him out of Seattle’s range. He’s a cannonball of a prospect who is really tough to get your hands on.

— I’m stunned how OTT the coverage of Zion Johnson has been. The internet does this and it’s why it’s important to watch the tape and not rely on group-think. In his first rep he was literally flagged for holding by the officials as he clung on for dear life to avoid a sack. They don’t throw flags in these 1v1’s — yet Johnson garnered a penalty. On the very next rep he was easily beaten — just brushed off by Otito Ogbonnia who used his hands to create separation and then just exploded into the backfield. Johnson is a mid-round guard. That’s it. And that’s fine. People touting him for round one need to give it a rest. The coverage of his Mobile performance has been nuts. He looks athletic — he carries very minimal body fat. You can’t help but be impressed by his frame. I get that. Yet the reps don’t show the player many are claiming. Later in the 1v1’s he was easily beaten by Perrion Winfrey too.

— Logan Hall beat Marquis Hayes with a nice swim move on his first rep. On the next rep, Hall was too high and Hayes gained hand-position and leverage to win the 1v1. I still want to see more from Hall, this hasn’t been the dominant display I was expecting. Late in the session Hall battled with Andrew Steuber and had a nice win — driving to the right gap and then spinning to disengage and releasing to the quarterback. That was a really athletic play.

— Boye Mafe won his first rep easily against Bernhard Raimann — who has struggled a bit. Raimann dipped his head and lunged at Mafe, who just brushed him off to round the edge and finish. On the second rep, Raimann stalls him initially but a counter from Mafe enables him to break free and get to the quarterback. Two quality reps from Mafe — still a lot of technical work needed for Raimann. He has the athleticism and upside but on this evidence, it needs to be developed with better technique.

— When scrimmages began I noticed Daniel Faalele dumped on his backside yet again (see below). I’ve said it all week — he’s too big. It’s really difficult to play the edge at 6-8 and 380lbs and retain balance and control. He gave up an easy inside move in 1v1’s too. The more he has to move, the bigger the problems are. He catches pass rushers and tries to absorb them. He can’t be a dancing bear at that size. Which means if you’re willing to have a 6-8, 380lbs guard — fine. But that in itself comes with issues in terms of leverage and throwing windows. I wouldn’t draft Faalele personally.

— It was a quiet day for Arnold Ebiketie in the 1v1’s. He was easily sent to the turf by Matt Waletzko in his first rep and on the second he slipped while trying to execute a spin move.

— During American team scrimmages, Greg Dulcich caught a really nice touchdown pass on a throw by Malik Willis. Dulcich is just so smooth and he’s shown this week he can block. He is seriously underrated.

— John Ridgeway was well handled by Kentucky centre Luke Fortner on their initial 1v1. On his second rep, Ridgeway drove Cade Mays deep into the backfield. I like aspects to Ridgeway’s game — his power and size. I’m not sure he has special qualities though.

— Devante Wyatt was well handled by Ed Ingram on their first rep. Wyatt was too high, Ingram gained hand-placement and leverage and dominated the 1v1. Wyatt’s second rep was far better against Georgia team mate Justin Shaffer — a nice club, violent hands and then having created the angle he sprinted into the backfield for a clean, superb win. In his third rep, Wyatt blew by Dylan Parham by engaging contact then just throwing him off. The combination of power, hands and speed is scary. He is an interior dynamo and exactly what Seattle hasn’t had for many, many years. If he’s there at #41 — run to the podium. I fear he’ll be long gone.

— Spencer Burford shut down Kingsley Enagbare on their first rep. Enagbare was too high and offered a big target for the tackle. On the second rep, Enagbare tried a spin move on Burford and it didn’t work — he was easily shut down again. It’s easy to like Enagbare’s length and size. He’s had some wins this week. Is he a special athlete though? Not on this evidence. Not compared to some of the other dynamic edge rushers.

— Eric Johnson destroyed Darian Kinnard with a spin-move. Kinnard kicked inside to guard and was easily beaten. Too often he just doesn’t get low enough — he’s too upright and high. He looks the part of a NFL right tackle or guard but he has to be able to bend and play the leverage game better. He did have a win against Zach Carter to end the session.

— Phil Mathis had a tough time disengaging on his first 1v1 rep. He also really battled with Jamaree Salyer on his second — it was a good tussle and Mathis got free right at the end. He doesn’t appear to have many clean wins. Everything is a battle. He does win most of his 1v1’s but it’s always late in the rep after a lot of hand-fighting. You can’t fault his motor but you’d like to see a few easy victories like you see from Wyatt — using quickness and a nice swim. I’m not sure that’s him though. He’s violent, tough and plays his tail off. But is he a bit limited as an athlete? That’s my question based on what we’ve seen in Mobile.

— Sam Williams destroyed Max Mitchell in their first 1v1 rep. Mitchell was flat-footed and Williams easily showed to the outside, swam inside and looked quick, dynamic and explosive. He’s a late arrival in Mobile but a very exciting prospect. On a rep against Kinnard he took the edge, dipped under the attempted block and won the play. He’s just too quick for Kinnard. Williams will test well at the combine and could be on Seattle’s radar.

— I’ve no idea what Max Mitchell was doing against Jermaine Johnson. His drop was fine but then a mild club by Johnson dumped Mitchell on his backside. It was a really ugly rep. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Mitchell’s tape vs Texas but this was not a good 1v1 session for the Louisiana right tackle. He did have a better final rep vs Sam Williams after switching to left tackle but even then — Williams looked the superior, more fluid athlete. I want to really like Mitchell but I’m starting to think he is what he is — a decent lineman who lacks great size and length.

— Jermaine Johnson is the wow performer of the Senior Bowl. Just incredible. Feet, quickness, hands. On his first rep he just juked away from the blocker who got nowhere near him. He wins with speed, speed-to-power, a bull-rush. He is the complete pass rusher. If only Seattle had the #10 pick.

— For his size (280lbs), Zach Carter is quick and sharp. When he kicks inside he shows good power and an ability to drive blockers into the backfield. He has talent.

— The Seahawks need more BAMF’s. We’ve been talking about it for years. And this is why I want Dameon Pierce in Seattle. He’s an absolute beast, who gets everything (and everyone) going:

Favorite moment from the day @IRep229

🔥 from @thesamrusso_ pic.twitter.com/RgaPLWBml7

— Paige Dimakos (@The_SportsPaige) February 3, 2022

— Cole Strange has taken some snaps at center and has faired better than some others making the switch (eg Zion Johnson). This is not a good center class and it makes me wonder whether a team like the Seahawks would show interest in Strange. He’s had an up-and-down week with some impressive wins and a few whiffs. This was well emphasised yesterday when he barely got a finger on Isaiah Thomas on one rep but then bounced back on the rematch to stone him at the LOS. He has the size Seattle likes (6-4, 304lbs, 33.5 inch arms, 10 1/4 inch hands). This was a nice rep on a screen pass from earlier today. He moves well at the second level. He also had a nice 1v1 win against Travis Jones. This is great hand/feet coordination and he looks the part here. He could be a very intriguing center project.

