Friend of the blog Tony Pauline isn’t just a terrific draft analyst. He’s one of the best insiders in the business and a proven, trusted source.

So when he reports the following, it’s worth paying attention:

I’ve been told by a very good source that the Seahawks would like to acquire Yannick Ngakoue via trade. My sources tell me they believe compensation would include something like a second-round selection and possibly a situation where the Seahawks swap their pick in round one for the Jags pick in the second round.

The fact the source even proposed a very specific level of compensation is interesting. It almost reads like this is someway down the road.

The Jaguars do need to save money. Cutting Marcell Dareus saved $20m. Trading AJ Buoye saved another $11.4m. Spotrac suggests the Jaguars have as much as $33m in available cap space following these moves.

The thing is, they seem determined to try and trade Nick Foles. Gardner Minshew deserves to be the starting quarterback next season. Foles was a free agency flop — getting injured then failing to steal the job away from Minshew on his return.

It’s possible, perhaps even likely, that Foles was a Tom Coughlin signing. With Coughlin now gone the current regime might want to make a statement of faith in Minshew, while also getting out of the Foles contract as soon as possible.

It also wouldn’t be an ideal scenario to have Foles on the bench every time Minshew has a rough outing. They need to give Minshew an opportunity to be their franchise quarterback without any media pressure if he faces some sophomore difficulties.

Trading Foles will cost nearly $34m. That’s his year-two dead cap hit.

It’d be another Brock Osweiler situation. A team just looking to get out of a bad contract as soon as possible in order to prevent the situation lingering beyond this year.

Yet any trade would eat up all of Jacksonville’s available cap space. So in order to do this, they’ll need to make further savings.

They can save $12.5m by cutting or trading Marqise Lee, Abry Jones and Geoff Swaim. If they’re willing to move on from center Brandon Linder, then it’s another $8m. That’d create enough room for a draft class and maybe a couple of cheap free agent signings. It’s not enough for a draft class and to retain Yannick Ngakoue on the franchise tag though.

Thus — why trading him is very likely.

It’d be interesting to know where the Jaguars honestly think they’re at. They’ve become a dysfunctional franchise again. They’re trading away assets. They’re seemingly getting younger.

Is this a full blown rebuild or reset? Or are they trying to do a bit of both — not collapse any further while also accepting change is required?

For example, they’ve had ample opportunity to say, ‘Calais Campbell isn’t going anywhere’ and they’ve not done it. The owner and GM have both been asked. Despite his clear influence, production and talent — they’re not even committing to him. The Walter Payton man of the year and a top-five statistical defensive lineman.

Here’s what David Caldwell said at the combine about Campbell:

“We think he still has a lot of football ahead of him. A lot of these pieces are fluid. If we add a piece or delete a piece, a lot of those decisions will be made dependent on what we do in free agency and the draft.”

It reads like a man who would ideally keep Campbell while appreciating it might not be possible.

Here’s what he said about A.J. Buoye in the same press conference:

“A.J. had a nice year last year. He has a lot of football left in him. Another player we like as a person and as a guy.”

Buoye was traded to the Broncos this week. The statements are almost identical. They like him, he has lots of football ahead of him. Buoye was dealt. Is Campbell on the way too?

It’ll be interesting to see what happens there — given we know how much the Seahawks admire Calais.

I digress. Back to Nagkoue. Whatever happens, it’s inevitable he will leave Jacksonville. They can’t afford him and he wants to go.

In an interview with John Clayton last week, Pete Carroll stated the following:

“What we’re trying to find is a real premier pass rusher to play the LEO spot and we need a run defender who can mix and do both (five-technique and LEO).

“The five technique guy generally has the ability to move inside on nickel situations and rush on the guard and that’s kind of how that formats but you’re looking for a unique, extraordinary pass rush guy for the LEO spot.”

I’ve not studied Ngakoue enough to say whether he’s a premier pass rusher suitable for the LEO but here’s what NFL.com says about him in their ‘top-100’ free agents list (Ngakoue is ranked at #5):

“Ngakoue specializes in the blind-side speed rush, a style of QB hunting that tends to generate takeaways via strip sacks and forced mistakes. Not yet 25 years old, he understands players with his profile will break the bank once the bids start rolling in.”

He has 37.5 sacks in four seasons. He’s not the twitchy, dynamic athlete we’ve seen them add at the position previously. Bruce Irvin, Cliff Avril and Frank Clark were all outstanding athletes. Yet they’ve also used Chris Clemons and his physical profile is similar to Ngakoue’s:

Chris Clemons
Height: 6-3
Weight: 255lbs
Arms: 32 1/4 inches
Forty: 4.64
10-yard: 1.72
Vertical: 35 inches
Broad: 9-6
Short shuttle: 4.58
Three cone: 7.47
Bench: 18 reps

Yannick Ngakoue
Height: 6-2
Weight: 252lbs
Arms: 32 1/2 inches
Forty: 4.75
10-yard: 1.64
Vertical: 34.5 inches
Broad: 9-10
Short shuttle: 4.58
Three cone: 7.35
Bench: 26 reps

Of course Clemons was a cheap trade addition with no financial or draft implications. Ngakoue would arrive in Seattle at a cost of picks and a big new salary.

Even so, the physical similarities are there. Do they see a new Chris Clemons in Ngakoue? Maybe.

That in itself leads to another issue though. Between 2010 and 2012, Clemons was the only pass rusher in Seattle. He desperately needed help. That’s why they drafted Bruce Irvin in 2012 and then signed Avril and Bennett the year after.

If they trade for Ngakoue, do they have the ability to sign others? To retain Clowney? Because they need a multi-faceted pass rush not a single, isolated star.

The answer is yes — they do have the ability. If they want to. The cash-rich teams (of which Seattle is one) can do pretty much what they want. They can offer up front money and manipulate cap hits quite easily. People look at cap space as a hard number. They reduce an APY from the amount as soon as a potential signing is touted. Yet in reality, Ngakoue could sign for $17-20m a year and have a 2020 cap hit of around $6m. Frank Clark’s cap hit in 2019 after a similar trade and extension was a mere $6.5m.

(I’ve suggested $17-20m because Dee Ford’s salary in San Francisco is $17m APY and the compensation is similar — so there’s the precedent. Ford’s year-one cap hit was $14m for what it’s worth)

The downside of this, of course, is you run the risk of cap difficulties down the line and a dead money problem. Seattle faced that after 2017. Yet there’s also pressure to win over the next 3-5 years. You don’t want to waste this Russell Wilson shaped window through fear of dead cap space in 2025.

So there’s the balancing act. This has always been an aggressive team. They go after their needs. Not every plan comes off. You can never accuse them, however, of lacking intestinal fortitude.

Whether they trade for Ngakoue or not — this will be a pro-active off-season.

A final point on the compensation. A second rounder feels right. It’s just a question of whether it’s this year or not. The Dee Ford trade between Kansas City and San Francisco was for a future second round pick.

The Seahawks have two second rounders this year so it might make sense to simply relinquish one of those. It really depends how they see this draft class.

Moving from #27 to #42 is tolerable in terms of value. There is some decent day two depth. What it would do, however, is minimise opportunities to add further picks in that area by losing a valuable trade-down chip (#27). That might be a price worth paying if Ngakoue provides sacks and regular pressure.

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A year ago Pete Carroll delivered the following quote as he prepared to draft a defensive lineman in round one:

“We’re just looking for activity and problem-makers. Usually you can look to that pressure percentage; how many times when they rush do they affect the quarterback?”

L.J. Collier’s pressure percentage was 19.2% in his final year at TCU, just below Brian Burns (19.7%) and Montez Sweat (20.2%). He had a higher rating than Clelin Ferrell (18.5%) and Rashan Gary (15.8%).

Evidently this was a big reason why they drafted him at #27.

Unfortunately pressure percentage stats aren’t widely available. PFF openly promotes ‘pass rush win percentage’ but doesn’t reveal the pressure percentages for a whole draft class.

We do know the following:

Joshua Uche — 23.3%
Terrell Lewis — 19.8%
Zach Baun — 16.5%
Jabari Zuniga — 15.8%
James Lynch — 15.7%
A.J. Epenesa — 13.4%
Jordan Elliott — 12.7%
Marlon Davidson — 12.2%
Javon Kinlaw — 12.1%
Derrick Brown — 9.8%

PFF also revealed that Julian Okwara (19.1%) and Curtis Weaver (18.2%) led all draft eligible pass rushers in pressure percentage for 2018 and 2019 combined. Chase Young was third with 17.6%.

In terms of career pressures, here are the top four:

Chase Young — 150
Curtis Weaver — 147
AJ Epenesa — 138
Julian Okwara — 124

Little bits of information like this are important. This is where PFF excels. Not so much with their unexplained and iffy ‘grades’ but certainly with these advanced stats. For example, Jonathan Taylor leads draft eligible running backs for yards after contact (1257 yards). That’s something the Seahawks will notice.

Hopefully more of the pressure percentage information will be revealed before the draft, given Carroll has acknowledged it’s significance in their evaluation process.

In the meantime, we can look at pass rush win percentage. We have the stats for college defensive tackles, defensive ends and the pro-statistics for the 2019 season (including some prominent free agents).

Draft eligible DE/EDGE pass rush win percentage:

Chase Young — 27.2%
Joshua Uche — 27%
Julian Okwara — 23%
Curtis Weaver — 22.9%
Alex Highsmith — 21.7%
Khalid Kareem — 21.4%
Bradlee Anae — 20.2%
Zach Baun — 20.1%
Jabari Zuniga — 20%
Terrell Lewis — 19.8%
Trevis Gipson — 19.2%
Carter Coughlin — 19%
Yetur Gross-Mator — 18.9%
Darrell Taylor — 18.6%
Jonathan Garvin — 18.5%
A.J. Epenesa — 17.5%
Jon Greenard — 17.2%
Marlon Davidson — 16.2%
Alton Robinson — 15.9%
James Lynch — 15.5%
Trevon Hill — 15.3%
Kenny Willekes — 14.6%
K’Lavon Chaisson — 13.1%

Joshua Uche grades very well in both pressure percentage and pass rush win percentage. PFF offer this note of caution though:

“Uche is quite the confounding evaluation because while he’s graded out exceptionally well, it’s come on a very small sample size and not from a traditional edge alignment. Many of Uche’s wins this season came almost as a blitzer walked up over interior linemen. While that’s a great skill to have, it’s not really a substitute for beating offensive tackles one-on-one. Being undersized only makes that more of a question mark.”

Uche didn’t do anything at the combine so we don’t have a physical profile to judge either. He looks like an Uchenna Nwosu type suited to playing linebacker rather than an EDGE or LEO. Michigan run a very aggressive, attack-minded defense. The Seahawks prefer to rush conservatively with four.

Julian Okwara played limited snaps in 2019 because his season was cut short through injury. However, his 23% pass rush win percentage and 2018/19 average of 19.1% pressure percentage are both intriguing. Those are the kind of numbers that could interest Seattle. In comparison, L.J. Collier had an 18% pass rush win percentage and a 19.2% pressure percentage. Like Uche, Okwara didn’t test at the combine so we don’t know his testing numbers to properly determine his Seahawks fit.

K’Lavon Chaisson’s numbers are striking for a different reason. His 13.1% pass rush win percentage is the lowest among EDGE candidates and correlates to what you see on tape. A lot of his pressures and sacks were manufactured through stunts. Any investment in him is based on potential, not production. However — he also didn’t test at the combine. So for a third time, we don’t know how truly athletic he is.

For comparison, here are the 2019 class of DE/EDGE’s and their pass rush win percentage scores:

Josh Allen — 30.3%
Jaylon Ferguson — 26.6%
Christian Miller — 24.1%
Joe Jackson — 23.1%
Montez Sweat — 22.1%
Clelin Ferrell — 21.3%
Jachai Polite — 20.4%
Oshane Ximines — 20.1%
Anthony Nelson — 19.2%
Brian Burns — 18.5%
Chase Winovich — 18.2%
L.J. Collier — 18.0%
D’Andre Walker — 16.6%
Rashan Gary — 16.2%
Ben Banogu — 16.0%
Zach Allen — 13.4%
Charles Omenihu — 10.3%

Back to the 2020 draft class and here are the defensive tackle pass rush win percentage scores:

Jordan Elliott — 18.7%
Javon Kinlaw — 18.1%
Justin Madubuike — 14.9%
Robert Windsor — 14.3%
Neville Gallimore — 14.2%
Derrick Brown — 13.7%
Raequan Williams — 13.5%
Ross Blacklock — 12.6%
Davon Hamilton — 12.6%
Josiah Coatney — 12.4%
Raekwon Davis — 11.9%
Benito Jones — 10.5%
Jason Strowbridge — 10.5%
Rashard Lawrence — 8.1%
Darrion Daniels — 8%
Leki Fotu — 7.7%

I’ve watched a bit of Jordan Elliott and I didn’t see a top-level, exciting pass rusher. Javon Kinlaw was totally different. He impacted games, even against opponents such as Alabama. I waited to see the splash plays PFF claims happen all the time with Elliott and just came away underwhelmed.

Some of these numbers matter more than others. Rashard Lawrence and Leki Fotu are never going to be elite pass-rushers so it’s not a big concern they’re at the bottom. Jason Strowbridge is much more of an inside-out rusher type and his placing at the bottom explains the difference between his college tape and his Senior Bowl performance.

Here’s the 2019 class comparison:

Quinnen Williams — 19.7%
Christian Wilkins — 16.4%
Dexter Lawrence — 14.6%
Jerry Tillery — 14.3%
Dre’Mont Jones — 13.3%
Greg Gaines — 13.0%
Trysten Hill — 12.2%
Jeffery Simmons — 11.8%
Khalen Saunders — 11.5%
Ed Oliver — 11.4%
Gerald Willis III — 10.0%

For all the hand-wringing about Raekwon Davis as a pass-rusher — his win percentage is almost identical to Jeffery Simmons who ended up being a top-20 pick despite suffering an ACL tear pre-draft. His 11.9% score is also superior to top-10 pick Ed Oliver.

It’s worth noting that of the defensive tackles above — two were top-10 picks, three went between picks 11-20, Jerry Tillery was the #28 pick, Trysten Hill the #58 pick and both Dre’Mont Jones and Khalen Saunders went in round three. So don’t be surprised if the productive pass-rushing defensive tackles listed above go early.

Finally, let’s look at the pass rush win percentage for the pro’s during the 2019 season:

DE/EDGE/OLB

Robert Quinn — 33%
T.J. Watt — 28%
DeMarcus Lawrence — 27%
Myles Garrett — 26%
Jadeveon Clowney — 25%
Joey Bosa — 25%
Shaquil Barrett — 25%
Dante Fowler — 23%
Za’Darius Smith — 23%
Preston Smith — 23%

Defensive tackle

Aaron Donald — 25%
Grady Jarrett — 22%
Chris Jones — 19%
Maliek Collins — 16%
Quinton Jefferson — 16%
Calais Campbell — 16%
Ed Oliver — 15%
Denico Autry — 14%
Matthew Ioannidis 13%
Vita Vea 13%

Of the names above, six are free agents this year — Robert Quinn, Jadeveon Clowney, Shaquil Barrett, Dante Fowler, Chris Jones and Quinton Jefferson. Kansas City are placing the franchise tag on Jones and Tampa Bay will do the same with Barrett. Quinn, Clowney, Fowler and Jefferson will reach the market.

