I am watching the Senior Bowl now — expect some thoughts on the game later tonight or tomorrow. In the meantime, I wanted to post this video:

I appreciate the last thing Seahawks fans want to do nine days before the Super Bowl is fret about the offensive coordinator.

However, if it wasn’t for the game next week, this would be the biggest topic in town.

I’d even go as far as saying this — the decision Klint Kubiak makes over his future — and the way the Seahawks react to his potential departure — will be the most significant thing the franchise does this year in a football sense, Super Bowl aside.

The main reason the Seahawks are playing the Patriots next week is their balanced roster. Their ability to win with their offense, defense and even special teams has been critical to their success.

Last year the offense was terrible and they missed out on the playoffs completely. A regression from the success of 2025 could significantly impact their chances of sustained progress.

Again, I know a lot of people won’t want to think this way when positive vibes are the order of the time. Especially given fans now have to contend with reports today over a potential sale. However, this is too important to put your fingers in your ears and cover your eyes.

I also think there’s a deeper conversation to have on this topic beyond the typical ‘why would he want to go to the Raiders or Cardinals?’ or ‘wait until next year’.

There are only 32 of these jobs in the world. It’s very easy to look at the two available openings and wonder why Kubiak would want to take the plunge. It’s also very easy to cite potential openings next year and say ‘just wait for a better job in 2027’.

You never know what’s going to happen in 12 months. Perhaps Seattle’s offense struggles post-Super Bowl and he becomes a less attractive candidate? Maybe one or two great jobs come open but the teams in question go in a different direction? What if a big name unexpectedly becomes available, as we saw with John Harbaugh this year, and they get the top gig?

Then there’s the salary. Newly appointed Head Coaches are getting at least $10-12m a year these days. Even the Jets gave that to Aaron Glenn. Kubiak is in such a strong bargaining position with two teams vying for his services. He’s also about to coach in the Super Bowl having just had the play-calling experience of his career last weekend. He is likely to get into the $13-14m range where Ben Johnson sits, if not more.

That will be a massive pay increase on his offensive coordinator salary in Seattle. As noted previously, Kellen Moore was on $2.5m in Philadelphia in 2024 and that was considered a top salary for an OC. Chip Kelly getting $6m is a red-herring because that was an outlier. It does show how willing the Raiders are to spend big though — and speaks to how willing they might be to offer Kubiak a massive deal beyond anyone’s expectations.

Don’t be surprised if they do whatever it takes to get their man, potentially stretching beyond $15m a year. Then it becomes a gamble worth tens of millions in earnings to say, ‘I will wait on the next opportunity and hope it’ll be there for me’.

I’ve seen people quote Ben Johnson as an example of a coach waiting for the right opportunity. Is that strictly true, though? When the Lions were eliminated from the playoffs after the 2023 season’s NFC Championship, he was seen as an option alongside Mike Macdonald for the jobs in Seattle and Washington.

Mike Garafolo and Albert Breer both reported that he didn’t interview well. Garafolo added that Johnson was not going to be Washington’s hire anyway, so he removed his name from consideration. Breer said he didn’t “knock his first interview out of the park” with the Commanders.

I’m not sure it was as much about Johnson waiting on a better job, as Johnson sensing he had no choice and attempted to save face.

The arguments to make for keeping Kubiak are less about turning down the Raiders or Cardinals and waiting for something better. It’s about the situation this week and the potential for the Seahawks to give him a big raise.

Breer noted today that Kubiak is “genuinely torn” over going through the process of doing interviews this weekend and that he feels he owes it to the Seahawks’ players and staff to put everything into the Super Bowl.

This is more important than anything. If he verbally agrees to take one of these jobs over the weekend, he might feel that could impact things in the days leading up to the Super Bowl. Some coaches will feel uncomfortable about that. If you’re hoping for Kubiak to stay, your best bet is to hope he wrestles with this so much that he just feels the timing is wrong and loyalty to his colleagues wins out.

That will be easier if he knows there’s a nice big pay rise waiting on his desk at the VMAC. No doubt that will have already been communicated to him. Tony Pauline noted recently that the Seahawks are making a “full-court press” to keep him in Seattle.

There’s your rooting interest. Loyalty, a raise and a desire to avoid distractions for the Super Bowl. Not the standard of the current available jobs.

The problem is, the Raiders job is probably more appealing than people realise.

