I’ll preface this by saying these are some of the options. Of course there are others that they could be higher on than I’m suggesting here. Yet we have a decade of evidence to work with in terms of previous decisions. So this is my best current guess.

Options at #27

Isaiah Wilson (T, Georgia)
Austin Jackson (T, USC)
Ezra Cleveland (T, Boise State)
Cesar Ruiz (C, Michigan)
Jalen Reagor (WR, TCU)
Denzel Mims (WR, Baylor)
Justin Jefferson (WR, LSU)
Jonathan Taylor (RB, Wisconsin)

Despite Seattle’s need for pass rushers, the options are severely limited in round one. The best fits in the first frame are at offensive tackle and the skill positions.

There’s clear evidence that the Seahawks value size, explosive power and run blocking in offensive linemen. They want speed and suddenness at wide receiver. They also have a physical ideal at running back that’s in the 5-10-to-6-0 range in height, 225lbs in weight with explosive traits.

At the combine, Isaiah Wilson finished second only to Tristan Wirfs in weighted TEF. That means he’s the second best combination of explosive traits and size in the O-line class. Although a lot of people will try and steer you to focus on things like agility for offensive linemen, there’s much more evidence that the league is focused on explosive traits (as highlighted in our combine preview). The Seahawks are no different in that regard.

Austin Jackson and Ezra Cleveland were also among the most explosive linemen at the combine. All three players, including Wilson, have +33 inch arms. Jackson and Cleveland are more suited to playing left tackle than right — yet all three players fit the typical physical profile the Seahawks have looked for in the Carroll era. Brandon Shell’s contract is more draft hedge that sure-fire solution. Jackson and Cleveland could also be groomed to be long term successors to Duane Brown.

At the moment the Seahawks appear set to carry Justin Britt’s contract and are well stocked with B.J. Finney and Joey Hunt in reserve at center. If it stays that way, they likely won’t spend a high pick on the position. However — Cesar Ruiz is an outstanding player with the size, length, explosive traits, character and leadership to lock-down the position for a decade. Check out my interview with Ruiz here.

The Seahawks have only drafted one receiver in the first four rounds under Carroll who didn’t run a 4.4 or faster. That was Chris Harper in 2013 — who ran a 4.50 and was taken in the fourth round. Quickness, speed and suddenness — regardless of size — has always been central in decision making at receiver. Again, we highlighted why in more detail during our big combine preview.

Jalen Reagor (4.47), Denzel Mims (4.38) and Justin Jefferson (4.43) fit the bill. Reagor’s explosive leaping ability to win contested catches and his ability to create easy separation could be especially appealing. Mims is a chunk play specialist who wins a lot of 50/50 balls. Jefferson is extremely reliable, has a terrific wingspan and according to PFF had the highest contested catch conversion of all draft eligible receivers.

Seattle wants to attack teams downfield in the passing game. It was obvious that Gary Jennings was a fit last year due to his 4.4 speed and ability to win downfield. Reagor, Mims and Jefferson play like Seahawks receivers.

Jonathan Taylor is physically the perfect Seahawks running back. His size, height and explosive testing is an ideal match. The fact he also ran a 4.39 is a mere bonus. He also creates yards after contact, produces chunk plays and is a threat to score any time he has the football. He doesn’t quite produce the physical tone-setting of a Marshawn Lynch, Thomas Rawls or Chris Carson — but it’s still a match made in heaven. There’s a reason Taylor was so keen on the idea of hooking up with the Seahawks.

Wildcard options at #27

K.J. Hamler (WR, Penn State)
Brandon Aiyuk (WR, Arizona State)
K’Lavon Chaisson (DE, LSU)
Yetur Gross-Matos (DE, Penn State)

K.J. Hamler didn’t test at the combine but it’s pretty clear on tape he has the speed and dynamic playmaking quality they seek. Even with an incomplete testing profile, he’s just too good to ignore.

Brandon Aiyuk ran a 4.50 which was slower than he appeared on tape. Yet he’s such a dynamic playmaker either by stretching the field or turning a short pass or screen into a huge gain.

K’Lavon Chaisson has the lowest pass rush win percentage of any EDGE in the draft class. He suffered a torn ACL in 2018 and he doesn’t have +33 inch arms. I suspect he will last on the board longer than the media is currently predicting. Would the Seahawks take him? I’m dubious. They might be willing to roll the dice on his upside — which is also a bit of a mystery seeing as he chose not to do anything at the combine.

Speaking of picking and choosing at the combine, that brings us on to Yetur Gross-Matos. He did all the positional drills and the two jumps. Yet he didn’t run a forty or do any agility testing. Why? There was no injury. He just wanted to perform on a faster track at pro-day. That’s never a good sign or a good look. So while he looks the part with great size and length — and he’s explosive — is he quick enough to win as an EDGE? Or is he more of a developmental five-technique?

Options after trading down from #27

Josh Uche (EDGE, Michigan)
Julian Okwara (EDGE, Notre Dame)
Jabari Zuniga (DE, Florida)
Willie Gay Jr (LB, Mississippi State)
Josh Jones (T, Houston)

Josh Uche didn’t test at the combine so he carries an incomplete physical profile. However, he had a stunning Senior Bowl performance where he showed off a relentless ability to bend and straighten as a pass rusher and create constant pressure. His pressure percentage mark for the 2019 season is outstanding (23.3%) and his pass rush win percentage (27%) is only 0.2% behind Chase Young.

He also has 33 inch arms and comes from a school they have a lot of respect for. It might be a bit rich to take Uche in round one but if Seattle’s priority is to add a complimentary pass rusher with their first pick — Uche could easily be the man.

Julian Okwara has ideal size for a LEO pass rusher and although he didn’t test at the combine, he reportedly ran a decent 4.60 at a recent ‘pro-day’. Okwara was third in pass rush win percentage (23%) behind only Young and Uche. He leads all players eligible for the draft in pressure percentage in 2018 and 2019 (19.1%).

Jabari Zuniga ran a 1.61 10-yard split at 264lbs and he’s the third most explosive defensive lineman in recent history behind only Myles Garrett, Ben Banogu and Solomon Thomas. In terms of weighted TEF (which accounts for weight + testing) he’s in the same range as Cesar Ruiz and Ezra Cleveland. He reportedly ran a 7.03 three-cone at Florida. His pass rush win percentage is 20% and he rushed from both end and tackle in college. He’s inconsistent and his arm length is 1/8 of an inch below the 33 inch threshold — but there just aren’t many players in this class with his physical profile, speed and upside.

The Seahawks have targeted two types of linebacker — incredible athletes and players who run elite short shuttle times (expressing outstanding short area quickness). Willie Gay’s combine performance was eerily similar to Bobby Wagner’s display at his pro-day in 2012. They ran the same 4.46 forty, the same 39.5 inch vertical and the difference in their three cone and short shuttle times was 0.02 seconds. There are question marks about Gay’s character but Willie McGinest has gone to bat for him recently (and he’s someone Carroll could consult pre-draft). Gay also ticks other boxes — he defends screens and the perimeter run very well plus he’s a playmaker who creates turnovers. The only question is whether the Seahawks view linebacker as a priority need with their first pick, which is debatable.