Furthermore, several performed well after reaching free agency a year ago. DeMarcus Lawrence was tagged and then signed his big new deal with Dallas. Barrett played on a prove-it deal in Tampa Bay as did Dante Fowler in LA. Za’Darius and Preston Smith both signed with Green Bay and Grady Jarrett was tagged by Atlanta before signing a large extension. All of those deals paid off.

The results above are also a reminder that stats don’t tell the whole story. Quinton Jefferson, as well as he played at times in 2019, was clearly not more impactful than Calais Campbell.

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In yesterday’s combine review I proposed the Seahawks trade up for Isaiah Simmons. It’s unrealistic, yes. I don’t think it will happen. I think they’ll do what they always do — identify the players they like and then manipulate the board to get as many of those individuals as possible. I still think it’s a worthwhile discussion and I wanted to put some more meat on the bones today.

In 11 years of writing this blog, I’ve never proposed a significant trade-up scenario. This isn’t something I do. The fact that I’m writing a second piece about this is a review of both Simmons’ ability and the situation the Seahawks find themselves in.

The defense needs more talent. They built a legendary unit between 2010 and 2013 using later round picks and smart free agency moves. The re-set that started in 2018 hasn’t produced the same results.

They’re among the worst ranked teams for pressures, sacks, run defense and missed tackles. The unit has flaws at every level. There’s talent too — but not enough of it to cover up some of the issues.

They don’t need to re-create the LOB to win a Championship. They just need to be better. Two or three key additions, paired with the brilliance of Russell Wilson and a highly productive top-five offense (per DVOA) could put the Seahawks right in the mix to succeed in 2020.

The recent combine was not good for the defensive side of the ball. As noted on Saturday, this is the weakest looking D-line group in a long time. Nobody working out at the combine had any speed or quickness to threaten the edge as a pass rusher.

The defensive options at #27 just don’t look that good.

It’s possible they solve this problem in free agency. They might be able to pull off another coup. Who among us predicted the Harvin/Bennett/Avril moves in 2013? Or last years trade for Jadeveon Clowney that was described by many as daylight robbery? Or swapping a fifth rounder for Quandre Diggs?

A weak defensive draft, however, is more likely to make the open market more expensive and competitive.

They might only be able to re-sign Clowney and one second-tier compliment. They might lose out on Clowney and need to invest in a different player.

Either way — as Russell Wilson noted — they need some superstars.

So what makes Simmons a potential star?

Every player has bust potential. Some are more risky than others.

The reason why I called him the first player in 11 years of blogging worthy of trading up for is simply because the risk factor is as low as I can remember.

This is a player who ran a 4.39 at 6-4 and 238lbs. He jumped a 39 inch vertical and an 11-0 broad. His physical profile is even more freaky than D.K. Metcalf. Yesterday we pointed out the similarities between Simmons and Julio Jones. His upside is as high as any defender in recent memory.

His production in college was superb. As a sophomore starter he led Clemson in tackles as they won the National Championship (89 tackles, nine TFL’s, one interception returned for a touchdown, seven PBU’s, three FF’s). As a junior he returned to the Championship game, recording 102 tackles, 16 TFL’s, eight sacks, three interceptions and nine PBU’s. He won the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker.

What about his character? Simmons was an emotional leader on a roster filled with personality. He was a heart and soul type, setting the tone and leading the way.

He’s incredibly versatile. According to PFF, “Simmons played 100 or more snaps at edge defender, linebacker, strong safety, free safety and slot cornerback, all while grading out above 80.0 as a run defender, tackler, pass rusher and coverage defender.”

Sometimes versatility is a flaw. You can be a jack of all trades and master of none. I don’t see that with Simmons. It might take a little time to work out his true best role — but the talent, upside and character makes for an easy projection of success wherever he lines up.

Think of the options too. If you needed him to match-up with George Kittle when playing the Niners, can you imagine a better physical specimen for the role? What if you need someone to spy Kyler Murray? Seattle struggled mightily defending the perimeter run in 2019. How about a 4.39 runner with physical intensity to solve that problem?

He could be a long term replacement for KJ Wright at the WILL. He could replace Mychal Kendricks at the SAM and play rush and cover. He could be the fastest strong safety the league has ever seen. You could rush him off the edge on key downs and use him as a dynamic blitzer. The Seahawks need a nickel — how about a 238lbs big nickel who can run as fast as most of the smaller cornerbacks in the draft?

Whether it’s TFL’s, sacks, superior coverage or the ability to contain your NFC West opponents — be it Kittle, Murray or LA’s endless misdirection — Simmons provides a solution to all of Seattle’s woes.

I spent a bit more time looking at what a move like this would cost the Seahawks.

There are three trades worth considering as a comparison:

1. In 2011 the Atlanta Falcons traded #27, #59, a fourth round pick and their 2012 first round pick to the Browns to select Julio Jones.

2. In 2017 the Kansas City Chiefs traded #27, #91 and their 2018 first round pick to the Bills to select Patrick Mahomes.

3. In 2018 the New Orleans Saints traded #27, a fifth round pick and their 2019 first round pick to the Packers to select Marcus Davenport.

All three trades included a team moving up from #27 — the pick Seattle owns this year. It’s quite the coincidence that this pick has been traded so often.

This actually helps if you’re trying to move up. A buyer (Seattle) and a seller can use precedent to reach a fair agreement.

If the Seahawks needed to trade up to #6 or #7 — it would probably cost them one of their two second round picks, one of their two fourth round picks and their 2021 first rounder. If Simmons lasted to #10 or beyond — it’d be a bit cheaper.

When you’ve got a lot of draft picks, these types of scenarios are easier to justify.

So is Simmons even likely to last into range?

It’s possible the Lions take him at #3 after his sensational combine. It’s also very possible he lasts long enough to make a trade possible.

Let’s run through the top-12:

1. Cincinnati — they will draft Joe Burrow

2. Washington — they will draft Chase Young

3. Detroit — the safe money here is on a trade with a team for a quarterback

4. New York — Dave Gettleman is all about the trenches (DL, OL)

5. Miami — this’ll be a quarterback if they don’t move up, otherwise it could be Detroit and the hot tip is for them to draft Jeff Okudah

6. LA Chargers — this’ll be a quarterback if they don’t move up, otherwise their next biggest need is clearly O-line

7. Carolina — this is a logical landing spot for Simmons but they also need O-line and D-line help badly

8. Arizona — they too need O-line and D-line help plus they could consider a receiver

9. Jacksonville — they could take Simmons but they are yet another team who needs O-line and D-line help

10. Cleveland — they need a left tackle

11. New York Jets — they need a left tackle, a receiver or a cornerback

12. Las Vegas — Mike Mayock stated their priority is a weapon on offense

Realistically the Seahawks would need Simmons to drop to at least #6 or #7 to entertain any thoughts of a trade. When you think about it, it’s not actually that unrealistic — and he could last longer.

After all — who thought Josh Allen would last to #7 a year ago? But he did. Marshon Lattimore — tipped to be a top-five pick — lasted to #11 in 2017. Aaron Donald and Odell Beckham Jr lasted until picks #12 and #13 in 2014 — despite their extreme athleticism, big name status and huge college production.

It really comes down to positional value. This year there are a collection of quarterbacks, one supposed elite pass rusher, a handful of quality offensive tackles and a top cornerback prospect expected to go early. Teams might like Simmons — but not enough to pass on a QB, pass rusher or O-liner.

In particular you look at pick #7 right through to #11. They all desperately need an offensive tackle. And in this class, there happens to be Andrew Thomas, Tristan Wirfs, Mekhi Becton, Jedrick Wills, Austin Jackson, Isaiah Wilson and Ezra Cleveland.

You’ve also got the possibility of Derrick Brown, Javon Kinlaw and the receivers fitting into this too. We could also see Jordan Love or Jacob Eason taken early.

Mike Sando published a top-10 mock draft today with an anonymous GM making the picks. Simmons wasn’t even included. In Daniel Jeremiah’s latest mock published today, Simmons lasts to #7.

Is it beyond the realms of possibility that the Panthers — beginning a major rebuild — would prefer a haul of picks in 2020 and 2021 instead of one top-10 selection? If he lasts to #10, would the Browns be comfortable trading down? After all, their analytics-led front office stacked picks when they were first appointed and had control. Tony Pauline has been reporting the Browns really like Ezra Cleveland. Would they be willing to drop down with the aim of drafting him later on?

This is a massive off-season for the Seahawks. They’re at a crossroads. They need to turn a good team into a great team. The blueprint to doing that is clear. It’s simply more talent on defense. Two or three really quality additions.

If they can’t achieve that in free agency, it might — for the first time — be worth considering a big trade up. Not on a whim. You trade up for the player who is finally worth the move.

Yes it’d be expensive. But you’re hoping it costs you the #27 pick and the #32 pick in 2021. Seattle’s recent history of picking in that range isn’t great. A calculated gamble, with the franchise in need of a Championship inspiring boost, is justifiable.

Even if the trade was as expensive as Atlanta’s Julio Jones plan — they’d still be in possession of a second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh round pick in the 2020 draft.

Some people roll their eyes at these suggestions. They treat the NFL like a dull, uneventful league where nothing exciting happens. The exact opposite is true. Crazy, unexpected things happen all the time. Of all the talking points we’ve discussed this season — this is probably the most outrageous because there’s no precedent for them doing anything like this.

Can you say it isn’t logical though? Can you argue they don’t need a splash or two on defense? Can you argue that’s not the main thing holding them back? Can you argue against Simmons’ fit in Seattle?

I don’t think it’ll happen. But it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t.

Quick thoughts on Yannick Ngakoue

The big NFL news today involved a report stating the Jaguars would place the franchise tag on Ngakoue, only for the player to tweet the following in response:

The Jaguars are aware I no longer have interest in signing a long term contract in Jacksonville. Duval, I love you and gave you guys everything I got. I’m thankful for the journey and look forward to continuing my career elsewhere. -91

— Yannick Ngakoue (@YannickNgakoue) March 2, 2020

It seems inevitable at this stage that the Jags will seek to follow in the footsteps of Seattle, Kansas City and Houston and trade a pass rusher on the tag.

Would the Seahawks be interested? They’d have to be. He has 37.5 sacks in four seasons. He doesn’t turn 25 until the end of this month. Their biggest need is pass rush and Ngakoue is one of the better young rushers in the league.

However, there are some other things to consider:

— This will be very expensive and likely cost at least #27.

— Ngakoue will need/expect an immediate extension. You’d have to pay him the exact same money Jadeveon Clowney receives as a free agent. So why wouldn’t you just pay Clowney and keep the pick?

— Frank Clark had 22 sacks in 2017 and 2018. Ngakoue has 17.5 in his last two seasons. If they wouldn’t pay Clark top money, why would they pay Nagkoue top money?

— Furthermore, Clark ticked all of the boxes in terms of physical ideals. He had the size, length, twitchy agility and explosive traits they love. Nagkoue has short arms, he ran a slow forty, he tested poorly in the short shuttle and three cone and he wasn’t very explosive. Will Ngakoue’s profile be a turn-off, even if he’s since shown to be a productive player?

— How much did Ngakoue benefit from playing on Jacksonville’s loaded defense? His best season came in 2017 when the Jags nearly made the Super Bowl. They called themselves ‘Sacks-onville’. He recorded 12.5 sacks. In the two years since, when the Jaguars have struggled, he had 9.5 and eight sacks. If you trade a high pick for him and give him an elite salary — will it be worth it if he’s only bringing in 8-9 sacks?

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What did we learn at this combine?

1. A significant number of top players are choosing not to do some or all of the drills. It’ll be interesting to see if this becomes a trend next year, particularly given the reportedly negative reaction to the switch to prime time. It’s time to pay the players for their time and effort to ensure this doesn’t become a second-tier event.

2. The defensive line and tight end groups are as thin as we feared. The Seahawks addressed their TE need by signing Greg Olsen. Their biggest issue is the pass rush though and we just witnessed the worst D-line workout at the combine in recent memory (more details here). No players ran an elite 1.5 10-yard split. There weren’t any obvious LEO candidates. It’s the least explosive group of defensive linemen we’ve seen in years. Unfortunately, it wasn’t unexpected.

3. There’s a significant collection of highly explosive and athletic offensive linemen destined to go in the top-20. Mekhi Becton, Tristan Wirfs, Austin Jackson and Jedrick Wills likely secured early grades. The question is whether or not Andrew Thomas, Isaiah Wilson and Ezra Cleveland have a shot to last to #27 if the Seahawks need a right tackle by April. The league is desperate for good offensive linemen.

4. There’s excellent depth at wide receiver and several first round prospects. The combine performance overall was underwhelming though. Henry Ruggs ran a 4.28 but that was expected. Many other big names — Jerry Jeudy, Ceedee Lamb, Jalen Reagor, Brandon Aiyuk — ran in the ‘good not great’ range. Tee Higgins didn’t do any drills because he said he fancied a rest. KJ Hamler was injured. It was a ho-hum display from a unit that promised much. The big exceptions are Denzel Mims (who leaves with his stock massively improved) and Chase Claypool.

5. There are some really good running backs in this draft but the well could run dry quickly. Jonathan Taylor’s workout brought back memories of Saquon Barkley in 2018. He could easily go in the top-20 as a consequence. D’Andre Swift and Clyde Edwards-Helaire didn’t do anything to diminish their stock. J.K. Dobbins sat out the combine. As much as the Seahawks need to add a runner, there are limited appealing options beyond the top-four based on their size preferences. Cam Akers is a name to watch though for the middle rounds.

6. Isaiah Simmons is that rare thing — a player worth trading up for. More on that in a moment.

7. This is not a Seahawks cornerback class. Only seven players met the +32 inch arm threshold. Three of the four didn’t do drills. One is 5-10 (and they generally stick to a strict 5-11 or taller rule). One is top-10 lock Jeff Okudah. They’re probably going to be looking elsewhere for some depth and competition here.

8. This isn’t a Seahawks linebacker class unless they have the opportunity and desire to consider Kenneth Murray or Patrick Queen in round one. The Seahawks value fast short shuttle times at the position but nobody got into the Cody Barton and Ben Burr-Kirven range from a year ago (4.1’s). They also like extreme athleticism. That could bring Willie Gay Jr into play — but they’ll check on his character flags first.