— It’s being reported that Haskell Garrett had to be helped off the field during Thursday’s practise with a suspected upper-body injury. It appears this is the incident. Not sure at all what Andrew Steuber was doing at the end of this rep but it was unnecessary and dangerous.

— This isn’t Senior Bowl related but regulars will know how much disdain I have for the Ikem Ekonwu hype. He isn’t a left tackle, he’s a guard. He’ll need to test well to be a high-ish pick because his tape is average. Here’s Jermaine Johnson easily defeating him off the edge. And yet the media calls Johnson a borderline first rounder and I’ve seen Ekonwu as high as the #1 overall pick in some mocks. Utter nonsense.

— This is the Trevor Penning I expected to see this week. Aggressive, punishing. That’s how he played at Northern Iowa. He seemed tentative on Tuesday and Wednesday, almost like he was playing ‘defense’ with his blocks. This is the front-foot, physical blocker who finishes plays he can be. Here’s another rep from today showing more of the same.

— Here’s a good rep from today with Zion Johnson winning 1v1 against Travis Jones. Presumably the internet will crown Johnson as the next Quenton Nelson as a consequence.

— Brian Asamoah is a thoroughly modern day linebacker. He could easily be a top-45 pick. This rep in coverage shows why. He’s very good at working in space, chasing down the ball-carrier and delivering jarring hits. Yet it’s his work against a tight end as you see in that 1v1 that makes him such an interesting player for the next level.

— Here are two really good reps for Abraham Lucas vs Arnold Ebiketie. In the first 1v1, Lucas’ footwork isn’t great to begin with. His feet are choppy and his drop starts poorly. Yet he still manages to engage Ebiketie, drive him wide of the quarterback and not offer a pathway back to the QB. On the second rep, Ebiketie tries an inside move and Lucas just shuts it down.

— At times, Boye Mafe just makes it look easy. Watch this comfortable spin move to get away from Matt Waletzko. Show outside, spin inside. Simple but effective and extremely fluid in his movements. He can maybe get vertical a bit quicker on the spin but the agility and quickness is obvious. On the second rep he chops the hands away and easily beats Waletzko to the edge with speed. Mafe is a very impressive athlete.

— This looks like a win for Cade Mays vs Phil Mathis but it’s slightly deceptive. Yes — Mays obstructs the path to the quarterback. Yet Mathis has forced him deep into the pocket. Do this in a game and the QB has to move off the spot — and that’s really the name of the game.

— Coming into the week we talked up Zach Carter’s upside and talent and he’s had a good time in Mobile. Check out this rep where he drives Chris Paul right into the QB’s lap. He’s quick and powerful with great size (280lbs) and has legit inside/out potential.

I’m finishing the live blog today. If there is ample indoor footage from Thursday’s practise I will do another review post tomorrow. I will also be offering thoughts on the game on Saturday.

With footage from the Senior Bowl usually arriving very late in the day, I’m going to introduce a daily ‘live blog’ where I update with notes.

Keep refreshing for updates.

— Earlier today I was on 710 ESPN with Jake & Stacy to discuss the Senior Bowl and the Seahawks off-season. If you missed it you can listen to the segment via the embed below:

— I know Seahawks fans don’t like to linger too much on ‘what could’ve been’. Yet the first day at the Senior Bowl was a crushing blow, in my opinion, knowing they don’t have the #10 pick.

Firstly, Florida State pass rusher Jermaine Johnson was an absolute terror. We’ve referred to him as a complete rusher for months and that’s what he showed on day one. He has fantastic strength in his arms, plus length, to extend and drive tackles off the spot. He combines that with great quickness and balance to attack the edge or counter with an inside move. He was unstoppable on day one. He looks like a star and would’ve been an ideal partner-in-crime for Darrell Taylor.

Secondly, Washington State right tackle Abraham Lucas was equally impressive. He looks sensational — with a perfectly proportioned frame for a tackle. Remember, he ran a 4.30 short shuttle at SPARQ. In scrimmage snaps he pushed around pass rushers — launching into his set and quickly establishing ideal positioning. His hand-use is good and he connects his hands and feet to wall-off the speed rush. In the running game he punished opponents — driving defenders backwards. Whether he starts on the right or left side — he looks like a potential 10-year starter.

Seattle’s bad 2020 off-season that led to the desperation hail-mary trade for Jamal Adams right before camp continues to leave scars. Frankly, it’s difficult to garner excitement for this off-season given the same decision makers are the ones trying to make amends. This was a long-lasting, damaging trade that they doubled-down on with a new contract. It might be convenient to try and forget about it and say what’s done is done — yet after one day in Mobile, the consequences are there for all to see. The Seahawks are going to miss out on potentially a terrific player at a key position of need and are stuck with a dead-weight contract for a player with a bad shoulder.

— One of the big challenges during the Senior Bowl is establishing fact from fiction. There are so many people attending in Mobile, firing opinions onto the internet. Here’s what I think I’ve been able to establish by watching various clips and highlights from the first practise:

— Devonte Wyatt had an outstanding first day. He showed off his 4.8 speed at 300lbs on multiple reps — bursting into the backfield with great agility, setting up blockers before delivering a quick change of direction and fast feet. Yet when he needs to dig-in and absorb a pair of blocks or battle to control his gap he can do that too. I am convinced he will be a first round pick and could easily be an incredible disruptive force at the next level. A potential star.

— Travis Jones was not too far behind Wyatt in terms of first impressions. He’s 6-4 and 326lbs with 34 inch arms. On multiple occasions he connected in 1v1 reps and brutally walked back blockers deep into the pocket. He abused opponents on several occasions. He was a train. Yet he’s not just a powerful nose tackle — he flashed some quickness too. Boston College’s Zion Johnson is a bit of a ‘draft media’ favourite and gets a good press as a consequence. Jones stole his lunch-money on one rep and did it easily. I’ve since seen the 1v1 reps from day one and Jones had multiple wins against the somewhat overrated Johnson. I immediately went back to see what I could find from UConn and I found some tape of Jones competing against Clemson, where he landed two terrific swim-moves to create pressure. This was a performance worth shouting about.

— Perrion Winfrey gained a ton of buzz on Twitter for his first day but it was just more of the same. He is far too inconsistent. Yes he has great size and length but he doesn’t know how to put everything together. His approach to rushing is haphazard, he doesn’t often have a plan. He doesn’t play with enough aggression down-to-down. You’ll see him boss a blocker into the backfield on one play, then on the next rep get completely shut down. I’d call him a busy, choppy runner too. He hunches his back and runs on his toes leading to a lot of indecisive movement as he tries to work out a plan into the backfield. The top defensive tackles keep it simple — gap-control, swim/rip, brute force to drive people backwards. If you have great agility and speed, attack those gaps and find angles. It’s always front-foot and forwards though — while Winfrey is a bit of an over-thinker. He has the physical tools but he remains very much a flash-in-the-pan type.

