I’m going to guess what’s going on here. You decide if you think this is fair (and whether you agree with the conclusion).

I think the Seahawks have a number in mind for Frank Clark. The offer isn’t as high as he would like.

It’s possible (but who really knows?) that the rumoured ‘interest’ from other teams (including Buffalo) was an attempt through the media to just let the player know what a possible alternative looked like.

(And if the Bills weren’t interested, or felt they were being used in negotiations, it makes sense for them to end the rumour immediately as they did).

In turn, we now see this tweet emerge coincidentally during the NFL Network’s ‘pre-free agency’ show…

On #Seahawks pass-rusher Frank Clark: He won’t be signing his franchise tag or showing up to training camp unless the Seahawks give him the deal that he has earned, I’m told. If they don’t, they’ll only have him for another 16 games… when other top FAs are up, too.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2019

This, to me, looks like the counter. Seattle’s leverage is a possible trade. Clark’s leverage is he can walk in a year.

Another negotiation being played out in the media.

What does it all likely mean? Talks aren’t close on a new deal, essentially. And while the Seahawks clearly don’t want to lose Clark —- they can ill afford another player to leave the club without compensation.

It makes sense to see what’s out there. Possibly nothing appealing. For every Amari Cooper and Khalil Mack trade, there’s a lukewarm market for Earl Thomas or Antonio Brown. Trade value is difficult to project.

With four key players all reaching free agency in 2020 (Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, Jarran Reed and Clark), there’s a reason why the tweet above doesn’t even reference a second tag. It’ll very likely belong to Russell Wilson.

This is why this is such a challenging off-season. And it’s why some difficult decisions need to be made.

Nobody wants to see Clark traded. But how much do you want to see him leave in free agency next year?

Are the Bills interested in trading for Frank Clark? According to Jay Glazer they are (and they might not be the only team).

Well, Dan Morgan worked in Seattle and is close to John Schneider. There’s interest around Frank Clark from them and others RT @swailes_robert: @JayGlazer Now there are three guys I’d be happy for the Bills to go after.

— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) March 8, 2019

It seems unlikely that the Seahawks would be willing to trade Clark. Pete Carroll has said multiple times, quite firmly, that Clark will be with the team next year. Situations can change, of course. Yet Clark has developed into an integral part of the roster. He’s one of their blue chip players. He’s also clearly committed to Seattle considering he’s spent the last few days pitching to free agents like Landon Collins and Kwon Alexander on Twitter.

According to Jason La Canfora there’s nothing in the Clark/Bills link.

It’s also possible this rumour is in part an attempt to flush out Clark’s representatives. Don’t want to get serious about a deal? We’ll move you, possibly to the team Antonio Brown didn’t want to go to. It’s that time of the year where a lot of bidding is done via the media.

A trade probably isn’t going to happen. The Bills, or anyone else, would have to offer an attractive deal and be willing to pay Clark a mega-contract. The Seahawks if they were to lose Clark would create a major hole on their roster. They’d also be losing a player in his prime (he doesn’t even turn 26 until June).

Still, the point of this blog is to consider situations. What you’re about to read is a great big slice of shameless rosterbation.

What kind of a deal would potentially make sense for both the Bills and Seahawks?

Firstly, any trade isn’t going to be worth more than the cumulative value of the #9 overall pick and Buffalo’s 2020 first round pick. That’s what the Bills would have to pay if they signed Clark to an offer sheet under the non-exclusive franchise tag.

That’s the absolute maximum price. The Bills will be looking for a cheaper trade.

Remember, the idea here is to find something that might work for both teams. So here’s what I think might appeal:

Buffalo trades: #9 (R1), #40 (R2), #75 (R3), #113 (R4)

Seattle trades: Frank Clark, #21 (R1)

Why this might work for the Seahawks
Instead of having four 2019 picks they have seven. They fill out their board and also acquire a rare top-10 pick. While they’d have to replace Clark, they’d suddenly have an extra $17m in cap space to do so (plus plenty of ammunition in the draft). This would also solve one of the potential 2020 problems with Clark, Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner and Jarran Reed all set to be out of contract.

They could spend their top pick on Ed Oliver to replace some of the rare athletic dynamism missing in Clark’s absence. They might even be able to trade down from #9 to get Oliver. With the free cap space they could target Anthony Barr or one of the other EDGE rushers. They could even add a couple of free agent pass rushers.

You’d also have an excellent haul of picks in rounds 2-5 to make the most of the great depth within this draft class.

A final point — unless they do a long term deal with Clark he can leave for free in 12 months time.

Why this might work for the Bills
Buffalo needs a pass rusher but they also need to help support Josh Allen. Trading from #9 to #21 still enables them to target a receiver or offensive linemen in round one. They could also choose to try and replenish some of their lost stock by trading down. So while they’re taking a significant hit (losing #40 and trading out of the top-10), they’re not completely blowing their 2019 draft for Clark.

Furthermore, the Bills currently have two fourth round picks and two fifth round picks. So trading some of their mid-round stock is less of a problem. From this deal they’d acquire Clark (and have to pay him handsomely) but they’d still have #21 (R1), #132 (R4), #148 (R5) and #159 (R5).

People will want to fleece the Bills in any potential deal. That isn’t realistic. And while you might only make a trade if it’s massively weighted in Seattle’s favour, trades generally happen when there’s a legit reason for both clubs to make a move.

I have no idea whether both parties would be interested in a deal like the one suggested above. I’m not saying that I would necessarily make this move either.

But if the Seahawks are at a point where they think an extension with Clark is unlikely, they have to assess their options. This trade would free up cap room, fill out their draft board, present them with an opportunity to get one of the stud defensive linemen in this draft and solve part of the four-pronged 2020 contract problem.

Look at it this way:

— Seattle loses Frank Clark

— Seattle gains a top rookie D-liner (Ed Oliver?) and has the cap space to sign one or two free agent pass rushers (Anthony Barr?)

— Seattle goes from four picks to seven in the 2019 draft, with a prime opportunity to acquire more, and capitalise on a deep draft class

— Seattle eases the pressure on needing to sign four key free agents before the end of the 2019 season

Food for thought.

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If you missed yesterday’s two-round mock draft plus a Seahawks seven-round projection, click here.

Will Grier had the strongest arm at the combine

This is cool. Got QB ball speed numbers at the Combine. WV’s Will Grier had the strongest arm with a 59 score (tied w Boise's Brett Rypien). Other top QBs: MSU’s Nick Fitzgerald & NC State’s Ryan Finley at 57; BUF’s Tyree Jackson, Mizzou’s Drew Lock & Duke’s Daniel Jones at 54.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2019

This is interesting. Grier’s arm strength has been a point of contention during his college career. He has some mechanical flaws that impact his velocity. When he gets it right, however, he’s an extremely capable deep-ball thrower.

I still believe Grier could be a target for the Seahawks.

At the end of the 2018 season PFF published a piece called ‘best at everything’. It was a breakdown of every position or unit and named a player that succeeded in a certain aspect of play (eg best player to run a hitch route, best swim move, best box safety).

Grier was ranked #1 for throwing the go-route:

No college quarterback throws a better go route than Grier, a trend that has continued from a season ago. He leads the nation with 1,207 yards and 24 big-time throws on go routes, doing so without throwing a turnover-worthy pass. In total, he’s completed 35 of 68 go routes for 17 touchdowns, averaging a hefty 24.2 yards downfield per target, routinely leading his receivers so well that they’ve gained 32.8 percent of his passing yards after the catch.

He was also named the best quarterback at handling a defensive blitz:

Grier has read and diagnosed blitzes this year better than any other quarterback. When the defense sends extra rushers, he’s completed 85 of 124 passes for 1,303 yards and a remarkable 22 touchdowns against no interceptions. His 14 big-time throws against the blitz lead the country, as do his touchdowns — as he’s been able to find soft spots and holes in coverages despite extra blitzing defenders coming at him.

Those are two positives right off the bat.

In 2018 Grier ranked #1 among Senior Bowl quarterbacks for yards per completion (14.53 YPC). Kyler Murray was the top ranked quarterback overall (16.77 YPC). In comparison, Dwayne Haskins was only the 32nd ranked quarterback for YPC (12.95).

PFF also ranked him 13th among the 101 best players in college football last season, noting:

Grier was once again tremendous for the Mountaineers in 2018, finishing the year as the nation’s third-highest graded quarterback. He let it rip with the best of them, sprinkling in deep shots with great accuracy just as quick as he’d hit a crosser over the middle or perfectly lead his targets away from coverage with relative ease. In total, he averaged the fourth-highest yards per attempt at 9.7 while throwing more deep pass touchdowns than any other FBS QB with 20. He goes down as arguably the best deep-ball thrower over the past two seasons as he’s thrown for more yards (2,850), more touchdowns (36) and more big-time throws (54) on passes targeted at least 20 yards downfield than any other quarterback since 2017.

Here’s another article by PFF on Grier’s ‘deep passing prowess’.

Then there’s this — a study from FiveThirtyEight. They use something called ‘the quarterback prospect model’. It’s explained in detail in the article.

The test basically uses factors like completion percentage to project success probability at the next level. Russell Wilson topped the chart with a 99% success probability. The appearance of Johnny Manziel and Kellen Moore near the top challenges the usefulness of the chart. However, it’s interesting that Kyler Murray and Will Grier are ranked #1 and #2 as the quarterbacks in this draft class with the highest probability of success based on their formula.

The Seahawks have a big challenge ahead with Russell Wilson’s future. A contract saga is developing. Hopefully it comes to a conclusion where Seattle and Wilson agree terms on a long term deal. Here’s a reminder though on how tricky this situation is:

— Wilson can earn a fortune playing on multiple franchise tags like Kirk Cousins and direct a path to free agency in the future

— The Seahawks can realistically tag Wilson until 2021 but after that, the cost would be so high they’d either need a deal or they’d be forced to let Wilson become a free agent

— That means they have a two-year window to get a deal done and/or prepare for the worst case scenario of losing Wilson

Preparation has to start now one way or another. And they will prepare. That doesn’t mean you force the issue and draft any old quarterback. I keep presenting Grier as an option for all the reasons listed above. There are things about his game that the Seahawks will probably like. And while it’s far from a likelihood that they’ll draft him early — nobody should be surprised in April if it actually happens.

This wouldn’t be about replacing Wilson. It’s about insurance in your future. It’s an investment. Quarterbacks rarely lose value if they show even a modicum of talent. I don’t want to keep repeating this but the worst case scenario is you end up with a cheap backup for a few years (something they’ve needed). The best case scenario is you protect yourself against the nightmare of not being able to get an extension with Wilson. Sadly, that’s a possibility even if it’s a horrible thought.

Possible free agent targets

Twitter is awash with calls to pay Landon Collins what they wouldn’t pay Earl Thomas.

In reality the Seahawks are much more likely to have a modest free agency period with limited cap space ($33.3m) and an intense need to keep their own players (including Russell Wilson, Frank Clark, Bobby Wagner and Jarran Reed).

So here’s my best guess on who they might target and prioritise…

Priority #1 — J.R. Sweezy and D.J. Fluker
Pete Carroll stated clearly at the combine that it was a priority to keep the offensive line together. He also confirmed several times during the season that he wanted to retain Sweezy and Fluker, even telling me in London they were part of the “new core”. This is a situation where it just seems likely to get done. The team want to make it happen, Sweezy and Fluker want to make it happen and their value is stronger to the Seahawks than it would be anywhere else.

Priority #2 — Mychal Kendricks
Kendricks has long been an underrated linebacker and his value showed in his handful of appearances for the Seahawks last season. Seattle’s willingness to pay and play him amid his legal trouble probably bought respect from the player. Assuming he avoids jail, an extension should be a formality. With K.J. Wright likely to get big money elsewhere, this would be a vital signing for the Seahawks.

Brandon Marshall
The Seahawks need a plan at linebacker. If they have to wait on Kendricks, they could sign a hedge. Marshall is well sized at 6-1 and 242lbs with 34 inch arms. He’d replace some of the size and length provided by Wright. He also ran a 4.09 short shuttle at his combine and the Seahawks appear to value that test at the linebacker position. After a down year in Denver, Marshall could be had at a value price.

Jermaine Kearse
The Seahawks only have 47 contracted players in 2019 (the third lowest number in the league). They need to add competition at certain positions and pad things out. Bringing Kearse back enables you to hedge against the receiver position in the draft. He also has familiarity with the quarterback and could compete with several others to make the roster.

Anthony Barr
I just have a feeling that if there’s one player they might be willing to pay a bit of money for it could be Barr. He’s at a good age (26) and is the kind of athlete they really like. He ran well in the three cone (6.82) and short shuttle (4.12) at his combine. He ran a 1.56 10-yard split at his pro-day. If he gets offers in the +$15m range this isn’t going to happen. In the $10-12m range, maybe there’s a chance. It depends on his market. He played linebacker at Minnesota but teams might take a shot on him as a pass rusher. Seattle could look at him both ways. Barr feels like the kind of player they’d see value in it just depends on the money.

Stephone Anthony
He’s had a disappointing pro-career after a great rookie season. Anthony was traded by the Saints and struggled to have an impact in Miami. However, the Seahawks like to collect former first round picks with untapped potential. Anthony ran a 4.56 forty and a 4.03 short shuttle at his combine. Those are good numbers at 6-3 and 243lbs. He’s unlikely to be expensive given his stalled career. The Seahawks might see his addition as a chance to add potential and depth at linebacker.

Matt Bryant
A year ago the Seahawks added 40-year-old Sebastian Janikowski to compete with Jason Myers at kicker. This year will they add 43-year-old Matt Bryant to compete with Sam Ficken?

No secondary suggestions?
The Seahawks have done their best work in the draft when it comes to defensive backs, with the exception of Bradley McDougald. Considering the way the safety’s ran at the combine, they should be able to find an option. They could replace Justin Coleman with a dynamic 4.4 runner at safety/nickel. There’s also a long list of tall, long cornerbacks available. This feels like an area to be addressed in April.

The Bills want Frank Clark?

According to Jay Glazer they have some interest…

Well, Dan Morgan worked in Seattle and is close to John Schneider. There’s interest around Frank Clark from them and others RT @swailes_robert: @JayGlazer Now there are three guys I'd be happy for the Bills to go after.

— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) March 8, 2019

Pete Carroll has said numerous times that ‘Frankie isn’t going anywhere’. This is still almost certain to be true. He’s a key player for Seattle and even if they got Buffalo’s #9 pick in the draft — they’d probably have to spend the pick to replace Clark.

Yes the money would be beneficial against the cap — but you’d be trading a proven quality player at a great age for cap space and potential. For that reason, any kind of deal seems unlikely unless it’s for an absolute kings ransom.

The one team I thought might be interested in Clark is Oakland. Jon Gruden reportedly singled out Clark as the key player for Seattle in London. The Raiders need a pass rusher in the worst way. And with numerous picks, they might be a more tempting trade partner.

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Seahawks showing interest in Drew Lewis?

According to Tony Pauline they were one of three teams spending time with Lewis at the Colorado pro-day. It’s not a big surprise. They have a massive need at linebacker and also a ‘type’ at the position. Lewis fits the bill with a 4.49 forty, 34 inch vertical, 10-9 broad and a 7.02 three cone. Reportedly he can also squat 515lbs.