Josh Jones is not as explosive as some of the options discussed for the #27 pick. He didn’t fair particularly well in TEF or weighted TEF. Yet he has a demeanour on the field the Seahawks will like, he matches the size profile they want and he’s very capable of being developed to play either tackle spot or guard.

Wildcard options after trading down from #27

Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB, LSU)
Prince Tega Wanogho (T, Auburn)
Raekwon Davis (DT, Alabama)
Terrell Lewis (DE, Alabama)

Clyde Edwards-Helaire is one of the best players in the draft at any position. He’s insanely explosive and physical. His ability in the passing game as a receiving option is about as good as you’ll see from a running back. He energised LSU during their title run and his jump-cut, acceleration and shifty agility is on a par with Barry Sanders (seriously). He doesn’t fit Seattle’s size ideals for the position and it’d be some move to take a running back first up. Yet Edwards-Helaire has everything you want at the position and he plays with a chip on his shoulder because of his height. Sound familiar?

Prince Tega Wanogho is the forgotten man of the draft class after injury kept him out of the Senior Bowl and combine. Don’t sleep on him though. He’s a very athletic and physical offensive tackle who moves well in space and could provide real value outside of the first round.

Raekwon Davis is a difficult player to work out. Physically he looks like a first round pick. The way he plays the run and solidified Alabama’s interior line also warrants early-round consideration. He shows flashes as a pass rusher too — hinting at untapped potential. Yet we’ve seen players fall due to a lack of sack and pressure production and Davis also has some maturity question marks according to reports. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he went in the top-40 or dropped deep into day two. Either way, he’s a physical force who fits the Calais Campbell mould Seattle has been searching for.

Terrell Lewis has a great pass rushing frame (although he’s a little high-cut) and his pass rush win percentage (19.8%) and pressure percentage (19.8%) are both impressive. Yet Alabama uses so many stunts and he has a tendency to want to dip inside all of the time and rarely tests an offensive tackle with speed off the edge. He handles his business in the running game and can drop into coverage. Yet there’s a significant injury history and you just want to see him win a bit more with pure quickness and speed.

Options at #59 and #64

Robert Hunt (T/G, Louisiana-Lafayette)
Damien Lewis (G, LSU)
Lloyd Cushenberry (C, LSU)
Matt Hennessy (C, Temple)
Nick Harris (C, Washington)
Hakeem Adeniji (G, Kansas)
Cam Akers (RB, Florida State)
Justin Madubuike (DT, Texas A&M)
Hunter Bryant (TE, Washington)
Kyle Dugger (S, Lenoir-Rhyne)
Matt Peart (T, Connecticut)

Robert Hunt is everything the Seahawks look for in an offensive lineman. He’s tough, physical, well sized, a tone-setter in the running game, he has positional flexibility, he’s faced football adversity and succeeded and he’s a terrific character. Don’t be surprised if he’s one of their ‘got to have’ guys in this class.

Damien Lewis has had to go through so much to get to the NFL. He is the definition of grit. He’s also a tremendous guard who shone at the Senior Bowl and dominated for LSU during their Championship season. He has the length and explosive traits they like but he is somewhat limited in terms of positional flexibility (he’s a guard only). Even so — he’s very underrated and warrants consideration on day two.

For interviews with Hunt and Lewis check out my YouTube channel.

If the Seahawks need to draft a center and part ways with Justin Britt, there are three great options in the second or third round range. Lloyd Cushenberry and Matt Hennessy both had tremendous Senior Bowl performances and Nick Harris’ tape is far better than anything he showed in the 1v1 drills in Mobile. All three players are mature, high-character, high-intensity linemen. Hakeem Adeniji is a sleeper for round two as one of the most explosive O-liners in the draft. He played lights-out at the Senior Bowl too.

If Jonathan Taylor is the physical prototype at running back for Seattle, Cam Akers isn’t far behind. He ticks all the boxes for size and explosive traits. The Seahawks need to bolster their depth at running back in this draft so don’t be surprised if they take Akers in round two. It’s possible it could be Taylor early or Akers as the fall-back. But the likes of D’Andre Swift, J.K. Dobbins and of course, Edwards-Helaire, warrant consideration. It’s a top-heavy running back class with five great options early.

The Seahawks have a certain way of doing things at defensive tackle. You have to be disciplined in the one-gap system, you have to do your job and ideally you have the athleticism and power to make plays within the scheme. You can’t freelance and move around and be reckless. Madubuike is intriguing for many reasons. Firstly, on tape he’s the ideal one-gapper. He plays off the shoulder of the offensive lineman very well, he stays clean and he’s difficult to shift in the running game. He has +33 inch arms and he does a great job with leverage. His pass rush win percentage of 14.9% was third best among defensive tackles in this class (behind only Javon Kinlaw and Jordan Elliott). And yet it feels like there’s more to come from him as a rusher. He ran a superb 4.83 at the combine and looked tremendous during drills — moving with great fluidity and ease.

The Seahawks have already loaded up on tight ends and they might avoid the position in this draft. However, they have a type at TE. It involves running a sub-7.10 three cone. I explained in this piece why Hunter Bryant’s testing results are much more appealing than a fairly average forty time suggests. He also has the character Seattle likes and he’s been training with Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright. Bryant consistently made explosive plays in the passing game for Washington in 2019.

Kyle Dugger is an alpha male. If you want to talk about grit and character — he has it. He possibly won’t last to #59 or #64 but his combination of speed, physicality, character and special teams value could be appealing. I’m not sure Seattle will prioritise the safety position though. That’s why I didn’t include Antoine Winfield or Jeremy Chinn in the first two groups. They have Quandre Diggs and Bradley McDougald plus they’re only a year removed from spending a second round pick on Marquise Blair. There’s not much point collecting young safeties only to have them sit on the bench.

Matt Peart performed well in TEF, had a strong showing at the Senior Bowl and his measurements are first class. He’s 6-7, 318lbs and he has 36 5/8 inch arms. His coaches speak positively about his willingness to be coached. He’s experienced at right tackle but could be groomed for either side of the line. He has enormous potential.

Wildcard options at #59 and #64

Curtis Weaver (DE, Boise State)
Bradlee Anae (DE, Utah)
Laviska Shenault (WR, Colorado)
Logan Wilson (LB, Wyoming)
Bryan Edwards (WR, South Carolina)
DaVon Hamilton (DT, Ohio State)

Curtis Weaver has an uncommon body shape for a pass rusher and he has short arms. Yet all he did at Boise State was provide sacks and pressures. His pass rush win percentage was fourth best in this class at a very healthy 22.9%. His pressure percentage in 2018 and 2019 combined (18.2%) was second only to Julian Okwara. There’s one test to keep an eye on — the short shuttle. This is a position where the Seahawks seem to value a good short shuttle time. Weaver ran a superb 4.27. As noted in my write-up on Weaver a month ago — that puts him in good company. I’m not sure the Seahawks will take a punt on a player who is so unlike every other player at his position in terms of frame — but he has the production and they need someone who can get after the quarterback.