— Myjai Sanders’ lean frame is a bit of a concern but there’s nothing to worry about in terms of his quickness and ability to attack the edge. He looked like a huge threat in scrimmage sessions with burst and suddenness. While the likes of Kingsley Enagbare received positive comments online, he doesn’t have that same quick/twitch ability. Sanders has it in droves and really challenged the tackles he came up against. On one rep he even dumped Daniel Faalele on his back. He was quick to work through traffic, he showed excellent speed when attacking the edge. He looks like Spiderman out there — with great agility and his long arms and legs enable him to stand out. Sanders just looks the part of a NFL rusher. On appearances alone he looks like Montez Sweat. Now — he probably won’t run a 4.4 like Sweat. He has been timed in the 4.00’s in the short shuttle though. He’s one to watch.

— Based on what I saw of the tight end reps — there’s a reasonable chance Jeremy Ruckert could be the first off the board. He looked tremendously fluid running in space to create separation. A lot will be determined by agility testing at the combine but of the group, Ruckert looked especially sharp. I managed to see some of Greg Dulcich too. He has been a blog favourite for quite some time — and as with the Devonte Wyatt’s, Abe Lucas’, Dameon Pierce’s etc — he looked very good with his blocking duties and route running. I think Dulcich will go a lot higher than people think (depending, of course, on the agility testing). Keep an eye on Charlie Kolar too. He doesn’t have the speed and quickness running routes but showed well turning back to the quarterback in reps. He has a lot of the size preferences you look for.

— Darian Kinnard had that one bad rep against Jermaine Johnson but as a pure right tackle prospect he looks the part. He has everything to hold down that side of the line and just needs a little bit of technical work.

— Arnold Ebiketie was as advertised on day one. He has a nice blend of speed and power. On one rep he dipped inside having read the blocker’s momentum and just exploded to the QB. On another rep he bull-rushed with authority, driving the blocker into the backfield. He is a high-upside talent with a lot of first round potential (depending on how he tests).

— Here he is again look, Travis Jones repeating what he did yesterday by driving blockers into the backfield. It’s the same move every time, a powerful one-arm bull-rush. He just straightens that arm and it suddenly becomes men against boys. A terrific showing of power. Sign me up for a bit of this.

— On the contrary, it’s not getting any easier for Logan Hall. A few of us had big expectations for him this week but he just hasn’t been able to put it together. His technique is all over the place and he looks out of control in the 1v1 reps. Look at him here against Cole Strange. There’s a lot going on — including a spin — but he needs to learn how to use his hands to engage and rip/swim, or work off his hands or with some deceptive footwork. At the moment there’s no real plan other than ‘having a go’. This was a better rep though — and it’s also a reminder of how badly we need full footage of the 1v1’s to properly assess these players.

— The internet has decided that Zion Johnson is a first round pick and a really exciting prospect. I’m just not seeing it. Don’t get me wrong — I’m not saying he is a bad player by any stretch. For me he’s a perfectly adequate mid-round guard and that’s fine. All this first round talk though is spreading like wildfire and I just think people need to calm down. Boye Mafe got a nice, fairly straight forward win against Johnson here. There have been a few reps like that. Here’s another one where he got flat-out beat by Perrion Winfrey. Johnson does a good job arching his back to anchor and when he squares up a defender and meets him head-on — he can have success. Angles aren’t his friend though and as we saw here, he’s giving up inside pressures to edge rushers. It happens every year though. The internet overhypes a player before and during the Senior Bowl. It’s not Johnson’s fault people are going over the top but let’s be honest about what he is and stop the hype train.

— Cornerback Akayleb Evans says he’s attracted a fair bit of interest from the Seahawks. I’ve been able to watch a couple of 1v1 reps and he looked relatively close in coverage. He’s nearly 6-2 and 201lbs with 32.5 inch arms. He’s one to take a look at.

— I’ve not seen many reps for Max Mitchell the Louisiana right tackle — but I watched some of his tape after he was named in Daniel Jeremiah’s top-50. I like him, he reminds me of another former blog favourite Austin Corbett. He was a left tackle at Nevada who was undersized. It didn’t work for him in Cleveland but he kick-started his career with the Rams at guard. Mitchell’s tape vs Texas is very impressive. The concerns are similar though — he’s undersized (around 300lbs) and doesn’t have amazing length. On the limited reps I saw from yesterday, it was a follow on from what he showed against Texas. He’s an attack-minded blocker who meets pass rushers and engages combat. I like that — and it has been Louisiana’s style over recent years. His feet and hands work well together. He has good balance and power. Today he pancaked Kingsley Enagbare. He was well beaten by Jermaine Johnson yesterday on a deadly spin move — but Johnson is going to be tough to stop all week. The Seahawks could easily address pass rush in free agency and then seek to replace Brandon Shell in the draft. If so — Mitchell could be one to watch.

— Here’s a nice rep from Abraham Lucas vs Myjai Sanders. Look how easily he gets out of his stance, uses a nice base to plant and then once he connects with Sanders, there’s no escape. This is what a legit NFL tackle prospect looks like.

— By now you all know Dameon Pierce is a blog favourite. Here’s why. Watch him in this 1v1 to end practise today. That is what he’s all about. Teams are going to love Pierce a lot more than the media. He will go earlier than people think.

— Just look at Jermaine Johnson’s footwork and hands on this rep. Reason #18394 to be devastated about not having the #10 pick. Imagine Johnson lining up across from Darrell Taylor. Sigh.

— I’ve spoken a lot about Daniel Faalele’s size being a problem rather the easily excitable ‘draft twitter’ take that he’s awesome because he’s 6-8 and 380lbs. Yet if you’re immobile and struggle with leverage, you’re going to end up on your backside. Which is what happened yesterday and happened again today. I wouldn’t draft him, personally.

— From what I’ve seen, most of the tackles struggled today. I’m not sure if it’s the weather or something else. I’ll wait to see extended footage of the 1v1’s and reassess tomorrow. However, this kind of rep where Boye Mafe easily beat Bernhard Raimann was commonplace based on the clips on Twitter.

I’m ending the live blog for today. I’ll watch any practise tape I can find online in the morning and start a new article with fresh notes.

I’ll finish with this though — the thought I came into the day with (what a shame it is they don’t have #10 for Jermaine Johnson or Abraham Lucas) is exactly the thought I’ll take to sleep tonight.

The Jamal Adams trade wasn’t just a random minor error. It’s potentially a long-lasting dead weight that will cloud this team. You’re talking about 2-3 (at least) club controlled, young players to help shape your foundation. You’re talking about $17.5m in cap space. All for a player they don’t know how to get the best of, with a bad shoulder.

People are literally discussing defensive coordinator candidates under the premise of ‘how can they rescue this trade?’

They can’t. The damage is done. And it’s going to cost the Seahawks a potential foundational piece in this draft based on what we’re seeing in Mobile. It’s hard to have much faith in the people who thought that was not only a good deal — but one worth doubling down on with a contract.

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Since the NFL Network pulled live coverage of the Senior Bowl a couple of years ago, it has become impossible to assess practise without being in Mobile.