9. The safety class provides a nice mix of explosive traits and speed. Kyle Dugger ran a slower forty than expected (4.50) but should still go relatively early after jumping a 42 inch vertical and an 11-2 broad. Antoine Winfield Jr’s 4.46 — combined with his ability to fly to the ball and make plays (plus his bloodlines) will seriously interest teams. He looked outstanding during drills. Jeremy Chinn’s 4.46 forty, 41 inch vertical and 11-6 broad will grab attention. I thought Josh Metellus looked good too.

10. With so many players not working out for a variety of reasons, the pro-day circuit is going to be a lot more interesting this year.

Who looks like a ‘Seahawk’?

I’ve stuck to six realistic targets based on what we know about their physical preferences.

Hunter Bryant (TE, Washington)
All of the tight ends drafted during the Carroll era have run under a 7.10 three cone and have added a decent short shuttle time. Four players achieved that this year — Adam Trautman, Charlie Taumoepeau, Dalton Keene and Hunter Bryant (4.46ss, 7.08tc). I’ve focused on Bryant for a few reasons. Firstly, they traded for Jacob Hollister a year ago in a deliberate attempt to add a specific skillset. Bryant provides a dynamic mismatch target as a move-TE or big slot receiver. I think that’s something they want to feature. Secondly, we know the Seahawks like the way Washington trains its TE’s to block. Although it wasn’t his primary role, Bryant did a good job on tape when asked to block. Thirdly, he has the kind of character and attitude they like. If they want to add another target for Russell Wilson in this draft — Bryant could be a second round alternative if they miss out on the receivers early.

Jonathan Taylor (RB, Wisconsin)
We know the Seahawks have a type at running back. They have to be well sized, explosive and tough. Taylor is 5-10 and 226lbs (ideal for Seattle), he jumped a 36 inch vertical (ideal for Seattle) and he produced countless electric, physical big plays for Wisconsin — posting back-to-back 2000 yard seasons. Then he ran a 4.39 at the combine. He is exactly what they look for in a runner. He was interviewed by PFT during the week and he expressed his desire to play for Pete Carroll and with Russell Wilson in Seattle. The thing is — after this combine — he could be long gone by #27. He’s their type though and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was a top player on their board.

Isaiah Wilson (T, Georgia)
Hulking size, run-blocking prowess and productive play in the SEC. That’s what the Seahawks have generally targeted when spending a high pick on a right tackle (James Carpenter, Germain Ifedi). Wilson is the next in line. He’s 6-6 and 350lbs with 35.5 inch arms, 10 1/4 inch hands and he’s nearly all muscle. In our weighted TEF formula, he finished second only to Tristan Wirfs as the best combination of size and explosive traits. He’s a formidable run-blocker and combined with Andrew Thomas — created never-ending time for Jake Fromm in the pocket. If he lasts to #27 it would be a major get for the Seahawks.

Jalen Reagor (WR, TCU)
You have to run a 4.4 to be an early pick at receiver for the Seahawks. Reagor’s 4.47 was slower than expected but he gained about 15lbs of muscle for the combine and it appeared to impact his speed and quickness. Even so, with the extra weight he still ran a 4.4. On tape he’s exactly what they look for in a receiver. He’s incredibly dynamic as a downfield threat who can win with easy separation for big chunk plays. He’s quick and sharp on shorter routes. Most impressively though — he’s highly explosive. He jumped a 42 inch vertical and it showed. Despite being only 5-11, he regularly out-jumped taller defensive backs to high-point the football and make catches in the red zone. Reagor also has some kick return spice. Overall he looks like a Seahawks-type receiver and could be a first round option.

Denzel Mims (WR, Baylor)
The Senior Bowl is a big event for the Seahawks. They’ve regularly tapped into the talent on show in Mobile. It’s how L.J. Collier piqued their interest a year ago. Tyler Lockett, Russell Wilson — both excelled in Mobile. This year Denzel Mims put on a show. He followed it up at the combine by running a 4.38 forty at 6-3 and 207lbs and jumping a 38.5 inch vertical. He’s adept at winning 1v1 on the outside either via contested catches or creating late separation on downfield shots. The Seahawks love to take chances downfield and that’s where Mims does his work. I have to say — I didn’t see a 4.38 runner on tape. It’s in the locker though and being able to line him up across from D.K. Metcalf with Tyler Lockett operating inside would give the Seahawks a lightning fast, highly threatening triple-threat receiving attack. He could be a first or second round target.

Hakeem Adeniji (G/T, Kansas)
For a number of years the Seahawks have sought explosive traits for the offensive line. Last year they took the second most explosive O-liner in the draft, Phil Haynes, in round four. They also like linemen with experience playing multiple positions. Adeniji played most of his college career at tackle but he has experience at guard and snapped in practise. He’s 6-4 and 302lbs with 34 inch arms. He was also the second most explosive lineman at the combine behind only Tristan Wirfs. Recently the Seahawks have signed veteran starters on the O-line and then drafted to develop with later picks. Adeniji could be an early day three target.

Kyle Dugger (S, Lenoir Rhyne)
As noted in our combine preview, the Seahawks don’t have a set profile for a safety. They’ve drafted fast players, slow players and everything in between. What they seem to really like is attitude and toughness. Dugger is an alpha male. He speaks with authority and he looks the part. He’s battled football adversity to get this far via Lenoir-Rhyne. He’s a hard hitter and a special teams demon. He jumped a 42 inch vertical and an 11-2 broad. A 4.50 forty is plenty for a man with his skill set. He could play linebacker or safety.

Other names to monitor include:

Justin Jefferson (WR, LSU) — he’s fast and reliable and has the kind of profile they target at receiver.

Cam Akers (RB, Florida State) — Akers is very explosive, well sized and looks the part of a potential C.J. Prosise replacement in the same kind of range (round three).

Cesar Ruiz (C, Michigan) — they love Michigan players and Ruiz is one of the best since Harbaugh took over with his explosive traits, size, quickness and pure talent.

Jeremy Chinn (S, Southern Illinois) — he’s been compared to Kam Chancellor. I didn’t see that on tape but he had a terrific workout — running a 4.46 and jumping a 41 inch vertical.

Nick Harris (C, Washington) — he’s Joey Hunt plus and if they were willing to draft and start Hunt, they might be willing to consider Harris in the middle rounds considering he represents the grit and physicality they desire.

Brandon Aiyuk (WR, Arizona State) — he just screams Seahawks on tape. He does everything they like and he’s a return threat on special teams. He ran a 4.50 but who’s to say he didn’t crack the 4.4’s on a Seattle scouts’ hand-time stopwatch? I doubt they need an excuse to grab him.

Matt Peart (T, Connecticut) — He was the eighth most explosive tester among offensive linemen and he has outrageous size (6-7, 318lbs, 36 5/8 inch arms). He’s a ball of clay ready to be moulded and that’s what they seem to be drafting for the O-line these days.

Raekwon Davis (DT, Alabama) — They’ve been looking for a Calais Campbell type for years. As noted yesterday, Davis’ physical profile is very similar.

Combine winners at each position

This is based on drills and testing…

Quarterback — Jalen Hurts

Running back — Jonathan Taylor

Tight end — Adam Trautman, Hunter Bryant, Charlie Taumoepeau, Dalton Keene

Wide receiver — Denzel Mims, Chase Claypool

Offensive tackle — Mekhi Becton, Tristan Wirfs, Austin Jackson, Ezra Cleveland, Jedrick Wills, Isaiah Wilson, Matt Peart

Interior O-line — Cesar Ruiz, John Simpson, Hakeem Adeniji, Damien Lewis, Nick Harris, Matt Hennessy

Defensive tackle — Justin Madubuike

Defensive end — Jabari Zuniga

Linebacker — Isaiah Simmons, Willie Gay Jr

Cornerback — Jeff Okudah, CJ Henderson

Safety — Antoine Winfield Jr, Josh Metellus, Jeremy Chinn, Kyle Dugger

Where do the Seahawks go from here?

For once there’s a trade-up scenario that makes sense

Every year I’m asked if there’s anyone the Seahawks should consider moving up for and I always say no.

Not this year.

Isaiah Simmons is worth trading up for.

There’s little chance of it happening, of course. The stars would have to align in so many different ways. That doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be discussed.

In 2011, the Atlanta Falcons moved up from #27 to #6 to select Julio Jones. The trade cost the Falcons their second round pick (#59), a fourth round pick (#124) and their 2012 first rounder.

It was a bold gamble, just like any trade. It’s easy to sit here with hindsight and praise the decision. There are countless other trades where the gamble didn’t pay off.

Yet Jones’ extreme physical profile, character and college production at least tipped the balance in Atlanta’s favour.

We’ve arguably not seen a player like Jones since 2011… until this weekend.

Julio Jones
Height: 6-2 3/4
Weight: 220lbs
Forty: 4.42
Vertical: 38.5 inches
Broad: 11-3

Isaiah Simmons
Height: 6-3 5/8
Weight: 238lbs
Forty: 4.39
Vertical: 39 inches
Broad: 11-0

Simmons ticks all of the boxes. He has a tremendous athletic profile. In 2019 he registered 102 tackles, 16 TFL’s, eight sacks, three interceptions and nine PBU’s. He’s a natural leader and was a heart and soul type for Clemson’s Championship team.

This is exactly the type of player you roll the dice on.

Imagine what he’d be like for the Seahawks too. He could easily line up in the Mychal Kendricks role to offer both coverage ability and some pressure/pass rush. He could be a long term replacement for K.J. Wright at WILL. He could be Kam Chancellor with less intimidation but a lot more speed.

You could pretty much ask him to do anything — because he showed at Clemson he can do everything.

If it was possible — and let’s be realistic, it probably isn’t — to pull off a deal similar to the Julio trade, it’d be worth considering. It’s a coincidence that the Seahawks own the same picks that Atlanta had in 2011.

When discussing a trade like this you need to suggest a partner. It’d need to be a team at the start of a rebuild that is valuing picks over draft order.

The only obvious candidate is Carolina at #7. They have a new coach and a fresh start. They’ve moved on from Greg Olsen, Luke Kuechly has retired and I’m not sure anyone is really convinced by their lukewarm support of Cam Newton last week.

Let’s say they were targeting Jordan Love as a late first round pick and felt he would be there in the 20’s as their quarterback of the future. They might be tempted to move down, get their guy and collect a haul of picks.

This would also require Simmons to last to pick #7 of course (although Julio Jones did last to #6 in 2011). If we assume the Bengals select Joe Burrow and the Redskins Chase Young, you’d probably need the following to happen:

#3 Detroit trade with the Chargers for a quarterback
#4 The Giants stick to the trenches (OL or DL) under Dave Gettleman
#5 The Dolphins select a quarterback
#6 Having traded down, the Lions select Jeff Okudah

I appreciate how far fetched and dreamy all of this is. I’m simply proposing a talking point. Simmons could easily be snapped up with the third pick by Detroit after the way he performed in Indianapolis.

Seattle’s defense desperately needs a shot in the arm though. It needs a significant injection of talent — via free agency and the draft.

Isaiah Simmons is the ideal modern defender. He has the freakish physical profile Seattle loves. He has the character. He has the proven production. He has star power.

If there was ever a time to move up in the draft, it’d be for him. And regulars know I’m not the type to talk in that way about trading up.

The Seahawks’ task in free agency just got harder

The clear off-season priority was to fix the flailing pass rush. They finished the 2019 season with 28 sacks, second fewest in the league behind only Miami (23). Their sack percentage was 4.5% — third worst overall.

They had only 126 pressures, sixth fewest in the league. Seattle’s pressure percentage was the fourth worst (19.3%) behind Detroit (18.9%), Houston (18.1%) and Miami (16.7%). They hit the quarterback 68 times — fourth fewest. They had 52 TFL’s — again, fourth fewest.

You might not need an elite, LOB style defense to win a Championship — but you can’t be this bad at creating pressure.

Unfortunately, as noted on Saturday, this is the worst D-line draft class in recent memory. Yes — several names opted not to perform at the combine. Those who did test, however, made it very clear. There’s no speed. No quick twitch. No LEO.

This creates two big problems:

1. The rest of the NFL watched San Francisco make the Super Bowl guided by a dynamic four-man rush. Many teams are going to try and emulate that. That means competing in free agency for the best pass rushers.

2. Several prospective free agent pass rushers are going to be tagged now, because the league knows cheap replacements are not forthcoming. This will thin out the free agent class and make players like Jadeveon Clowney a prized asset.

A difficult situation usually means an aggressive approach

The Seahawks don’t do things by half. When they’ve got a problem to solve, they go after it.

When they didn’t like the look of the 2013 draft options they gave Minnesota their first round pick for Percy Harvin. Two years later they didn’t see a dynamic red-zone target in the draft, so they traded a first round pick for Jimmy Graham.

In 2017 they were forced to replace Malik McDowell with an expensive rental for Sheldon Richardson. In the same year, they had to replace the injured George Fant with Duane Brown — a deal that cost two more high picks.

When they were in desperate need for pass rushers last year after trading Frank Clark, they boldly acquired Clowney and Ziggy Ansah and spent a first round pick on L.J. Collier.

Now the Seahawks are facing a similar dilemma. They can’t go into next season with the same problems on defense. If free agency is too expensive and the draft a dead duck for the D-line, it could mean more trades.

We’ve seen a developing trend of pass rushers being traded on the franchise tag. A year ago, Clowney, Frank Clark and Dee Ford were dealt. The Seahawks could look at trying to fix a deal with Kansas City for Chris Jones or Jacksonville for Yanick Ngakoue. However — both would require serious compensation and a new contract.

Furthermore, you’d be forced to offer the going rate for a top pass rusher. If you pass on paying Clowney in free agency, you’d only be faced with having to pay the same amount (or more) to someone like Jones or Ngakoue, albeit with picks thrown into the mix too.

There’s also the veteran market.

It’s unclear what that will be like. Von Miller voiced some displeasure in Denver’s direction at the end of last season but there’s been no trade rumours since. Although, I suppose, the Harvin and Graham trades caught everyone off guard.

A deal for Miller would be ideal — providing the Seahawks with the kind of premier EDGE Pete Carroll has identified as an absolute requirement. It’d cost at least the #27 pick though, if not more. And that’s if Denver is even willing to entertain the move.

It appears the Redskins are set to hold onto Ryan Kerrigan. Jacksonville are worth a call for Calais Campbell — but they’d be mad to actually make a deal.

The realistic (and affordable) trades all appear to be at other positions. Andy Dalton at the Bengals, Darius Slay at the Lions and Trent Williams at the Redskins.

If they’re going to make a deal — it might end up being out of left field. Keep an eye on rebuilding teams and clubs who haven’t got a lot of cap space.

What might they do?

1. Spend their resources on the defensive line (they have to)

2. Consider trading #27 for a premier pass rusher

3. Bring in a cheaper veteran right tackle as a draft hedge (Williams? Veldheer?)

4. Add a weapon for Russell Wilson relatively early in the draft — either a receiver or Hunter Bryant

5. Put themselves in a position to draft ‘their guys’ rather than needing to aggressively fill needs

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Feel free to use this as an open thread. I will post forty yard dash times here and any other testing numbers. At the end of the day I will post a review of the combine.