Yes, it’s been a basket case for a long time. So were the Lions until recently. And the Bills. Things can change — and this season we’ve seen how quickly fortunes can change for teams (the Patriots were 4-13 last season).

They also play in a difficult AFC West division, with Patrick Mahomes, Jim Harbaugh and AFC Championship participants the Denver Broncos.

Let’s look at the Broncos. Between 2017 and 2023 they averaged six wins per season. In the last two seasons, they’ve won 24 regular season games. They could’ve been in the Super Bowl but for an injury to their quarterback and/or the bad weather last weekend.

The Raiders have a lot of work to do to build a roster like Denver’s but with the #1 pick this year and the chance to acquire more stock if (when) they trade Maxx Crosby, there’s an opportunity to shape their roster. Meanwhile, you’ll have a young quarterback, an elite tight end, a very good left tackle and a highly drafted running back already on deck. That’s a good start for an offensive-minded Head Coach.

They also have a projected $74.7m in effective cap space this year — second most in the NFL behind only the Titans. They’ll create even more if they trade Crosby and cut Geno Smith.

Rather than be a hindrance, I suspect the presence of Tom Brady will be seen as a positive and a sounding board for a coach like Kubiak. After all, his father won a Super Bowl in Denver when John Elway was the GM.

Plus the Kubiak family have connections to GM John Spytek, who was part of that same Broncos’ front office when Gary was the Head Coach.

Add all of this to the money they’re likely to offer, which could essentially be a blank cheque at this point. After all, who else are they going to go for and be able to sell it to their fans? Look on social media. Raider Nation sees this as Kubiak or bust.

If he does depart after the Super Bowl, it would be concerning for the Seahawks. There’s no point pretending it wouldn’t be a significant blow.

Firstly, he’d almost certainly take John Benton and Rick Dennison with him — with the prospect of others going too. You would need to find a replacement with coaching contacts, or find adequate staff replacements.

Secondly, there’s the prospect of scheme changes if you can’t find a coordinator from the same coaching tree. That isn’t a given and wouldn’t be ideal after so much success in 2025.

The Seahawks hit it out of the park last year when they had ample time to replace Ryan Grubb. They began their coordinator search as soon as the regular season ended, with multiple candidates available.

This time would be different. The coaching cycle has moved quickly and we are already starting to see how thin the offensive coordinator pool is (just ask Eagles fans). The last time they faced this kind of situation was when they had to wait for Mike Macdonald to become available after the 2023 season’s AFC Championship game. By that point, the pool of OC’s was similarly thin. They had to take a chance on Grubb and it was a disaster.

They likely learnt from that process and at the very least, they’re unlikely to look to the college ranks for a Kubiak replacement. However, they might be forced into a situation again where they’re rolling the dice. Kubiak was far more of a known quantity, with a ready made staff and a history of play-calling. They might have to take a chance on a novice with limited or no play-calling experience and very little in the way of contacts this time.

Last year they considered outside-of-the-box candidates like Hank Fraley and Grant Udinski.

They could look at their existing staff but the Eagles lost Kellen Moore after the Super Bowl last year and replaced him with an in-house candidate. It didn’t work.

There were other things at play, including the odd way Jalen Hurts operates and the weekly drama AJ Brown seems determined to bring to the table.

Even so, it highlights how challenging things can be when you win a Super Bowl and then have to scramble to appoint coaches. The Seahawks experienced that when they lost Dan Quinn and promoted Kris Richard in 2015. It also didn’t work (although, again, there were mitigating circumstances).

A suggestion might be to see if you can find an experienced, older head to run things without much commitment beyond 2026 — before assessing the situation in a year when you might be better placed to make a longer term appointment. A known quantity, even if it’s someone who doesn’t necessarily excite, might be better than risking a novice.

In addition to Fraley and Udinski, the Seahawks are known to have interviewed Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich, Baltimore Ravens run game coordinator Travis Switzer, Byron Leftwich and Thomas Brown before appointing Kubiak a year ago. They could also be contenders. It’s unclear if Mike Kafka and Arthur Smith could also be in contention. They’ve recently taken jobs with the Lions and Ohio State but could be tempted by an offer to be a NFL offensive coordinator again for a team that won a lot of games in 2025.

I’m sure the Seahawks have been planning for all eventualities given the interest in Kubiak. Their desire to press him to stay, though, could reflect how unappealing the alternatives are.