Bradlee Anae has short arms, he ran a 4.93 at 257lbs and he only managed a 7.44 three cone and a 4.43 short shuttle. Nothing about his physical profile says high pick or Seahawks selection. Yet the results go against everything that profile tells us. His pass rush win percentage of 20.2% was superior to Zach Baun (20.1%), Jabari Zuniga (20%) and Yetur Gross-Matos (18.9%). He was a terror at the Senior Bowl. He was a captain at Utah — a school they often draft from — and he plays with his hair on fire. They might stick to twitch after L.J. Collier’s rookie season but I’m loathe to rule out Anae completely.

For Laviska Shenault, the consistent injuries are a major concern. So is the inability to properly medically clear him in the lead up to the draft. However — a year ago the Seahawks took a shot on upside at the position at #64 and delivered one of their best draft picks over the last few years in D.K. Metcalf. They might be tempted to take another shot if Shenault falls — which seems increasingly likely. The better question might be — how much upside does he actually have after running a 4.58?

Logan Wilson had a tremendous combine. He was a three-year captain at Wyoming, a constant playmaker and he’s a calm, mature character. He moves very well in space, does a terrific job working against the perimeter run and unlike some Seahawks rookies — he knows how to get off a block and make a play. He didn’t run a 4.10-4.19 short shuttle to put him right in the mix but his 4.27 time is still good — as is an impressive 4.63 forty. For more on Wilson click here.

Bryan Edwards set receiving records at South Carolina, has a great personality and he has a Seahawks vibe. He could’ve easily run in the 4.4’s but he was kept out of the combine (and the Senior Bowl) due to injury. If he lasts he’ll provide great value, as noted in this piece on Edwards here.

There are three big, powerful defensive tackles who might appeal to the Seahawks as cheap, serviceable run blockers. Leki Fotu at Utah is one. Rashard Lawrence at LSU is another. DaVon Hamilton arguably has more upside. He flashed real presence in 1v1’s at the Senior Bowl and then had a good combine in terms of explosive testing. 37.5% of his tackles in 2019 were TFL’s. He’s a plug-in-and-play tackle who could create a really physical duo with Jarran Reed.

Meanwhile — the latest on Jadeveon Clowney is Mike Garofolo says the chances of him re-signing in Seattle are ‘slim to none’. If that’s true, then they need to move on pronto and go and make some other moves. They cannot see a weakness in the pass rush, lose their best defensive lineman (and self-confessed huge priority) and then believe they adequately dealt with the situation by signing Bruce Irvin and Benson Mayowa, before handcuffing themselves to defensive linemen in the draft.

Whether it’s Everson Griffen, Yannick Ngakoue, Matt Judon or someone else. This needs to be addressed.

Don’t forget to check out yesterday’s interview with Lance Zierlein. I’ve got two more interviews scheduled for Wednesday. Stay tuned for details…

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Today’s pre-draft interview is with Lance Zierlein. He does an outstanding job compiling scouting reports on hundreds of prospects for NFL.com (viewable here).

Big thanks to Lance for taking the time and don’t forget to also check out our interviews with Jim Nagy, Robert Hunt, Damien Lewis and Cesar Ruiz — plus my recent two-round video mock draft.

I also wanted to post a few quick points on two tweets by Daniel Jeremiah, where he referred to sources believing Isaiah Wilson will be a first round pick and Willie Gay a high second rounder.

Regulars will know we’ve rated both players in this range for some months now. I want to speak specifically about Wilson. The Seahawks love huge, hulking offensive linemen with power, an edge and run blocking ability. They also like explosive linemen — and Wilson ranked second only to Tristan Wirfs in weighted TEF.

Don’t be surprised if the Seahawks decide to spend a high pick on Wilson, potentially at #27 (although trading down seems likely again). Minnesota at #22 or #25 is another option. Tennessee and Miami are possible options too.

I think it’d be a great pick. Wilson has major potential. The signing of Brandon Shell feels like a hedge more than a definitive move to replace Germain Ifedi. The Seahawks under Carroll and Schneider have regularly targeted linemen early.

Here’s a reminder of what Bob McGinn’s scouting sources said about Wilson:

“He is one tough, nasty guy… He’s the right tackle but I guess you could play him on the left and get by. He needs to learn to use his hands more. He’s strong and really nasty.”

“I think people are asleep on him… He could play on the left side. He’s enormous. He’s just not as clean of a package as Thomas. Thomas is a cleaner kid. But there’s film of Wilson where he looks every bit as good as Thomas.”

If they finally draw a conclusion to the Jadeveon Clowney saga and potentially find a way to add Everson Griffen too — they’d have optimal flexibility in this draft to tap into the strong areas — namely O-line and the skill positions.

And if you’re not sold on Wilson — go and watch Jake Fromm tape on YouTube. You’ll notice he has an obscene amount of time in the pocket. That’s on Wilson and Andrew Thomas. They were both superb in 2020.

If you want to add a physically imposing offensive tackle — he’s the next best on the board after Mekhi Becton.

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Before I get into the notes, check out my latest interview with a NFL draft prospect. This time it’s Michigan center and future first round pick Cesar Ruiz…

Are the Seahawks trying to use the draft to their advantage?

As we edge closer to the draft and with Seattle’s pass rush need still mostly unaddressed, I’ve been trying to figure out what the plan is.

Could they be trying to use the draft as leverage?

The event on April 23rd provides a deadline of sorts without having to spell it out.

For example — Jadeveon Clowney might think his options will be better in a few months. However, teams who end up spending picks on defensive linemen will be less inclined to make a move. There aren’t going to be many teams with the cap space and potential to contend willing to pay him what he’s currently being offered.

That doesn’t excuse Seattle’s inactivity. They called Clowney a ‘huge priority’ and consistently stated their desire to fix the pass rush. Just because he received a cold market doesn’t mean he has to accept whatever the Seahawks offer. He’s well within his rights to think he carried Seattle’s D-line in 2019 and that he’s a superior player to Dee Ford and Olivier Vernon — two players paid an annual salary at about the rate he’s now asking for.

The Seahawks are still risking losing him and weakening their team in 2020. For the sake of getting him at their value and padding the roster with journeymen — that warrants a critique.

Even so — it stands to reason that both parties will want/need this sorted by April 23rd. The Seahawks don’t need to set a deadline and neither does Clowney. One exists in the form of the draft. If nothing is resolved three or four days beforehand, they’ll possibly move on.

What about other options?

Everson Griffen’s quiet off-season seems to indicate he’s being particularly selective on his next move. Understandably so, given his recent mental health struggles. It feels a little bit like that option will always will be there for Seattle and it could be that Griffen signs anyway, whatever happens with Clowney, either before or after the draft.

I do wonder if Yannick Ngakoue remains a possibility too. A few teams might be playing the game a bit here. With both the player and team seemingly prepared to move on — now it’s about Jacksonville trying to get maximum value. And while they won’t give him away (just like Seattle refused to give away Earl Thomas) — there will also come a time when they understand they’ve got to get the best possible return this year. As we saw with Clowney in Houston, Ngakoue’s value will only decrease if this goes beyond the draft.