If you want a refresher on what to look out for at each position check out our massive combine preview.

Cornerbacks

Players with +32 inch arms have a star next to their name:

Damon Arnette — 4.57 & 4.57
Trajan Bandy — 4.50 & DNP
Essang Bassey — 4.46 & 4.51
Brian Cole — 4.53 & 4.56
Nevelle Clarke — DNP
Cam Dantzler — 4.64 & 4.65
Javaris Davis — 4.40 & 4.44
*Trevon Diggs — DNP
Kristian Fulton — 4.47 & 4.53
Jeff Gladney — 4.49 & 4.57
AJ Green — 4.63 & 4.71
Javelin Guidry — 4.30 & 4.30
*Bryce Hall — DNP
Harrison Hand — 4.53 & 4.52
CJ Henderson — 4.39 & 4.41
Lavert Hill — DNP
Darnay Holmes — 4.51 & 4.49
Noah Igbinoghene — 4.48 & 4.53
Dane Jackson — 4.60 & 4.57
*Lamar Jackson — 4.65 & 4.60
Jaylon Johnson — 4.51 & 4.54
*BoPete Keyes — DNP
*Micheal Ojemudia — 4.45 & 4.69
*Jeff Okudah — 4.48 & 4.50
James Pierre — 4.64 & 4.59
Troy Pride — 4.45 & 4.46
John Reid — 4.50 & 4.50
Amik Robertson — DNP
Reggie Robinson — 4.49 & 4.45
Stanford Samuels — 4.66 & 4.71
Josiah Scott — 4.42 & 4.45
AJ Terrell — 4.43 & 4.43
Stanley Thomas-Oliver — 4.50 & 4.49
*Kindle Vilor — 4.56 & 4.44

This is not a cornerback group for the Seahawks. There may be alternatives not working out at the combine but it’s hard to find an option among this collection.

If we exclude Jeff Okudah, only four players ran with +32 inch arms. Kindle Vilor lacks their preferred height while Michael Ojemudia is slight and Lamar Jackson lacks twitch and agility.

Safeties

Grayland Arnold — 4.59 & 4.67
Julian Blackmon — DNP
Antonie Brooks Jr — 4.64 & 4.64
Myles Bryant — 4.66 & 4.62
Terrell Burgess — 4.49 & 4.46
Shyheim Carter — DNP
Jeremy Chinn — 4.46 & 4.52
Rodney Clemons — 4.75 & 4.72
Kamren Curl — 4.62 & 4.61
Ashtyn Davis — DNP
Grant Delpit — DNP
Kyle Dugger — 4.50 & 4.51
Jalen Elliott — 4.81 & 4.82
Jordan Fuller — 4.67 & 4.68
Alohi Gilman — 4.67 & 4.68
Jaylinn Hawkins — DNP
Brandon Jones — DNP
Xavier McKinney — 4.64 & DNP
Josh Metellus — 4.59 & 4.56
Chris Miller — 4.65 & 4.62
Tanner Muse — 4.43 & 4.42
JR Reed — 4.55 & 4.55
L’Jarius Sneed — 4.38 & DNP
Geno Stone — 4.65 & 4.62
Daniel Thomas — 4.51 & 4.55
K’Von Wallace — 4.57 & 4.53
Antoine Winfield Jr — 4.48 & 4.46

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This is not a good D-line class — confirmed

The Seahawks better get ready because free agency is going to cost them some serious money.

If the 2019 draft was the year of the defensive lineman, the 2020 draft is anything but. This is the most underwhelming set of testing results we’ve seen from a defensive line class in recent history.

Let’s get into it…

EDGE rushers

Speed

The Seahawks love edge rushers that are twitchy athletes with elite speed, burst and difference making traits. A 10-yard split in the 1.5’s is considered ‘elite’. Cliff Avril ran a 1.50 and Bruce Irvin ran a 1.55.

A year ago, 12 players ran a 10-yard split between 1.55 and 1.62 seconds.

Here’s the list of 2019 EDGE rushers who ran a 1.5 today…

Yep, that’s right. Not a single edge rusher in this years draft ran an elite 10-yard split. The NFL Network broadcast repeatedly praised times in the late 1.6’s for players weighing about 255lbs. That is not a good time.

The only player to run an impressive split was Florida’s Jabari Zuniga (1.61). He had a good day overall. He looked terrific physically during drills and he’s in fantastic shape. He ran a 4.64 forty then jumped a 33 inch vertical and a 10-7 broad. He didn’t do any of the agility testing. His arms are 32 7/8 inches long so couldn’t be any closer to the 33 inch threshold. The Seahawks might be willing to overlook that. He could be an option if he lasts into the middle rounds.

He was a rare bright spot.

A few days ago Pete Carroll was interviewed by John Clayton. He discussed in some detail his desire to add a premier pass rusher to play the LEO.

This combine class isn’t going to answer the call.

We can only hope that if/when Julian Okwara has a pro-day, he can flash to provide at least one option.

Yetur Gross-Matos, Chase Young and Javon Kinlaw chose not to run today.

Agility

Bruce Irvin (4.03) and Frank Clark (4.05) both ran incredible short shuttles. Cassius Marsh’s 4.25 and Obum Gwacham’s 4.28 were also really good. In the three cone, Clark and Marsh both ran a 7.08. Obum Gwacham ran a 7.28. Irvin had an incredible 6.70. So the Seahawks pay close attention to the agility testing.

Here’s this years group of edge rushers who completed the tests:

Short shuttle

Alex Highsmith — 4.31
Alton Robinson — 4.32
Jonathan Greenard — 4.34
Derrek Tuszka — 4.34
James Lynch — 4.39
Bradlee Anae — 4.43
DJ Wonnum — 4.44
AJ Epenesa — 4.46
LaDarius Hamilton — 4.49
James Smith-Williams — 4.52
Kendall Coleman — 4.62
Chauncey Rivers — 4.70

Alex Highsmith’s top short shuttle time of 4.31 is only 14th best in the last five years. So while he led the 2020 group, it’s more ‘decent’ than ‘great’ compared to previous drafts. He does have 33 inch arms but his 10-yard split was only a 1.68 at 248lbs.

Alton Robinson was just behind with a 4.32 but he has 32 3/8 inch arms so lacks the preferred length. His shuttle time mixed with some explosive testing results (more on that later) mean he had one of the better combine performances.

Three cone

Derrek Tuszka — 6.87
Jonathan Greenard — 7.13
DJ Wonnum — 7.25
Alex Highsmith — 7.32
Alton Robinson — 7.32
Chauncey Rivers — 7.33
AJ Epenesa — 7.34
James Smith-Williams — 7.35
James Lynch — 7.39
Kenny Willekes — 7.39
Bradlee Anae — 7.44
Kendall Coleman — 7.50
LaDarius Hamilton — 7.68

As expected Jonathan Greenard ran a slow forty time (4.87) and 10-yard split (1.71). At least he showed reasonably well in the agility testing. His short shuttle of 4.34 is decent and his 7.13 three cone was only 0.03 seconds slower than Nick Bosa’s (although Bosa ran an elite 4.14 short shuttle).

Greenard has good size and length (6-3, 263lbs, 35 inch arms) but has had injury issues. If he lasts he could be an option later on if they’re willing to overlook his lack of quick-twitch get-off.

What does today tell us?

This performance by the pass rushers is going to put serious pressure on the veteran market. Teams will not see solutions within this class. Unfortunately this is going to make things increasingly difficult for Seattle to fix their pass rushing dilemma in free agency. They’ll be bidding in a spenders market.

For that reason, I wonder if this increases the chances of them trading a high pick for a pass rusher on an existing contract. With the top offensive tackles impressing and moving up boards and with a complete dearth of good defensive linemen available — they might think the best use of #27 is to use it to acquire someone to fix their biggest problem. It’s also a way to avoid overspending.

It’ll depend on what’s available (and teams might not be willing to sell assets after looking at this D-line class) but it’s something to seriously consider now. Especially with the clear ‘Seahawks’ options at #27 appearing limited.

I’ll write about this in more detail in the coming days but who are the first round ‘Seahawks’ that you’ve seen at this combine so far? Jonathan Taylor is one but he might be gone by #27 after his workout and it’s questionable whether another first round running back is likely. Will any of the top offensive linemen last to the back end of round one considering the extreme league-wide need at the position? They could go receiver but it’s a position of depth in this class.

It’s also possible they’ll simply resign themselves to spending big in free agency. We’ll see. The wretched performance of this pass rush class hasn’t helped their cause though. They’re facing a big couple of weeks before the market opens.

Defensive tackles or inside/out rushers

The short shuttle times are key

Rasheem Green (4.39), Quinton Jefferson (4.37), Jordan Hill (4.51), Jaye Howard (4.47) and Malik McDowell (4.53) all tested superbly in the short shuttle. If you’re looking for possible Seahawks targets at defensive tackle or inside/out rusher — this is the test to focus on.

Here are this years numbers:

Jason Strowbridge — 4.37
Rob Windsor — 4.44
Larrell Murchison — 4.51
Carlos Davis — 4.52
Ross Blacklock — 4.61
Jordan Elliott — 4.73
Raequan Williams — 4.78
Derrick Brown — 4.79
Josiah Coatney — 4.82
Raekwon Davis — 4.86
Darrion Daniels — 4.93
John Penisini — 4.93
Neville Gallimore — 5.01
Benito Jones — 5.27

Jason Strowbridge’s 4.37 is interesting. He also had a terrific Senior Bowl. He only has 32 3/8 inch arms though. The next defensive lineman Seattle drafts with sub-33 inch arms will be the first in the Carroll era.

Apart from Strowbridge nothing else stands out. The big names like Ross Blacklock and Jordan Elliott failed to impress. Neville Gallimore’s 5.01 is shocking. If you’re looking for an interior rusher or inside/out rusher in this group who fits the Seahawks — you’re out of luck.

What about the three cone?

For defensive tackles or inside/out rushers, it doesn’t seem to be quite as important:

Rasheem Green — 7.24
Jaye Howard — 7.32
Jordan Hill — 7.49
Malik McDowell — 7.69
L.J. Collier — 7.71
Jarran Reed — 7.77
Naz Jones — 7.93
Quinton Jefferson — 7.95

There’s certainly no correlation here like we see with the consistently strong short shuttle times.

Even so, here’s how the DT’s and inside/out rushers ranked for the three-cone:

Justin Madubuike — 7.37
Jason Strowbridge — 7.45
Rob Windsor — 7.47
DaVon Hamilton — 7.72
Raequan Williams — 7.72
Darrion Daniels — 7.75
Ross Blacklock — 7.77
Larrell Murchison — 7.89
Raekwon Davis — 7.95
Neville Gallimore — 7.97
Rashard Lawrence — 8.03
Josiah Coatney — 8.07
Benito Jones — 8.21
Derrick Brown — 8.22

Justin Madubuike didn’t do the short shuttle for some reason. His 7.37 three cone is the 23rd best time by a defensive tackle in the last 10 years. It’s also the same time that Grady Jarrett ran in 2015. Chris Jones ran a 7.44 in 2016.

Madubuike was one of the standout performers during drills too. He was smooth, fluid and moved around the field with ease. He’s undersized at 6-2 and 293lbs but has 33.5 inch arms. He ran a 4.83 and a 1.73 10-yard split. It’s difficult to imagine what his role would be in Seattle’s defense at that size other than situational interior rusher but he was one of the few quality performers today.

10-yard splits

For an inside/out type rusher or power end, a 1.6 time is impressive. For the defensive tackles listed near or over 300lbs, a 1.7 is equally good.

The players with +33 inch arms are in bold:

McTelvin Agim — 1.76
Ross Blacklock — 1.70
Derrick Brown — 1.78
Josiah Coatney — 1.80
Darrion Daniels — 1.81
Marlon Davidson — 1.78
Carlos Davis — 1.67
Khalil Davis — 1.66
Jordan Elliott — 1.71
Leki Fotu — 1.80
Neville Gallimore — 1.71
DaVon Hamilton — 1.80
Benito Jones — 1.80
Rashard Lawrence — 1.72
Justin Madubuike — 1.73
Larrell Murchison — 1.81
Raequan Williams — 1.78
Rob Windsor — 1.74

We can also throw in the following players who tested with the DE’s:

Raekwon Davis — 1.78
AJ Epenesa — 1.78
James Lynch — 1.73
Jason Strowbridge — 1.72

These are much more encouraging results than the edge rushers. The Seahawks appear quite stringent when it comes to the short shuttle so these times might be redundant. Even so, players such as Rashard Lawrence running a 1.72 with his size and length could provide an interesting option if he lasts deep into the draft.

An interesting comparison

Recently we’ve been discussing the possibility of the Seahawks drafting Raekwon Davis to be their next attempt to find a Calais Campbell type player. For years Carroll and Schneider have made reference to Campbell and have spent multiple high picks trying to fill the void.

Let’s compare Campbell’s combine to Davis’:

Calais Campbell
Height: 6-8
Weight: 290lbs
Arm length: 35 3/4 inches
Hand size: 9.5 inches
Forty: 5.11
10-yard: 1.74
Vertical: 29.5 inches
Broad: 9-3
Three cone: 4.69
Short shuttle: 7.45
Bench: 16 reps

Raekwon Davis
Height: 6-6
Weight: 311lbs
Arm length: 33 7/8 inches
Hand size: 11 inches
Forty: 5.12
10-yard: 1.78
Vertical: 28 inches
Broad: 9-3
Three cone: 4.86
Short shuttle: 7.95
Bench: 24 reps

There are some clear similarities. The forty times are practically identical and they both recorded a 9-3 broad jump. The vertical jumps are similar.

Davis performs better in the bench press but his extra size and shorter arms provided an advantage. Campbell was quicker in the three cone and short shuttle but he was also 21lbs lighter than Davis.

Campbell has been one of the very best players in the NFL for the last decade. He’s been a top five defensive lineman in the league for the last three years. Nobody should expect to try and find a player who can emulate what he is currently achieving. Physically though, you can at least try and find a match.

Davis looked good during drills and has an impressive physique. He might fall due to a lack of pass-rush production but Campbell himself lasted until pick #50 in 2008.

If the Seahawks need an interior defensive line anchor with great size and yet plays with excellent leverage — Davis could be a solid bet.

TEF Scores for defensive linemen

For the last few years we’ve used TEF (explained here) to measure the explosive traits of the offensive linemen. The formula is based purely on O-line physical ideals. Even so, we can still use it to compare offensive and defensive line classes. Here’s what we discovered over the years…

Explosive offensive linemen at the combine:

2016 — 6
2017 — 3
2018 — 7
2019 — 8
2020 — 8

Explosive defensive linemen at the combine:

2016 — 26
2017 — 30
2018 — 22
2019 — 24
2020 — 14

It’s another hammer blow to the quality of this D-line class. Although a number of players didn’t do one or more of the tests, this is by far the least explosive D-line class we’ve covered using TEF. We’ve never had less than 20 explosive D-liners in a draft before. This year there are only 14.