Every year we are dependant on people filming the drills and posting them on YouTube. In fairness, those videos usually emerge. There’s no guarantee though. We have to hope someone had the good grace to film both sessions in full.

As and when I find good clips, I will post them here. Likewise if I get hold of extensive 1v1 drills for the O-liners and D-liners, I will post a full breakdown.

Darian Kinnard and Jermaine Johnson had a good 1v1 battle. Johnson won the first bout easily, dumping Kinnard on his back. In round two, Kinnard held his own.

Here’s a rep between Cade Mays and Devonte Wyatt. You see Wyatt get lower and gain hand-placement to win with leverage and drive Mays back. It’s a good recovery from Mays to avoid being driven right into the backfield — but ultimately Wyatt has won the round by pushing his blocker into the pocket.

If you’re wondering why I think Wyatt will go in round one — watch this rep. That’s what 4.8 speed looks like at 300lbs.

This isn’t a great rep from Logan Hall, who lost out to Ja’Tyre Carter. Hall doesn’t even try to place his hands in the right position and just looks completely out of control. He’s battling to get any kind of handle and Carter just rides him out — simply by connecting and actually using his hands. Hall has to do better with his technique here, a lot better.

I saw another rep between Carter and Hall and Carter won that too. As did Andrew Steuber here, having moved inside. This isn’t the kind of start I expected from Hall who has great talent and potential. He tries a club and a spin but Steuber always looks in control. It’d be nice to see a bit more focus and execution on these rushes from Hall — but it’s day one, let’s see if he can improve.

Steuber didn’t have as much fun against Travis Jones (who looked like a train). Here’s another great rep from Jones who warrants a bigger look on this evidence.

Trevor Penning is too hesitant on this rep. That’s not how he played for Northern Iowa. He has the right position and he should win easily but he let’s the inside move come along because he freezes. Go and finish the block. Connect and drive your man off the ball.

Zion Johnson had two really good reps against Otito Ogbonnia. Great anchor, good strength in the back, finished the blocks.

I am not a big Daniel Faalele fan. I think he’s too big. He certainly shouldn’t end up flat on his back against Myjai Sanders. I like the way Sanders combines agility and flexibility attacking the edge I just worry a little bit about him mixing in speed-to-power given his slight frame.

This isn’t a 1v1 rep but look at the penetration and quickness here from John Ridgeway.

This isn’t a good rep for Bernhard Raimann. You can be the best athlete in Mobile but you’ve got to have your feet and hands work in unison. He doesn’t get anywhere with his footwork, he concedes the edge and then he’s chasing the pass rusher (Tyreke Smith). You want to see a better slide here and then control with the hands.

Tariq Woolen is already showing why he could easily go in round one. Lots of contact late in the route but it’s hard to stick in these 1v1 sessions. He’s right there, all the way.

Have I mentioned how much I like Dameon Pierce much? Quick, explosive, physical, aggressive, yards after contact. Get him in Seattle.

I watched the NFL Network’s highlights package where they showcased some scrimmage sessions. For me, Abraham Lucas looked absolutely terrific at right tackle. Controlled, powerful, athletic. He truly looks the part. One of the big regrets, and there are a few, over the Jamal Adams trade could be the missed opportunity to plug Lucas in at left or right tackle for the next decade.

I wanted to mention Daniel Jeremiah’s top-50 prospects board today. I’ve often voiced complaints with Jeremiah’s boards in the past. They fluctuate too much — with players often appearing from outside the top-50 to receive a high placing. It gives the impression that the top-50 has been put together without watching everyone, thus what’s the point of having a top-50 at this early stage?

Even so, I think there are some interesting talking points. I don’t agree at all with having Ikem Eknowu at #2 and I don’t understand why Kenyon Green gets the attention he does in the media. That said, I was really interested to see Phidarian Mathis at #37 and Devante Wyatt at #38.

That is round about the range where Seattle picks (#41) and I think both players would be excellent fits. They are highly disruptive defensive tackles with ideal size and length. They combine power with agility and quickness. The Seahawks have long needed someone like this to create interior pressure. Both Mathis and Wyatt must be on your radar for Seattle.

I think, given Wyatt is expected to run in the 4.8’s, that he will eventually propel into round one. Mathis though could easily be there for Seattle and warrants genuine consideration as one of the more underrated players in the draft. We’ve talked him up a fair bit — this is the first time I’ve seen the media put him in a range we’ve been discussing (round two).

I agree completely with Jeremiah having DeMarvin Leal at #44. He is a player with all the skills and physical tools but he lacks consistency and intensity. In many ways, he’s comparable to Chris Jones in that regard. He might not warrant the lofty first round talk many have bestowed upon him — but he could be a value option in round two. As with Jones — if the light switches on, the sky’s the limit.

Oklahoma’s Perrion Winfrey isn’t included in Jeremiah’s top-50 but he received positive reviews for his first day in Mobile. He’s incredibly sized at 6-4, 303lbs with 35.5 inch arms. He has special flashes on tape but also a lot of inconsistent play and effort. Sometimes when you watch him it’s pretty painful. If he puts it together, he can be a key prospect in this draft and one for Seattle’s radar. I watched some of the 1v1 reps and it was more of the same. Some flashes, then some snaps where he’s totally stone-walled.

Perhaps the most impressive interior defender from day one, having watched a lot of the reps now, was UConn’s Travis Jones. He was up there with Devonte Wyatt. He has superb power in his arms, he drives on contact and he’s no slouch. He had some big wins, including against Zion Johnson. This was a very impressive start.

Ole Miss’ talented, athletic pass rusher Sam Williams has been added to the Senior Bowl roster. He had participated in the NFLPA Bowl. He has a very intriguing physical profile and great production from 2021. He has a ‘bull-in-a-china-shop’ style to his game. He’s another strong option for Seattle.

I’ve said a few times now that there is an opportunity in this draft class to build a foundation. You can get an EDGE and a defensive tackle with a cluster of enticing prospects available. That is a real strength of this class. There are tackles to be had. You have angry, violent, aggressive players like Damoen Pierce (RB, Florida) and Cam Taylor-Britt (CB, Nebraska). There is depth at linebacker.

You can come out of this draft having gone a long way towards forging the kind of team Seattle wants to be.