The Seahawks might still be willing to do a deal similar to the one Tony Pauline suggested. That would mean trading #27 to Jacksonville and then swapping #59 for #42. The Jaguars get another first round pick but they also move down a bit in round two. The Seahawks get Nagkoue and still pick twice in the first two rounds.

Any trade will almost certainly depend on what happens with Clowney. Plus you’d have to wonder why they’d be willing to pay Ngakoue a big contract but not Frank Clark or Clowney. The Seahawks aren’t going to go into next season with Benson Mayowa, Bruce Irvin, Rasheem Green, L.J. Collier and a rookie as their pass rush though. They just aren’t. And if the Clowney deal doesn’t work itself out — then Ngakoue probably remains an option.

A year ago the Frank Clark trade happened two days before the draft. That’s when things ramp up. It could be that Nagkoue is similarly dealt in that timeframe. The Jaguars will have exhausted all avenues and they’ll know what’s on offer. As long as someone is making a reasonable proposal (which is probably a late first or second round pick), then a trade remains very possible.

As much as we’ve critiqued the off-season so far (and rightly so because at the moment the biggest need remains unaddressed) — there’s still an opportunity to get this right. That’s necessary because while there are some pass rush options in this class (likely between picks #35-75) this is very much a draft where you want the freedom to target skill position players and offensive linemen.

Don’t forget to check out yesterday’s two round mock draft with detailed commentary on each pick…

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I’ve put together a two-round video mock draft. It’s not like the other mock drafts on the internet. Check it out. Kill an hour. Tomorrow I’ll post my latest interview, this time with Michigan center Cesar Ruiz.

Firstly though, I want to talk about the latest instalment in the tiring Jadeveon Clowney saga…

From @SportsCenter earlier: Cleveland Browns have shown interest in Jadeveon Clowney, and some people around league believe Cleveland got closer with Clowney than other suitors, though nothing ultimately happened from recent talks. Seattle's offer hasn't been what Clowney wants.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 4, 2020

Maybe both parties are sat at home right now wondering how it’s come to this? Probably so. But the reality is if Clowney isn’t interested in Seattle’s current offer it’s about time they sort this out one way or another.

The Seahawks can’t go into the draft without clarity. How do you know what to do? Do you have to go heavy on pass rushers or not? Do you need time to negotiate fully with Everson Griffen and organise a physical?

Neither party is coming out of this well. Neither party has the upper hand either. Yet the main losers are the fans. They’re desperate for good news at a time when there’s precious little to enjoy in the world.

Both the Seahawks and Clowney are serving up a frustrating stalemate.

Some fans (not all) will question the plan, the direction and the execution of what was seen to be a vital off-season. Some will feel despondent. This is no longer a team in the middle of a reset. They had money and draft picks. It might be premature — but the Seahawks haven’t addressed their greatest need or retained the player they stated was a ‘huge priority’. They’ve done little to make up for it elsewhere. There’s been no reassuring words — just radio silence — despite other GM’s and coaches conducting conference calls with the media recently.

So the saga continues. It’s a bit more Indiana Jones 4 than Raiders of the Lost Ark, unfortunately.

Clowney has more or less exhausted all of his options by now. He knows what’s out there. And while teams might be willing to offer him a better deal weeks or months down the line when he might be able to do a medical — he also runs the risk of that not being the case. And if he’s not careful — he’ll be forced to take whatever offer remains rather than picking a destination.

The Seahawks aren’t exactly in a champion position either. The pass rush hasn’t been fixed. They run the risk of having to fight the draft as it’s a far greater class at the skill positions and on the offensive line. They went into the 2019 draft without an adequate pass rush and ended up with Cassius Marsh, L.J. Collier and Ziggy Ansah. The Houston trade for Clowney came out of the blue right before the season. You can’t bank on a gift like that emerging two years in a row.

If the Seahawks don’t get the pass rush sorted, we could be here again in 12 months time talking about the same things all over again. It shouldn’t be acceptable to anyone for this team to have a pass rush issue for three consecutive off-seasons. Especially if the season ends up being a rehash of what we’ve seen since 2015 — good but not good enough to seriously contend.

A resolution is required. It can’t be allowed to drag on much longer.

Here’s the mock draft…

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This week I’ve already published interviews with Jim Nagy from the Senior Bowl and Robert Hunt, offensive lineman at Louisiana-Lafayette.

Today’s conversation is with LSU guard Damien Lewis.

We discussed his upbringing, his journey to LSU where he won a National Championship, teammates Lloyd Cushenberry, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Rashard Lawrence and how he’s preparing for the draft during the Covid-19 crisis. He also confirmed he had a formal meeting with the Seahawks at the combine.

You’re going to really like him. Have a listen below. He had a fantastic Senior Bowl and could easily be on Seattle’s radar.

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My understanding is, from Seattle's perspective, Jadeveon Clowney doesn't seem quite ready to make a decision but need to continue conducting business; thus deal to sign DE Benson Mayowa. I'm told move cd adjust budget for possible Clowney return. Team still thinks highly of him.

— ig: josinaanderson (@JosinaAnderson) April 2, 2020

This situation remains confounding.

The implication in this tweet is that the Seahawks are saying to Clowney — you’ve waited too long and we’ve had to sign another player. So now we don’t have as much money to offer you.

At the combine Pete Carroll told John Clayton that re-signing Clowney was a ‘huge priority’. Both he and John Schneider acknowledged the striking need to upgrade the pass rush.

Yet here we are. Nearly three weeks into free agency. They’ve still not sealed a deal with Clowney. And now they’re dropping notes to the media saying their budget to get a deal done is smaller, while they continue to add journeymen types to pad out their roster.

Here’s a reminder of the 2019 stats:

— The Seahawks finished with 28 sacks, second fewest in the league behind only Miami (23)

— Their sack percentage was 4.5% — third worst overall

— The Seahawks produced a sack or quarterback hit on just 14.4% of opponents’ pass plays — worst in the NFL

— They had only 126 pressures, sixth fewest in the league behind Detroit (125), Oakland (117), Houston (117), Atlanta (115) and Miami (96)

— Seattle’s pressure percentage was the fourth worst in the league (19.3%) behind Detroit (18.9%), Houston (18.1%) and Miami (16.7%)

— Seattle hit the quarterback 68 times — fourth fewest

— They had 52 TFL’s — fourth fewest

— They gave up 55 explosive running plays on defense, seventh most in the NFL

— Their explosive run play percentage (14%) was the third worst overall behind only Carolina (16%) and Cleveland (15%)

— They gave up 4.9 YPC — fourth most overall

— They had 131 during the regular season — fourth most.

Players like Benson Mayowa and Bruce Irvin are decent depth signings if they compliment starting talent. They themselves are not starters. They themselves are not going to fix any of Seattle’s issues above.

This off-season required an injection of talent into the defense. Offensively, they were a top-five unit per DVOA. The draft was loaded with receivers and offensive linemen. They could’ve added even more support for Russell Wilson in three weeks time.

It’s not a strong draft for twitchy pass rushers. And yet the Seahawks now face the prospect of having to potentially fight the board to fix their greatest weakness.

Despite calls from the quarterback to add ‘superstars’ — they haven’t signed a premier pass rusher. They’ve not got a deal done with Clowney. They’re continuing to try and win a negotiation tussle with their one star player on the D-line. If he departs elsewhere, they’ll have weakened their greatest need, not strengthened it.