Interestingly his father is a former Seahawks cornerback and actually spent 12 years in Seattle’s front office. His cousin is ESPN analyst Louis Riddick. Drew Lewis is a player to watch over the coming weeks.

Add another running back to the watch-list

Nebraska’s Devine Ozigbo measured at 5-11 and 222lbs at his pro-day. He ran a 4.54 forty, jumped a 37 inch vertical and a 10-4 broad. That’s the kind of size and explosive power Seattle looks for in a running back.

Meanwhile offensive lineman Tanner Farmer, a former four-star recruit and 96.84 SPARQ tester in High School, had a 32.5 inch vertical, a 9-10 broad jump and put up 39 reps on the bench press. Those marks warrant an outstanding 3.80 in TEF.

Post-combine mock draft

A few quick thoughts before getting into this…

1. Don’t assume D.K. Metcalf is suddenly a top-10 pick

Running a 4.33 at 228lbs is impressive. Some teams might be wowed by Metcalf’s potential and clear athleticism. However, here’s the reality of his combine performance. We learnt, unsurprisingly, he can run fast in a straight line. We already knew that. We’ve all seen the first snap of the Ole Miss vs Alabama game from 2018. He’s a superb downfield runner at his size. Yet his 4.50 short shuttle is the kind of time you’d expect from a decent defensive tackle. Trysten Hill, who we featured yesterday, ran a 4.38 short shuttle at 308lbs. Metcalf also ran a 7.38 three cone.

Teams were supposedly concerned about his size going into the combine. Surely those fears were confirmed here? Those times suggest a level of stiffness and an inability to change direction quickly. Then you add in the neck injury which for a time was considered career-threatening plus the all-too-frequent concentration drops. Could he be a top-15 pick after running a 4.33? Sure. Is it just as likely he lasts because of the concerns noted here? Yes, definitely.

2. Why is Jonah Williams frequently mocked in the top-10?

It’s been that way for a full draft season. Even Mike Solari seemed enamoured with him, calling on Williams to show the rest of the O-liners at the combine how to do the on-field drills. Yet his testing numbers show a player who lacks explosive traits (28 inch vertical, 8-4 broad jump) and didn’t test well in terms of agility (8.01 three cone, 4.79 short shuttle). He’s 6-4 and 302lbs.

Bob McGinn posted an article this week citing scouting sources on Williams. The positives included consistency and good hand placement. One scout called him a “good not great” player. Another said, “You’re watching him play left tackle, which he’s not. The more you watch him, the more you kind of sober up and ignore the chatter. You start thinking about him as a right tackle or a guard. You’re kind of reaching if you think that guy will be a top-10 left tackle.” A final scout added, “He’s a catcher. As a run blocker, he has absolutely no strength. Stalemates are his best.”

3. I’m torn on how to react to the combine

Montez Sweat’s excellent forty yard dash flashed elite-level speed and that could be enough to promote him into top-10 contention. He also had a strange exit from Michigan State and didn’t look comfortable in space during drills. Still — there aren’t many 260lbs players running a 4.41 with 36 inch arms so I’m putting him at #7.

Brian Burns on the other hand I’m only moving into the late first. He too had a great combine and answered some questions by weighing 249lbs. However, teams will likely look into the legitimacy of that weight. Did he drink a lot of water before being weighed? Because there’s no way he put on 20lbs of muscle since the end of the college season having reportedly played in the 220’s. He’s a talented player and a great speed rusher. But that doesn’t automatically mean teams will draft an undersized EDGE in the top-20. Doubts about his playing size and ability to defend the run will remain.

The mock in full

#1 Arizona — Kyler Murray (QB, Oklahoma)
#2 San Francisco — Nick Bosa (DE, Ohio State)
#3 New York Jets — Quinnen Williams (DT, Alabama)
#4 Oakland — Josh Allen (EDGE, Kentucky)
#5 Denver (via TB) – Drew Lock (QB, Missouri)
#6 New York Giants — Rashan Gary (DE, Michigan)
#7 Jacksonville — Montez Sweat (EDGE, Mississippi State)
#8 Detroit — T.J. Hockenson (TE, Iowa)
#9 Buffalo — Jawaan Taylor (T, Florida)
#10 Tampa Bay (via DEN) – Devin White (LB, LSU)
#11 Cincinnati – Dwayne Haskins (QB, Ohio State)
#12 Green Bay — Clelin Ferrell (DE, Clemson)
#13 Miami — Dexter Lawrence (DT, Clemson)
#14 Atlanta — Devin Bush (LB, Michigan)
#15 Washington — Greedy Williams (CB, LSU)
#16 Carolina — Andre Dillard (T, Washington State)
#17 Cleveland — Ed Oliver (DT, Houston)
#18 Minnesota — Christian Wilkins (DT, Clemson)
#19 Tennessee — Noah Fant (TE, Iowa)
#20 Pittsburgh — Marquise Brown (WR, Oklahoma)
#21 Buffalo – (via SEA) – Parris Campbell (WR, Ohio State)
#22 Baltimore — Jonah Williams (C/G, Alabama)
#23 Houston — Cody Ford (T, Oklahoma)
#24 Oakland — Irv Smith Jr (TE, Alabama)
#25 Philadelphia — Josh Jacobs (RB, Alabama)
#26 Indianapolis — D.K. Metcalf (WR, Ole Miss)
#27 Pittsburgh (via OAK) — Byron Murphy (CB, Washington)
#28 LA Chargers — Kaleb McGary (T, Washington)
#29 Kansas City — Brian Burns (EDGE, Florida State)
#30 Green Bay – Jachai Polite (EDGE, Florida)
#31 LA Rams — Garrett Bradbury (C, NC State)
#32 New York Giants (via NE) — Daniel Jones (QB, Duke)

The trades explained

Denver (#10) trades with Tampa Bay (#5) to select Drew Lock
I suspect some teams will grade Drew Lock as the #1 or #2 quarterback in this draft. Several reports have suggested John Elway is enamoured with Lock. The trade for Joe Flacco could be an attempt to recreate Kansas City’s plan (veteran — Alex Smith, rookie — Patrick Mahomes). If so, are they going to risk the Giants taking their guy at #6? They give the Buccs their 2020 first rounder.

Buffalo (#40) trades with Seattle (#21) to select Parris Campbell
The Bills need to surround Josh Allen with weapons. I have them taking Jawaan Taylor with their first pick. Will they move up to secure some genuine downfield speed? They could target Marquise Brown or Parris Campbell (who ran a 4.31 at the combine). The Bills have an extra fourth and fifth round pick so they have something to spend to move up. They give Seattle a third, fourth and fifth to trade up 19 spots.

Oakland (#27) trades with Pittsburgh for Antonio Brown
This one increasingly seems inevitable. It’s simply a case of whether the Raiders need to give up one of their first rounders. Can they get the Steelers to accept a second round pick? Brown to the Raiders could be completed before the end of the week.

The New York Giants (#37) trade with New England (#32) to select Daniel Jones
I can see a scenario where the Giants don’t take a quarterback with their first pick but trade back into the late first to select one. That could be Daniel Jones. There’s a connection between the Manning’s and Jones through Duke coach David Cutcliffe. This could be a plausible way to make a seamless transition from the older quarterback to a younger player. The Pats take a fourth rounder to move down five spots.

Second round

#33 Arizona — Greg Little (T, Ole Miss)
#34 Indianapolis — Dre’Mont Jones (DT, Ohio State)
#35 Oakland — Jeffery Simmons (DT, Mississippi State)
#36 San Francisco — Taylor Rapp (S, Washington)
#37 New England (via NYG) — Josh Oliver (TE, San Jose State)
#38 Jacksonville — Johnathan Abram (S, Mississippi State)
#39 Tampa Bay — Will Grier (QB, West Virginia)
#40 Seattle (via Buf) — Christian Miller (EDGE, Alabama)
#41 Denver — Dawson Knox (TE, Ole Miss)
#42 Cincinnati — Mack Wilson (LB, Alabama)
#43 Detroit — Justin Layne (CB, Michigan State)
#44 Green Bay — Deebo Samuel (WR, Green Bay)
#45 Atlanta — Chris Lindstrom (G, Boston College)
#46 Washington — N’Keal Harry (WR, Arizona State)
#47 Carolina — Darnell Savage (S, Maryland)
#48 Miami — Dalton Risner (T, Kansas State)
#49 Cleveland — Hakeem Butler (WR, Iowa State)
#50 Minnesota — Erik McCoy (C, Texas A&M)
#51 Tennessee — Chase Winovich (EDGE, Michigan)
#52 Pittsburgh — Zach Allen (DE, Boston College)
#53 Philadelphia — A.J. Brown (WR, Ole Miss)
#54 Houston — Deandre Baker (CB, Georgia)
#55 Houston — Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (S, Florida)
#56 New England — L.J. Collier (DE, TCU)
#57 Philadelphia — Trayvon Mullen (CB, Clemson)
#58 Dallas — Jaylon Ferguson (EDGE, Louisiana Tech)
#59 Indianapolis — Isaiah Johnson (CB, Houston)
#60 LA Chargers — Elgton Jenkins (C, Mississippi State)
#61 Kansas City — Jerry Tillery (DT, Notre Dame)
#62 New Orleans — Miles Boykin (WR, Notre Dame)
#63 Kansas City — Terry McLaurin (WR, Ohio State)
#64 New England — Juan Thornhill (S, Virginia)

Seahawks seven-rounder

This includes the trade with Buffalo presented in the mock above.

#40 (R2) — Christian Miller (LB, Alabama)
#74 (R3) — Trysten Hill (DT, UCF)
#84 (R3) — Marvell Tell (S, USC)
#124 (R4) — Dru Samia (G, Oklahoma)
#131 (R4) — Gary Jennings (WR, West Virginia)
#158 (R5) — Trevon Wesco (TE, West Virginia)
#159 (R5) — Derrek Thomas (CB, Baylor)

Thoughts on each pick

#40 Christian Miller (LB, Alabama)
This could go one of two ways. Either he plays EDGE and acts as a pass rusher. Or how about this. Miller is 6-3, 247lbs and has 35 1/8 inch arms. K.J. Wright at his combine was 6-3, 246lbs with 34 7/8 inch arms. Now — they are different players. But body wise they are similar. We know the Seahawks are willing to try and coach an EDGE to become a linebacker (see: Bruce Irvin). So this could be an option. The Seahawks also seemingly pay attention to the short shuttle at linebacker. Miller didn’t run a short shuttle at the combine but at SPARQ he was timed at 4.18. In comparison, Devin White ran a 4.17.

#74 Trysten Hill (DT, UCF)
I wrote about Hill’s tape yesterday but here’s why I think he might fit for the Seahawks. They’ve consistently drafted defensive linemen who test well in the short shuttle. Hill ran an excellent 4.38. Pete Carroll hasn’t drafted a defensive linemen with sub-33 inch arms. Hill has 33.5 inch arms. He’s also extremely explosive (35 inch vertical) and quick (third fastest 10-yard split among DT’s). In terms of testing, he’s as explosive as Ed Oliver. This would be an opportunity to get one of the best defensive tackles in a deep class. He’ll only last this long due to questions about his final year at UCF, where he seemingly didn’t see eye-to-eye with the new coaches upon Scott Frosts departure. The Seahawks love an opportunity like this.

#84 Marvell Tell (S, USC)
Seattle’s defense utilised three safety’s at times in 2018. Will they take it a step further this year? Justin Coleman is a free agent. With so many of the safety’s running 4.4 or above at the combine — their next nickel could be a safety. Marvell Tell has the quickness and agility to potentially switch to corner. He ran an incredible 6.63 three cone and a 4.01 short shuttle. It also helps that he’s 6-2 and has 33 1/8 inch arms — so they might even try him outside. He also jumped a 42 inch vertical and was a captain at USC. He’s a terrific talent who could be tried at multiple positions.

#124 Dru Samia (G, Oklahoma)
Why Samia? Simple. He’s a BAMF who excels in the running game. He’s the most aggressive, nasty offensive linemen in the draft. He wants to fight everyone and get after you. The Seahawks regained their identity in 2018 and Samia fits into that. He’s not going to excel in pass-pro. He’s a pure run blocker. That’s what the Seahawks seem to go for.

#131 Gary Jennings (WR, West Virginia)
All but two of Seattle’s 2010-18 draft picks at receiver have run in the 4.4’s. The two that didn’t were seventh round flier Kenny Lawler and Chris Harper (who ran a 4.50). So the chances are any wide out they draft will run in the 4.4’s. I picked Jennings because he ran a 4.42, excels at making chunk plays, competes for the ball, finishes runs, is clever to shield defenders and gain position and he’s effective working inside or out. He’d be a nice compliment to what they already have.

#158 Trevon Wesco (TE, West Virginia)
Wesco is 6-3, 267lbs and has nearly 35 inch arms. He’s basically another offensive linemen — which as we’ve come to learn over the last 12 months, is the type they’re going for. He also has good special teams value, plays with an aggressive attitude, appears to enjoy blocking in the running game and is basically right out of the Will Dissly book of tight ends. He’s no slouch — he ran a 4.38 short shuttle which was faster than Josh Oliver (4.47) and not far behind Irv Smith Jr (4.33). Wesco could also be used as a full back. Seattle has regularly targeted tight ends with a sub-7.10 three cone but only three players managed that at the combine (Noah Fant, T.J. Hockenson, Kaden Smith).

#159 Derrek Thomas (CB, Baylor)
When he ran the forty at the combine he looked like a Seahawks cornerback. Long and lean. He’s 6-3, 189lbs and has 34 inch arms. Sound familiar? Tre Flowers is 6-3, 202lbs and has 34 inch arms. There are more rounded cornerbacks Seattle could target such as Jamal Peters or Lonnie Johnson. However, it’s possible both players will be gone by this point — leaving Seattle to take a profile fit.

Other players I seriously considered for this mock:

Will Grier (QB, West Virginia)
The best deep-ball thrower in college football for two years and possibly the best option if Seattle wants to insure against a Russell Wilson-contract saga.

Alec Ingold (FB, Wisconsin)
A tenacious full back — something Seattle’s offense has been lacking for a while. He’ll also contribute on special teams.

Several tight ends, including Drew Sample (TE, Washington)
We could see a long list of tight ends drafted in the first three rounds. The Seahawks could easily go in that direction early.

Several of the 4.4 runners at receivers
They could take a receiver at any point in this draft, including with their first pick. There aren’t any clear top-10 wide outs but there’s plenty of depth.

Bobby Evans (T, Oklahoma)
He’s physical, tough and enjoys the run game. He’s versatile enough to play guard or tackle and they might need some insurance for the long term.

Isaiah Prince (T, Ohio State)
He stood out at the combine as the most athletic and impressive looking offensive tackle. He’s 6-6, 305lbs and has +35 inch arms.

Michael Jordan (G/C, Ohio State)
He has major potential and looked the part at the combine. He could be developed to play any position at the next level.

Justin Hollins (EDGE, Oregon)
A highly athletic EDGE with the kind of quickness, speed and length they’ve looked for at the position.

Daniel Wise (DT, Kansas)
A possible specialist interior rusher with the production, length (33 inch arms) and quickness (4.37 short shuttle) they like.