I promised a mock draft last week (a three-rounder no less) before Covid got in the way. I’ll save the three-rounds for after the Senior Bowl but here’s a quick two-rounder as we wait (and pray) for Senior Bowl tape to emerge…

1. Jacksonville — Aidan Hutchinson (DE, Michigan)
2. Detroit — Kayvon Thibodeaux (DE, Oregon)
3. Houston — Evan Neal (G, Alabama)
4. New York Jets — David Ojabo (DE, Michigan)
5. New York Giants — Derek Stingley Jr (CB, LSU)
6. Carolina — Charles Cross (T, Mississippi State)
7. New York Giants — Trevor Penning (T, Northern Iowa)
8. Atlanta — Kyle Hamilton (S, Notre Dame)
9. Denver — Bernhard Raimann (T, Central Michigan)
10. New York Jets — Treylon Burks (WR, Arkansas)
11. Washington — Abraham Lucas (T, Washington State)
12. Minnesota — Jermaine Johnson (DE, Florida State)
13. Cleveland — Jordan Davis (DT, Georgia)
14. Baltimore — Kyler Gordon (CB, Washington)
15. Philadelphia — Sauce Gardner (CB, Cincinnati)
16. Philadelphia — George Karlaftis (DE, Purdue)
17. LA Chargers — Trent McDuffie (CB, Washington)
18. New Orleans — Garrett Wilson (WR, Ohio State)
19. Philadelphia — Daxton Hill (S, Michigan)
20. Pittsburgh — Kenny Pickett (QB, Pittsburgh)
21. New England — Chris Olave (WR, Ohio State)
22. Las Vegas — Devonte Wyatt (DT, Georgia)
23. Arizona — Arnold Ebiketie (DE, Penn State)
24. Dallas — Tyler Linderbaum (C, Iowa)
25 Buffalo — Ikem Ekonwu (G, NC State)
26 Tennessee — Trey McBride (TE, Colorado State)
27 Tampa Bay — Tariq Woolen (CB, UTSA)
28 Green Bay — Jameson Williams (WR, Alabama)
29 Miami — Nakobe Dean (LB, Georgia)
30 Kansas City — Logan Hall (DT, Houston)
31 Cincinnati — Jalen Wydermyer (TE, Texas A&M)
32 Detroit — Quay Walker (LB, Georgia)

33 Jacksonville — Drake London (WR, USC)
34 Detroit — John Metchie (WR, Alabama)
35 New York Jets — Travon Walker (DE, Georgia)
36 New York Giants — Myjai Sanders (DE, Cincinnati)
37 Houston — Devin Lloyd (LB, Utah)
38 New York Jets — Jeremy Ruckert (TE, Ohio State)
39 Chicago — Andrew Booth (CB, Clemson)
40 Denver — Channing Tindall (LB, Georgia)
41 Seattle — Phidarian Mathis (DT, Alabama)
42 Washington — Carson Strong (QB, Nevada)
43 Atlanta — Drake Jackson (DE, USC)
44 Cleveland — DeMarvin Leal (DE/DT, Texas A&M)
45 Baltimore — Lewis Cine (S, Georgia)
46 Minnesota — Brian Asamoah (LB, Oklahoma)
47 Indianapolis — Rasheed Walker (T, Penn State)
48 LA Chargers — Boye Mafe (DE, Minnesota)
49 New Orleans — Matt Corral (QB, Ole Miss)
50 Miami — Dameon Pierce (RB, Florida)
51 Philadelphia — Bryan Cook (S, Cincinnati)
52 Pittsburgh — Cam Taylor-Britt (CB, Nebraska)
53 Las Vegas — Jahan Dotson (WR, Penn State)
54 New England — Chad Muma (LB, Wyoming)
55 Arizona — Kaiir Elam (CB, Florida)
56 Dallas — Kingsley Enagbare (DE, South Carolina)
57 San Francisco — Nick Cross (S, Maryland)
58 Cincinnati — Zion Johnson (G, Boston College)
59 Buffalo — Cam Thomas (DE, San Diego State)
60 Denver — Perrion Winfrey (DT, Oklahoma)
61 Kansas City — Jaquan Brisker (S, Penn State)
62 Tampa Bay — Malik Willis (QB, Liberty)
63 Atlanta — David Bell (WR, Purdue)
64 Green Bay — Sam Williams (DE, Ole Miss)

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The full list is available via the Senior Bowl twitter page.

I’ve noted some of the highlights below.

There are some key things to remember. The Seahawks are quite strict in their ‘types’. And while some of these rules have been relaxed recently (such as heigh/length with cornerbacks) they are still relatively consistent with others.

For example, the magic number for arm length with defensive linemen is 33-inches. Anything below that and it’s an issue. Offensive linemen with great length (+34 inches) are clear tackle prospects. When you’re in that 33-inch range, it’s considered not ideal to play the edge.

They like their running backs in the 220lbs range with explosive testing numbers. Quarterback hand-size is important. Anything less than 9′ is a problem — anything in the 10′ range is very good.

Ideally you want your tight ends to have plus length for blocking duties. Generally that means +33 inches. However, the bigger factor at the position is agility testing when it comes to the Seahawks.

I’ve added notes/reaction underneath each measurement…

Abraham Lucas (T)
Height: 6-6
Weight: 322
Arm Length: 34 5/8
Wingspan: 81 3/8
Hands: 10 3/8

Good tackle size/length. A very positive set of measurements for Abraham Lucas. Remember he ran a 4.30 short shuttle at SPARQ and he’s capable of running sub-5.00 in the forty. He could be set for a big week and eventually a home in round one.

Arnold Ebiketie (DE)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 250
Arm Length: 34
Wingspan: 82 1/8
Hands: 10 4/8

Nice length for Ebiketie and this will please teams. His speed and quickness off the edge is incredible so showing off plus arm length and size will be a terrific start to his draft season. He has legit first round potential.

Bernhard Raimann (T)
Height: 6-6
Weight: 304
Arm Length: 33
Wingspan: 80
Hands: 10 3/8

Ideally his arms would be longer. It will give teams a slight pause. There are starting tackles with 33-inch arms but you’d prefer them to be in that 34/35-inch range. The key thing for Raimann is he’s explosive and has been tested jumping in the 9-8 range in the broad, plus he’s been timed at 1.56 in the 10-yard split. So not ideal length but still plenty of momentum behind him.

Boye Mafe (DE)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 255
Arm Length: 33 3/8
Wingspan: 81 2/8
Hands: 9 6/8

Perfectly good size and length here for Mafe who could be on Seattle’s radar if they’re looking for another quick, highly athletic and explosive edge rusher at #41.

Brian Asamoah (LB)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 222
Arm Length: 33 3/8
Wingspan: 80
Hands: 9 6/8

Asamoah is a wonderfully put together, very athletic linebacker. These are solid ‘modern-day’ numbers for the position and his arm length stands-out in that it’ll help him work through traffic.

Brian Robinson Jr (RB)
Height: 6-1
Weight: 226
Arm Length: 32 1/8
Wingspan: 77 3/8
Hands: 9 6/8

He’s highly-cut and some teams won’t like that but he has the ideal weight for the position and we all saw how explosive he was for Alabama this season.

Cam Taylor-Britt (CB)
Height: 5-10
Weight: 200
Arm Length: 31 6/8
Wingspan: 76 1/8
Hands: 9 5/8

I expected him to be taller and longer but the reality is CTB plays with his hair on fire. He’s tough, physical and at times brutal. The Seahawks miss having a cornerback like this.

Cameron Thomas (DE)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 264
Arm Length: 33 1/8
Wingspan: 79 2/8
Hands: 10

He’s played inside and out but this is very much a more orthodox ‘edge’ set of measurements. Nothing special in terms of size/length so how he performs and combine testing will be key for Thomas.