Bringing in Everson Griffen as a replacement isn’t enough. You can’t have two 33-year-old book end pass rushers complimented by 29-year-old Benson Mayowa, while hoping any rookie additions have more impact than Rasheem Green, L.J. Collier and Frank Clark had early in their careers.

Worst of all, at this rate we’ll be talking about the same issues in 12 months time. They’ll be in the exact same situation.

Sometimes you have to pay the going rate. The Seahawks shirked at the idea of paying to keep Frank Clark and moved their one reliable pass rusher for a haul from Kansas City. A year later they’re now shirking the opportunity to pay Clowney.

Eventually, you have to keep your D-line talent. Even if it means spending a bit more money.

It’s especially peculiar seeing as Seattle’s scheme is predicated on being able to rush with four. They’re not an aggressive, blitzing team like Tampa Bay or Baltimore. You’d think, if anything, they’d place an extremely high priority on the position financially.

It doesn’t matter if Clowney’s market was cold elsewhere. Is it worth risking wasting a season for the sake of sticking to your guns? If the Seahawks never return to true contention, in five years will we bemoan their willingness to pay for talent? Or will we complain about their lack of activity to fix a glaring need?

Is this saga with Clowney really worth it? All for the sake of Luke Willson, Jacob Hollister, Chance Warmack, B.J. Finney, Cedric Ogbuehi, Phillip Dorsett, Brandon Shell and keeping Justin Britt and K.J. Wright’s full salaries on the books?

Whether it was signing Clowney or moving on to other options — Dante Fowler, Yannick Ngakoue, Robert Quinn, Matt Judon or anyone else — the need had to be addressed.

When things start being played out through the media, it’s often a sign that things are moving. We saw that with Wilson a year ago.

Time is running out though — and so is the cap space.

Returning to pressure percentages

A month ago I wrote about pressure percentage and pass rush win percentage. Pete Carroll has referenced these in the past when discussing why they drafted certain players.

L.J. Collier had a healthy pass rush win percentage of 18%. That was in the same range as Brian Burns (18.5%) and Chase Winovich (18%). They eventually brought in Jachai Polite for an extended trial on the practise squad. His win percentage was 20.4%.

It’s not the be-all and end-all of course. They chose not to draft Jaylon Ferguson despite his win percentage (26.6%) ranking second only to the #7 overall pick Josh Allen (30.3%).

Even so — I feel like it was a topic worth returning to now that we’re on the road to the draft.

I didn’t really anticipate having to look at this class as much as we are doing. Instead of Reagor, Hamler, Aiyuk, Wilson, Ruiz and others we’re looking a lot closer at a weaker than usual D-line group.

It’s such a priority now that they probably can’t wait until pick #59 to address this. Trading down, acquiring a pick to fill the gap between #64 and #101 and taking the guy you want in the 30’s feels realistic. I’ll represent this approach in a two-round video mock draft tomorrow.

So who could be ‘their’ guy? That’s where it gets tricky. There are so many players who don’t fit what they ideally look for — whether it’s shorter arms, slower speed or weaker agility. There are also several players who didn’t work out fully or at all at the combine.

That’s why I highlighted Jabari Zuniga a few days ago. He has an appealing physical profile, he’s played inside/out, his pass rush win percentage is a healthy 20% and he flashes on tape (even if he’s inconsistent). His arms are 32 7/8 inches long. I’m going to guess, this year, they might be able to look beyond that 1/8 of an inch.

His pressure percentage is only 15.8% though and that speaks to the inconsistencies in his game.

There are two other players I want to focus on today.

Joshua Uche is more of a SAM linebacker who can move around and rush from different areas. He does have some impressive burst and bend off the edge though (although he had a rough outing against Tristan Wirfs and Iowa).

Uche’s pressure percentage was 23.3% in 2019. Quite frankly that’s fantastic. He also showed up at the Senior Bowl including a dominant performance in the game:

Considering he has +33 inch arms and is reasonably sized at 245lbs — there’s every chance the Seahawks seriously consider taking him after a trade down from #27 with their first pick. The production and the length is there. We don’t have testing numbers but we see the burst on film. He won’t be a full time EDGE but they need to add players who have shown they can create pressure and he has done that.

They also like Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan guys and I think they’ll like his character too:

On top of his excellent pressure percentage rate, Uche was second only to Chase Young in terms of pass rush win percentage. Here’s the top three:

Chase Young — 27.2%
Joshua Uche — 27%
Julian Okwara — 23%

I suspect the Seahawks are well aware of these numbers. They’ve no shot at Young but they have every chance of getting the next two on the list. Maybe even both?

Okwara, like Uche, is long and lean with +33 inch arms and has the burst, bend, get-off and dynamism they badly lacked last season. His pressure percentage for 2018 and 2019 combined was 19.1%.

Again — he didn’t test. Yet the tape shows he has the necessary quickness. It’s going to be give and take with all of these guys. You’re going to have to take a chance on health, body type or physical profile. Ideally there’d be a clearly obvious target for #27 that you could take, feel great about and all would be good in the world. That’s not the case this year. There’s no T.J. Watt sat at the end of round one like 2017.

So it could be Uche or Okwara after a trade down. Then it could be another pass rusher at #59 or #64. That could be Zuniga if he lasts or it could be Curtis Weaver (who I wrote about here). He was fourth on the list above for pass rush win percentage at 22.9%. He could be in the conversation too — especially given he actually did the short shuttle and tested very well (although he has short arms and a unique frame for the position).

I could keep going. Terrell Lewis had a great pressure percentage rate of 19.8% but Alabama uses a ton of stunts, he has injury flags and I wrote about some of his issues on tape here. Zach Baun combines a 20.1% win percentage with a 16.5% pressure percentage and he ran a 1.54 10-yard split. Yet he’s 238lbs, has short arms and will have to play linebacker. Bradlee Anae had a 20.2% win percentage and plays with fire and brimstone. Yet he’s a modest athlete and he doesn’t possess a high ceiling.

Anae and Baun are both terrific with their hands. That’s a big deal. So again, you’re balancing out certain physical ideals, production, scheme fit and technique.

Alternatively — a lot of people think K’Lavon Chaisson will be a high pick. I don’t think he’s going to go anywhere near as early as some are projecting. One of the reasons why is his pass rush win percentage. It was 13.1% in 2019. That’s the lowest mark by any of the draft eligible pass rushers in this class.

If he lasts to #27 and they pass on him many will wonder why but that could be a reason. They could also buy into his potential and high character. LSU is a talent pool worth tapping into this year.

They could also target the defensive tackles. Jordan Elliott had a very healthy 18.7% pass rush win percentage but he lacks ideal length. Javon Kinlaw ranked second among defensive tackles at 18.1% but he’ll be a high pick. Third on the list was Justin Madubuike with 14.9%. He’s a name to keep an eye on as an ideal one-gapper with some athleticism.