Drew Lewis (LB, Colorado)
Explosive (10-9 broad, 32.5 inch vertical) and quick (4.49) — the type they’ve drafted in the past at linebacker.

Khalil Hodge (LB, Buffalo)
A tackling machine and somebody Tony Pauline reported Seattle has interest in. Gritty player with a backstory.

Lonnie Johnson (CB, Kentucky)
The latest recipient of a stare-out challenge at the combine. Johnson has everything they like — length, speed and toughness.

Jamal Peters (CB, Mississippi State)
A converted safety who lacks speed (4.64) but has a bit of Brandon Browner to his size and tackling.

Marquise Blair (S, Utah)
A heat-seeking missile as a tackler who actually ran better than expected at the combine (4.48).

Juan Thornhill (S, Virginia)
If they’re looking for playmaking in the secondary, Thornhill had six interceptions last season. He also ran a 4.42 forty and jumped a 44 inch vertical and an 11-9 broad. A special athlete.

There are many others I could’ve included, these were just some under consideration in this particular pre-free agency projection.

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With the combine in the books and free agency less than a week away, what are the Seahawks going to do?

No, they’re not signing that big name

There’s been a fair bit of talk about making a ‘splash’. Recently fans and media have been discussing the possibility of adding Landon Collins.

I’m afraid it’s highly unlikely.

With Frank Clark receiving a $17m franchise tag, Seattle’s available cap space is down to $33m in 2019.

Fourteen teams, including the Rams, have more cap space than the Seahawks.

The Seahawks only have only 47 players contracted for 2019. Only two teams in the entire league have fewer contracted players for next season — the Rams and the Jets. New York has $99m in cap space to rectify that issue. Seattle has $33m.

They need to fill out their roster. This means re-signing their reasonably long list of free agents or replacing them. Any available cap space will evaporate quickly.

In comparison, the Dallas Cowboys have $28m in free cap space ($5m less than the Seahawks). However, they have 59 contracted players for 2019. That’s 12 more than the Seahawks. So they have less work to do to fill out their roster with a similar amount of money to spend.

If the Seahawks were to sign Landon Collins at about $10-12m a year, they’d be left with between $16-22m in cap space to fill out the bulk of their roster. That’s simply not realistic — especially when you factor in the several million that needs to be saved for injured reserve and the practise squad.

But this is unacceptable! They’re supposed to be contending this year!

Championships are rarely won and lost in free agency. When they are won, it’s often because teams found value. The 2013 season is a great example. Signing Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril to bargain contracts was a masterstroke. Six years on it’s still fairly unbelievable how they managed to pull it off.

When you run through the list of top free agents in 2018 according to NFL.com, many of the big names failed to deliver. Kirk Cousins was ranked at #1 but the Vikings failed to make the playoffs after spending big on the QB. Did the Chiefs get any value for their big splurge on Sammy Watkins? What about the Jaguars and Andrew Norwell, the Broncos and Case Keenum, the Jets and Trumaine Johnson, the Titans and Malcolm Butler, the Cardinals and Sam Bradford or the Giants and Nate Solder?

Did any of these moves push anyone over the top? Despite the major investment?

Seattle’s best veteran additions in the Pete Carroll era have been the understated or ‘value’ moves. Acquiring Marshawn Lynch for practically nothing. Signing Bennett and Avril to prove it deals. Plucking Bradley McDougald from the Buccaneers. Trading for Chris Clemons. Finding Brandon Browner from the CFL. Adding Tony McDaniel. Seeing an opportunity when Zach Miller lingered on the market a little too long.

Their worst moves have been bold, expensive additions like Percy Harvin and Jimmy Graham. Seattle gained plaudits and hype for those two trades. Neither panned out.

So what’s going to happen then?

They’ll probably be calculated and look for value. Fill some holes so that you can complete the roster in the draft. Continue to build.

If there’s an opportunity to repeat the Bennett and Avril heist of 2013 they’ll no doubt take it. We’ll find out next week how the market shapes up.

What are the priorities?

The combine revealed this is not a deep class at linebacker. With Devin White and Devin Bush likely to leave the board early in round one, the options are severely limited. There are players you might be willing to add later on, such as West Virginia’s David Long. Tony Pauline reported at the Shrine Game that they have interest in Buffalo’s Khalil Hodge. But there wasn’t an obvious rookie starter at the combine short of White and Bush.

They have to address this position one way or another in free agency. They might feel a bit more pressure to re-sign K.J. Wright. Whether he stays in Seattle or not is down to how much he’s offered elsewhere. It’s a shame Mychal Kendricks’ legal situation is yet to be resolved. If he was free to continue his career, they could solve this problem quite quickly. If neither player is an option they might have to look at other veterans. This is a key off-season problem that needs to be solved before the draft.

Try and find an EDGE in free agency

I say ‘try’ because this could be a fruitless exercise. Pass rushers get paid. Frank Clark will earn $17m for 2019 alone. A few years ago we all shuddered at the Giants paying Olivier Vernon $17m a year. Now it’s the norm.

Despite this being a much vaunted defensive line draft, it’s also quite top-heavy at EDGE. Nick Bosa, Josh Allen, Rashan Gary and Clelin Ferrell aren’t going to be in range for the Seahawks. The combine made it far less likely that Montez Sweat and Brian Burns will be there. After that, you’re looking at players like Christian Miller and D’Andre Walker and it’s difficult to project their draft range.

The Seahawks could do with a partner for Frank Clark. In the past they were able to rotate Bennett, Avril and Clark. Before that it was Bennett, Avril and Clemons. Hopefully Rasheem Green can take a step forward and develop into a productive inside/out rusher. Jacob Martin also provides an option. They still need more. Upgrading Dion Jordan seems necessary. That project hasn’t delivered so far.

Is there a pass rusher out there they can get on a reasonable, prove-it year deal? I was hoping Anthony Barr might be that man but everything points to him getting a significant offer.

What is the kicker market like?

There was the Blair Walsh project. Then there was Sebastian Janikowski. For a team so determined to play games tight, a good kicker is extremely important.

In fairness to the Seahawks, there haven’t been lots of kickers reaching the market. They more or less played the hand they were dealt. Steven Hauschka picked a bad year in 2016 to miss a ton of extra points, a crucial field goal in Arizona and turn the Seahawks off giving him a pricey long extension.

This year, Stephen Gostkowski will reach the open market. It seems likely he’ll re-sign in New England, just for less than the near $5m he would’ve received on the franchise tag. He can talk to other teams though. Matt Bryant was recently released by the Falcons and intends to continue playing. Cody Parkey was cut by the Bears. Jason Myers, who was with the Seahawks in training camp last year, is also a free agent.

Will they spend a bit of money to try and find a solution for a few years? Or will they continue their recent approach and give Sam Ficken a chance to win the job against some yet unknown competition (possibly a rookie or veteran).

Keep the band together

We’ve started talking about additions but the clear #1 priority is to try and retain several important free agents. Wright or Kendricks fall into that category. Pete Carroll has talked up the importance of keeping J.R. Sweezy and D.J. Fluker. Justin Coleman has had two solid years in Seattle. They’d probably like to find agreements with restricted free agents George Fant, Quinton Jefferson, Joey Hunt and J.D. McKissic. Jordan Simmons, Shalom Luani, Akeem King, David Moore and Austin Calitro are among their exclusive rights free agents. Ideally Mike Davis returns as RB3.

The two guards are likely key. For once the O-line was settled in 2018 and helped create the personality of the team. Finding a solution at linebacker is also important. If they address both of these situations — and potentially add an EDGE — they won’t have too many holes going into the draft.

That will enable them to turn to the other big dilemma this off-season — dealing with the big four. Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, Frank Clark and Jarran Reed are all core players. They’re all free agents after the 2019 season. Extensions are needed.

How exactly would this set up the draft?

Assuming they trade down and end up with 7-8 picks instead of four, they can tap into the depth of this class. With 18 receivers running a 4.4 or faster at the combine, they’ll be able to identify a wide out at some point (whether that’s a bigger target or another sudden, smaller receiver). It’s a good looking tight end class from the second round onwards so there’s a good chance they’ll add one.

They can bring in a defensive tackle or another inside/out type. There are athletic offensive linemen who will be available later on to add some depth/competition. With so many long/tall cornerbacks, they’ll certainly be able to draft at least one. It also feels likely after Monday’s outstanding workout that they’ll tap into the safety class. I think they might select a safety to replace Justin Coleman — especially given so many of them ran well in the forty. Could USC’s Marvell Tell be added as a possible corner convert or a nickel given his fantastic length (+33 inch arms) and incredible agility (4.01 short shuttle, 6.63 three cone)?

Of course there’s also the quarterback position, depending on the state of talks with Russell Wilson.

For more on possible targets from the combine, read our review article from Monday.

And finally some thoughts on Trysten Hill

Time to start looking at some of the players who impressed at the combine, starting with the UCF defensive tackle. After watching a superb session of drills (plus exceptional testing in the broad, vertical and short shuttle) — he was the first player I wanted to have a proper look at.

His tape didn’t disappoint.

Hill is consistently the first to react off the snap. He has a small tendency to lean into offensive lineman and can probably clean up his technique at times. It’s still effective though. He gets low, uses his arms well and frequently drives his blocker backwards. He’s adept at keeping clean and often retains a free arm to make a play at the ball carrier.

On one snap in a dominating performance against Memphis he delivered a violent one-handed left jab to a lineman’s chest and drove him three yards into the backfield. He extended his arm sufficiently to stay clean and then disengaged to the ball-carrier.

On another play against Memphis he moved across the line sensing a run to the left. He kept his eyes downfield and read the play and found a lane inside. A pulling tight end tried to come across and seal off his path to the RB. He just threw him off and dropped the running back for a five-yard loss.

The motor never stops. He works and works to the whistle in a way I haven’t seen from another defensive tackle in this class. If it’s an inside run, he’s busting a gut to get to the ball carrier. On one play stretched to the outside he sprinted from one side of the field to the other to make a play on the ball carrier. He never sits on a block to rest or take a snap off. He’s always working, always hustling.

There’s evidence of a spin move, bull rush, quickness off the snap and burst. He extends his arms on contact and drives linemen backwards. He doesn’t just stay connected and win with power. He’s slippery — so when he wins with the initial move you see him time and time again disengage and break to the ball. A lot of defensive tackles can win with power/leverage early in the snap and drive a blocker backwards. The best can convert power to speed, get off the block and make a TFL. That’s testament to his athleticism and his hand placement that he manages it.

Hill ran the third quickest 10-yard split by a defensive tackle at the combine (1.74) and this shows up. Florida Atlantic — who started the game double teaming him — blew a protection and had three guys blocking his defensive tackle partner, allowing Hill a free run to the backfield. He covers ground so quickly. In that Florida Atlantic game he had a couple of missed opportunities, highlighting one area where he can improve. When he got into the backfield he was at 100mph and ended up missing the tackle. A little bit more control and patience in that situation could’ve led to a TFL.

It’d be fair to question whether his playing style (which is all-out attack) will lend itself to consistent gap-discipline. He’s an attack-dog. For that reason, he might be best served acting as part of a decent rotation. His approach is so aggressive and all-action, I’m not sure he’ll be content managing a gap to get to second and long.

There are some supposed character concerns. When Scott Frost departed for Nebraska, Hill’s role was massively reduced. He only started once in 2018 and when watching three UCF games it was incredible how little he played. He didn’t really get on the field against Memphis — the conference Championship game — until UCF had conceded 21 points. He then proceeded to be the best player on the defense for the rest of the game.

Lance Zierlein’s report contains the following quote from a NFC area scout:

“One thing that pops up is that he’s really opinionated about a lot of things. Big talker. He wasn’t always fun to coach so you have to keep that in mind if you bring him into your room.”

Clearly there was a disconnect between the new regime and Hill in 2018. So is it just a clash? A bad fit? With the right coaches, can he start and excel? While the Seahawks always love a challenge — 2018 was also an opportunity to re-establish a team first mentality.

Watching his interviews, there’s nothing obviously concerning. He speaks well:

#NFLCombine: Great time talking shop with @UCF_Football DT Trysten Tate pic.twitter.com/AGyWYNo2S1

— Emory Hunt (@FBallGameplan) March 2, 2019

Jim Nagy posted this tweet during the combine:

Three years ago, coaches on Scott Frost’s UCF staff told me @trystenhill9 was the best player on the team…AS A TRUE FRESHMAN! That team also had Shaquill and Shaquem, Tre’Quan Smith, and Jordan Akins. How did this kid not start for UCF this year?! Looks great at the Combine. pic.twitter.com/pmXNIi43iu

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) March 3, 2019

Hill put on a fantastic show during drills. His movement, agility and change of direction was highly impressive:

Trysten Hill taking off! #UCFast #BuiltByUCF pic.twitter.com/3jbCpE9Q1Y

— #25 Barstool UCF (@UCFStool) March 3, 2019

UCF's Trysten Hill moves so well cc @_John_Shipley pic.twitter.com/iHgINeHa2W

— Billy Marshall (@BillyM_91) March 3, 2019

More Trysten Hill pic.twitter.com/C2TVkIJrJ5

— Billy Marshall (@BillyM_91) March 3, 2019

Not shown in those three videos is a drill that emphasises change of direction, a drop and then a sprint round a cone. He was effortless in his movement and then pulled off a handbrake turn to manoeuvre the cone. I’m not sure anyone boosted their stock as much as Hill during the on-field drills in Indianapolis.

He ticks a lot of boxes for the Seahawks. They’ve never drafted a defensive lineman with sub-33 inch arms. He has 33 3/8 inch arms. They’ve consistency drafted defensive linemen with excellent short shuttle times. He ran a 4.38. Rasheem Green ran a 4.39 last year at 275lbs. Hill beat that time at 308lbs.

He’s also highly explosive and jumped a 9-7 broad. Nick Bosa managed a 9-8 broad and Ed Oliver (10-0) and Renell Wren (9-10) were the only defensive tackles who beat him. His vertical jump — 35 inches — was only an inch away from Oliver’s attempt (36 inches).

Essentially he’s a comparable athlete in terms of explosive traits to Ed Oliver, despite weighing a good 20-30lbs more. He’s considerably more agile in terms of the short shuttle than several wide receivers including Riley Ridley (4.58), N’Keal Harry (4.53), Hakeem Butler (4.48), Deebo Samuel (4.48) and D.K. Metcalf (4.50).

In a loaded defensive line draft, Trysten Hill is clearly one of the best available. I’m not sure how concerned teams are with the character. If he’s there in round three, I’d seriously consider drafting him.

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The combine is in the books. So what did we learn?

Safety’s end the combine with a flourish

Coming into the combine it’s fair to say there wasn’t a lot of buzz about the safety class. That’s going to change after today.

Eleven players ran a 4.4 or faster. Two even ran in the 4.3’s with Ole Miss’ Zedrick Woods nailing the fastest time by anyone this year with a 4.29.