It would be a huge boost if Kubiak were to stay but it’s not news I think anyone should anticipate. I think he’ll verbally agree to take the Raiders job. The hope has to be that his parting gift will be an exceptional game-plan for his final act as Seattle’s OC.

His exit would create a huge challenge for Mike Macdonald and John Schneider to find a suitable replacement. The aim has to be to make 2025 a launchpad for sustained contention and success, not a one-off.

If he opts to stay, it will be a major cause for celebration.

If you missed my review of day three at the Senior Bowl earlier, check it out here.

The final practise was toned down in terms of 1v1’s in favour of scrimmage and red zone work as preparations ramped up for the game on Saturday. Here’s my final set of notes…

American team OL/DL 1v1’s

Michigan’s Derrick Moore squared off against Florida’s Austin Barber to start. The Florida tackle was way too passive, dropping in his set but allowing Moore to instigate contact. When you’re moving backwards and you allow someone to put force into your chest from a running start, you will move even further backwards. Poor technique.

Moore also had a win against JC Davis by working his outside shoulder to beat the edge — but he couldn’t disengage and showed a lack of true bend and quickness. Moore is getting a great press in the media but if I’m looking at a 254lbs edge rusher, I want to see some speed and twitch. He isn’t going to run through NFL tackles at that size.

Missouri defensive tackle Chris McClellan had a great bull-rush against Arizona’s Fernando Carmona, pushing him well back into the pocket for a big win. On the next rep, Alabama’s Tim Keenan did exactly the same thing to Florida’s Jake Slaughter. He put his hands inside and just drove through contact, ploughing Slaughter into the QB.

Caleb Banks’ first rep was a little bit ‘meh’ compared to what he showed on Wednesday. He just ran out of steam against Auburn’s Jeremiah Wright and his counter move to spin away from contact was easily mirrored by Wright who did a good job.

Banks faired much better on his second rep, easily beating Florida team mate Jake Slaughter. He engaged, shoved him backwards, then used an arm-over to break free and get to the QB. For his size he is a remarkable athlete.

Banks then had a rematch with Wright and easily beat him. It was a tired rep by Wright. Banks was jawing all the way back to the line after the easiest win of the day. Zion Young, who sadly sat out the 1v1’s, was patting him on the head in celebration. Once again, Banks showed the most animation during the session and gave off an alpha vibe.

Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor showed in a rep against Illinois’ Gabe Jacas that he has the foot speed and agility to kick-slide and dance with most rushers. He needs more power though. Jacas was never going to beat him to the edge so went through him instead. Iheanachor could do with getting stronger.

I’ll tell you who Iheanachor didn’t dance with though — Quintayvious Hutchins of Boston College. He embarrassed the tackle with a fake to the outside before dipping inside. He was too quick and Iheanachor was left grasping at air. Hutchins has had a really good week. He’s undersized (6-2, 229lbs, 32 3/4 inch arms) but he can make things happen as a speed rusher. He only missed one tackle in 2025 to his credit. As an attacking SAM, he has potential.

Iheanachor’s finally rep was a straight forward mirror against Derrick Moore who couldn’t counter and just put his head down on contact. Iheanachor was too athletic for him.

James Brockermeyer’s ‘wow’ week continued with a win against South Carolina’s Nick Barrett. The Miami center was the aggressor off the snap (this is critical for the position) and engaged contact rather than waiting for his opponent to make the first move. Then, having engaged, he worked to get a hand inside his chest and then just anchored down. He showed a classic straight back and tapped his feet to reset three times. He could’ve got his hands inside a little bit quicker but it’s a nitpick. Brockermeyer is one of the winners of the week.

Blog favourite Gracen Halton of Oklahoma demolished Boston College’s Logan Taylor with an arm-over move. He was just too quick and too good. Zion Young tapped him on the head after the rep.

The coaches knew what they were doing and put Halton up against Brockermeyer. It was a win for both sides I’d say. Halton beat the center to his outside shoulder to gain an advantage but Brockermeyer reset and regained position to block the path to the QB. A good initial pressure from the DT and a good recovery from the center.

Alabama’s LT Overton is not an edge threat because of a lack of quick twitch but he worked inside against Miami’s Markus Bell and created a pressure. He’s shown this week he’ll be best as a 5-tech who works inside.