Seattle using their first pick on a long term option at right tackle or one of the great receivers in this class just felt right a month ago. Now — they might have to go D-line early and often. They might be able to squeeze an offensive lineman in at #59 or #64 (by now you know I think Robert Hunt will be a target and don’t count out one of the center’s if they cut Justin Britt) but the other two picks could be about trying to find a rotation of players who can create pressure.

That’s why I think they’re going to focus on these pass rush and pressure rates. Who are the guys who were doing it in college? Bring them in and let them get after it.

They just haven’t done enough in free agency so far to warrant any other plan. And I’m not sure much changes even if they sign Clowney. They lack difference markers. They need much more.

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Yesterday I published an interview with Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy. Don’t forget to check it out. Today, here’s a conversation with Louisiana-Lafayette offensive lineman Robert Hunt.

We talked about how he’s handling the draft process during the Covid-19 crisis. He confirmed he had a formal meeting with the Seahawks at the combine. He discussed what it’s like to do a FaceTime ‘visit’ with teams. Plus he described the impact he intends to have in the league.

You’re going to love this guy. Have a listen below. He could very well be a key target for the Seahawks in the 2020 draft.

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This week I’m going to be publishing two interviews. Tomorrow you’ll hear from Louisiana-Lafayette offensive lineman Robert Hunt. Today, it’s Senior Bowl Executive Director (and former Seahawks scout) Jim Nagy.

I asked Jim about several of the players who competed in Mobile. We also talked about the impact of Covid-19 on the 2020 draft.

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By now you’ll be well aware of the impact Covid-19 is having on the NFL draft.

Pro-days are cancelled. Medical checks are on hold. More players than ever chose not to compete at the combine so teams are missing vital physical information.

The players who did test — and performed well at the combine — are likely to receive a boost. Especially if their medicals checked out too.

One such player who could benefit is Jabari Zuniga.

It wasn’t a good combine for the defensive linemen. Very few players enhanced their stock. Zuniga, however, did have a strong performance.

He ran a 1.61 10-yard split. Anything in the 1.5’s is considered excellent for a 250lbs speed rusher. To get close to that range at 264lbs is impressive. He’s one of the few edge rushers in the class with genuine burst.

His 4.64 forty was very good too and he had a highly explosive workout in the bench, vertical and broad. Based on our TEF formula, he’s the third most explosive defensive lineman in recent history behind only Myles Garrett, Ben Banogu and Solomon Thomas. In terms of weighted TEF (which accounts for weight + testing) he’s in the same range as Michigan center Cesar Ruiz and Boise State left tackle Ezra Cleveland.

Unfortunately he didn’t do the agility tests. Moving the combine to prime time was essentially the death knell for the three cone and the short shuttle. With players running much later in the day, they were being asked to do these two vital tests at about ten o’clock at night. Next year they can’t make this mistake again and they need to ask the players to perform these tests earlier in the day before the forty runs, on a different day altogether or they need to give the players a financial incentive to do a complete set of tests.

Fortunately, we do have some information on Zuniga.

He was included in Bruce Feldman’s freaks list for 2019. In the report he’s said to have run a 7.03 three cone at Florida.

A repeat performance at the combine would’ve given him the second fastest time among defensive lineman behind only Derrek Tuszka.

Unfortunately we don’t have information about the more important short shuttle. There’s some correlation between a good short shuttle and the Seahawks drafting defensive linemen. The same isn’t the case for the three cone. Even so, it’s all we have. So how does it compare to recent first and second round picks, Seahawks draft picks and other relevant players?

Derek Barnett — 6.96
Montez Sweat — 7.00
Brian Burns — 7.00
Ben Banogu — 7.02
Jabari Zuniga — 7.03
Preston Smith — 7.07
Cassius Marsh — 7.08
Frank Clark — 7.08
Ziggy Ansah — 7.11
Josh Allen — 7.15
Shaq Lawson — 7.16
Taco Charlton — 7.17
Marcus Davenport — 7.20
Rasheem Green — 7.24
Clelin Ferrell — 7.26
Jadeveon Clowney — 7.27
Yannick Ngakoue — 7.35
Bradley Chubb — 7.37
Demarcus Lawrence — 7.46

As we can see — a bad three cone doesn’t necessarily mean a bad NFL career. Demarcus Lawrence and Yannick Ngakoue have done well despite testing at the bottom of this list. Equally, Derek Barnett at the top has not had much impact for the Eagles despite being taken with the #14 pick in 2017.

The list does prove how athletic a 7.03 three cone is, however. If teams are willing to take it on face value then it’s another string to his bow to go with the 10-yard burst and the explosive testing results.

Zuniga has been inconsistent at times. This was on show at the Senior Bowl. He had some nice wins in the 1v1 drills where his quickness off the edge and ability to dip and straighten were on show. He was also stoned several times and on a couple of occasions ended up on the turf.

The coaches seemed to like matching him up inside against LSU’s Damien Lewis and had them run three reps back-to-back a couple of times. That was unusual given these are one-rep scenarios. It’s perhaps indicative of how both players are being underrated in the media (I think Lewis is a second round pick).

I thought Zuniga faired well in this matchup. On one rep he drove Lewis into the pocket. He was handled quite easily on the second rep and the final rep he won with initial quickness but it’s a nice recovery from Lewis:

He would often kick inside to rush the interior at Florida. He has some success doing it too. He might be better served as a pure EDGE at the next level who moves inside only on very obvious passing downs. He can still do it, however.

In a class full of flawed pass rushers though, his highlight reel has more exciting flashes than most:

His pass rush win percentage is also strong at 20%. That’s comparable to Zach Baun (20.1%), Bradlee Anae (20.2%) and Curtis Weaver (22.9%). It’s superior to Yetur Gross-Matos (18.9%), A.J. Epenesa (17.5%), Marlon Davidson (16.2%) and K’Lavon Chaisson (13.1%).

That’s why I think he’ll go earlier than most expect. Yes there are inconsistencies and he’s not going to come into the league and be Bradley Chubb. Yet he ticks a lot of boxes — quickness, size, explosive traits, pass rush production.

A lot of people are very happy to mock Gross-Matos, Epenesa and Chaisson in round one. Yet how many boxes have they ticked? Chaisson chose not to do anything at the combine and his pass rush win percentage is the worst among any pass rusher in the class. Gross-Matos chose not to do any running at the combine despite doing all the on-field drills. Epenesa ran in the 5.0’s.

In this weird draft full of missing information — Zuniga benefits from the knowledge we actually have. For that reason, I think he’ll go earlier than a lot of people are currently projecting.

Thoughts on two other defensive linemen

I spent time watching Marlon Davidson and Terrell Lewis again yesterday. I can’t say my opinion changed much on either.

Davidson looks like a three technique playing end. It’s to his credit that he had as much success as he did rushing the edge despite his big frame. He’s uniquely bendy for a man who looks like a prototype defensive tackle.

It’s well known though that he was spelled on rushing downs. Initially it’s not obvious why. You’d think with his size he’d be an ideal run defender at defensive end. Not so. Re-watching the tape revealed part of the problem.

He’s so aggressive. Too aggressive. He can’t set an edge. He’ll often drive his man off the spot with his head down but that’s not what he’s supposed to do. It leaves the edge wide open. You never see him extend his arms, keep his frame clean and read the situation. You need to be able to connect, jolt, disengage, tackle. He doesn’t. He’s a head down attacking force.