It’s worth noting that speed doesn’t necessarily translate to success at the next level. Here are the top-15 forty time by safety’s at the combine between 2010-2018:

Troy Apke — 4.34
T.J. Green — 4.34
Justin Cox — 4.36
Natrell Jamerson — 4.40
Obi Melifownu — 4.40
Justin Reid — 4.40
Dane Cruikshank — 4.41
Josh Jones — 4.41
Terrence Brooks — 4.42
Montae Nicholson — 4.42
Shamarko Thomas — 4.42
Taylor Mays — 4.43
Godwin Igwebuike — 4.44
Earl Wolff — 4.44
Budda Baker — 4.45

There’s not a lot of stars among the group. So although the 2019 safety class can run, it doesn’t mean they’re destined to succeed.

Even so, today was a big positive. Many players exceeded expectations. Here’s what stands out:

— Earlier today I suggested USC’s Marvell Tell could be a safety/corner convert for the Seahawks. He’s 6-2, 198lbs and he has 33 1/8 inch arms. He didn’t run a forty yard dash but the rest of his workout was incredible. He jumped a 42 inch vertical and an 11-4 broad. He ran a superb 6.63 in the three cone and a 4.01 in the short shuttle. He’s a player who warrants serious consideration for the Seahawks at safety or corner.

— Juan Thornill ran a 4.42 forty and jumped a 44 inch vertical plus an 11-9 broad. He didn’t do any of the agility tests. This combination of speed and explosive power doesn’t necessarily show up on tape where Thornhill looks a little stiff. However, he did have six interceptions in 2018 and the Seahawks need some playmaking ability in the secondary.

— Will Harris has been compared to Bradley McDougald in terms of playing style by Lance Zierlein. He ran a 4.41 which is significantly faster than McDougald. He added a 36.5 vertical, a 6.91 three cone and a 4.12 short shuttle. He’s tough, physical and has special teams value.

— Darnell Savage ran a blistering 4.36 and then jumped a 39.5 inch vertical. He also ran a 4.14 short shuttle but his 7.03 three cone was a little slower than some of the other safety’s. Even so, he’s a player I will go back and take another look at. He’s an excellent cover safety and clearly has the speed to play with range.

There are other names I could add to the list. I didn’t expect to see the kind of speed we witnessed today and the testing in the broad/vertical and short shuttle/three cone simply added to the quality of the workout. I want to go back and watch certain players and see what I missed. Why didn’t they look as fast as this on the first watch through? Did I miss something?

Either way, it seems more likely now than it was previously that the Seahawks will draft one of these safety’s. There are traits to work with here.

Cornerbacks lacking in round one

While the safety’s put on a show, the cornerbacks certainly didn’t. It’s difficult to look at this class and identify first round picks. Greedy Williams was supposed to be the guy and he ran a 4.37 forty. He then struggled badly with his back-pedal and transition, fell over a couple of times during drills and promptly ended his day citing ‘cramps’.

Byron Murphy had a much better performance in drills but is undersized and ran a 4.55. Can you justify taking his physical profile in round one? Joejuan Williams (4.64) surely didn’t run well enough to justify the recent first round buzz.

The good news for the Seahawks is there are plenty of long, lean cornerbacks who might be available in the range they take their DB’s. There were 16 corners with +32 inch arms at the combine.

Of today’s group, Lonnie Johnson and Michael Jackson impressed with their forty times and workouts. Derrek Thomas looks the part of a Seahawks corner.

Some will go too early. Justin Layne might’ve performed well enough to move into the top-50 range. Daniel Jeremiah also suggested Isaiah Johnson could be a second round pick.

Jordan Miller, Joejuan Williams and Jamal Peters might last into range.

For a team like Seattle that gets its cornerbacks later on, this class isn’t a problem. If your biggest need is cornerback and you were hoping to get one in the first frame, you’re out of luck.

Overall assessment of the combine

Depth is not a problem in 2019

This is a deep looking draft class. The O-liners set the ball rolling with a fantastic Friday and the tight ends and receivers continued the momentum on Saturday. We already knew there were a ton of defensive linemen. Then the safety’s joined the party. There’s going to be depth and quality stretching into day three this year.

The Seahawks have to get more picks

Anyone writing a mock draft in the next few days might have a hard time filling picks 20-32. This isn’t a class with a thick base of legit first round prospects. There are a lot of guys you’ll feel more comfortable projecting at #45 than #25.

As soon as you get into the second, third and fourth round however — that’s where you’re going to find the riches. In particular, there will be plenty of offensive linemen, tight ends, receivers and defensive linemen available in this range.

Seattle’s most pressing need is to retain their core players in free agency then add depth and competition to what is already a playoff roster. They need to find a way to turn their four picks into eight. That likely means trading down from #21 multiple times.

They have to find a solution at linebacker

The Seahawks have consistently drafted outstanding athletes at linebacker. This draft class has two outstanding athletes — Devin White and Devin Bush. Both will go early in the first round. Most of the other prospects are a mash-up of likely special teams contributors and backups.

If you were hoping there’d be a ready-made linebacker to come in as a rookie and start, it’s not looking promising. Will this increase their desire to retain K.J. Wright? Will they move quickly to sign Mychal Kendricks if he avoids jail? Do they sign another veteran free agent? At the very least they’ll need to add a hedge. One way or another this seems like it’ll be a priority position for the Seahawks when free agency begins.

Beware the hype

Montez Sweat and D.K. Metcalf made headlines at the combine. So did Brian Burns to a slightly lesser extent. You’ll likely see all three promoted high into the first round in mock drafts this week.

It won’t be a shock if all three go in the top-20. As mentioned earlier, it’s not a great looking first round. Players with massive upside and unique traits have a chance to move up boards. Yet there are question marks with all three to go with the insane combine hype.

Sweat ran a superb 4.41 forty and his straight line speed is not in doubt. However, he looked stiff and awkward during drills working in space. He’s a pure EDGE and not really an option for 3-4 teams at outside linebacker. He also has some character questions to answer following his departure from Michigan State.

Metcalf ran a blistering 4.33 forty at 228lbs and looked incredible. However, there are legit concerns that he’s just too big. A 4.50 short shuttle and a 7.38 three cone are times you’d expect to see from an athletic defensive tackle. On tape he separates running go-routes and the 4.33 speed is very evident. Yet he struggles to separate on quicker, shorter routes and those shuttle and cone times will add to concerns that he’s simply too big and stiff to be a threat as anything other than a downfield receiver. There are also medical concerns about a serious neck injury that ended his 2018 season and he has a few too many concentration drops.

Burns reportedly played at about 227lbs during the 2018 season. Any concerns about his size were addressed at the combine. He showed up at 249lbs and had a fantastic workout. It was particularly impressive to see how smooth he looked running linebacker drills in space and unlike Sweat he’s very much an option for teams who run a 3-4 scheme. However, can he keep this weight on? And are 4-3 teams prepared to draft a 240-250lbs EDGE in the first round? He’s still undersized even if he sticks at about 250lbs.

By all means celebrate what all three achieved at the combine. As per usual, however, there’s another side of the story to consider.

Frank Clark franchise tag could be problematic

There’s still time to get a long term deal done and maybe giving Clark the tag will act as a catalyst to conclude a contract. However, as things stand the Seahawks have four key players entering the final year of their contracts — Clark, Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner and Jarran Reed. They cannot go into the next off-season with all four unsigned and only one franchise tag available. This is probably the #1 problem to solve this off-season.

Position by position combine analysis with a Seahawks slant

Offensive line

The O-liners put on a show. It was a more explosive class than previous years. Andre Dillard likely secured a place in the top-15 as the most athletic prospect and by far the best pass-protector in the draft. Garrett Bradbury is very likely to go in round one after he excelled in drills and put on an explosive testing performance. Chris Lindstrom is very much in play to be a top-50 pick after he ran a superb forty and had an explosive workout. Two center’s — Elgton Jenkins and Erik McCoy — further enhanced their stock after a strong Senior Bowl. Washington’s Kaleb McGary looked sensational with a fantastic, muscular frame. The league is desperate for quality offensive tackles and after he showed well in drills and had an explosive workout — I wouldn’t be surprised if he found his way into the top-40. Two Ohio State players — Isaiah Prince and Michael Jordan — also performed well in drills and looked highly athletic. They bolstered their stock in Indianapolis.

What could the Seahawks do?

Pete Carroll stated at the combine it was a priority to keep the O-line together. It’s likely they’ll re-sign J.R. Sweezy and D.J. Fluker. One player in particular stood out as an alternative though. Chris Lindstrom ran a 4.91 forty, a 4.54 short shuttle, he was explosive in the vertical and broad and he has ideal size at 308lbs and 34 1/8 inch arms. If the Seahawks don’t re-sign Sweezy, Lindstrom looks like a strong candidate as an option at left guard. There weren’t any massive, beastly right guards that look like they could fill a D.J. Fluker sized hole. I suspect Fluker will be re-signed as a priority. There are options throughout this class and it won’t be a surprise if they add some depth even if the 2018 starters are retained.

Running back

The 2018 draft was the year of the running back. 2019 is be the opposite. The only likely first round runner — Josh Jacobs — didn’t perform at the combine. The rest of the group failed to dazzle. It won’t be a surprise if Jacobs is the only running back taken in the first two rounds. There will be some possible value in the middle rounds. Overall though — if you like your running backs, last year was the year to get one.

What could the Seahawks do?

Having spent a first round pick on Rashaad Penny a year ago and with Chris Carson developing into one of the best in the league, they’re left looking for a possible third wheel. With the way the backs tested they might be more inclined to try and keep Mike Davis. If they do draft a new runner keep an eye on Alexander Mattison, Alex Barnes and Miles Sanders. I suspect the Seahawks are more likely to draft a full back than a running back this year. Wisconsin’s Alec Ingold could be the guy.

Tight end

The NFL is desperate for quality tight ends and this is a class rich in depth. T.J. Hockenson almost certainly secured his place in the top-11 with a terrific combine. Iowa team mate Noah Fant performed as expected and will be at worst a second round pick. Irv Smith Jr ran solidly but didn’t do as well in the agility tests. His NFL bloodlines and ability to act as a ‘big slot’ could make him an option for teams in the 20’s or 30’s. The best thing about this class though is what follows. We could see an army of TE’s drafted between rounds 2-4. Josh Oliver, Dawson Knox, Drew Sample, Kaden Smith, Trevon Wesco, Foster Moreau and several others all impressed. If you want to draft a tight end you’ll be able to find one you like this year.

What could the Seahawks do?

The Seahawks are likely to take a long look at this group. Nick Vannett is entering the last year of his contract, Will Dissly is recovering from injury and Ed Dickson is a veteran stop-gap. They’re more likely to look at the Y-TE’s than the joker’s or move TE’s. Drew Sample would be a fine option but he’s possibly moved his stock into round three after a great Senior Bowl and combine. Trevon Wesco is a bad dude and could be added to act as a blocking TE and possible full back. Kaden Smith tested well in terms of agility and is a well-balanced tight end who could be dropping. If he’s there on day three he could be a value pick. Foster Moreau had a brilliant combine and also has some FB/TE crossover potential.

Wide receiver

This is a very similar group to the tight end class. There aren’t many first round prospects. The likes of D.K. Metcalf and Parris Campbell possibly pushed themselves into that range but it’s not a lock. Deebo Samuel and Marquise Brown also have a chance to go in the first frame. It’s the depth that really makes this class. You’ll be able to take a receiver in rounds 2-4 that you really like. It’s a really fast group with bigger and smaller wide outs. The big guys are Metcalf, Miles Boykin or Hakeem Butler. N’Keal Harry also had a faster forty time than expected at 4.53. If you want a burner the options include Terry McLaurin and Emanuel Hall. Gary Jennings at West Virginia tested well. Deebo Samuel and A.J. Brown both ran in the late 4.4’s. Parris Campbell is the definition of a modern day playmaker.

What could the Seahawks do?

The inconsistency of David Moore has opened the door for a possible addition of a third target. Tyler Lockett is locked in for the long term and Doug Baldwin still has two years remaining on his contract. Given the sheer depth of options it’s very possible the Seahawks will draft a receiver at some stage. They’ve drafted nine receivers in the Pete Carroll era. All but two ran a 4.4 forty (and one was seventh round flier Kenny Lawler). There were 18 receivers who ran a 4.4 or faster in Indianapolis — so they should be able to find some players they like.

Quarterback

It was difficult to analyse the quarterbacks at the combine. The constantly changing camera angles destroyed any concept of depth and velocity on throws and it wasn’t always clear who was actually throwing the football. From what little I was able to gather — Drew Lock and Dwayne Haskins both showed off plenty of arm talent (although Haskins appeared to be inconsistent with his accuracy) and Jarrett Stidham looked very comfortable too. Kyler Murray didn’t throw but all of the talk is that he’ll be the #1 pick to Arizona — a suggestion we discussed a couple of months ago.

What could the Seahawks do?

We’ve talked a lot about the possibility of a long and frustrating contract saga with Russell Wilson. If he intends to play on the franchise tag and resist signing a long-term extension, the Seahawks have to prepare and plan accordingly. They have to consider drafting a quarterback. If nothing else you might end up with a cheap developmental player and a solid backup. The best case scenario is you prepare for the worst — an ugly and hopefully avoidable divorce from your franchise quarterback. That said, you still need to rate the options available. I suspect the NFL likes Will Grier a lot more than the media. Here’s one of the reasons why. Here’s another. Grier has been the best deep-ball passer for the last two years in college football. The Seahawks love downfield and explosive completions in the passing game. I’m not sure what kind of range they might be comfortable taking him but Grier is the name I think might interest them the most within this class. If that isn’t the case or he’s taken too early — there’s not much you can do about it.

Defensive tackle and inside/out rusher

The expectation was this would be the group to set the combine alight. It didn’t quite live up to expectations. A number of key players either didn’t run the forty or didn’t do drills. Dexter Lawrence ran a fantastic 5.05 at 342lbs but got injured while running. Christian Wilkins wasn’t as athletic or explosive as I expected. Rashan Gary stood out and looked every bit a top-10 lock. Quinnen Williams ran a fantastic forty. Ed Oliver didn’t run but tested well in the broad and vertical. The others to impress included a really athletic performance from Jerry Tillery, Zach Allen recovered some of his lost stock from the Senior Bowl and Renell Wren, as expected, had a great workout. The best options could be in the middle rounds though. UCF’s Trysten Hill had an excellent performance during drills and could be a value starter at defensive tackle. Daniel Wise is a dynamic interior rusher. Charles Omenihu has incredible 36-inch arms and had a good workout. Keke Kinglsey’s tape is average but he had a great Senior Bowl and followed it up with a good combine. L.J. Collier lacks quickness and agility but has good length and is very explosive.

What could the Seahawks do?

It’s hard to say. They drafted Rasheem Green a year ago to play inside/out and presumably they still believe he can develop into a starter. They’ve regularly preferred to sign cheap veteran defensive tackles instead of using high draft picks (with the one exception being Jarran Reed). They really need to add a strong run defender at some point this off-season. Adding some extra pass rush is also important and it’s always possible they seek to use Green as more of an orthodox defensive end. History tells us they value the short shuttle at the two positions and a cluster of players tested well there. Zach Allen (4.36) could be a second-round target to play as a big end who kicks inside. Jerry Tillery (4.33) can play inside and five-technique. Charles Omenihu (4.36) has fantastic size, length and quickness. Daniel Wise (4.36) could be added as a specialist interior rusher. Trysten Hill (4.38) screams value pick and a possible starting defensive tackle. Kingsley Keke (4.46) has the kind of sparky character they seem to like. Dre’Mont Jones (4.53) is a dynamic pass rusher. Renell Wren (4.53) is inconsistent and played without control at Arizona State but he has the traits they like and the quickness.