Carson Strong (QB)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 226
Arm Length: 31 5/8
Wingspan: 76 5/8
Hands: 9 2/8

With the way he throws the football with incredible velocity, I expected bigger hands. I think he has the best arm talent in the draft but his total lack of mobility is an issue.

Chad Muma (LB)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 241
Arm Length: 32 3/8
Wingspan: 75 6/8
Hands: 10

The size to go with his playing style — all action, physical. He’s an impressive player who flies around the field and makes plays. Not ideal length but he does a good job in space.

Channing Tindall (LB)
Height: 6-1
Weight: 223
Arm Length: 32 3/8
Wingspan: 77 2/8
Hands: 10 2/8

He’s a little lighter than I thought he would be and doesn’t have great length but on tape Tindall is a joy — a true run-and-hit dynamo with great quickness and intensity. A future captain.

Charlie Kolar (TE)
Height: 6-6
Weight: 256
Arm Length: 34 4/8
Wingspan: 82 1/8
Hands: 10

Keep an eye on Kolar as a potential mid-round TE option with these numbers. He’s ideally suited to transitioning into an all-round TE.

Dameon Pierce (RB)
Height: 5-9
Weight: 220
Arm Length: 30 6/8
Wingspan: 74
Hands: 9 3/8

An ideal Seahawks frame to go with an ideal Seahawks running style. He is a Seahawk, basically, it’s just a case of whether they take him. I hope they do. He runs with violence, creates yards after contact and he sets the tone.

Damone Clark (LB)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 240
Arm Length: 32 7/8
Wingspan: 78 1/8
Hands: 9 7/8

He looks like a Greek God on tape and these measurements are not unexpected. Terrific looking athlete. Tape a little inconsistent but it’s easy to imagine him at the next level.

Daniel Faalele (T)
Height: 6-8
Weight: 387
Arm Length: 35 3/8
Wingspan: 86 2/8
Hands: 11

Crazy numbers that’ll have Twitter talking away but the next player to succeed with these measurements will be the first. He’s intriguing and part of me would be interested to see how he gets on as a mauling right tackle. Yet how is he going to handle leverage at this height and weight?

Darian Kinnard (T)
Height: 6-5
Weight: 324
Arm Length: 34 5/8
Wingspan: 83
Hands: 11 4/8

Terrific measurements for Kinnard who is a good right tackle prospect. Nothing flashy about his tape but as a mid-round right tackle, you can do a lot worse. Testing will determine how high he goes. This is an intriguing week for him against some quality DE’s.

Darrian Beavers (LB)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 252
Arm Length: 32 5/8
Wingspan: 81
Hands: 9 5/8

Lacks length if the intention is to play him off the edge but if he’s a linebacker you can work with this frame.

Desmond Ridder (QB)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 207
Arm Length: 32 7/8
Wingspan: 78 7/8
Hands: 10

Paper-thin frame shows up in the weight but 10′ inch hands are a big positive. I’m not sure he’s capable of adding weight, he kind of is what he is. And the accuracy issues (inconsistent) are the big problem. Still — he has some very pretty throws on tape. He has arm talent.

Devonte Wyatt (DT)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 307
Arm Length: 33
Wingspan: 78
Hands: 9 7/8

Big sigh of relief that Wyatt — who is extremely explosive, super-fast and a potential interior game-wrecker — has 33 inch arms. He would be a tremendous addition for Seattle. He will run in the 4.8’s. His tape is outstanding. They need someone like this. He could easily go in the top-25.

Greg Dulcich (TE)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 248
Arm Length: 33 7/8
Wingspan: 81 2/8
Hands: 9 7/8

Keep an eye on Dulcich. Ticks a lot of boxes for Seattle. Nice combination of size and length — he was a playmaker for UCLA. He has drawn comparisons to Luke Willson but I think he has a lot more upside.

Logan Hall (DE/DT)
Height: 6-6
Weight: 278
Arm Length: 33 3/8
Wingspan: 80 2/8
Hands: 9 5/8

Good size for a player with legit inside/out potential and could be a high-ish first round pick. He has tremendous power and quickness. Quality prospect.

Haskell Garrett (DT)
Height: 6-1
Weight: 298
Arm Length: 32 3/8
Wingspan: 78
Hands: 9 7/8

Sadly, a player we can probably cross off the list with that arm length.

Isaiah Likely (TE)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 241
Arm Length: 32 2/8
Wingspan: 78
Hands: 10

Arm length and size makes him an unlikely fit but we need to wait for agility testing.

Jake Ferguson (TE)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 244
Arm Length: 32 2/8
Wingspan: 77 3/8
Hands: 9 3/8

I’m peeved about this because I had high hopes for Ferguson and Ruckert in terms of length. Still — I know Ferguson has good agility testing so don’t rule him out yet. The Seahawks invest a lot in the agility testing at TE.

Jeremy Ruckert (TE)
Height: 6-5
Weight: 250
Arm Length: 32 6/8
Wingspan: 79 2/8
Hands: 10 1/8

Not great arm length but let’s see his short shuttle and three cone at the combine.

Jermaine Johnson (DE)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 259
Arm Length: 34 3/8
Wingspan: 82 7/8
Hands: 9 5/8

Tremendous size and length. Legit first round talent. For me a complete pass rusher who can have an early impact in the league.

Travis Jones (DT)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 326
Arm Length: 34
Wingspan: 82 6/8
Hands: 10 2/8

Extremely powerful nose tackle who drives on contact and forces blockers into the backfield. He flashed some quickness on two swim moves vs Clemson — highlighting he can be more than just a big space-eater and bull-rusher.

Jerome Ford (RB)
Height: 5-10
Weight: 209
Arm Length: 30 7/8
Wingspan: 74 3/8
Hands: 8 5/8

Too small for Seattle, unless it’s at the end of the draft.

John Ridgeway (DT)
Height: 6-5
Weight: 327
Arm Length: 33 5/8
Wingspan: 81 3/8
Hands: 10 2/8

Bigger than I expected here — with a great combo of size and length. He had a good 2021 season. Nothing flashy but could be a very consistent next-level starter on early downs.

JoJo Domann (LB)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 226
Arm Length: 30 2/8
Wingspan: 74 3/8
Hands: 9 3/8

An ideal match for the Patriots, not so much for the Seahawks. Kyle Van Noy type.

Kenny Pickett (QB)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 217
Arm Length: 30 5/8
Wingspan: 72 6/8
Hands: Did not measure

He’s said to have 8 1/4 inch hands. Not measuring more or less confirms it. It will be a problem for a lot of teams. It has been noted he has a double-jointed thumb on his throwing hand but he still has to wear gloves every game.

Kingsley Enagbare (DE)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 261
Arm Length: 35
Wingspan: 83 5/8
Hands: 10 2/8

Great size and length. He could be one to watch for Seattle depending on testing. His tape is reasonable — he lacks the quickness and burst of some others. This is a good opportunity for him in Mobile to show the difference isn’t that big between him and the other rushers. He’s a day-two prospect for me.