The other thing he does is he’ll rush the edge and leave inside contain open. Watching Auburn vs LSU — it felt like they always had a run option to his side.

It also made me question his fit as an interior defender. If he’s this aggressive as a defensive tackle it won’t work. You’ve got to box clever inside — contain your gaps first and foremost and use your skill and physicality to win as a rusher. You can’t just put your helmet down and charge.

There’s no doubt his frame is better suited inside. I wonder if teams will question his ability to play within a scheme and stick to assignments?

That said, he has tremendous physical potential and quickness as mentioned earlier. He has excellent upside. The questions will be — what’s his full time position and how long will it take him to settle into a role, play within the scheme and maximise those physical skills? If a team buys into his potential he could be a top-50 pick. Otherwise he could last into round three.

On Terrell Lewis, I really came away underwhelmed. In fact during the Alabama vs Auburn game I actually started to drift off he was having so little impact.

He certainly looks the part. He’s long and lean. He had a 37 inch vertical at the combine so he has explosive traits. He also does a good job against the run. You’ll see him extend, read and stay clean enough to make a tackle. He also has a good variety of ways to win at the POA. You see a push-pull, you see a straight arm, you see a bull rush. There’s absolutely no doubt that Lewis will see the field quickly in his career. He won’t be a liability in the running game and he’ll be able to play early downs.

What I didn’t see, however, was any semblance of rushing ability. I watched three games and didn’t see a single win off the edge. There were no examples where he wins with get-off, quickness, great bend and dip or hand use. Too often he will engage with the offensive tackle and look to dip back inside. It became predictable and made me question why he didn’t trust the edge rush more often. Why was he so keen to go inside? Why can’t he just win with speed?

That’s not to say he doesn’t flash athleticism. When he lined up in space and had to read/react to a ball carrier he does it very well. He can chase down runners and quarterbacks with great fluidity. He can shift around the field, he can drop in coverage. The only thing that’s missing are some easy wins off the edge.

That shows up on the stat sheet too. He had only six sacks in 2019.

His injury history will also be a concern. He’s exactly the type of player teams would want their medical staff to check over before the draft. Plus he didn’t do any of the runs or agility testing at the combine. I could see a team like the Steelers or Ravens taking a chance on him as an outside backer. I’m not sure he’s dynamic enough as a rusher for Seattle as a possible LEO.

D-line value is late in the second

One thing I’ve noticed spending as much time as I have on the superb Pro Football Network simulator is the value area for defensive linemen appears to be between picks 35-75.

There’s a real dearth of first round options. Yet a cluster of players are projected in the 35-75 range. Then you get a huge drop off that never really recovers.

If the Seahawks need to go into this draft building up their D-line (and that’s very much the case at the moment) — then there appears to be some clarity in how they can do it.

For starters, having picks #59 and #64 gets them into that range. Those two picks could be saved for a pair of D-liners. The first pick at #27 could be used to trade down aggressively to also get into the 35-75 range. It’d also be beneficial to fill the gap between #64 and #101 by adding another third round pick via trade down.

However — having the two late second rounders does buy some flexibility. So if they wanted to draft an offensive lineman first, tap into the strong receiver class or select a perfect prototype fit at running back (Jonathan Taylor) they have the ability to do that.

Of course, you could equally make the case that they need to spend all three of their early picks on the D-line given how bare the cupboard is currently.

We’ve often talked about it being a weak D-line class. That’s very much the case. We’ve also talked about the flawed nature of the prospects available. Yet the one glimmer of hope is that there are some players who might be available in a range that works for Seattle.

Whether it’s Jabari Zuniga who we talked about earlier or players such as Julian Okwara, Joshua Uche, Curtis Weaver, Yetur Gross-Matos, Bradlee Anae, Marlon Davidson, Terrell Lewis, Raekwon Davis, Justin Madubuike, Zack Baun or Rashard Lawrence — there are options. It’s possible the likes of K’Lavon Chaisson and A.J. Epenesa last longer than people expect. It’s also possible they’ll have more interest in Jordan Elliott, Ross Blacklock and Alton Robinson than I’m currently suggesting.

They’re not all ideal physical fits for the Seahawks. We’re not talking prototypes in terms of speed, length, power. Some of the names on the list didn’t work out at the combine too.

They’re options though and are likely to go in the kind of range the Seahawks will be picking. Whether a bunch of rookies will be able to upgrade Seattle’s bad pass rush is another question altogether.

So a possible plan will be to trade back from #27 to get into the #35-40 range and acquire another third round pick. They’d then have four picks between #35-75. That would give them an opportunity to draft at least two defensive linemen. They’d be able to draft an offensive player — either a lineman (Robert Hunt is the player I’m focusing on at the moment), a receiver from this great class, a running back or someone like Hunter Bryant.

Tony Pauline has been reporting the Seahawks will focus on the lines early and often. That’s worth paying attention to — even though there are many enticing skill players in this class.

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Problems for Tua (and everyone else)

Something starting bubbling in the media last week.

Firstly, it was revealed that Tua Tagovailoa was unable to visit the Dolphins before the NFL shut down travel due to the coronavirus.

That’s a big deal. Tagovailoa has a serious and uncommon sports injury. He needs to be thoroughly checked before you commit $30m in guarantees and the future of your franchise to him.

Then, Jim Nagy tweeted that the Bengals should accept three first round picks from Miami for the #1 pick if offered.

Next, Adam Schefter noted how Tagovailoa was now the NFL’s biggest medical question mark because teams cannot properly look into his injury.

Finally, Lance Zierlein projected Miami will trade up to #1 to select Joe Burrow in his latest mock draft.

There was always going to be a leap of faith involved in drafting Tua. Now it’s a blindfolded leap over a lake full of alligators.

Having spent big in free agency and with two more first round picks next year, Miami preferring to move up for the safer option of Joe Burrow would make a lot of sense.

Of course, there’s no chance Cincinnati would agree to it. Even if Burrow insisted he wont play for the Bengals — they’re the last franchise who would cave. They’d stubbornly draft him even if he said he’d sit out the whole year and re-enter the draft in 2021.

Even so — it wouldn’t be a shock if Miami is trying to create some media momentum here.

What does this also tell us? Don’t be surprised if Tua suffers a fall. There’s too much of an unknown and if teams can’t do any proper medical checks before the draft, it’ll be a concern.

This could also be an issue for several players. Either those with injuries or those who couldn’t test at the combine. Teams have incomplete profiles on so many players. Those who actually did everything at the combine might get a boost.

Insider draft notes

Every year Bob McGinn publishes a series of articles that provide an insider view on certain draft prospects. Last week he posted notes on 50 players. You can read the articles in full here (defense, offense) but you’ll need to be signed up to the Athletic.

It was a reassuring read overall with the league insiders sharing many of the same thoughts we’ve discussed.

A month ago I wrote a piece about Clyde Edwards-Helaire being one of the top players in the draft at any position.