EDGE rusher

Montez Sweat made headlines with his record-breaking 4.41 forty. Brian Burns also impressed — especially considering he’d added approximately 20lbs. Both players leave the combine with their stock trending upwards. It’s no surprise Nick Bosa tested very well and he’s likely a top-three pick. Josh Allen worked out with the linebackers but he’s an EDGE and had a solid workout, running a decent forty and testing well in terms of agility. Ben Banogu had an amazing workout. He’s the most explosive TEF tester we’ve ever recorded with the exception of one player — Myles Garrett. Chase Winovich is bigger, faster and more explosive than a lot of us expected. Justin Hollins had a solid workout. There were some disappointments too. Jachai Polite ran poorly then pulled out with an injury. Clelin Ferrell didn’t run a forty. Christian Miller and D’Andre Walker are still recovering from injuries suffered at the end of the college football season. Is it a particularly deep EDGE class? Not really.

What could the Seahawks do?

The Dion Jordan project didn’t really work out. Assuming he isn’t retained, the greater need in Seattle is for an EDGE rather than a SAM/LEO or inside/out rusher. If they trade down and Montez Sweat or Brian Burns are available, they could be the first pick. After their combine performances, they’re less likely to be available. Christian Miller is a nice alternative with his length, explosive power and college production. I’m going to study Ben Banogu this week after his great combine. Overall though there’s not a great deal of depth. For that reason, they might need to see what’s available in free agency. Adding one of the available pass rushers to play across from Frank Clark might be important — even as a hedge. Is Anthony Barr affordable? What other options are there? It’s something to keep in mind when the market opens. It’s not obvious Seattle will be able to find a solution in the draft.

Linebacker

Several positions flashed great depth and quality at this combine. Linebacker was not one of them. Devin White and Devin Bush ran a 4.42 and a 4.43 respectively. Both jumped around the 40 inch mark in the vertical. Bob McGinn’s sources indicated both players were being graded similarly going into the combine. It seems likely both will leave the board in round one — possibly in the top-20. Mack Wilson, another possible high pick, didn’t work out due to injury. Apart from that — this looks like a class rich in backup-level talent.

What could the Seahawks do?

Assuming White and Bush will both be gone, there’s not much they can do. There’s not an obvious ‘Seahawks’ linebacker in this class. Certainly there’s nobody you’d feel very confident in coming in to start at WILL as a rookie. They need a plan in free agency. Re-sign K.J. Wright, re-sign Mychal Kendricks or sign another veteran.

Cornerback

This isn’t a good cornerback class in terms of early round picks. In terms of role players and long, lean cornerbacks? There are options later on. Greedy Williams was seen as the corner most likely to be drafted first. He ran a decent 4.37 forty but did not look good during drills. His back pedal was slow, he was too upright and he was flat-footed. His transitions were sluggish. He bailed half way through the on-field work complaining about cramps. If Williams goes in round one — and it’s not a lock — he might be the only one. This is not a good year if you want an elite round one corner.

What could the Seahawks do?

It might not be a good draft for early round cornerbacks but there are plenty of options for Seattle in the middle or later rounds. There were 16 corners with +32 inch arms at the combine. Depth and competition at the position is vital and it’s very likely the Seahawks will draft at least one cornerback. Justin Layne and Isaiah Johnson might go a bit too early for Seattle. Lonnie Johnson and Jamal Peters, however, might be available in their preferred day-three range. Derrek Thomas looked incredibly long and lean. He ran a quick forty and has 34 inch arms and an 82 inch wingspan. He’s very much a name to remember. Washington’s Jordan Miller also ran well and Miami’s Michael Jackson had an excellent workout during drills. Jackson is a big, physical looking corner who flashed quick transitions and a smooth back pedal.

Safety

The safety class put on a show today and wowed with an unexpected level of speed, explosion and agility. There might not be a safety worthy of a first round pick (although Johnathan Abram running a 4.45 puts him in contention) but the depth between rounds 2-4 looks a lot stronger than it did 24 hours ago. The receiver, tight end, O-line and safety positions are all very similar. Minimal options in round one, good depth from day two onwards.

What could the Seahawks do?

Before today I thought this could be a position they passed on. They seem to like their existing safety’s more than the fans and media. However, after such an impressive combine showing they’ll likely be tempted to add some speed and competition to the position. A year ago they drafted a safety (Tre Flowers) and moved him to corner. Going into today, I thought Marvell Tell could be a similar project. He’s 6-2, 198lbs and has 33 1/8 inch arms and had an incredible performance. Whether they consider him at cornerback or safety — he has to be on the radar. Juan Thornhill had six picks in 2018 and runs in the 4.4’s. Could they bring him in to push Tedric Thompson? Will they have interest in the coverage ability of Darnell Savage or the rounded game of Will Harris? There are other names to mention. With so much speed and athleticism within this group, I’ll spending a lot more time studying the available options.

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Welcome to our coverage of the 2019 NFL combine. Every day we’ll be updating events as they happen in Indianapolis, posting workout numbers and information.

This post will be updated constantly so keep hitting refresh.

The live blog is going to end a little earlier today. However, tonight’s review piece will be an extensive review of the combine overall including where things stand for the Seahawks and we’ll have our final combine daily podcast. I want to say a big thank you to Brandan Schulze for the time and effort he’s put into putting the podcast together. We’ll have done nearly four hours of analysis in total by the end of the day and I’m extremely grateful for his fantastic work and hope you’ve enjoyed our daily broadcasts.

I wanted to start today with a quick reflection on yesterday. In 2014 the Seahawks drafted Cassius Marsh in round four. There was a big reason for this — Pete Carroll had recruited Marsh at USC and had a significant background with the player. Yet his workout at the combine was quite similar to some of the other players performing yesterday.

Cassius Marsh
Height: 6-4
Weight: 252lbs
Arms: 32 3/4
Forty: 4.89
10-yard: 1.70
Vertical: 32
Broad: 9-0
Short shuttle: 4.25
Three cone: 7.08

Marsh excelled in the short shuttle and three cone. Seattle used him as a hyrbid linebacker/EDGE. He didn’t have a particularly brilliant spell for the Seahawks and it’s unclear whether they’ll be rushing out to draft a player with a similar physical profile. Yet all we have is history to determine what they look for at certain positions.

Eastern Michigan’s Maxx Crosby topped Marsh in a number of drills. He’s a similar size (6-5, 255lbs) and has the same kind of arm length (32 7/8 inches). However, he ran a much faster forty (4.66) and 10-yard split (1.60), faired a lot better in the explosive tests (36 inch vertical, 10-2 broad), ran a faster three cone (6.89) and a faster short shuttle (4.13).

I’m not sure if they’ll be looking for another hybrid SAM/LEO type with Barkevious Mingo and Jacob Martin already on the roster. Crosby’s workout, however, would suggest they might consider him. I need to go and look at the tape after the combine and see if it’s a role he suits. Is he just a pure EDGE? Does he have the kind of movement and agility his testing results suggest to play in space?

We talked a bit about Chase Winovich yesterday. I’ve watched a lot of his games and without a doubt he’s been one of the most fun players to watch in college football. Relentless effort, an underrated pass rusher. I’ve long felt, however, that he’s better suited to playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 and isn’t the kind of long, lean LEO the Seahawks usually go for. I can’t really imagine, for example, a pass rush duo of Winovich and Frank Clarke (even if they’re both former Michigan guys). I think they’re more likely to go for a longer, more natural EDGE as they’ve tried to do with Dion Jordan. It’s one of the reasons why I think they might pursue Anthony Barr if the price is right in free agency. He’s a natural fit for Seattle as an EDGE, even if he played linebacker in Minnesota. The two obvious options early in the draft are Montez Sweat and Brian Burns, with Ben Banogu a player I need to go back and look at again after his tremendous workout.

Even so, Winovich does test very well in comparison to Marsh. He’s a similar size (6-3, 256lbs) with similar length (32 3/4 inch arms). He was a lot faster in the forty (4.59) and 10-yard split (1.57). He jumped a 30.5 inch vertical and a 9-8 broad. In the agility tests he beats Marsh with a 6.94 three cone and a 4.11 short shuttle.

It’s really about what Seattle feels it needs. Most of all they need someone who can rush the EDGE as they were hoping Jordan could in 2018. They also likely need a replacement starting WILL. Whether you rate Mingo or Martin highly or not, the SAM/LEO type position is somewhat covered. What we’re doing here is just running through possibilities, looking for trends and leaving no stone unturned. The purpose of the blog isn’t to nail the exact 6-8 players Seattle will draft. It’s to discuss the likelihood of scenarios, discuss options, cut through what isn’t likely and cover as many bases as possible. I’m not sure the Seahawks will draft either Crosby or Winovich but the Cassius Marsh profile offered a talking point.

Today the defensive backs workout. Here’s the list of cornerbacks who fit Seattle’s strict size preference:

Blace Brown — 6-0 3/8, 32 arms, 76 3/8 wingspan
Blessuan Austin — 6-0 5/8, 32.5 arms, 76 7/8 wingspan
Deandre Baker — 5-11, 32 arms, 77 1/8 wingspan
Alijah Holder — 6-0 6/8, 32.5 arms, 77 2/8 wingspan
Mike Jackson — 6-0 5/8, 32.5 arms, 77 2/8 wingspan
Isaiah Johnson — 6-2 1/8, 33 arms, 79 1/8 wingspan
Lonnie Johnson — 6-1 7/8, 32 5/8 arms, 77.5 wingspan
Justin Layne — 6-1 6/8, 33 arms, 80 1/8 wingspan
Rock Ya-sin — 5-11 6/8, 32 arms, 77 3/8 wingspan
Joejuan Williams — 6-3 5/8, 32.5 arms, 78 wingspan
Derrek Thomas — 6-2 7/8, 33 6/8 arms, 82 wingspan
Jordan Miller — 6-0 5/8, 32 7/8 arms, 76.5 wingspan
Jamal Peters — 6-1 6/8, 32 3/8 arms, 77 5/8 wingspan
Ryan Pulley 5-10 5/8, 32 6/8 arms, 77 5/8 wingspan
Saivion Smith — 6-0 7/8, 33 2/8 arms, 78 7/8 wingspan
Ken Webster — 5-10 7/8, 32 arms, 77 wingspan

Keep an eye on Marvell Tell too. He’s 6-2 and 198lbs with 33 1/8 inch arms. That’s cornerback size for Seattle and watching his tape, he has the lean frame that they like in a corner convert.

Cornerback forty times

(Players with +32 inch arms in bold)

Deandre Baker — 4.53 & 4.63
Corey Ballentine — 4.48 & 4.47
Kris Boyd — 4.45 & 4.46
Blace Brown — 4.76 & 4.75
Jordan Brown — 4.53 & 4.52
Sean Bunting — 4.43 & 4.45
Hamp Cheevers — 4.54 & 4.52
Xavier Crawford — 4.50 & 4.48
Davante Davis — 4.58 & 4.68
Jamel Dean — 4.31 & 4.33
Rashad Fenton — 4.53 & 4.76
Mark Fields — 4.37 & 4.39
Montre Hartage — 4.69 & 4.69
Alijah Holder — 4.65 & 4.61
Michael Jackson — 4.46 & 4.50
Isaiah Johnson — 4.40 & 4.45
Lonnie Johnson — 4.52 & 4.61
Justin Layne — 4.51 & 4.51
Iman Marshall — 4.54 & 4.60
David Long — 4.47 & 4.46
Julian Love — 4.54 & 4.58
Jordan Miller — 4.49 & 4.55
Trayvon Mullen — 4.46 & 4.54
Byron Murphy — 4.55 & 4.56
Amani Oruwariye — 4.48 & ?
Jamal Peters — 4.66 & 4.63
Ryan Pulley — 4.62 & 4.69
Derrek Thomas — 4.45 & 4.54
Ken Webster — 4.49 & 4.43
Greedy Williams — 4.38 & 4.45
Joejuan Williams — 4.65 & 4.69
Rock Ya-Sin — 4.59 & 4.52

The NFL Network showed a very satisfied looking Pete Carroll noting the forty times for the big cornerbacks in this class:

Carroll is the only Head Coach, for what it’s worth, who has been filmed making notes during every session of forty runs. Most of the other coaches are simply observing or they’re away chatting to other people. Carroll, every year, is right at the heart of the scouting at the combine.

It seems like the best options might be Lonnie Johnson and Jamal Peters. Isaiah Johnson was touted as a second round pick by Daniel Jeremiah (that would be too early for Seattle). Justin Layne is equally expected to go early. Johnson and Peters ran slow enough to last a little, as did Joejuan Williams. Jordan Miller at Washington ran very well and looks lean and long. Derrek Thomas looked incredibly long and fast. Michael Jackson is very athletic for his size.

Nasir Adderley isn’t working out with the safety’s today. He has an ankle injury.

Onto the on-field drills. First it’s the back pedal. Isaiah Johnson was a little clunky and hunched over. David Long, the Michigan corner, had a very smooth and technical rep.

I like the look of Jordan Miller. He’s not quite as tall as some of the other 32-inch corners but he looks smooth and capable.

Saivion Smith didn’t run a forty but is doing drills.

Greedy Williams’ back pedal was horrendous. He was flat-footed, he was leaning back and as he transitioned and flipped he lost balance and nearly fell over. His second rep was all over the place too. Poor.

Deandre Baker struggled on his flip too. The technique is off, the feet too close together and they’re not unlocking the hips and exploding to finish.

Michael Jackson’s rep was a lot better. I like the look of him. Big corner, lots of bulk and length. Looks physical but he unlocked with a lot of ease and quickness.

Jordan Miller fell over on his second rep in an ugly fashion.

Derrek Thomas isn’t running this drill which is a shame because he looked great running the forty.

I’m really like Michael Jackson. His transitions are quick with little wasted movement, he covers ground well in his back pedal. This is a very impressive performance. Lonnie Johnson just had a good rep with several sharp transitions. There’s a bit of stiffness there but it’s fine. He looks the part.

Jamal Peters is also not doing drills. He got hurt in Mississippi State’s bowl game and still isn’t 100%.

Here are the official cornerback forty times:

Lonnie Johnson had a wonderful rep a moment ago. Nice transitions and then high pointed the ball wonderfully downfield.

Justin Layne is going to have a great vertical jump based on the way he just high pointed a football.

Greedy Williams says he’s giving up for the day. He’s cramping up apparently. Not a great day for him. Cramps?

The prospects are performing better in the ‘W’ drill than last years shower. Lonnie Johnson, Jordan Miller and Michael Jackson all had good reps.

They also do a variation of the ‘W’ that ends with a catch. Joejuan Williams had the best rep of the group.

Lonnie Johnson just looks great. Terrific size, faster than his forty suggests. Very fluid. Could be a big target for the Seahawks.

Byron Murphy is getting good reviews from the NFL Network team.