Luke Goedeke (T)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 318
Arm Length: 33 1/8
Wingspan: 80 3/8
Hands: 9 5/8

I think he ends up at guard and these numbers more or less confirm that. His tape was reasonably good at right tackle for Central Michigan.

Malik Willis (QB)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 220
Arm Length: 31 6/8
Wingspan: 77 3/8
Hands: 9 4/8

About what was expected. Willis has dynamic athleticism and arm talent but his throwing technique is all over the place and it will lead to turnovers.

Myjai Sanders (DE)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 242
Arm Length: 33 2/8
Wingspan: 79 4/8
Hands: 9 4/8

He’s long and lean. I was hoping for a bit more length. Still, he’s apparently a good tester and could be on Seattle’s radar in round two.

Marquise Hayes (G)
Height: 6-5
Weight: 318
Arm Length: 35 4/8
Wingspan: 83 4/8
Hands: 8 6/8

Fantastic length for a guard. The Seahawks love this type of profile (and his playing style) so keep his name on your radar.

Perrion Winfrey (DT)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 303
Arm Length: 35 4/8
Wingspan: 85 5/8
Hands: 10 2/8

His play is incredibly inconsistent but he shows in flashes. These numbers make you sit up and take notice. Wow. That is some great interior size and length. Now can he have a consistent week of practise and elevate his stock?

Phidarian Mathis (DT)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 313
Arm Length: 34 5/8
Wingspan: 83 4/8
Hands: 10 3/8

Fantastic length for a player who absolutely dominated at times for Alabama. A player who grabbed 2021 by the scruff of the neck and could’ve elevated himself into round two as a consequence. Quick, aggressive, explosive, ideally sized, great length. Love Mathis. One for Seattle potentially. A prospect you can’t help but admire.

Rachaad White (RB)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 210
Arm Length: 31
Wingspan: 75 5/8
Hands: 9 4/8

Maybe a bit light for Seattle but explosive testing is key.

Roger McCreary (CB)
Height: 5-10
Weight: 189
Arm Length: 29 2/8
Wingspan: 70 5/8
Hands: 8 7/8

No surprise here — he was always known as small and lacking length. For me he is a mid-rounder and was overrated by the national media.

Sam Howell (QB)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 221
Arm Length: 31 1/8
Wingspan: 75 5/8
Hands: 9 1/8

He looked small on tape and nothing here changes that. I think he’s a poor-man’s Baker Mayfield. He ran QB draws all the time at UNC and that won’t work in the NFL.

Tariq Woolen (CB)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 205
Arm Length: 33 4/8
Wingspan: 79
Hands: 8 5/8

A player who could go in round one. He’s said to be a candidate to tear up the combine. With these measurements, the sky’s the limit.

Trevor Penning (T)
Height: 6-6
Weight: 330
Arm Length: 34 6/8
Wingspan: 83 5/8
Hands: 10 2/8

Great size. No drama here. This is what was expected from a player who could easily be a top-10 pick.

Trey McBride (TE)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 249
Arm Length: 32 5/8
Wingspan: 78
Hands: 10 1/8

Length isn’t ideal but he’ll probably be long gone by the time Seattle thinks about drafting a tight end.

ZaQuandre White (RB)
Height: 5-11
Weight: 212
Arm Length: 30 6/8
Wingspan: 74
Hands: 9 1/8

I really like his cuts and his tape is fun — but this isn’t necessarily the profile of a Seahawks runner.

Zachary Carter (DE)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 287
Arm Length: 33 3/8
Wingspan: 81
Hands: 10 3/8

There’s something there with Carter. He has talent. Can he impress this week? He might be a later rounder but don’t write him off.

Max Mitchell (T)
Height: 6-6
Weight: 299
Arm Length: 33 5/8
Wingspan: 80 6/8
Hands: 9 5/8

His tape against Texas is seriously impressive. He’s a controlled, talented blocker who does the little things well across the board. The concern will be his size — he’ll need to add weight to stick at tackle.

Kerby Joseph (S)
Height: 6-1
Weight: 200
Arm Length: 33 1/4
Wingspan: 79 5/8
Hands: 10 1/2

Long, rangy safety who can sit high and sprint to the sideline but also has the physical nature needed to play further upfield. His arm-length is a difference maker — he’s adept at breaking up passes and he had five interceptions in 2021.

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Firstly, I’d like to thank the people who posted messages of support and concern this week. After two years of this pandemic, I started to think I would never test positive. After all, during the first lockdown I continued to work — including a self-shoot TV package from a Covid ward. I never once tested positive and figured, by this point, if I was going to get it I already would’ve done.

Last week I tested positive and became very sick. Despite the rest of my family being asymptomatic — I was bed-ridden. On Tuesday night my throat started closing up and I couldn’t even drink water. It was a scary process.

I’m feeling better now but I’d probably say I’m at 30-40%. I have no appetite. Walking is hard work. I have zero energy. I’m still testing positive.

I intend to provide as much coverage as physically possible during Senior Bowl week. I had previously booked a week off work to cover the event. I’ll start with this (less extensive than normal) review of the players I’m looking forward to seeing and the questions I’d like to answer…

Are three key tackles as good as I think they are?

I’ve talked up Trevor Penning, Bernhard Raimann and Abraham Lucas a lot. Penning already gets a lot of attention to be fair but Raimann and Lucas less so.

Looking online, more people seem intrigued by Minnesota’s Daniel Faalele simply because he’s said to be 6-9 and 380lbs. That’s fun and all — but if he makes a success of it at that size, he’ll be the first. Penning, Raimann and Lucas are ideally sized to play tackle in the NFL. They are prototypes.

Lucas ran a 4.30 short shuttle at SPARQ and has shown well against the likes of Kayvon Thibodeaux. For me, he moves as well as any college right tackle since Tyron Smith. That doesn’t mean he’ll be as good but that kind of agility is rare. Raimann meanwhile has ideal explosive testing results and his own 1.56 10-yard split in the bag.

I think all three have the potential to become very high picks — with so many teams looking for the ideal size/length/profile to play tackle. At a time when the media is trying to push Ikem Ekonwu (come on) as a candidate to go first overall, I want to see if these three perform well in 1v1’s against an excellent looking pass rush group in Mobile.

Who shines among the defensive linemen?

With Pete Carroll already clearly stating that the priority this off-season is to improve the pass rush, the Senior Bowl should be seen as compulsive viewing for Seahawks fans.

If they don’t cut or trade Bobby Wagner and if they truly do try and retain most of their own free agents, there simply won’t be much room to add and improve. I hope that isn’t the road they go down — but here we are.

It could mean that Seattle’s most significant addition is the player they take with the #41 pick. In my article last week, I highlighted all of the potential pass rush options who could be on their radar. Rather than repeat everything here, I’d urge everyone to check out that piece as a proper, true preview of what to expect.