Despite that — they still beat the O-line by six players (which sums up the major problem the NFL has with the complete dearth of top athletes choosing to play O-line in college).

Here are the TEF results for the D-line class:

Jabari Zuniga — 3.76
Kenny Willekes — 3.57
Jonathan Garvin — 3.56
James Smith-Williams — 3.55
Alton Robinson — 3.41
Derrek Tuszka — 3.34
DJ Wonnum — 3.33
Larrell Murchison — 3.31
Qaadir Sheppard — 3.26
Yetur Gross-Matos — 3.21
LaDarius Hamilton — 3.14
Bradlee Anae — 3.13
Jason Strowbridge — 3.11
DaVon Hamilton — 3.02
AJ Epenesa — 2.95
Jonathan Greenard — 2.94
Raekwon Davis — 2.88
Malcolm Roach — 2.88
Derrick Brown — 2.87
James Lynch — 2.87
Rob Windsor — 2.78
Josiah Coatney — 2.46
Darrion Daniels — 2.68
Chauncey Rivers — 2.67
Raequan Williams — 2.27

Here are the 35 most explosive defensive linemen from 2016-20 (2020 prospects in bold):

Myles Garrett — 4.21
Ben Banogu — 4.05
Haason Reddick — 3.93
Solomon Thomas — 3.83
Jabari Zuniga — 3.76
Ed Oliver — 3.72
Jordan Willis — 3.70
Jordan Brailford — 3.61
Ife Odenigbo — 3.61
Taven Bryan — 3.58
Ade Aruna — 3.57
Derek Rivers — 3.57
Kenny Willekes — 3.57
Rashan Gary — 3.56
Jonathan Garvin — 3.56
James Smith-Williams — 3.55
Carl Lawson — 3.54
Dean Lowry — 3.54
Sheldon Rankins — 3.52
Montez Sweat — 3.49
Porter Gustin — 3.48
Kylie Fitts — 3.47
Robert Nkemdiche — 3.47
Bradley Chubb — 3.46
Harrison Phillips — 3.46
Noah Spence — 3.46
Renell Wren — 3.45
Yannick Ngakoue — 3.44
Marcus Davenport — 3.41
Alton Robinson — 3.41
Jamal Davis — 3.40
Kevin Givens — 3.39
Harold Landry — 3.39
Trysten Hill — 3.37
Nick Bosa — 3.36

Here are some other big-name NFL defensive linemen and their pre-draft TEF scores:

Mario Williams — 3.97
J.J. Watt — 3.82
Khalil Mack — 3.81
Aaron Donald — 3.53
Jadeveon Clowney — 3.50

Weighted TEF scores

In previous years I haven’t used weighted TEF on the D-line class and I should’ve done. There are major discrepancies in size that you just don’t see with the offensive linemen.

Jabari Zuniga — 99.2
Larrell Murchison — 98.3
DaVon Hamilton — 96.6
Kenny Willekes — 94.2
Derrick Brown — 93.4
James Smith-Williams — 94.1
Jonathan Garvin — 93.6
Alton Robinson — 90.0
Raekwon Davis — 89.6
DJ Wonnum — 85.9
Jason Strowbridge — 85.5
Malcolm Roach — 85.5
Yetur Gross-Matos — 85.3
Qaadir Sheppard — 85.0
Derrek Tuszka — 83.8
Darrion Daniels — 83.3
James Lynch — 82.9
LaDarius Hamilton — 82.2
AJ Epenesa — 81.1
Rob Windsor — 80.6
Bradlee Anae — 80.4
Jonathan Greenard — 77.3
Josiah Coatney — 75.8
Chauncey Rivers — 70.0
Raequan Williams — 70.0

Who expected Kenny Willekes to be more explosive than Derrick Brown?

Here’s how the D-line class compares to the O-line class (the D-liners are in bold):

Tristan Wirfs — 111.0
Isaiah Wilson — 103.6
Austin Jackson — 103.4
John Simpson — 102.7
Cesar Ruiz — 99.8
Jabari Zuniga — 99.2
Hakeem Adeniji — 98.8
Ezra Cleveland — 98.3
Larrell Murchison — 98.3
Matt Peart — 98.0
Damien Lewis — 97.1
DaVon Hamilton — 96.6
John Molchon — 95.5
Kenny Willekes — 94.2
Derrick Brown — 93.4
James Smith-Williams — 94.1
Jonathan Garvin — 93.6
Justin Herron — 91.8
Jack Driscoll — 91.2
Joshua Jones — 90.1
Alton Robinson — 90.0
Raekwon Davis — 89.6
Danny Pinter — 88.7
Matt Hennessy — 88.4
Terence Steele — 88.3
Andrew Thomas — 87.9
Joe Runyan — 87.2
Charlie Heck — 87.1
Alex Taylor — 86.9
DJ Wonnum — 85.9
Jason Strowbridge — 85.5
Malcolm Roach — 85.5
Yetur Gross-Matos — 85.3
Qaadir Sheppard — 85.0
Derrek Tuszka — 83.8
Darrion Daniels — 83.3
Tremayne Anchrum — 83.2
James Lynch — 82.9
LaDarius Hamilton — 82.2
AJ Epenesa — 81.1
Rob Windsor — 80.6
Bradlee Anae — 80.4
Jonah Jackson — 80.2
Cameron Clark — 79.8
Kyle Murphy — 79.0
Calvin Throckmorton — 77.7
Nick Harris — 77.3
Jonathan Greenard — 77.3
Colt McKivitz — 77.1
Darryl Williams — 76.6
Cordel Iwuagwu — 76.0
Josiah Coatney — 75.8
Tyre Phillips — 75.0
Chauncey Rivers — 70.0
Raequan Williams — 70.0

Even though there are more explosive defensive linemen in this 2020 draft, it’s a hollow victory. The most explosive players play O-line this year.

Linebackers

The Seahawks have tended to look for two types of player at linebacker — freakish athletes and players with great short-area quickness and agility.

Kevin Pierre-Louis, Korey Toomer, Malcolm Smith and Eric Pinkins all ran between a 4.44 and a 4.51 in the forty. Shaquem Griffin topped the lot with a 4.38. Pierre-Louis, Smith and Pinkins all jumped +39 inches in the vertical. Bobby Wagner was a 4.4 runner at his pro-day with a 39.5-inch vertical. Of the five players they’ve drafted with a +140 SPARQ score, Wagner, Pierre-Louis and Bruce Irvin are included.

They’ve also targeted players who performed especially strongly in the short shuttle. Here are the top-15 short shuttle times run by a linebacker since 2010:

Jordan Tripp — 3.96
Nick Bellore — 4.00
Ben Heeney — 4.00
Mike Mohamed — 4.00
Nick Vigil — 4.00
Kevin Pierre-Louis — 4.02
Stephone Anthony — 4.03
Cody Barton — 4.03
Dakota Allen — 4.03
Von Miller — 4.06
Josh Hull — 4.07
Dorian O’Daniel — 4.07
Avery Williamson — 4.07
Shaq Thompson — 4.08
Ben Burr-Kirven — 4.09

The players in bold have been either drafted or signed by the Seahawks during the Pete Carroll era. A third of the players.

So are there any linebackers in this years draft who fit the bill?

Nobody ran in the 4.0’s. Missouri’s Cale Garrett ran a 4.13 — the eighth best time by a linebacker in the last five years. He also ran a 4.92 forty and it’s hard to imagine the Seahawks taking a linebacker with that lack of speed.

Isaiah Simmons didn’t run any of the agility tests. He shut it down, probably on the advice of his agent, after running a 4.39. Kenneth Murray and Patrick Queen both pulled hamstrings during their second runs and didn’t test either. Joshua Uche didn’t do any of the tests other than the bench (18 reps).

Here are the short shuttle times in full:

Cale Garrett — 4.13
Casey Toohill — 4.21
Evan Weaver — 4.21
Shaun Bradley — 4.24
Mykal Walker — 4.25
Davion Taylor — 4.26
Curtis Weaver — 4.27
Willie Gay Jr — 4.30
Zack Baun — 4.31
Scoota Harris — 4.32
Malik Harrison — 4.32
Dante Olson — 4.32
Jacob Phillips — 4.33
Joe Bachie — 4.34
David Woodward — 4.37
Chapelle Russell — 4.41
Azur Kamara — 4.46
Justin Strnad — 4.49

There are some good times here but nothing outstanding.

In terms of overall outstanding athleticism — Willie Gay Jr’s workout virtually emulated his SPARQ performance in High School. He ran a 4.46 forty, jumped a 39.5 inch vertical and an 11-4 broad and finished off with a 4.30 short shuttle and a 7.08 three cone. These are all highly impressive marks at 243lbs. His broad jump was the third best by a linebacker in the last decade behind only Jamie Collins (11-7) and Bud Dupree (11-6). He has first round talent and a top-tier physical profile but character issues will determine how high he goes in the draft. He matches up with some of the best athletes Seattle has taken at linebacker though and, perhaps importantly, he’s a playmaker who excels in coverage.

Zack Baun is a linebacker prospect who predominantly acted as a pass rusher at Wisconsin. He was tipped by some in the media to have an outstanding workout but it didn’t really happen. He ran a 4.65 at 238lbs — so basically the same time as Jabari Zuniga despite the fact he’s nearly 30lbs lighter. His 4.31 short shuttle would’ve matched Alex Highsmith’s best time but again — Highsmith is 10lbs heavier. His best test was a 7.00 three cone — the same time as Montez Sweat and 0.01 seconds faster than Brian Burns. For a third time though — he’s 238lbs and considerably lighter.

Curtis Weaver’s 4.27 short shuttle at 265lbs is very impressive but he has sub-33 inch arms. He also ran a 7.00 three cone. I’m not really sure why he tested with the linebackers rather than the EDGE rushers. Weaver boosted his stock with his agility testing scores and he also had a decent 32.5 inch vertical.

Here are the three cone times:

Malik Harrison — 6.83
Cale Garrett — 6.91
Joe Bachie — 6.93
Davion Taylor — 6.96
Zack Baun — 7.00
Dante Olson — 7.00
Curtis Weaver — 7.00
Evan Weaver — 7.02
Shaun Bradley — 7.07
Logan Wilson — 7.07
Willie Gay Jr — 7.08
Casey Toohill — 7.08
Mykal Walker — 7.09
Azur Kamara — 7.20
David Woodward — 7.34
Scoota Harris — 7.38
Jacob Phillips — 7.38
Chapelle Russell — 7.38

Malik Harrison’s 6.83 is the eighth best time in the last five years. Ben Burr-Kirven ran a 6.85 last year.

So will they draft a linebacker from this group?

Unless the Seahawks feel inclined to spend their top pick on one of Kenneth Murray or Patrick Queen (and both might be off the board by #27) there’s little here to occupy our time over the coming weeks. For that reason, they might be more inclined to try and re-sign Mychal Kendricks and/or consider retaining K.J. Wright on his $10m cap hit. Unless they believe Cody Barton is ready to move into a starting role, which is debatable.

Isaiah Simmons stands out

Although this is by far a better draft for the offense, the top of the draft is loaded with elite defensive players. Tomorrow Jeff Okudah will blow up the combine. Chase Young appears destined to be the #2 pick and Derrick Brown is a top-10 lock.

The best player of the lot, however, could be Isaiah Simmons.

It’s astonishing what he achieved today. On top of running a 4.39 at 6-4 and 238lbs, he also jumped a 39 inch vertical and an 11-0 broad. He even has decent arm length (33 3/8 inches).

Simmons’ profile is comparable to Julio Jones. Every now and again a player comes along that we haven’t seen before. Simmons is that man. His ability to play anywhere at the second level of a defense is unheard of. He’s a superstar in the making and after this performance the only thing that will keep him out of the top-five is a couple of quarterback trades.

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Feel free to use this as an open thread. I will post forty yard dash times here and any other testing numbers. At the end of the day I will post a comprehensive review including defensive line TEF and weighted TEF scores — plus we’ll list the linebackers who ‘fit’ the Seahawks.

If you want a refresher on what to look out for at each position check out our massive combine preview.

Javon Kinlaw is not working out today. Neither is Chase Young.

The NFL Network provided an early shot of Pete and John…

Forty times

Defensive tackles

(10-yard splits are in brackets)

The players with a star before their name have 33 inch arms (the Seahawks have not drafted a D-liner with sub-33 inch arms in the Carroll era).

*McTelvin Agim — 4.99 (1.76) & 5.27 (1.84)
Ross Blacklock — 4.97 (1.73) & 4.91 (1.70)
*Derrick Brown — 5.11 (?) & 5.17 (1.78)
Josiah Coatney — 5.22 (1.81) & 5.25 (1.80)
*Darrion Daniels — 5.20 (1.85) & 5.19 (1.81)
*Marlon Davidson — 5.04 (1.79) & 5.06 (1.78)
Carlos Davis — 4.82 (1.68) & 4.82 (1.67)
Khalil Davis — 4.79 (1.68) & 4.76 (1.66)
Jordan Elliott — 5.03 (1.74) & 5.03 (1.71)
*Leki Fotu — 5.16 (1.80) & DNP
Neville Gallimore — 4.85 (1.71) & 4.79 (1.71)
*DaVon Hamilton — 5.14 (1.82) & 5.16 (1.80)
Benito Jones — 5.36 (1.86) & 5.26 (1.80)
*Javon Kinlaw — DNP
*Rashard Lawrence — 5.08 (1.72) & 5.13 (1.72)
*Justin Madubuike — 4.83 (1.73) & 4.83 (1.74)
Larrell Murchison — 5.05 (1.81) & 5.09 (1.82)
John Penisini — DNP
Malcolm Roach — DNP
Broderick Washington — DNP
*Raequan Williams — 5.08 (1.78) & 5.05 (1.78)
*Rob Windsor — 4.93 (1.74) & 4.90 (1.76)

In the drills, Justin Madubuike was by far the most fluid and natural mover. Very little wasted movement, clearly an athlete and everything was in control.