The cornerback workouts ended with an elongated and slightly unnecessary gauntlet drill. I’m going to post the safety forty times and then close the live blog. I’ll have a huge combine review piece posted later and of course we’ll have our final podcast too.

Johnathan Abram jumped a 33.5 inch vertical and a 9-8 broad.

Sheldrick Redwine jumped a 39 inch vertical and a 10-10 broad.

Marvell Tell had an incredible 42 inch vertical and an 11-4 broad jump. Now we’re talking. That’s special. Earlier I suggested he could be a Seahawks target at cornerback. With those numbers, if he runs a quick forty too he’s going to go flying up boards.

Juan Thornhill went even further. He had a 44 inch vertical and then an 11-9 broad jump. Special, special, special.

Safety forty yard dash times

Johnathan Abram — 4.50 & 4.45
Ugochukwu Amadi — 4.52 & 4.54
John Battle — 4.68 & 4.71
Mike Bell — 4.84 & 4.84
Marquise Blair — 4.48 & 4.51
Lukas Dennis — 4.65 & 4.73
D’Cota Dixon — 4.81 & 4.62
Malik Gant — 4.64 & 4.66
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson — 4.49 & 4.50
Saquan Hampton — 4.48 & DNR
Will Harris — 4.45 & 4.42
Amani Hooker — 4.53 & 4.49
Jaquan Johnson — 4.69 & 4.74
Mark McLaurin — 4.80 & 4.78
Taylor Rapp — DNR
Sheldrick Redwine — 4.45 & 4.50
Darnell Savage — 4.39 & 4.37
Marvell Tell — DNR
Deionte Thompson — DNR
Juan Thornhill — 4.43 & DNR
Darius West — 4.40 & 4.51
Khari Willis — 4.56 & 4.72
Donovan Wilson — 4.59 & DNR
Andrew Wingard — 4.58 & 4.57
Zedrick Woods — 4.37 & 4.30
Evan Worthington — 4.69 & 4.64

Marquise Blair was described as a ‘Seahawks style’ safety by Jim Nagy at the Senior Bowl. He just ran a 4.48.

Pete and John are having a good look at the safety’s.

Taylor Rapp, Marvell Tell and Deionte Thompson are not running the forty yard dash.

Darnell Savage ran an excellent 4.37. He was a good SPARQ tester in High School and this was a good run. Juan Thornhill doesn’t look overly fast on tape but he just ran a 4.43.

Johnathan Abram running a 4.45 is a great time for him. That will boost his stock.

Andrew Wingard has come to the combine dressed as Axl Rose.

I’m ending the live blog for now. The comments section is available to act as an open thread. Later today we’ll have our final podcast and a comprehensive review of the combine with thoughts on where the Seahawks go from here.

Here’s today’s podcast…

And here’s today’s review…

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 — the following players fit the criteria:

Anthony Nelson (271lbs) — 4.23
Rashan Gary (277lbs) — 4.29
Jerry Tillery (295lbs) — 4.33
Zach Allen (281lbs) — 4.36
Charles Omenihu (280lbs) — 4.36
Daniel Wise (281lbs) — 4.36
John Cominsky (286lbs) — 4.38
Trysten Hill (308lbs) — 4.38
Keke Kingsley (288lbs) — 4.46
Dre’Mont Jones (281lbs) — 4.53
Renell Wren (318lbs) — 4.53

All of the names above have +33 inch arms. The Pete Carroll Seahawks have never drafted a defensive lineman with sub-33 inch arms.

It’s a really appealing list. Many of the players above also posted an impressive 10-yard split:

John Cominsky (1.62)
Rashan Gary (1.62)
Zach Allen (1.65)
Anthony Nelson (1.65)
Jerry Tillery (1.71)
Trysten Hill (1.74)
Renell Wren (1.75)

For a defensive end, anything in the 1.6’s is very good. For the defensive tackles listed near or over 300lbs, a 1.7 is equally good.

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
Malik McDowell — 7.69
Naz Jones — 7.93
Jarran Reed — 7.77
Quinton Jefferson — 7.95
Jordan Hill — 7.49

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:

Anthony Nelson — 6.95
John Cominsky — 7.03
Rashan Gary — 7.26
Zach Allen — 7.34
Jerry Tillery — 7.45
Charles Omenihu — 7.48
Daniel Wise — 7.53
Kingsley Keke — 7.55
Renell Wren — 7.65
Trysten Hill — 7.70
Dre’Mont Jones — 7.71

Based on what we’ve seen today — if the Seahawks after looking to draft a defensive tackle or inside/out rusher this year, there’s a decent chance it’ll be one of the ten names above.

Trysten Hill had an excellent workout to match the testing numbers and could be a really appealing option later in the draft. Jerry Tillery looked extremely athletic and Charles Omenihu, while not running a great forty, excelled in the drills. We also probably need to put Zach Allen back on the radar, while Daniel Wise could be an excellent mid-to-late round option as a disruptive interior pass rusher.

EDGE rushers

The Seahawks love 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.

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

Ben Banogu (1.56)
Brian Burns (1.57)
Jamal Davis (1.58)
Montez Sweat (1.55)
Chase Winovich (1.57)

The following just fell short:

Jordan Brailford (1.62)
Malik Carney (1.60)
Maxx Crosby (1.60)

Again, it’s important to note the Seahawks haven’t drafted an defensive lineman with sub-33 inch arms. Chase Winovich is the only prospect above who doesn’t check that box (32 6/8 inch arms).

If the Seahawks were selecting in the top-20 and had a full quota of picks this year, there’s a decent chance they’d consider drafting Montez Sweat or Brian Burns. They previously drafted Bruce Irvin with the #15 pick in 2012. Here’s his athletic profile:

Height: 6-3
Weight: 245lbs
Arms: 33 3/8
Forty: 4.50
10-yard: 1.55
Vertical: 33.5
Broad: 10-3
Short shuttle: 4.03
Three cone: 6.70

Here’s Montez Sweat:

Height: 6-6
Weight: 260lbs
Arms: 35 3/4
Forty: 4.41
10-yard: 1.55
Vertical: 36
Broad: 10-5
Short shuttle: 4.29
Three cone: 7.00

Here’s Brian Burns:

Height: 6-5
Weight: 249lbs
Arms: 33 7/8
Forty: 4.53
10-yard: 1.57
Vertical: 36
Broad: 10-9
Short shuttle: DNP
Three cone: 7.01

All three players are comparatively quick. Sweat and Burns are more explosive but Irvin blows them both away when it comes to the agility tests.

With the Seahawks almost certain to trade down from #21, possibly multiple times, it’s quite unlikely Sweat or Burns will be available when they pick. If that proves to be the case, the options aren’t that great in terms of being able to add a truly dynamic speed rusher. Ben Banogu and Jamal Davis could appeal later on but it’s not an extensive list.

If Sweat or Burns are available, both will likely be on the radar. You might assume they won’t last. It’s very possible both did enough to secure a top-20 grade today. However — really athletic pass rushers have lasted longer than expected in the past. Burns is still somewhat undersized. If the Seahawks traded down and remained in round one, it’s not completely out of the question one of the pair might be available.

Agility testing seems to matter here too. 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.

Here’s this years top performers in both drills:

Short shuttle

Chase Winovich — 4.11
Ben Banogu — 4.27
Montez Sweat — 4.29
Wyatt Ray — 4.31
Sutton Smith — 4.31
Clelin Ferrell — 4.40
Carl Grandeson — 4.41
Gerri Green — 4.42
Jamal Davis — 4.44
Shareef Miller — 4.45

Three cone

Sutton Smith — 6.75
Chase Winovich — 6.94
Jamal Davis — 7.00
Montez Sweat — 7.00
Brian Burns — 7.01
Ben Banogu — 7.02
Oshane Ximines — 7.13
Jalen Jelks — 7.22
Clelin Ferrell — 7.26
Gerri Green — 7.27

Oregon’s Justin Hollins worked out with the linebackers but could be an EDGE option for the Seahawks. He ran a 4.50 forty but they didn’t reveal the 10-yard splits for the linebackers. He also had a 36.5 inch vertical, a 4.40 short shuttle and a 7.06 three-cone.

What does today tell us? Probably that there aren’t as many EDGE rush options as we previously thought that ‘fit’ what the Seahawks have looked for. If they aren’t able to draft Sweat or Burns they might be limited to Ben Banogu, Jamal Davis and Justin Hollins. And for that reason, they might be more inclined to see what options are available in free agency to at least provide some kind of a hedge.

Banogu is a player I need to go back and have another look at. He had an elite workout today — excelling at every level (10-yard, explosive testing, agility).

A final thought on Winovich. I’m not sure how much a quarter of an inch is a difference maker in terms of arm length. The fact he has 32 3/4 inch arms instead of 33 inch arms seems a little bit harsh as a means to rule him out completely. Especially when you actually put his numbers up against Bruce Irvin’s. They’re the same height, Winovich weighs 11lbs more. There’s a 0.09 difference between the two forty times (4.50 vs 4.59) but they ran the same 10-yard split (1.55). Neither tested particularly brilliantly in the broad or vertical but excelled in the short shuttle (4.03 for Bruce, 4.11 for Winovich) and three cone (6.70 for Bruce, 6.94 for Winovich).

I’m still not sure Winovich fits Seattle’s defense. Length is important to this team and although we’re highlighting he’s only a quarter of an inch shy of an apparent 33 inch threshold for arm length, you would never describe Winovich as a long, lean, prototypical LEO. It’s an interesting comparison though especially with so few EDGE options.

He actually compares well to Clay Matthews (it’s not just the hair). Winovich is heavier (256 vs 240) but ran a faster forty time (4.59 vs 4.62). Matthews had him in the 10-yard split with an incredible 1.49 against Winovich’s 1.55. They both have sub-33 inch arms and ran well in the short shuttle (Winovich 4.11, Matthews a 4.18) and three cone (Winovich 6.94, Matthews 6.90).

TEF Scores for defensive linemen

For the last few years we’ve used TEF (explained here) to measure offensive and defensive linemen and compare the results. Here’s what we discovered…

Explosive offensive linemen at the combine:

2016 — 6
2017 — 3
2018 — 7
2019 — 8

Explosive defensive linemen at the combine:

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

Nothing has changed for the NFL. The best athletes are still playing defense in college. There’s still a major problem with the sheer lack of quality offensive lineman entering the league compared to the much bigger numbers of highly athletic defensive linemen.

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

Ben Banogu — 4.05
Ed Oliver — 3.72
Jordan Brailford — 3.61
Rashan Gary — 3.56
Montez Sweat — 3.49
Porter Gustin — 3.48
Renell Wren — 3.45
Jamal Davis — 3.40
Kevin Givens — 3.39
Trysten Hill — 3.37
Nick Bosa — 3.36
Wyatt Ray — 3.33
Oshane Ximines — 3.29
Sutton Smith — 3.25
L.J. Collier — 3.20
Gerri Green — 3.19
Malik Carney — 3.15
Greg Gaines — 3.14
John Cominsky — 3.13
Justin Hollins — 3.13
Albert Huggins — 3.12
Anthony Nelson — 3.12
Jerry Tillery — 3.09
Zach Allen — 3.04
Byron Cowert — 3.02
Christian Wilkins — 2.96
Jalen Jelks — 2.90
Chase Winovich — 2.89
Daylon Mack — 2.82
Daniel Wise — 2.82
Khalen Saunders — 2.80
Chris Slayton — 2.79
Joe Jackson — 2.71
Jonathan Ledbetter — 2.67
Cece Jefferson — 2.61
Terry Beckner — 2.57
Demarcus Christmas — 2.46
Isaiah Buggs — 2.23

If you’re building a case for Ben Banogu — here’s even more evidence.

A high number of prospects didn’t take part in one or more of the vertical, broad or bench press so we’re unable to calculate a score for the likes of Quinnen Williams, Clelin Ferrell and others.

Here are the 30 most explosive defensive linemen from 2016-19 (2019 prospects in bold):

Myles Garrett — 4.21
Ben Banogu — 4.05
Haason Reddick — 3.93
Solomon Thomas — 3.83
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
Rashan Gary — 3.56
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
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

Linebackers

Today’s workout highlighted an issue with the linebacker class. It has a depth problem.

Seattle drafts highly athletic linebackers. Bobby Wagner was a 4.4 runner at his pro-day with a 39.5-inch vertical. Kevin Pierre-Louis, Korey Toomer, Malcolm Smith and Eric Pinkins all ran between a 4.44 and a 4.51 forty. Pierre-Louis, Smith and Pinkins all jumped +39 inches in the vertical. Last year they drafted Shaquem Griffin after he set a new combine record for a forty yard dash by a linebacker (4.38).

The only exception here is K.J. Wright. They loved his length (35 inch arms) and character. He only ran a 4.71 while jumping a 34 inch vertical and a 10-0 broad. It seems like Wright is the rare exception and it’ll be difficult to identify a second anomaly.

Seattle’s preference for amazing athleticism at linebacker is likely one of the reasons their depth is pretty slim at the position. Two years ago Carroll stated, quite forcefully, that they had to bring in some youth to support Wagner and Wright. They’ve only drafted one linebacker since — Shaquem Griffin. If the athletes aren’t there, it seems like Seattle passes on the position.

Unfortunately, that might have to be the case again this year.

There are two spectacular athletes in the group — Devin White and Devin Bush. White is a top-20 lock and has been for many months. Bob McGinn’s league sources indicated the NFL sees both players as similar prospects with similar grades.

White and Bush are arguably even less likely to last than Sweat and Burns. White ran an incredible 4.42 (the second best time ever by a linebacker after Shaquem Griffin) and followed it up with a 39.5 inch vertical. Bush’s time in the forty was a 4.43 with a 40.5 inch vertical. It seems fairly likely both players will be drafted early in round one.

Only one other linebacker ran in the 4.4’s — Texas’ Gary Johnson (4.43). At 6-0 and 226lbs he’s undersized with only 31 1/4 inch arms. Lance Zierlein wrote about Johnson: “Active inside linebacker with plenty of passion and aggression but a fundamental lack of NFL-caliber movement skills in space.”

In terms of straight-line speed the options are limited.

A couple of years ago we identified the short shuttle as a drill that seems to matter for prospective Seattle linebackers. Bobby Wagner ran a 4.28, while Kevin Pierre-Louis ran a 4.01. Here are the top-performing prospects at linebacker in 2019:

Cody Barton — 4.03
Dakota Allen — 4.04
Ben Burr-Kiven — 4.09
Blake Cashman — 4.12
Drue Tranquill — 4.14
Andrew Van Ginkel — 4.14
Devin White — 4.17
Devin Bush — 4.23
Cameron Smith — 4.23
Bobby Okereke — 4.36

Washington’s Ben Burr-Kiven ran a 4.09 short shuttle (#3 among linebackers) and a 6.85 three cone (#1 among linebackers). Could he be an option? He’s quite undersized and it’s questionable whether he’s suited to play the WILL spot. I’ll be taking another look at him after this combine performance.

Alabama’s Mack Wilson didn’t work out today, claiming an injury.

I’m not sure the Seahawks will like the look of this group. There just aren’t many outstanding athletes and once White and Bush leave the board, you’re struggling to find anyone you’d feel fully comfortable drafting to replace K.J. Wright as a year-one starter.