With Arnold Ebiketie, Boye Mafe, Myjai Sanders, Logan Hall, Devonte Wyatt and more on show — it’s at a time like this where not having the #10 pick is a real sickener. It’s not a great draft at the top end, we all know that by now. Yet there are still players available that really could’ve elevated Seattle’s pass rush.

I do think David Ojabo, George Karlaftis, Jermaine Johnson and Jordan Davis will be long gone by the time Seattle picks. Truth be told, so could Logan Hall, Devonte Wyatt, Arnold Ebiketie and Travon Walker.

I’ll be keeping a close eye on Boye Mafe in Mobile because he has some of the extreme physical attributes Seattle loves and could be available in their range. Phidarian Mathis also deserves a good look.

It’s staggering how deep this group is with Haskell Garrett, Kingsley Enagbare, Perrion Winfrey, John Ridgeway, Zachary Carter and Cameron Thomas all capable of making a scene too.

Such is the depth this year, Ole Miss’ Sam Williams is appearing at the NFLPA Game instead. He is another player worth keeping on your radar for Seattle.

This is a terrific linebacker class

What this draft lacks in top-tier blue-chip prospects, it makes up with excellent depth as the draft goes on. And it’s one of the reasons why this franchise should embrace making difficult decisions to move on from players like Bobby Wagner.

This isn’t a decent linebacker class. It’s a loaded class — with several star names set to appear in Mobile.

I haven’t talked much about Wyoming’s Chad Muma but I was seriously impressed with his tape. Quickness, intensity and he just flies to the ball. He has a physical nature and he looks every bit a prospect who can elevate his stock at the Senior Bowl and combine.

I briefly mentioned Nebraska’s JoJo Domann last week. He’s one of the most impactful, dynamic players I’ve seen in college from the 2021 season. Domann screams ‘Patriots’ and could easily fill the roll of a Kyle Van Noy type — capable of wearing different hats and providing game-changing impact.

Then there are the more orthodox linebackers who Seattle are more likely to show interest in. Georgia’s brilliant Channing Tindall — a team captain in the making who leads by example with his ability to seek-and-destroy ball-carriers, sprinting through traffic to deliver jolting hits. His team mate Quay Walker is rated equally highly — with a great blend of size and athleticism. Oklahoma’s Brian Anderson will be, at worst, a second round pick as another rangy, quick and violent modern-day prospect.

This is before even mentioning likely first round pick Devin Lloyd of Utah, LSU’s Greek God-like Damone Clark or potential projects Jeremiah Moon of Florida or Darrian Beavers at Cincinnati. Plus forgotten man — Colorado’s Nate Landman.

There’s never been a better time to get cheaper, athletic, physical brilliance at the position.

There are potential stars at other positions

Blog-favourite Dameon Pierce screams ‘Seahawks’ with his ideal size, explosive testing results and tough-running style. If they had a full quota of picks, I genuinely believe this would be a good class for Seattle to start restocking a roster that needs work. You could get an interior pass rusher, another edge, a linebacker and a runner like Pierce. That could be a foundation.

They’ll probably also really like UTSA cornerback Tariq Woolen for his combination of size, length and incredible testing numbers. Jim Nagy told us he has first round potential due to his traits so let’s see how he handles the 1v1’s against wide receivers.

It’s a who’s-who of top class CFB tight end’s in Mobile. Greg Dulcich, Isaiah Likely, Trey McBride, Jake Ferguson, Jeremy Ruckert, Cole Turner, Charlie Kolar — what a group. Draft one of these guys and save money.

There isn’t a standout receiver who will pull a Deebo Samuel or Terry McLaurin this year but it’ll be interesting to see if Alec Pierce and/or Jahan Dotson can promote their stock with a good week.

Finally, the quarterbacks

The Senior Bowl has long been a ‘king maker’ at the position and that likely won’t be any different this year. Given it’s a class full of players with obvious flaws and strengths, little things like how they command the group and take on coaching will be significant. You’re going to have to convince yourself to take one of these players early.

Carson Strong is the most talented QB in this draft for me — yet the concerns over his knee issue won’t be addressed until after medical combine checks. His inability to move in the pocket to extend plays and avoid pressure, however, will likely significantly hamper his ability to go higher in the draft than his arm talent would suggest.

Kenny Pickett is well primed to succeed with his experience (he’s 24-years-old) and likeable personality. Some teams will be put off by the tiny hands and glove-wearing, others won’t. The Steelers feel like a very real prospect for him in round one.

Malik Willis’ key issues won’t be shown-up here or at the combine. His technique throwing the ball is all over the place and will lead to turnovers at the next level. It might be that he can never fix it so then you have a decision to make on how much of a risk you want to take. He has great arm talent, he throws some excellent passes with accuracy, touch and velocity. He can throw on the run with ease and he can make plays with his legs. Yet when you’re pressured and throwing the way he does, a mess of arms and legs everywhere, you’ll turn the ball over. Teams have a square to circle on that issue. You’ll likely have to adapt and shift your scheme to live with it — rather than re-work his fundamentals.

Desmond Ridder could have a very good week because he’s mature, talented and won’t face much pressure until the game. His accuracy is so up-and-down though that I think teams will have already settled on how they view him before this process.

Sam Howell to me just feels like a poor-man’s Baker Mayfield. I’m mostly interested to see how tall he is in measurements.

I will live-blog those measurements when they come in on Monday so stick to the blog for that, plus any notes or observations I have — I will write them up immediately.

Here are some quick pre-Senior Bowl grades I have. I will review these after the event, of course:

National team

Quarterbacks

Carson Strong — R2
Kenny Pickett — R2
Desmond Ridder — R3

Running backs

Jerome Ford — R3
Rachaad White — R3

Receivers

Jahan Dotson — R2
Alec Pierce — R3

Tight ends

Trey McBride — R2
Jeremy Ruckert — R2
Jake Ferguson — R2
Charlie Kolar — R3
Cole Turner — R3

O-line

Trevor Penning — R1
Bernhard Raimann — R1
Abraham Lucas — R1
Daniel Faalele — R3

D-line

Logan Hall — R1
Arnold Ebiketie — R1
Boye Mafe — R2
Myjai Sanders — R2
Haskell Garrett — R3

Linebacker

Devin Lloyd — R2
Chad Muma — R2
Brian Asamoah — R2

American team

Quarterbacks

Malik Willis — R2
Sam Howell — R3

Running backs

Dameon Pierce — R2
Brian Robinson — R3
James Cook — R3
ZaQuandre White — R3

Tight ends

Greg Dulcich — R2
Isaiah Likely — R3

O-line

Darian Kinnard — R3

D-line

Jermaine Johnson — R1
Devonte Wyatt — R1
Phidarian Mathis — R2
Cameron Thomas — R2
Kingsley Enagbare — R3
John Ridgeway — R3

Linebacker

Channing Tindall — R2
Quay Walker — R2
JoJo Domann — R2
Damone Clark — R3

Defensive backs

Tariq Woolen — R2
Cam Taylor-Britt — R2
Roger McCreary — R3

If you missed my interview with Jim Nagy, check it out here:

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