Defensive ends

Bradlee Anae — 4.92 (1.69) & 4.91 (1.68)
Kendall Coleman — 4.96 (1.70) & 4.99 (1.72)
*Raekwon Davis — 5.17 (1.78) & 5.13 (1.78)
*AJ Epenesa — 5.10 (1.81) & 5.05 (1.78)
*Jonathan Garvin — 4.82 (1.67) & 4.86 (1.71)
*Trevis Gipson — DNP
*Jonathan Greenard — 4.88 (1.71) & 4.92 (1.72)
*Yetur Gross-Matos — DNP
LaDarius Hamilton — 4.89 (1.74) & 5.00 (1.83)
*Alex Highsmith — 4.70 (1.68) & 4.76 (1.69)
Trevon Hill — 4.92 (1.77) & 4.90 (1.70)
*Khalid Kareem — DNP
James Lynch — 5.01 (1.73) & DNP
*Julian Okwara — DNP
Chauncey Rivers — 4.97 (1.81) & 5.05 (1.80)
Malcom Roach — 4.85 (1.68) & 4.89 (1.70)
Alton Robinson — 4.73 (1.66) & 4.69 (1.65)
Qaadir Sheppard — 4.84 (1.67) & 4.93 (1.77)
*James Smith-Williams — 4.62 (1.63) & 4.61 (1.62)
Jason Strowbridge — 4.90 (1.75) & 4.94 (1.72)
Derrek Tuszka — 4.79 (1.69) & 4.83 (1.70)
Kenny Willekes — 4.93 (1.69) & 4.88 (1.70)
*DJ Wonnum — 4.73 (1.70) & 4.78 (1.70)
*Chase Young — DNP
Jabari Zuniga — 4.66 (1.64) & 4.64 (1.61)

Here are the D-line vertical jumps:

Jonathan Garvin — 36
Alton Robinson — 35.5
DJ Wonnum — 34.5
Yetur Gross-Matos — 34
Derrek Tuszka — 33.5
Alex Highsmith — 33
Jabari Zuniga — 33
AJ Epenesa — 32.5
Kenny Willekes — 32.5
Kendall Coleman — 32
James Smith-Williams — 32
Qaadir Sheppard — 31.5
Bradlee Anae — 31
Jason Strowbridge — 31
Jonathan Greenard — 30.5
Chauncey Rivers — 30.5
LaDarius Hamilton — 30
Malcolm Roach — 30
DaVon Hamilton — 29.5
Ross Blacklock — 29
James Lynch — 29
Rob Windsor — 28.5
Raekwon Davis — 28
Trevon Hill — 28
Jordan Elliott — 27.5
Derrick Brown — 27
Josiah Coatney — 27
Darrion Daniels — 27
Benito Jones — 26.5
John Penisini — 25.5
Raequan Williams — 25.5

Here are the top-15 broad jumps:

Jabari Zuniga — 10-7
Jonathan Garvin — 10-5
Alex Highsmith — 10-5
James Smith- Williams — 10-3
DJ Wonnum — 10-3
Yetur Gross-Matos — 10-0
Derrek Tuszka — 10-0
Alton Robinson — 9-11
Kenny Willekes — 9-11
Larrell Murchison — 9-10
AJ Epenesa — 9-9
Bradlee Anae — 9-7
Qaadir Sheppard — 9-7
Kendall Coleman — 9-6
Ladarius Hamilton — 9-6

The agility testing was awful. More in the review later.

Linebackers

They are not showing the 10-yard splits for the linebackers, despite moving several pass rushers into this group.

Joe Bachie — 4.67 & 4.80
Markus Bailey — DNP
Zack Baun — 4.65 & 4.71
Francis Bernard — 4.82 & 4.86
Daniel Bituli — 4.84 & 4.89
Shaun Bradley — 4.51 & 4.63
Jordan Brooks — 4.55 & 4.54
Cameron Brown — 4.73 & 4.86
K’Lavon Chaisson — DNP
Nick Coe — 4.89 & 4.91
Carter Coughlin — 4.58 & 4.63
Akeem Davis-Gaither — DNP
Michael Divinity — 4.91 & 4.85
Troy Dye — DNP
Tipa Galeai — DNP
Cale Garrett — 4.93 & 4.92
Willie Gay Jr — 4.46 & 4.48
Scoota Harris — 4.70 & 4.76
Malik Harrison — 4.66 & 4.69
Khaleke Hudson — 4.57 & 4.57
Anfernee Jennings — DNP
Clay Johnston — DNP
Azur Kamara — 4.59 & 4.67
Terrell Lewis — DNP
Jordan Mack — DNP
Kamal Martin — DNP
Kenneth Murray — 4.52 & DNF
Dante Olson — 4.89 & 4.89
Jacob Phillips — 4.66 & 4.78
Michael Pinckney — DNP
Shaquil Quarterman — 4.78 & 4.75
Patrick Queen — 4.56 & 4.51
Chapelle Russell — 4.70 & 4.71
Isaiah Simmons — 4.39 & DNP
Justin Strnad — 4.74 & 4.79
Darrell Taylor — DNP
Davion Taylor — 4.53 & 4.50
Casey Toohill — 4.68 & 4.65
Josh Uche — DNP
Mykal Walker — 4.65 & 4.71
Curtis Weaver — DNP
Evan Weaver — 4.76 & 4.85
Logan Wilson — 4.63 & DNP
David Woodward — 4.83 & 4.80

Kenneth Murray pulled his hamstring during his second run and did not finish. Patrick Queen also pulled his hamstring after completing his second run.

Vertical jumps:

Dante Olson — 42
Willie Gay Jr — 39.5
Jacob Phillips — 39
Isaiah Simmons — 39
Casey Toohill — 39
Kenneth Murray — 38
Terrell Lewis — 37
Carter Coughlin — 36
Malik Harrison — 36
Cameron Brown — 35.5
Patrick Queen — 35
Chapelle Russell — 35
Davion Taylor — 35
Joe Bachie — 33.5
David Woodward — 33.5
Scoota Harris — 33
Khaleke Hudson — 33
Mykal Walker — 33
Zack Baun — 32.5
Curtis Weaver — 32.5

Broad jumps:

Willie Gay Jr — 11-4
Isaiah Simmons — 11
Kenneth Murray — 10-9
Davion Taylor — 10-7
Carter Coughlin — 10-6
Jacob Phillips — 10-6
Casey Toohill — 10-6
Patrick Queen — 10-5
Cale Garrett — 10-4
Terrell Lewis — 10-4
Dante Olson — 10-4
Cameron Brown — 10-3
Malik Harrison — 10-2
Mykal Walker — 10-2
Daniel Bituli — 10-1

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Who are the most explosive offensive linemen in the 2019 draft? And which running backs are the Seahawks likely to show interest in?

Let’s find out…

Is it an explosive offensive line class?

It is — but in terms of the number of explosive testers overall it’s identical to last year. The big difference is the way the top testers performed. Tristan Wirfs set an O-line record in the vertical and equalled the record in the broad jump. Of the eight best testers in weighted TEF since 2016, half are players from the 2020 draft class. It’s close but this is the most explosive offensive line group we’ve seen in recent years.

How and why do we test explosive traits?

In 2016 we created a formula called TEF (Trench Explosion Formula). For a full breakdown of what the formula is and why we use it, click here. Essentially, any prospect scoring 3.00 or higher is an explosive athlete.

Here’s the formula we use:

1. Vertical ÷ 31
2. Broad ÷ 9, then cube the result
3. Bench ÷ 27
4. Results added together = TEF

And here are the 2020 results:

Tristan Wirfs — 3.47
Hakeem Adeniji — 3.27
Cesar Ruiz — 3.25
Austin Jackson — 3.21
John Simpson — 3.20
Ezra Cleveland — 3.16
John Molchon — 3.09
Matt Peart — 3.08
Jack Driscoll — 2.98
Justin Herron — 2.98
Damien Lewis — 2.97
Isaiah Wilson — 2.96
Danny Pinter — 2.90
Matt Hennessy — 2.88
Joe Runyan — 2.85
Joshua Jones — 2.84
Terence Steele — 2.83
Alex Taylor — 2.82
Charlie Heck — 2.80
Andrew Thomas — 2.79
Tremayne Anchrum — 2.65
Jonah Jackson — 2.62
Cameron Clark — 2.59
Nick Harris — 2.56
Colt McKivitz — 2.52
Darryl Williams — 2.52
Kyle Murphy — 2.50
Cordel Iwuagwu — 2.46
Calvin Throckmorton — 2.45
Tyre Phillips — 2.26

How does this compare to the previous four drafts?

Players scoring a 3.00 or more:

2016 — 6
2017 — 3
2018 — 7
2019 — 8
2020 — 8

Players scoring at least a 2.85:

2016 — 9
2017 — 8
2018 — 8
2019 — 15
2020 — 15

Here’s the combined top-10 testers from 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 (in bold):

Iosua Opeta — 3.62
Jason Spriggs — 3.54
Braden Smith — 3.52
Tristan Wirfs — 3.47
Kolton Miller — 3.31
Connor McGovern: 3.29
Hakeem Adeniji — 3.27
Cesar Ruiz — 3.25
Forrest Lamp — 3.23
Phil Haynes — 3.22
Wyatt Teller — 3.22
Scott Quessenberry — 3.22
Austin Jackson — 3.21
John Simpson — 3.20
Chris Lindstrom — 3.18
Connor Williams — 3.18
Ezra Cleveland — 3.16
Garrett Bradbury — 3.15
Andre Dillard — 3.13
Nico Siragusa — 3.13
Alex Redmond — 3.10
John Molchon — 3.09
Matt Peart — 3.08
Quenton Nelson — 3.07
Joe Haeg — 3.06
Joe Dahl — 3.05
Erik McCoy — 3.05
Will Hernandez — 3.04
Joe Thuney — 3.04
Kaleb McGary — 3.02
Elgton Jenkins — 3.01
Garett Bolles — 3.00
Michael Jordan — 2.99
Jack Driscoll — 2.98
Justin Herron — 2.98
Halapoulivaati Vaitai: 2.97
Germain Ifedi — 2.97
Isaac Asiata — 2.96
Hjalte Froholdt — 2.95
Dorian Johnson — 2.92
Brandon Shell — 2.91
Antonio Garcia — 2.89
Sean Harlow — 2.87
Taylor Moton — 2.86
Colby Gossett — 2.86
Will Holden — 2.84
Ryan Kelly — 2.84
Ethan Pocic — 2.81
Toby Weathersby — 2.77
James Daniels — 2.76

The following players did not take part in one or more of the tests and therefore couldn’t be scored:

Mekhi Becton
Logan Stenberg
Netane Muti
Lloyd Cushenberry
Trey Adams
Tyler Biadasz
Ben Bredeson
Saahdiq Charles
Solomon Kindley
Shane Lemieux
Lucas Niang
Prince Tega Wanogho
Jedrick Wills

It’s very likely Jedrick Wills would’ve received a high TEF score. He jumped a 34.5 inch vertical and a 9-5 broad. Prince Tega Wanogho was also expected to jump a 32 inch vertical. A fair projection is that this class has at least 10 genuinely explosive offensive linemen — the most since we started using TEF.

As noted in our combine preview, TEF is not an attempt to determine who is a good or bad offensive linemen. It’s merely a calculation to judge explosive traits. And while that’s only one part of any evaluation — it’s still absolutely vital.

Two years ago, only seven offensive linemen scored an optimal 3.00 or higher in TEF. Of the seven, Quenton Nelson and Kolton Miller were both high first round picks. Braden Smith, Connor Williams and Will Hernandez were second round picks. In 2019, only eight players scored an optimal 3.00 or higher. This included Chris Lindstrom, Garrett Bradbury, Andre Dillard and Kaleb McGary (all drafted in round one). Erik McCoy and Elgton Jenkins were also top-50 picks.

It’s not a coincidence that the most explosive offensive linemen are being drafted early. The top performers this years will also probably receive a boost to their stock.

What about weighted TEF (wTEF)?

Jumping a vertical at 320lbs is considerably more challenging than jumping a vertical at 295lbs. We created a second formula to account for weight:

Weight x TEF x 0.1

We can give players a score that sufficiently emphasises their unique size.

Germain Ifedi — 324 x 2.97 x 0.1 = 96.1

wTEF scores for the 2020 draft class

Tristan Wirfs — 111.0
Isaiah Wilson — 103.6
Austin Jackson — 103.4
John Simpson — 102.7
Cesar Ruiz — 99.8
Hakeem Adeniji — 98.8
Ezra Cleveland — 98.3
Matt Peart — 98.0
Damien Lewis — 97.1
John Molchon — 95.5
Justin Herron — 91.8
Jack Driscoll — 91.2
Joshua Jones — 90.1
Danny Pinter — 88.7
Matt Hennessy — 88.4
Terence Steele — 88.3
Andrew Thomas — 87.9
Joe Runyan — 87.2
Charlie Heck — 87.1
Alex Taylor — 86.9
Tremayne Anchrum — 83.2
Jonah Jackson — 80.2
Cameron Clark — 79.8
Kyle Murphy — 79.0
Calvin Throckmorton — 77.7
Nick Harris — 77.3
Colt McKivitz — 77.1
Darryl Williams — 76.6
Cordel Iwuagwu — 76.0
Tyre Phillips — 75.0

How does this compare to previous years?

Here are the top-10 wTEF scores from 2016-2020 combined:

Tristan Wirfs — 111.0
Braden Smith — 110.9
Iousa Opeta — 109.0
Spriggs, Jason —- 104.9
Phil Haynes — 103.7
Isaiah Wilson — 103.6
Austin Jackson — 103.4
John Simpson — 102.7
Kolton Miller — 102.3
Scott Quessenberry — 101.4
McGovern, Conner —- 101.4
Cesar Ruiz — 99.8
Forrest Lamp —- 99.8
Nico Siragusa —- 99.8
Quenton Nelson — 99.8
Will Hernandez — 99.4
Hakeem Adeniji — 98.8
Andre Dillard — 98.6
Ezra Cleveland — 98.3
Matt Peart — 98.0
Chris Lindstrom — 97.9
Damien Lewis — 97.1
Teller Wyatt — 96.9
Garrett Bradbury — 96.4
Ifedi, Germain —- 96.1
Kaleb McGary — 95.7
Isaac Asiata —- 95.6
John Molchon — 95.5
Max Scharping — 94.8
Shell, Brandon —- 94.4
Connor Williams — 94.1
Vaitai, Halapoulivaati —- 93.8
Nembot, Stephane —- 93.6
Elgton Jenkins — 93.3
Michael Jordan — 93.3
Dahl, Joe —- 93.2
Joe Haeg —- 93.0
Erik McCoy — 92.4
Thuney, Joe —- 91.6
Robertson, Dominique —- 91.5
Taylor Moton —- 91.2
Colby Gossett — 90.1
Garett Bolles —- 89.1
Will Holden —- 88.3
Jessamen Dunker —- 88.0
Ben Braden —- 87.8
Toby Weathersby — 87.8
Dorian Johnson —- 87.6
Antonio Garcia —- 87.2
James Daniels — 84.45

What are the highlights?

— Tristan Wirfs is the best combination of size and explosive traits TEF has ever recorded. He defeats Braden Smith’s weighted TEF record from 2018 with a brilliant 111.0. Smith lasted until pick #37 because of his short arms (32 1/4 inches) and guard frame. Wirfs has no such issues and teams will love his incredible size, length and explosive traits. It’s very likely his floor will be the Jets at #11.

— Isaiah Wilson looked incredible at 350lbs and his 103.6 score should secure his place in round one. If you want a hulking, powerful, explosive right tackle — Wilson fits the bill. For the record, his score is virtually identical to Phil Haynes’ (103.7) and it dwarfs Germain Ifedi’s 96.1 (although Ifedi was a more fluid athlete and certainly performed a lot better in the mirror drill).