What’s the key take away from the linebacker drills? Have a plan for free agency. Whether that’s re-signing Wright, re-signing Mychal Kendricks if he avoids jail or bringing in another veteran. It’s unlikely this is a hole you’re going to fill with a high draft pick assuming both White and Bush are off the board.

Looking ahead to tomorrow

It’s the final day of the combine and the turn of the defensive backs. There’s a decent list of cornerbacks that fit Seattle’s prototype:

Blace Brown — 6-0 3/8, 32 arms, 76 3/8 wingspan
Blessuan Austin — 6-0 5/8, 32.5 arms, 76 7/8 wingspan
Deandre Baker — 5-11, 32 arms, 77 1/8 wingspan
Alijah Holder — 6-0 6/8, 32.5 arms, 77 2/8 wingspan
Mike Jackson — 6-0 5/8, 32.5 arms, 77 2/8 wingspan
Isaiah Johnson — 6-2 1/8, 33 arms, 79 1/8 wingspan
Lonnie Johnson — 6-1 7/8, 32 5/8 arms, 77.5 wingspan
Justin Layne — 6-1 6/8, 33 arms, 80 1/8 wingspan
Rock Ya-sin — 5-11 6/8, 32 arms, 77 3/8 wingspan
Joejuan Williams — 6-3 5/8, 32.5 arms, 78 wingspan
Derrek Thomas — 6-2 7/8, 33 6/8 arms, 82 wingspan
Jordan Miller — 6-0 5/8, 32 7/8 arms, 76.5 wingspan
Jamal Peters — 6-1 6/8, 32 3/8 arms, 77 5/8 wingspan
Ryan Pulley 5-10 5/8, 32 6/8 arms, 77 5/8 wingspan
Saivion Smith — 6-0 7/8, 33 2/8 arms, 78 7/8 wingspan
Ken Webster — 5-10 7/8, 32 arms, 77 wingspan

We’ll have our final live blog tomorrow, plus our final review piece and podcast.

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Welcome to our coverage of the 2019 NFL combine. Every day we’ll be updating events as they happen in Indianapolis, posting workout numbers and information.

This post will be updated constantly so keep hitting refresh.

We’ll end each day with a separate ‘review’ piece and a podcast. Today is a special day. A potentially legendary defensive line class works out with as many as 10-12 possible first round picks involved and depth deep into the later rounds. The Seahawks need pass rushers and they’ll likely need help at linebacker — so this is a big one not to be missed.

Yesterday was a fantastic day for the TE’s and WR’s (if you missed our review piece click here). Today could be even better for the defensive tackles, ends and EDGE rushers.

Here are a few things to remember:

— The Seahawks haven’t drafted a defensive lineman with sub-33 inch arms.

— They seem to really value the short shuttle for defensive tackles and inside/out rushers.

— 10-yard splits are important. Look for the EDGE rushers running in the 1.5’s and the inside/out types who run in the 1.6’s.

— The defensive linemen always test better than the offensive linemen in terms of explosive traits. After today’s session we’ll put the D-line class through TEF and see how they compare with previous drafts.

— Seattle is likely on the look out for a linebacker. They love top-level, SPARQ’d up athletes. Forty times, explosive testing and the short shuttle/three cone — it all matters at linebacker.

— Tony Pauline is predicting Oregon’s Justin Hollins and Montez Sweat will have fantastic workouts. I think Dexter Lawrence will also impress.

Kim Jones reported on the NFL Network that Ed Oliver is only going to do the broad and vertical jump. He’s choosing not to run or do any drills. Gerald Willis III isn’t working out due to a groin injury.

Defensive tackle forty yard dash times

10-yard splits in brackets

Terry Beckner Jr — 5.19 & 5.30 (1.86)
Isaiah Buggs — 5.15 & 5.18 (1.82)
Demarcus Christmas — 5.09 & 5.14 (1.77)
Greg Gaines — 5.17 & 5.17 (1.80)
Kevin Givens — 5.09 & 4.87 (1.59)
Trysten Hill — 5.05 & 5.07 (1.74)
Albert Huggins — 5.13 & 5.13 (1.81)
Dre’Mont Jones — 5.13 & 5.19 (1.77)
Kingsley Keke — 4.95 & 4.96 (1.77)
Dexter Lawrence — 5.05 & DNP (1.76)
Daylon Mack — 5.14 & 5.11 (1.74)
Dontavius Russell — 5.19 & 5.16 (1.82)
Khalen Saunders — 5.01 & 5.04 (1.73)
Chris Slayton — 5.13 & 5.16 (1.81)
Jerry Tillery — 4.94 & 4.97 (1.71)
Armon Watts — 5.24 & 5.26 (1.81)
Christian Wilkins — 5.10 & 5.05 (1.76)
Quinnen Williams — 4.87 & 4.84 (1.67)
Daniel Wise — 5.31 & 5.29 (1.80)
Renell Wren — 5.02 & 5.03 (1.75)

Right on cue… Daniel Jeremiah mentions he was in Baltimore when they drafted Haloti Ngata. We’ve only heard that story in every single interview or broadcast he’s ever done. Might as well have it again.

Dexter Lawrence injured himself during his forty yard dash (an impressive 5.05 at +340lbs). For context — Lawrence ran a faster time than 281lbs Dre’Mont Jones. He’ll sit out the rest of the day with a quad injury.

Pete and John, again, were observing intently. Unlike a lot of coaches, Carroll is constantly making notes and paying close attention to the forty yard dash times.

Carroll looked perturbed by something. It was when Ed Oliver was supposed to run (he’s sitting out). My speculative guess is they were wondering why he isn’t running a forty (aren’t we all?).

Khalen Saunders ran a superb forty yard dash. What a fantastic athlete. Major potential and he’ll just keep rising after a superb Senior Bowl.

Quinnen Williams had a fantastic forty and 10-yard split. He was a top-five lock anyway. This simply confirms it.

Kevin Givens ran a 1.59 10-yard split at 6-1 and 285lbs. If that’s accurate, it’s incredible.

The defensive tackles are onto the drills. First up is the ‘wave’ (change of direction). Most of the defensive tackles performed well. For me, Trysten Hill, Kingsley Keke and Christian Wilkins were the best. Very sudden shifts in direction. Jerry Tillery looks very athletic but stalled on his rep trying to guess the direction he had to run. Surprisingly, Quinnen Williams wasn’t great in this test. He probably had the worst rep. He slipped, was guessing way too much and it fell apart.

Now onto the agility drills. Demarcus Christmas has had a good start to his workout — moving quickly and showing off some athleticism. Trysten Hill had a good rep here, moving quickly in-and-out of the bags with good pad level.

Dre’Mont Jones had a good rep here looking really quick and athletic. Jerry Tillery looks to be on a different level though in terms of movement. He has incredible feet for his size, great hip-flexion and he’s moving incredibly well. Christian Wilkins also looked very good.

Daniel Wise’s short area movement in these drills is a lot better than the straight-line speed he showed in the forty.

Onto the bag/pad drills. Kingsley Keke had a violent rep, slamming the bags and showing tremendous quickness and power. His Senior Bowl and combine performances (so far) are absolutely miles better than his somewhat average tape.

Next it’s the stack and shed. Keke’s motor continues to rev. Jerry Tillery again had a good rep and has been one of the standout performers in this group. Christian Wilkins also had a good rep. Renell Wren and Daniel Wise finished things off nicely.

Ben Banogu just jumped an 11-2 broad — a record for defensive linemen.

The coaches had Dre’Mont Jones run linebacker drills which was interesting.

Here are the official forty times:

That concludes the defensive tackle drills. The EDGE rushers are up next.

Kyler Murray to Arizona at #1?

Sunday Combine Notes: Kliff Kingsbury telling people it’s a “done deal” the Cardinals will select Kyler Murray with the first pick of the draft. Plenty more here -> https://t.co/Tke8GyScfm pic.twitter.com/MqVy9MpTUt

— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) March 3, 2019

EDGE rusher forty yard times

10-yard splits in brackets

Zach Allen — 4.95 & 5.01 (1.65)
Ben Banogu — 4.58 & 4.62 (1.56)
Nick Bosa — 4.84 & 4.79 (1.60)
Jordan Brailford — 4.72 & 4.66 (1.62)
Brian Burns — 4.56 & 4.64 (1.57)
Malik Carney — 4.70 & 4.76 (1.60)
L.J. Collier — 4.85 & 4.96 (1.75)
John Cominsky — 4.66 & 4.71 (1.62)
Byron Cowert — 5.15 & 5.23 (?)
Maxx Crosby — 4.64 & 4.67 (1.60)
Jamal Davis — 4.66 & 4.65 (1.58)
Rashan Gary — 4.61 & 4.59 (1.62)
Carl Granderson — 4.81 & 4.80 (1.71)
Gerri Green — 4.66 & 4.64 (1.66)
CeCe Jefferson — 5.03 & 4.95 (1.73)
Jalen Jelks — 4.93 & 4.95 (1.70)
Jonathan Ledbetter — 5.15 & 5.21 (1.81)
Shareef Miller — 4.71 & 4.70 (1.67)
Anthony Nelson — 4.83 & 4.83 (1.65)
Charles Omenihu — 4.97 & 4.93 (1.71)
Jachai Polite — 4.84 & DNR (1.71)
Wyatt Ray — 4.84 & 4.87 (1.68)
Sutton Smith — 4.70 & 4.70 (1.72)
Montez Sweat — 4.42 & 4.46 (1.55)
Chase Winovich — 4.60 & 4.69 (1.57)
Oshane Ximines — 4.86 & 4.79 (1.72)

The NFL Network is now indulging itself in a Mike Mayock interview during the EDGE rusher forty times, splitting the screen and completely ruining one of the big moments of the combine this year. Furthermore, their TV timer stopped working meaning we’re not getting any 10-yard splits.

The coverage has been massively frustrating. It’s also meaning we don’t get ANY 10-yard splits at the start. Then just as they got the system working, what did we get? Mike Mayock intercepting Dan Marino, adverts and then a Mayock montage of him on TV at the combine. Come on guys.

Josh Allen didn’t run — unless he’s working with the linebackers. Clelin Ferrell didn’t run.

Rashan Gary’s 4.61 and 1.63 split is fantastic for a 277lbs defensive lineman. Brian Burns posted an elite 1.5 split and a fantastic forty time. Jachai Polite ran a disappointing time.

The NFL Network just went its 156th advert break today. On return, Rich Eisen said, ‘welcome back… you’ve missed… a lot’. Exactly Rich. So have a word and tell them some of us actually want to watch these drills.

Montez Sweat ran a blistering 4.42 at 260lbs. That will be a combine record if it’s official for a pass rusher. Wow. That’s the kind of performance that gets you into the top-10. Every screamed about D.K. Metcalf’s 4.33 at 228lbs. Sweat is carrying an extra 40lbs.

Charles Omenihu and Jachai Polite were both slower than expected. Polite didn’t run his second forty because he’s been struggling with a hamstring injury. He won’t do drills.

Rich Eisen most common phrase during the combine:

“And we’re back…” (after an advert break)

Daniel Jeremiah most common phrase during the combine:

“That was a great rep…”

Now onto the drills after yet another advert break. It’s the wave/change of direction drill. Clelin Ferrell is working out despite not running a forty (which is pretty lame). Ditto Joe Jackson. He didn’t run but is doing the drills.

Rashan Gary has incredible movement and change of direction skills for such a big lineman.

In the agility drill, Ben Banogu and Nick Bosa had a good rep. L.J. Collier didn’t run fast and has looked a bit stiff. It seems he’s a better football player than tester.

Clelin Ferrell had a good rep but he’s spent both of the first drills pulling his pants up. Rashan Gary is putting on a show. Charles Omenihu had a good rep in the agility drill.

Montez Sweat struggled. He was tight in his step and struggled to get in and out of the bags without looking at his feet. He clipped a bag and tripped up a little.

Now onto the club/rip. Joe Jackson had a nice rep, slamming into the pads with power. Charles Omenihu had the coaches leading the drill barking in delight for his rep — he looked incredibly violent and quick.

Montez Sweat’s official forty yard dash is a 4.41. That’s incredible.

L.J. Collier had a great strike on the bag, kept his frame protected and belted the second bag before finishing. Nice rep.

The coach halted the drill to remind the players to finish with a sprint not a jog.

Rashan Gary is getting a lot of praise from the coaches on the field.

CeCe Jefferson is struggling badly. He ran poorly and he drew the ire of the coach leading the club/rip drill twice. He almost ran between the pads on the first attempt and on the second — his strike was tame and he didn’t finish. “That’s not good enough” shouted the coach. After Jalen Jelks’ rep another coach was heard saying, “this is sloppy”. The lead coach added again, “it’s not violent enough on these reps. Violent.” Charles Omenihu came along just in time to provide another rep that drew high praise. They seemed to like Chase Winovich’s effort too.

I’m not seeing Brian Burns out there for these drills.

The stack and shed was pretty straight forward. Montez Sweat’s stance looked good and I like the patience Omenihu showed to do the drill properly rather than race through. You want to see the guys punch with power and progress with a wide stance, balance and show an ability to stay clean.

Here’s confirmation of Sweat’s blistering forty time:

Nick Bosa looks in great shape and moves very quickly just look his brother. Brian Burns is carrying the new weight well and he’s fluid running in space and changing direction. L.J. Collier moved well in the drill that calls for the player to double-back, round a cone and sprint/finish.

Sweat obviously ran an amazing forty but in fairness during the drills he’s shown hip tightness changing direction.

They’re now onto the outside linebacker drills. Ben Banogu looked very smooth in coverage. Brian Burns also looked very good and made a stunning catch on his rep too. Chase Winovich looked very comfortable dropping into space and had a good workout.

Brian Burns and Nick Bosa both move very, very well in space. Sweat has the great straight line speed but he’s not even running these linebacker drills. He’s stiffer and tighter in the hips than Burns and Bosa.

It’s pretty remarkable seeing Rashan Gary so at ease during the linebacker drills at 277lbs.

That concludes the EDGE session. Just the linebackers to go. However, it’ll be very interesting to see the DL/EDGE three cone times, short shuttle and explosive testing marks.

Quinnen Williams managed a 30.5 inch vertical and a 9-4 broad.

Dre’Mont Jones jumped a 31.5 inch vertical and a 9-2 broad.

Trysten Hill had an excellent 35 inch vertical and a 9-7 broad. He’s had a big day.

Ed Oliver recorded a 36 inch vertical and a 10-0 broad. He’s a 3.72 TEF tester.

Devin Bush jumped a 40.5 inch vertical, Devin White a 39.5. That’s a great start for the linebackers.