Here’s a section of the piece:

He’s the definition of grit and determination and even though he’s undersized — it doesn’t really matter. You can win with him. He’s so explosive, so tough, so athletic. He plays beyond his frame in the same way Maurice Jones-Drew did. The other name that springs to mind watching him — and I’m deadly serious about this — is Barry Sanders. I’m not for a second suggesting he will get anywhere close to Sanders’ NFL career. However, they do share similar qualities, physical profiles (Sanders played at 5-8 and 203lbs and had similar testing numbers) and there are ‘Sanders-esque’ flashes on tape.

When you make a comparison to Barry Sanders you’re always going out on a limb. However, here’s what McGinn’s anonymous league sources had to say:

“He’s my favorite back to watch,” one scout said. “He’s the best receiver of all of them. They killed people on that Texas route. He’s so quick. Natural hands.” He was regarded as a poor man’s Barry Sanders by another scout. A third said he was reminiscent of Maurice Jones-Drew. He ran the 40 in just 4.59 seconds but posted a vertical of 39 1/2 inches. “Short, rocked-up, strong, really good balance, can be elusive,” said one scout. “He’s not 4.3 but he’s fast enough.” He also returned kickoffs for three years, averaging 21.9 yards per return. “Against Nick Saban’s defense, he scored four touchdowns,” said another scout. “The guy is totally amazing. When he’s in traffic, they can’t find the guy. If he was taller, he’d probably be the best back. I’ve got absolutely no negatives except his height. He pass blocks. He returns kickoffs. They put him out (wide) and he runs routes.”

I firmly believe Edwards-Helaire, based on pure talent, is a top-20 player in this class. Whoever takes him is going to get a steal because he won’t go that early. If you want a physical tone-setter who will energise your sideline, create big plays, can do it all in the running game and provide possibly the best and most consistent receiving threat at the position we’ve seen in years — this is your guy. All you’ve got to do is believe and look beyond the height.

It was good to see McGinn’s sources validate that view. I don’t think the Seahawks will draft Edwards-Helaire because of their size preferences and greater needs at other positions. Yet his physical style and pass-catching ability would be a fantastic addition to the offense and he’d be a terrific hedge against Chris Carson’s contract situation and Rashaad Penny’s injury. I suspect it’s more likely they’ll wait and see if a player like Cam Akers is available later on or merely add a free agent at some point.

The scouts are also very positive about three other runners:

D’Andre Swift:

“Special in the passing game… Not just good. Special. And he’s a really good runner, too. He’s a really well-rounded player.”

Jonathan Taylor (who I think will go in the top-20):

“Don’t let the 40 make it seem like he was invented… He’s a good runner. Knows how to run and set up his blocks. Finds the right hole. Runs hard.”

J.K. Dobbins:

“Justin Fields got all the honours but, if they don’t have Dobbins, Justin Fields is nothing to me.”

This is a good running back class.

One of the weirdest things about this draft season has been the analysis of the top offensive linemen. For me, Andrew Thomas has always been #1. It’s not even really that close. Some of the criticism has been weird at times — such as Daniel Jeremiah calling him a guard and questioning his balance (which seems excellent to me).

McGinn’s scouting sources tend to agree:

“There’s not one negative about him,” one scout said. “He’s my third-best player in the draft. The guy’s just special, and he’s big, too. There’s a big difference between him and the rest. He’s more like (Jonathan) Ogden than (Walter) Jones or (Willie) Roaf. He’s not as good an athlete as Jones or Roaf. He’s tougher than both those guys were. He doesn’t have Ogden’s height.” He ran 5.17 seconds. “In any other year you’d say, ‘5.22 at 315, that’s killer,’” another scout said. “He’s patient. He redirects. He positions easily in the run game and stays on players. Light on his feet.”

I’ve equally thought Jedrick Wills was a bit overrated. To me he looks like an explosive, useful interior lineman — not the brilliant tackle many have him pitched at. Here’s McGinn’s sources:

“Jonah Williams is an all-star compared to this guy,” he said. “Awful. He’s upright. He’s a stiff guy.” He ran 5.06 seconds. “I’m not crazy about him but people love him,” said a third scout. “Every time I watched him, I didn’t see a really good athlete. Worked out well. I just don’t see the movement, finish, talent of a first-rounder. I do not think he could play left tackle.”

We’ve also spent a lot of time talking up Isaiah Wilson as a first round pick despite contrasting views elsewhere. Here’s Wilson’s blurb:

“He is one tough, nasty guy,” one scout said. “He’s the right tackle but I guess you could play him on the left and get by. He needs to learn to use his hands more. He’s strong and really nasty.” He ran the slowest 40 of the top linemen at 5.37 seconds. His arms measured 35 1/2 inches. “I think people are asleep on him,” a second scout said. “He could play on the left side. He’s enormous. He’s just not as clean of a package as Thomas. Thomas is a cleaner kid. But there’s film of Wilson where he looks every bit as good as Thomas.”

One of the reasons Seattle has been pro-active adding free agent offensive linemen is probably because players like Wilson might not last until pick #27. People assume he will. There’s no guarantee. He’s a really good prospect and the league is desperate for O-liners.

McGinn’s sources are also very positive about Jalen Reagor…

“Holy (cow), he’s exciting… He was one of the guys I got most excited about. He’s an explosive playmaker.”

… and Brandon Aiyuk…

“Each game the guy improved. He’s much better than (N’Keal Harry) the guy last year that went in the first round. That guy was a jumper; this guy is a separator.”

These are the two receivers we’ve talked about the most. They’re both really good. It’ll be a shame if the Seahawks can’t consider either (if available) because they might have to focus on D-line additions.

On defense I thought there were some interesting validating notes too. One scout suggests Chase Young didn’t work out at the combine because he knew he wouldn’t run well (we’ve mentioned that a lot). Another scout is much higher on K’Lavon Chaisson than I am (“He’s not the biggest guy in the world, but his athleticism is freak level. He’s either a small rush end or a 3-4 outside guy“) but another suggests he’ll only go early because “there’s no-one else“.

I’ve never been a fan of A.J. Epenesa and while one scout suggests he’s very much a top-20 talent, another said he’d put him on an ‘all-overrated team’ and that he wouldn’t take him in the top-50 (I agree). I’ve voiced reservations about Yetur Gross-Matos (“Lacks that second effort, desire, toughness that you want to see. He’s an athlete, not a football player.”) and they list Grant Delpit as the only safety in the top-50 (I think Antoine Winfield Jr warrants consideration but Xavier McKinney — who’s often mocked in the top-20 — does not and is overrated).

Just so this isn’t too much of a back-patting session though, one scout calls Isaiah Simmons, “not a tough, physical football player. He’s not a hitter. Doesn’t break down well. I don’t get it. Down in and down out, he’s not a factor or a difference-maker.” Obviously I’ve voiced a very different opinion on Simmons.

Clowney waiting until camp?

According to Bob Condotta, some people wonder if Clowney could wait until training camp to find his new team.

So far they’ve lost Quinton Jefferson and signed Bruce Irvin. They appear to be trying to wait it out with Clowney. Who knows what the plan is beyond that because even with Clowney the pass rush would virtually be the same as a year ago when it was statistically one of the worst in the league.

Surely they won’t drag this out for months?

Seattle’s inactivity on the D-line remains confounding.

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