— Austin Jackson has increasingly been tipped to go in the top-20. We knew he was a great athlete but his 3.21 TEF score and 103.4 weighted TEF mark also show off his size and extreme explosive qualities.

— We’ve been talking about Cesar Ruiz as a first round pick for months. Today, he confirmed it. The tape made it pretty clear he was the most talented center in the draft. He ticked every box here. Great size, length and highly explosive testing (3.25). Ruiz is a stud who could go as early as Atlanta in round one — at #16 or after a small trade down. Think that’s too early? He just scored the same weighted TEF mark as Quenton Nelson and easily topped Chris Lindstrom’s score — (the #14 pick in last years draft).

— Clemson guard John Simpson could easily have secured a second round grade today with his scores of 3.20 and 102.7.

— Two other guards we’ve talked about a lot since the Senior Bowl also showed well. I thought Hakeem Adeniji looked really good in Mobile and he scored a 3.27 in TEF and a 98.8 in weighted TEF. He is a strong mid-round option for Seattle with experience at tackle and guard. Damien Lewis looks like a potential second rounder and a weighted TEF score of 97.1 could easily secure that type of grade. Matt Peart could provide a really nice mid-round tackle project for a team able to be patient.

— Ezra Cleveland registered the kind of score that could push him into round one. After running a 4.93 he managed an explosive 3.16 in TEF. That’s a superior score to Andre Dillard and in the same ballpark as Chris Lindstrom and Garrett Bradbury. All three went in round one a year ago. Cleveland also performed very well in the agility testing (more on that in a moment).

— On the slightly negative side of things, Andrew Thomas was a mediocre TEF tester at 2.79. Even weighted TEF didn’t promote him up the list too much (87.9). He showed well in the mirror and wave drills and clearly he’s athletic. Yet with Mekhi Becton wowing everyone with his size, Tristan Wirfs winning day two, Austin Jackson and Ezra Cleveland testing superbly and Jedrick Wills looking both explosive and agile — that projected fall might become a reality after all (even if he will still very likely go in the top-22).

— The other somewhat mediocre performance was Joshua Jones. He didn’t finish in the top-10 for TEF or weighted TEF in this class and he only ran a 5.27. Jones has felt like a media creation more than a legit first rounder and this was perhaps a reality check moment.

What else did we learn today?

Tristan Wirfs set the combine record for an offensive lineman in the vertical jump with his 36.5 inch attempt but he wasn’t alone. Jedrick Wills’ 34.5 inch jump was the fourth best in the last decade and Hakeem Adeniji’s and John Molchon’s 34 inch attempts were the sixth best.

Alex Taylor’s 9-8 broad jump was tied seventh best by an offensive lineman in the last decade (level with Eric Fisher). Hakeem Adeniji’s and Austin Jackson’s 9-7 jumps rank tied 10th.

Three-cone and short shuttle times

Agility testing is often touted as important for offensive linemen but it’s not something the Seahawks have focused on. For example, Germain Ifedi ran a 4.75 short shuttle and was taken in round one. Justin Britt ran a 4.69. Russell Okung ran a 4.80.

Several key players didn’t do the testing including Nick Harris, Hakeem Adeniji, Mekhi Becton, Joshua Jones and Damien Lewis. Jedrick Wills didn’t run a three cone and Austin Jackson didn’t do the short shuttle.

— Here are the top-15 three-cone times:

Ezra Cleveland — 7.26
Matt Hennessy — 7.45
Joe Runyan — 7.57
Andrew Thomas — 7.58
Tristan Wirfs — 7.65
Danny Pinter — 7.76
Alex Taylor — 7.77
Kyle Murphy — 7.81
Jonah Jackson — 7.83
John Molchon — 7.85
Colt McKivitz — 7.87
Darryl Williams — 7.88
Cesar Ruiz — 7.91
Austin Jackson — 7.95
Logan Stenberg — 8.00

Cleveland’s 7.26 three cone is the fifth fastest time in the last decade by an offensive lineman. It’s the only real positive though. Last year four players recorded a time in the 7.4’s. This year, there’s only Matt Hennessy.

— Here are the top-15 short shuttle times:

Ezra Cleveland — 4.46
Matt Hennessy –4.60
Danny Pinter — 4.62
Cesar Ruiz — 4.64
Keith Ismael — 4.65
Andrew Thomas — 4.66
Tristan Wirfs — 4.68
Kyle Murphy — 4.68
Joe Runyan — 4.69
John Molchon — 4.73
Darryl Williams — 4.76
Alex Taylor — 4.79
Logan Stenberg — 4.83
Jedrick Wills — 4.84
Charlie Heck — 4.86

Last year Andre Dillard ran a 4.40 but nobody else cracked the 4.4’s. However, nine players recorded a time in the 4.5’s. This is a disappointing set of 2020 short shuttle times. Cleveland’s 4.46 is the only real highlight and it just missed out on the top-10 for the last decade.

It’s safe to say that while this is a class rich in explosive traits — the agility is lacking.

Potential running back targets

The Seahawks have consistently drafted running backs with explosive athleticism and size during the Pete Carroll era. We explained in our combine preview the type of profile they look for (and there’s a clear trend).

Using this information, we highlighted the following players in 2016, 2017 and 2018 as potential targets:

2016:

C.J. Prosise — 6-0, 220lbs, 35.5 inch vert, 10-1 broad
Kenneth Dixon — 5-10, 215lbs, 37.5 inch vert, 10-8 broad

(They drafted Prosise)

2017:

Christopher Carson — 6-0, 218lbs, 37 inch vert, 10-10 broad
Brian Hill — 6-0, 219lbs, 34 inch vert, 10-5 broad
Alvin Kamara — 5-10, 214lbs, 39.5 inch vert, 10-11 broad
Joe Williams — 5-11, 210lbs, 35 inch vert, 10-5 broad

(They drafted Carson)

2018:

Saquon Barkley — 6-0, 233lbs, 41 inch vert DNP broad
Kerryon Johnson — 511, 213lbs 40 inch vert, 10-6 broad
Bo Scarborough — 6-0, 228lbs, 40 inch vert, 10-9 broad
Nick Chubb — 5-11, 227lbs, 38.5 inch vert, 10-8 broad
John Kelly — 5-10, 216lbs, 35 inch vert, 10-0 broad
Lavon Coleman — 5-10, 223lbs, 33 inch vert, 10-0 broad
Rashaad Penny — 5-11, 220lbs, 32.5 inch vert, 10-0 broad
Royce Freeman — 5-11, 229lbs, 34 inch vert, 9-10 broad

(They drafted Penny and signed Coleman, Scarborough)

Last year they didn’t draft a running back until round six which isn’t that surprising considering the prior first round investment in Penny and the strong belief they have in Carson. Travis Homer was selected more for his special teams value than his ability as a runner.

So who are the potential targets this year?

Jonathan Taylor — 5-10, 226lbs, 36 inch vert, 10-3 broad
Cam Akers — 5-10, 217lbs, 35.5 inch vert, 10-2 broad
Deejay Dallas — 5-10, 217lbs, 33.5 inch vert, 9-11 broad
AJ Dillon — 6-0, 247lbs, 41 inch vert, 10-11 broad
Zack Moss — 5-9, 223lbs, 33 inch vert, DNP broad
James Robinson — 5-9, 219lbs, 40 inch vert, 10-5 broad
Patrick Taylor — 6-0, 217lbs, 34 inch vert, 10-3 broad

I’ve included both Moss and Robinson despite the fact the Seahawks generally target runners between 5-10 and 6-0 in height. They’re both 5-9 but well sized. Seattle hasn’t drafted a back as big as AJ Dillon in the Carroll era but Dillon’s vertical, broad jump and playing style are worthy of inclusion.

The two names at the top stand out. Jonathan Taylor is every bit a Seahawks running back. He has prototype size and an explosive testing profile. The fact he also ran a 4.39 is a mere bonus. Cam Akers also performed right in their preferred range for size and explosive traits.

Taylor’s time is not a surprise. He ran a 4.42 at SPARQ and here he ran a 4.39. In our combine preview we predicted a time in the 4.3’s. He interviewed with the Seahawks this week and practically announced his man-crush for Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson on PFT. With his size, explosive testing and forty — if the Seahawks want him it’ll probably need to be with their first pick.

Akers provides a potential alternative in the middle rounds. The opportunity to consider Taylor really comes down to what they get done in free agency. If questions are answered on the O-line and D-line, they’ll be in a better position to take what could be deemed a luxury pick (although Rashaad Penny’s injury and Chris Carson’s contract makes adding a running back more likely than it otherwise would be).

Last year I vowed to never ignore an obvious ‘Seahawk’ again. I assumed, wrongly, that with only four draft picks and having re-signed K.J. Wright and Mychal Kendricks — the Seahawks wouldn’t draft a linebacker. Yet Cody Barton and Ben Burr-Kirven fit exactly what they look for in terms of physical profile at the linebacker position (the short shuttle is key). I should’ve spotted that and made a mistake.

Jonathan Taylor is a Seahawk. His character, running style and physical profile tick every box. Hunter Bryant, who tested yesterday, could also be considered a ‘Seahawk’. He too has an ideal personality and attitude and he tested in the exact range they target TE’s in the short short shuttle and three cone. There are other names that I could mention too (we’ll run through those after the combine).

Going back to Taylor, he’s someone we need to take seriously as a potential target. That doesn’t mean they’ll use the #27 pick on him. After this workout, he might not make it that far. Yet he’s a player to keep an open mind about — even if they have other far greater needs currently.

I’m surprised Clyde Edwards-Helaire could only manage a 4.61. He ran a 4.47 at SPARQ. However, his 39.5 inch vertical and sensational playing style, production and ball security continue to warrant praise. He might not go as early as I was initially projecting but he still ran a faster time than Mark Ingram who was a late first round pick. I still think he’s one of the top players in this class.

It’s also worth noting what Mike Mayock said during today’s TV coverage. He was willing Josh Jacobs to run a slow forty time a year ago so he would last to the Raiders at #24. He ran in the 4.6’s. Mayock didn’t care — he was taking him whatever he ran. Explosive traits and playing style are more important than speed at running back. Edwards-Helaire has the traits and the playing style.

Sum up Friday at the combine…

— In terms of pure numbers, the 2020 O-line class doesn’t have a lot more superior testers than a year ago. What is impressive is the way certain O-liners performed — especially those with massive size. Wirfs, Wills, Becton, Jackson, Wilson, Simpson, Ruiz. Expect this group to be off the board quickly.

— The big question now is — who will be left who is a realistic option for the Seahawks if they want to go O-line at #27? Forget Wirfs, Wills, Becton and Jackson. I’ve had Cesar Ruiz in the top-20 for a long time and I think it’s fairly certain he will be gone by the time they pick. Andrew Thomas, despite a mixed combine, possibly won’t be there. I think it really comes down to Isaiah Wilson and Ezra Cleveland. And with Minnesota at #25 and Miami at #26 — it’s not a lock they’ll make it through to Seattle. The league is hungry for offensive linemen with upside.

— Every year we always put the defensive line class through TEF to compare how explosive both groups are. And every year, the D-liners come out way on top. Let’s see what happens tomorrow. It’s a thinner D-line class than previous years. There might not be a Tristan Wirfs-level tester but I still think there will be far more explosive defenders.

— I thought the running back class would test better than this and make more headlines. Instead, it’s really been left up to Jonathan Taylor. His performance was outstanding. The rest? Not so much. How early could Taylor go after this? It’s hard to ignore his size, speed, traits and character — even if the running back position is devalued in the draft these days.

— In the running back drills, D’Andre Swift looked excellent. His footwork, quickness and burst were impressive. Although Nick Harris didn’t have an explosive workout, I also thought he performed well during drills today. He was the standout performer in the mirror drill among interior linemen. Jedrick Wills had the best rep by the tackles.

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Feel free to use this as an open thread. I will post forty yard dash times here and any other testing numbers. At the end of the day I will post a comprehensive review including 2020 TEF and weighted TEF scores — plus we’ll list the running backs who ‘fit’ Seattle’s profile.

If you want a refresher on what to look out for at each position check out our massive combine preview.

Forty times

O-line

(10-yard splits are in brackets)

Group 1

Trey Adams — 5.60 (1.89) & 5.62 (1.92)
Hakeem Adeniji — 5.23 (1.81) & 5.17 (1.78)
Tremayne Anchrum — 5.22 (1.85) & 5.27 (1.88)
Ben Bartch — DNP
Mekhi Becton — 5.11 (1.80) & 5.13 (1.77)
Tyler Biadasz — DNP
Ben Bredeson — DNP
Cohl Cabral — DNP
Saahdiq Charles — 5.06 (1.87) & 5.36 (1.90)
Cameron Clark — 5.29 (1.85) & 5.32 (1.81)
Ezra Cleveland — 4.94 (1.74) & 4.94 (1.73)
Trystan Colon-Castillo — DNP
Lloyd Cushenberry — 5.28 (1.82) & DNF
Jack Driscoll — 5.02 (1.75) & 5.03 (1.74)
Yasir Durant — 5.53 (1.95) & 5.63 (1.97)
Jake Hanson — 5.51 (1.95) & DNP
Nick Harris — 5.10 (1.76) & 5.17 (1.82)
Charlie Heck — 5.19 (1.81) & 5.16 (1.80)
Matt Hennessy — 5.23 (1.86) & 5.19 (1.80)

Mekhi Becton running an official 5.10 with a 1.77 split will secure his place in the first eleven picks of the draft. The most impressive thing is how he’s carrying minimal bad weight on his gigantic frame. However, he then complained about ‘tightness’ after running the wave drill and called it a day. I wonder if he got a call from his agent?

Lloyd Cushenberry pulled his hamstring and didn’t complete his second forty run. He’s out for the rest of the day (so no TEF score for Becton or Cushenberry).

Ezra Cleveland’s official 40 times was a 4.93. Nick Harris ran a 5.10 and Matt Hennessy a 5.18.

Apparently the sled drills were so bad with the tight ends yesterday, they’ve got rid of them.

Mike Solari, as usual, was front and centre leading the O-line drills:

Nick Harris looks excellent in drills. His wave and long pull looked fluid. His ability to change direction, avoid clicking his heels and retain balance is impressive. Shaun O’Hara is raving about him in the broadcast. His mirror drill is one of the best I’ve seen from an interior lineman. Seriously. Quick, sharp changes of direction. Complete balance. The ability to transfer his weight onto both feet and shift back. Harris is having a superb workout.

Matt Hennessy also looked as smooth as silk in the mirror, wave and screen drill. Hakeem Adeniji had the strongest strike on the bags and Ezra Cleveland did well in the modified mirror drill.

Group 2

Tristan Wirfs is the fourth most explosive TEF tester I’ve recorded. I’ll publish the full results later. He just set a combine O-line record for the vertical jump (36.5 inches) and equalled Kolton Miller’s 10-1 broad. He then ran a 4.86. Like Becton, he has secured his place in the top-11.