Linebacker forty times

Otaro Alaka — 4.83 & 4.84
Dakota Allen — 4.78 & 4.77
Josh Allen — 4.70 & 4.64
Bryson Allen-Williams — 4.88 & 5.02
Jeff Allison — 4.83 & 4.83
Cody Barton — 4.67 & 4.64
Ben Burr-Kiven — 4.57 & 4.57
Devin Bush — 4.44 & 4.52
Blake Cashman — 4.52 & 4.51
Ryan Connelly — 4.67 & 4.72
Tyrel Dodson — 4.61 & 4.63
Emeke Egbule — 4.66 & 4.78
Joe Giles-Harris — 4.76 & 4.79
Porter Gustin — 4.71 & 4.69
Terrill Hanks — 4.99 & DNR
Justin Hollins — 4.51 & 4.53
Gary Johnson — 4.43 & 4.46
Jordan Jones — 4.62 & 4.65
Bobby Okereke — 4.61 & 4.59
Germaine Pratt — 4.58 & DNR
Cameron Smith — 4.70 & 4.76
Ty Summers — 4.52 & 4.58
Sione Takitaki — 4.63 & 4.67
Drue Tranquill — 4.60 & 4.58
Devin White — 4.42 & 4.45

They didn’t provide the 10-yard splits for the linebackers sadly.

Devin Bush’s 4.44 and his 40.5 inch vertical is why I’ve been mocking him in the top half of round one. Elite athlete and it shows on tape. He has some issues in coverage and vs the run but his potential is off the charts.

Here are some of the vertical/broad jumps from the LB’s:

Devin Bush — 40.5, 10-4
Porter Gustin — 35.5, 9-11
Christian Miller — 38.5, 9-10
Cam Smith — 39, 10-3
Devin White — 39.5, 9-10
Mack Wilson — 32, 9-9
Josh Allen — DNJ, 9-10

Mack Wilson says he has a sore hamstring so won’t be working out.

The feeling in the league was Devin Bush and Devin White were very similar prospects. Their workouts are almost identical.

Devin White broke down in tears when he spoke to his family after running a 4.42 forty. A great moment:

The NFL Network are over-egging the speed of the linebackers here. 4.7’s are not great times. Bush and White running in the 4.4’s is great but this isn’t anything like the kind of lightning class of LB’s they’re making out.

A year ago, eight linebackers ran a 4.5 or faster. This year there were ten. So it’s nothing out of the ordinary.

Onto the drills. Justin Hollins looked good in the movement drill, side-stepping well with good balance and drop. Gary Johnson also looked really quick.

Christian Miller looked really stiff, slipped during his drill and tripped up on his finish — ending with a forward-roll.

Josh Allen struggled on the in-and-out drill stepping over the bags. He had to have a second go and didn’t seem comfortable. Then on the coverage drill he had a false start. He also seemed a bit stiff opening up his hips.

Bryson Allen-Williams looked a lot more comfortable unlocking his hips, dropping and changing direction.

Devin Bush was a bit stiff too which isn’t a surprise. He’s very fast but he’s had issues in coverage at Michigan.

It’s a real shame we can’t see Mack Wilson run these coverage drills. He’d put on a show.

Texas’ Gary Johnson ran well and has looked very fluid during drills. He’s quick, changes direction with minimal wasted movement and he’s getting the job done.

Christian Miller looks uncomfortable doing linebacker drills. Either he’s hurt or this performance is making clear he’s simply an EDGE.

Here are the official forty times for the linebackers:

Remember — the Seahawks love outstanding athleticism at LB. There aren’t many outstanding athletes based on these forty times but let’s see how the short shuttle, three cone and explosive tests went down.

Justin Hollins looks like a good athlete with some real potential to act as an EDGE, LEO or SAM for Seattle. He has the length, the forty time and he’s looking smooth during drills.

The three cone times have been released for the defensive linemen:

Here are the top short shuttle times:

Seattle always looks for great agility from their inside/out rushers or defensive tackles. So these numbers are important to remember:

Anthony Nelson — 4.23
Rashan Gary — 4.29
Jerry Tillery — 4.33
Zach Allen — 4.36
Charles Omenihu — 4.36
Daniel Wise — 4.36
John Cominsky — 4.38
Trysten Hill — 4.38
Keke Kingsley — 4.46
Dre’Mont Jones — 4.53
Renell Wren — 4.53
Christian Wilkins — 4.55

On that note I’m going to end the live blog for today. The review piece will be up soon.

Here’s our day two podcast…

The tight end class is deep

Here’s the best way to assess the 2019 draft. One area (D-line) is really deep in round one. The other positions lack legit first round talent. However, there’s really good depth in several other positions stretching deep into the draft.

The O-line class will provide options stretching into day three. There’s a decent number of receivers who could be taken between rounds 2-4. We’ll likely see three quarterbacks drafted early but there will be some players worth of consideration in rounds 2-3. There’s a decent number of cornerbacks with 32 inch arms. The only weak positions in terms of depth appear to be safety, running back and possibly linebacker.

The tight end class perfectly encapsulates the situation.

T.J. Hockenson is going to be a very high pick. It won’t be a surprise if he’s drafted between Jacksonville at #7 and Cincinnati at #11. He had a fantastic workout today and secured his place in that range.

After that? It’s possible we could see Noah Fant or Irv Smith Jr in round one. It’s equally possible they could last into round two. Any other player drafted in the top-50 might be considered a reach.

So there isn’t a lot of top-end talent but there is superb depth. That was on show today.

Hockenson, Fant, Foster Moreau, Dawson Knox, Josh Oliver, Drew Sample, Trevon Wesco, Jace Sternberger, Alize Mack, Kaden Smith and others impressed. Whether you take one in round two or round five — you’re going to be able to find a tight end.

There’s every type too — the athletic ‘big slot receiver’, the Y-TE who blocks, the players who can do a bit of both. With the league desperate for an injection of talent at tight end this will be well received.

The Seahawks are probably going to draft a TE at some point. Will Dissly is recovering from a serious knee injury, Nick Vannett is a free agent after the 2019 season and Ed Dickson is a veteran stop-gap. They won’t have a problem finding someone they like.

So what stands out from the workouts?

Firstly, this is a group who absolutely excelled in the short shuttle. In our big combine preview we highlighted how this appeared to be an important test for any prospective Seahawks tight end. Here’s a recap of the players they’ve added:

Luke Willson — 4.29 at pro-day
Will Dissly — 4.40 (8th best in 2018)
Nick Vannett — 4.20 (2nd best in 2016)
Anthony McCoy — 4.57
Zach Miller — 4.42
Jimmy Graham — 4.45

And here’s the long list of players who ran the kind of short shuttle that could appeal to the Seahawks (note — these times are really good and it’s unusual to have so many agile TE’s):

Foster Moreau — 4.11
T.J. Hockenson — 4.18
Noah Fant — 4.22
Kahale Warring — 4.25
Dawson Knox — 4.27
Drew Sample — 4.31
Jace Sternberger — 4.31
Irv Smith Jr — 4.33
Alize Mack — 4.34
Trevon Wesco — 4.38
Dax Raymond — 4.39
Caleb Wilson — 4.40
Kendall Blanton — 4.42
Isaac Nauta — 4.43
Josh Oliver — 4.47
Kaden Smith — 4.47

If the short shuttle really is an important test for Seattle TE’s — there’s no shortage of options. The names above include early and late round picks. There’s no cliff-face at this position.

Foster Moreau’s 4.11 short shuttle is the 4th best by a TE at the combine in the last decade. T.J. Hockenson’s 4.18 is the 10th best.

To put those numbers into perspective — Andy Isabella and Terry McLaurin both ran a 4.15 and D.K. Metcalf ran a 4.50.

What about the three cone?

Seattle has drafted four TE’s in the Carroll era. Here are their times and where they ranked within their draft class:

Anthony McCoy — 6.99 (#4)
Luke Willson — 7.08 (not invited to the combine)
Nick Vannett — 7.05 (#7)
Will Dissly — 7.07 (#4)

Like the short shuttle times, it appears they pay attention to the three cone too.

Here’s the top-10 times from the 2019 class:

Noah Fant — 6.81
Hockenson — 7.02
Kaden Smith — 7.08
Dawson Knox — 7.12
Dax Raymond — 7.15
Drew Sample — 7.15
Foster Moreau — 7.16
Trevor Wesco — 7.18
Jace Sternberger — 7.19
Caleb Wilson — 7.20

Only the three names at the top match Seattle’s previous preference. I guess we’ll find out this year whether a time slower than a 7.10 is off-putting.

Noah Fant’s 6.81 three-cone is the fifth best in the last 10 years. For reference, O.J. Howard ran a 6.85 and Jimmy Graham a 6.90.

It’s encouraging to see some of the ‘blocking’ tight ends impress in the agility testing. The likes of Moreau, Wesco, Smith, Sample and Blanton all performed well. These are possibly the players to focus on.

In particular LSU’s Foster Moreau arguably stole the show with an excellent combination of speed, agility and explosive power. He’s a tough, hard-nosed blocker who wore the coveted and respected #18 jersey for the Tigers.

Here are his testing numbers overall:

Height: 6-4 1/8
Weight: 253lbs
Arm length: 33.5 inches
Wingspan: 81.5 inches
Forty: 4.66
Vertical: 36.5
Broad: 10-1
Short shuttle: 4.11
3-cone: 7.16

That’s a really good looking athletic profile and Moreau is a player I’ll be spending more time on after the combine. Trevon Wesco and Drew Sample are the two players with arguably the best combination of agility and blocking.

Another couple of quick notes on the tight end class. Noah Fant had the second best vertical jump by a tight end (39.5) in the last five years and the fifth best in the last decade. T.J. Hockenson’s 37.5 is the eighth best and Moreau’s 36.5 the 12th.

Fant also had the ninth best broad jump in the last decade and the fifth best in the last five years.

This was a good day for the tight ends.

What we learnt about the wide receivers

Pete Carroll has only drafted two receivers who haven’t run a 4.4 forty or faster (Kenny Lawler 4.64, Chris Harper 4.50). Paul Richardson (4.40), Golden Tate (4.42), Tyler Lockett (4.40), Kris Durham (4.46), Kevin Norwood (4.48), Amara Darboh (4.45) and David Moore (4.42) all cracked the 4.4’s. Kris Durham (216lbs), Chris Harper (229lbs), Kenny Lawler (203lbs), Amara Darboh (214lbs) and David Moore (219lbs) were all +200lbs. Richardson, Tate and Lockett — the three most productive players — were smaller.

This really tells us two things. One — the Seahawks value speed and suddenness at the position even if you’re a ‘bigger’ receiver. Two — they’ve had greater success with smaller, quicker receivers since drafting Russell Wilson.

Here’s the list of receivers who ran a 4.4 or faster today:

Parris Campbell — 4.31
Andy Isabella — 4.31
Mecole Hardman — 4.33
D.K. Metcalf — 4.33
Terry McLaurin — 4.35
Emanuel Hall — 4.39
Darius Slayton — 4.39
Johnnie Dixon — 4.41
Miles Boykin — 4.42
Gary Jennings — 4.42
Ashton Dulin — 4.43
Jazz Ferguson — 4.45
Alex Wesley — 4.45
Dillon Mitchell — 4.46
Jaylen Smith — 4.47
Hakeem Butler — 4.48
Deebo Samuel — 4.48
A.J. Brown — 4.49

Jamal Custis (4.50), Bisi Johnson (4.51) and N’Keal Harry (4.53) just missed out.

As with the tight ends, there are plenty of options at varying levels. If they wanted to take a receiver with their first pick after trading down, that might be the range where Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, A.J. Brown or Deebo Samuel are expected to go. Emanuel Hall and Hakeem Butler are likely mid-round picks. Gary Jennings, Jazz Ferguson and Miles Boykin might be available later on.

Also like the tight ends — there are different types of receivers available. So if they want to draft a wide out this year there’s a decent chance they will have that opportunity.

The star of the day is undoubtedly Ole Miss’ D.K. Metcalf. He ran a 4.33 forty at 6-3 and 228lbs. He also had a 40.5 inch vertical and 27 reps on the bench press despite having 35 inch arms. He’s a truly elite athlete.

Practically every mock draft will have him in the top-10 after today. However, there are a couple of things to consider. Metcalf suffered a serious neck injury that ended his 2018 season and put his football career in doubt. He was recently cleared by doctors to continue playing but teams will study the medical info. If there are doubts about the longevity of his career, even if he can suit up in 2019, it’ll impact his stock.

Metcalf also ran a very limited route tree at Ole Miss, there are concerns that he’s too muscular and ripped and he had a number of concentration drops. He also tested relatively poorly in terms of agility — recording a 4.50 short shuttle and a 7.38 three cone.

A 4.33 forty at 6-3 and 228lbs will make teams forget about some of those issues but it’s at least possible he’ll last a bit longer than some of the mocks will project after today.

This report from Charlie Campbell sums up the situation.

I suspect today’s performance will secure Metcalf a first round placing even if he doesn’t go in the top-10. If he does last though — keep him in your mind for Seattle. He’s the type of sensational athlete they love to take with their first pick.

It’s no surprise Parris Campbell and Terry McLaurin had strong performances. Campbell is a converted running back with explosive power (40 inch vertical) to match his 4.31 speed. He also has excellent catching technique, versatility and good character. He’s a modern day NFL weapon and could easily go in the top-40. McLaurin is an all-rounder who excels at catching, blocking and special teams. Both remain underrated.

Other highlights include Miles Boykin and Emanuel Hall jumping the second best vertical in recorded history (43.5 inches). Hall in particular is a player we sounded out before the combine. Here are the top-10 vertical jumps:

Boykin and Hall also topped the broad jump rankings with an 11-8 and an 11-9 respectively. Parris Campbell had an 11-3, D.K. Metcalf and 11-2 and Hakeem Butler an 11-8.

Notre Dame’s Boykin had a sensational workout overall and is practically a complete athlete. Size, length, speed, explosive traits, agility. He’s a player we’ll certainly be looking closely at after the combine.

Thoughts on the quarterbacks

It was difficult to get a sense of how well the quarterbacks were performing. The camera angle from behind the QB isn’t the best to analyse because of the lack of depth. On game tape it’s clearly the best angle because you can see the defense develop and a passer going through progressions. Here, in shorts and a T-shirt, I’d rather see it from the TV broadcast angle. Let’s just judge the arm strength and ball placement.

I think it was pretty clear that Jarrett Stidham, Dwayne Haskins and Drew Lock had the best ‘arm talent’.

Stidham has long been a physical prospect with great tools. At Auburn he was essentially talked through the defensive looks and told what to do. At the next level he’ll need to make progressions and make plays under pressure. Today didn’t offer any insight in that regard.

Haskins looked a little bit like he was going through the motions. Like his tape there were good and bad moments. I’m not convinced he’ll be the second quarterback taken after Kyler Murray. Drew Lock also has the arm and had to do more with less at Missouri. I wouldn’t be surprised if Lock was the #10 pick to Denver and Haskins lasted to either the Bengals at #11 or the Redskins at #15.

Kyler Murray didn’t work out at all but it’s been a day of talk about him potentially being the #1 pick in Arizona. I’ve thought for a while they should take Murray with the top pick and wrote about it at the start of January. He’s the best player on the board.

Tomorrow is a big day. The defensive line class is the clear strength of the draft. There are a high number of defensive tackles, ends and EDGE rushers on display plus a handful of quality linebackers. It’s the big day at the combine this year.

There will be a number of star performers on Sunday but expect Dexter Lawrence to regain some of his lost stock. Today he put up 36 reps of the bench press (most among D-liners) despite having nearly 35-inch arms. I predict he will run an incredible time for a 342lbs linemen.

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