Justin Herron — 5.26 (1.88) & 5.31 (1.88)
Robert Hunt — DNP
Keith Ismael — 5.35 (1.81) & 5.43 (1.88)
Cordel Iwuagwu — 5.23 (1.80) & 5.34 (1.89)
Austin Jackson — 5.07 (1.73) & 5.12 (1.73)
Jonah Jackson — 5.23 (1.84) & 5.29 (1.86)
Joshua Jones — 5.28 (1.81) & 5.33 (1.84)
Solomon Kindley — DNP
Shane Lemieux — 5.14 (1.83) & 5.11 (1.84)
Damien Lewis — 5.24 (1.85) & 5.24 (1.83)
Colt McKivitz — 5.35 (1.80) & 5.37 (1.82)
John Molchon — 5.13 (1.80) & 5.19 (1.82)
Kyle Murphy — 5.30 (1.86) & 5.35 (1.86)
Netane Muti — DNP
Lucas Niang — DNP
Mike Onwenu — DNP
Matt Peart — 5.01 (1.77) & 5.07 (1.75)
Tyre Phillips — 5.54 (1.96) & 5.38 (1.84)
Danny Pinter — 4.91 (1.73) & 4.94 (1.74)
Cesar Ruiz — 5.08 (1.77) & 5.13 (1.78)
Joe Runyan — 5.08 (1.79) & 5.13 (1.81)
John Simpson — 5.24 (1.81) & 5.35 (1.88)
Terence Steele — 5.03 (1.74) & 5.14 (1.77)
Logan Stenberg — 5.35 (1.86) & 5.31 (1.86)
Simon Stepaniak — DNP
Alex Taylor — 5.10 (1.79) & 5.10 (1.80)
Andrew Thomas — 5.22 (1.83) & 5.23 (1.85)
Calvin Throckmorton — 5.62 (1.95) & 5.58 (1.96)
Prince Tega Wanogho — DNP
Darryl Williams — 5.28 (1.82) & 5.24 (1.80)
Jedrick Wills — 5.09 (1.83) & 5.05 (1.81)
Isaiah Wilson — 5.33 (1.79) & 5.47 (1.87)
Tristan Wirfs — 4.86 (1.69) & 4.88 (1.72)

Cesar Ruiz and Andrew Thomas looked superb in the wave drill. Thomas had a terrific mirror too but Jedrick Wills was the best performer.

Running backs

Saivon Ahmed — 4.63 & 4.67
Cam Akers — 4.47 & 4.53
Jet Anderson — 4.69 & 4.61
LeVante Bellamy — 4.51 & DNP
Eno Benjamin — 4.57 & 4.61
Raymond Calais — 4.42 & 4.43
DeeJay Dallas — 4.64 & 4.58
AJ Dillon — 4.53 & 4.57
JK Dobbins — DNP
Rico Dowdle — 4.56 & 4.54
Clyde Edwards-Helaire — 4.61 & 4.62
Darrynton Evans — 4.42 & 4.52
JaMycal Hasty — 4.58 & 4.56
Brian Herrien — 4.62 & 4.66
Tony Jones — 4.70 & 4.69
Joshua Kelley — 4.50 & 4.56
Javon Leake — 4.65 & 4.75
Benny LeMay — 4.85 & 4.80
Anthony McFarland — 4.45 & 4.51
Zack Moss — 4.72 & 4.70
Sewo Olonilua — 4.69 & 4.67
La’Mical Perine — 4.65 & 4.62
Scottie Phillips — 4.59 & 4.56
James Robinson — 4.64 & 4.68
D’Andre Swift — 4.49 & 4.48
JJ Taylor — 4.62 & 4.66
Jonathan Taylor — 4.41 & 4.42
Patrick Taylor — 4.57 & 4.69
Ke’Shawn Vaughn — 4.52 & 4.52
Mike Warren — DNP

I’m surprised Clyde Edwards-Helaire could only manage a 4.61. He ran a 4.47 at SPARQ. However — Jonathan Taylor’s time is not a surprise. He ran a 4.42 at SPARQ and here he ran a 4.41. He interviewed with the Seahawks and practically announced his man-crush for Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson. With his size, explosive testing and forty — if the Seahawks want him it’ll need to be their first pick.

The explosive testing numbers are in (the vital numbers at running back):

Vertical:

AJ Dillon — 41
James Robinson — 40
LeVante Bellamy — 39.5
Clde Edwards-Helaire — 39.5
Eno Benjamin — 39
JaMycal Hasty — 39
Brian Herrien — 38.5
Rico Dowdle — 38
Raymond Calais — 37.5
Jonathan Taylor — 36
Cam Akers — 35.5
D’Andre Swift — 35.5
Zack Moss — 33
Joshua Kelley — 31
Anthony McFarland — 29.5

Broad:

AJ Dillon — 10-11
Clyde Edwards-Helaire — 10-3
Jonathan Taylor — 10-3
Cam Akers — 10-2
Eno Benjamin — 10-2

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Four potential tight end targets emerge

As noted in our big combine preview, the Seahawks pay a lot of attention to agility testing at tight end. The short shuttle and three cone results of the past can help us identify potential TE targets in the 2020 class.

Obviously there’s a lot more that goes into a projection than simply agility testing. Performance, character, playing style — there are multiple strands.

However — we’re a decade into the Carroll/Schneider era and certain trends have emerged at positions like tight end.

Here are the players they’ve drafted or added since 2010, with their short shuttle (ss) and three cone (3c) times:

Luke Willson — 4.29 (ss), 7.08 (3c)
Will Dissly — 4.40 (ss), 7.07 (3c)
Nick Vannett — 4.20 (ss), 7.05 (3c)
Anthony McCoy — 4.57 (ss), 6.99 (3c)
Zach Miller — 4.42 (ss), 7.01 (3c)
Jimmy Graham — 4.45 (ss), 6.90 (3c)
Greg Olsen — 4.48 (ss), 7.04 (3c)

Everyone apart from Anthony McCoy has run a 4.4 or faster short shuttle. Every single player has run a sub-7.10 three cone.

Using this information, we can predict four potential Seahawks targets based on today’s combine testing:

Adam Trautman — 4.27 (ss), 6.78 (3c)
Charlie Taumoepeau — 4.27 (ss), 7.00 (3c)
Dalton Keene — 4.19 (ss), 7.07 (3c)
Hunter Bryant — 4.46 (ss), 7.08 (3c)

Trautman’s 6.78 three cone is the fourth fastest by a tight end in the last 10 years. Keene’s 4.19 short shuttle is the 11th fastest in the last decade.

Last year only Noah Fant (6.81), TJ Hockenson (7.02) and Kaden Smith (7.08) ran a sub-7.10. Hockenson ran a 4.18 short shuttle and Fant a 4.22. They were both top-20 picks. Smith ran a 4.47 was drafted by San Francisco in round six but he did run a 4.92 forty.

It’s perhaps more likely than not — following the addition of Greg Olsen — that the Seahawks won’t draft a tight end this year. If they do take one there’s a reasonable chance it’ll be one of the four names above.

It’s also worth noting that the Seahawks were paying attention to Hunter Bryant’s forty (note Pete Carroll’s point). They also, seemingly, have some fancy new technology…

Pete Carroll and John Schneider at the combine (with an exciting new tablet apparently) #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/Fma6Jibb6m

— Rob Staton (@robstaton) February 27, 2020

The other highlights were Albert Okwuegbunam’s blazing 4.49 at nearly nearly 6-6 and 258lbs. He didn’t compete in the short shuttle or three cone, however.

Cole Kmet looks the part and was particularly smooth running routes and catching the football. Kmet ran the second slowest three cone (7.44) though with only LSU’s Stephen Sullivan running a slower time (7.51). For what it’s worth, Sullivan also ran the slowest short shuttle (4.62).

A mixed bag from the receivers

This has long been considered a receiver draft — with multiple possible first round picks. The combine was supposed to be the moment this was confirmed. Yet overall there were positives and negatives.

Denzel Mims was possibly the biggest winner. He was extremely impressive at the Senior Bowl and flashed a ‘pissed off for greatness’ attitude during TV interviews. Today he ran a 4.39 at 6-3 and 207lbs and jumped a 38.5 inch vertical and a 10-11 broad. Unlike D.K. Metcalf a year ago, he also excelled in the three cone — running the fastest time at 6.66 — a full 0.34 faster than second placed Juwan Johnson (6.94).

Mims has 34 inch arms too and an excellent catching radius. His speciality is an ability to win contested catches but with 4.39 speed he has major upside. He will likely overtake a number of other players after this.

Chase Claypool had a superb overall workout — running a 4.42 and jumping a 40.5 inch vertical at 6-4 and 238lbs. There’s been talk of a conversion to tight end but it so rarely works out. Claypool proved today he has the speed to stick at receiver. Notre Dame teammate Miles Boykin jumped into round three after an excellent combine a year ago and Claypool should also see a nice rise after today.

Henry Ruggs was always expected to run in the 4.2’s so his 4.27 forty wasn’t a surprise. He hurt a quad running though and didn’t do anything other than a forty. It’ll be a surprise if he’s not the first or second receiver off the board. He might be in a direct competition with Alabama teammate Jerry Jeudy (who could appeal to teams with young QB’s due to his consistency and route running). Ruggs’ floor is probably Denver at #15.

Jalen Reagor was projected to run faster than a 4.47 but it’s still a perfectly decent time for a player with his explosive traits (42 inch vertical, 11-6 broad). He also looked very natural catching the football during drills — including making one really awkward low grab on a wayward Shea Patterson throw. He also had a superb high-pointed catch on a fade drill.

Brandon Aiyuk ran a slower-than-expected 4.50. It’s not a disaster with his explosive testing (40 inch vertical, 10-8 broad) and enormous catching radius (33.5 inch arms, 80 inch wingspan). Expect both to remain in the first round mix — albeit perhaps not quite as early as recently projected.

Jerry Jeudy (4.45) and Ceedee Lamb (4.50) ran decent but not great times. In the fade route drills they both had the coaches hollering for the way they used footwork to get open then high-pointed the ball. Lamb’s effort in particular was a highlight reel moment.

Donovan Peoples-Jones missed out on equalling the combine receiver record for a vertical jump by half an inch. He also ran a decent 4.48.

Laviska Shenault ran a 4.59. He lined up wearing a baggy T-shirt, ran a poor time then didn’t take his second attempt and called it a day. If it’s an injury — he has too many. Either way, a poor showing that unfortunately wasn’t that unpredictable.

Tee Higgins opted not to do anything, citing he was ‘resting’. A few teams might decide to ‘rest’ Higgins from their draft boards. KJ Hamler didn’t work out either because he’s nursing a hamstring injury.

From the Seahawks perspective, Pete Carroll has only drafted three receivers who haven’t run a 4.4 forty or faster (Kenny Lawler 4.64, Chris Harper 4.50, John Ursua 4.56). Paul Richardson (4.40), Golden Tate (4.42), Tyler Lockett (4.40), Kris Durham (4.46), Kevin Norwood (4.48), Amara Darboh (4.45), David Moore (4.42) and D.K. Metcalf (4.33) all cracked the 4.4’s.

Plenty of players ran a 4.4 but it just didn’t feel like the group sparkled as much as expected. It’s possible expectations had reached an unrealistic level.

Instead of feeling like there might be a ‘must draft’ prospect in the top-45, this now feels like a situation where the Seahawks might be best served using the depth of the receiver class to their advantage and finding a player they like later on.

There were 20 receivers who ran an official 4.4 forty:

Henry Ruggs — 4.27
Quez Watkins — 4.35
Denzel Mims — 4.38
Darnell Mooney — 4.38
Devin Duvernay — 4.39
Antonio Gibson — 4.39
Chase Claypool — 4.42
John Hightower — 4.43
Justin Jefferson — 4.43
Isaiah Coulter — 4.45
Jerry Jeudy — 4.45
Jeff Thomas — 4.45
Tyrie Cleveland — 4.46
Freddie Swain — 4.46
Stephen Guidry — 4.47
Jalen Reagor — 4.47
Joe Reed — 4.47
KJ Osborn — 4.48
Dezmon Patmon — 4.48
Donovan Peoples-Jones — 4.48

Brandon Aiyuk (4.50), Ceedee Lamb (4.50), Trishton Jackson (4.50) and Michael Pittman Jr (4.52) just missed out.

A year ago there were 18 4.4 runners or faster. So it’s a similar amount.

KJ Hamler and Bryan Edwards didn’t test and could easily be on Seattle’s radar. That’s something to keep in mind moving forward.

Of the quarterback performances there were no big shocks. Justin Herbert and Jacob Eason both have strong arms and threw the deep ball as well as expected. Of the others in the group, Jalen Hurts showed off a stronger-than-expected arm and can be very pleased with his performance. Steven Montez has natural arm talent and this was an ideal environment for him to show off his quality. He looked great. I thought Jordan Love’s accuracy was hit and miss at the start but he threw some beautiful deep passes late in the session.

Previewing tomorrow

On Friday the offensive linemen and running backs will perform drills. As we’ve done for the last four years, we’ll run the O-liners through our TEF (and weighted TEF) formula to determine who are the most explosive players in the class.

The formula is explained in full here.

Unfortunately the following key names didn’t do the bench press so we won’t be able to give them a score:

Logan Stenberg
Trey Adams
Tyler Biadasz
Ben Bredeson
Saahdiq Charles
Solomon Kindley
Shane Lemieux
Lucas Niang
Prince Tega Wanogho
Jedrick Wills

There were some positive reps from those who did compete. John Simpson (34), Ezra Cleveland (30), Jonah Jackson (28), Cesar Ruiz (28), Austin Jackson (27) and Damien Lewis (27) all managed an optimal explosive score (27 reps).

Several players weren’t far behind and also had impressive tallies considering their long arms — including Isaiah Wilson (26), Matt Peart (26), Hakeem Adeniji (26) and Lloyd Cushenberry (25).

It should be a highly explosive showing from the running backs. J.K. Dobbins has said he’s struggling with a sore hamstring and might not workout. However, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Cam Akers, Jonathan Taylor and A.J. Dillon are capable of a big performance.

Missing players

It feels like a larger than normal number of big name players are not working out at the combine this year. Some are legit. Tua Tagovailoa for example. Yet a strong quota of LSU players are not performing (Thaddeus Moss, K’Lavon Chaisson, Grant Delpit, Joe Burrow). Chase Young won’t do any drills. Tee Higgins is having his ‘rest’. Price Tega Wanogho and Terrell Lewis aren’t healthy enough to work out and Yetur Gross-Matos is a doubt too.

Pete Carroll reveals free agency plan

Speaking to John Clayton on 710 ESPN, Carroll made some interesting remarks when quizzed about the plan for free agency. Unsurprisingly he confirmed that improving the pass rush was a focal point. He spoke very specifically about the need to find a premier pass rusher to fill the LEO spot. Carroll also noted they’d zoned in on half a dozen free agency targets to add to the D-line.

You can hear the interview in full here.

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