Rayshaun Benny of Michigan whipped Fernando Carmona twice. I am eager to watch more of Benny. He had a good week, looking quick and aggressive. He’s flown under the radar and put some good 1v1 reps on tape. On the second rep Carmona basically tackled him to the ground. The rest of the defenders rushed over to congratulate Benny.

I thought Ethan Onianwa struggled again in this session. It’s obvious why he struggled to secure a starting role at Ohio State.

Logan Taylor also had a difficult week. Cameron Ball easily beat him to the inside on a 1v1 on Thursday. Caleb Banks gave Ball a high-five for the easy win.

National team OL/DL 1v1’s

They did something different today and had a player rush from the edge and the interior at the same time. It was a mess. Players kept running into each other and it’s not really a 1v1 if the guy you’re facing is suddenly backed into by the other duo. I got very little out of the session, which was half as long as the 1v1’s earlier in the week.

Iowa’s Gennings Dunker easily rode Clemson’s TJ Parker out of the play on one rep, just using his footwork to mirror and sealing the edge with his length. I think Parker has had an overhyped week based on one good straight-arm on Tuesday. He’s constantly gone back to that move and shown little variety as a rusher. Where’s the dynamic edge speed?

Florida’ State’s Darrell Jackson bullied Delby Lemieux into the backfield with one arm. Lemieux didn’t put up a fight and it was a disappointing effort. In a rematch the exact same thing happened. Mismatch.

Iowa’s Beau Stephens stalled out a rush by Lee Hunter, then the tackle next to him being blocked into Stephens allowed Hunter to escape only for Stephens to wrestle him to the ground. We’ll come back to this duo later.

Dani Dennis-Sutton stunted inside on his 1v1 rep which I’m not sure he’s supposed to do, given this is still a match-up against the man in front of you. He basically just used the guard/DT battle next to him as a shield. He celebrated a win but you’re not supposed to be running away from your opponent.

Tennessee’s Bryson Eason had a day, winning all of his reps while looking incredibly dynamic. He is definitely someone I need to study more closely.

Other scrimmage/practise notes for the American team

Will Kacmarek the Ohio State tight end continued to make plays. He’s very capable of getting open and showed soft hands. It’ll be interesting to see how he tests. He did drop an easy pass from Garrett Nussmeier during red zone drills but overall I think he was a winner this week.

Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green is absolutely dynamic as a runner and just looked like a different level of athlete out there. There are legit Kaepernick vibes when he runs. He also flashed a live arm. There was some hesitation at times getting the ball out and he threw dangerously into the red zone on one occasion. However, the physical tools are through the roof. If I needed a quarterback and wanted to take a chance on developing someone, I would be prepared to select Green in round two. The physical upside is too high.

LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier didn’t connect with his passes in scrimmage early on. Eventually he found a nice touchdown pass to Josh Cuevas. He also showed natural ability and good anticipation on some throws. His physical measurables are a question mark given his lack of size and small hands but he has talent. He will need a system though.

Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer’s processing and accuracy were the most impressive in the red zone section of practise. The coaches gave him a polite round of applause after one well thrown red zone TD that was somewhat layered over the top of a lurking linebacker. He doesn’t have much of an arm though.

Other scrimmage/practise notes for the National team

I haven’t been that impressed with Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson this week. His passes have floated, he hasn’t flashed any real upside. He lofted a pass way too high and with no velocity here and it allowed Bud Clark to sprint over and pick it off. He improved later on but overall, not a performance to push his stock upwards.

Gennings Dunker just looked so comfortable at right tackle. They were chipping to help the left tackle during scrimmage but no such support was needed at right tackle. He won straight up and handled stunts well, passing off blockers. He will be a very solid pick and fill a position at right guard or tackle for years.

Blog favourite Kyle Louis of Pittsburgh consistently played the ball in coverage and was outstanding. Take a look for yourself:

Here is every one-on-one coverage rep by Pittsburgh LB Kyle Louis: pic.twitter.com/QEcl5gWuFw

— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) January 30, 2026

I feel like we’ve been ahead of the curve on a number of players during this cycle who excelled in Mobile — Louis, Dunker, Green, Mike Washington Jr, Gracen Halton.

Max Llewelyn, who loves a spin move, beat Keylan Rutledge with his preferred counter. Rutledge had a good pull later on, sprinting to the second level to block Jacob Rodriguez. He also had an easy win against Lee Hunter too.

Speaking of Hunter, who’s been overhyped for me this week, he had a big win during scrimmages with a great side-step before bursting into the backfield — flashing great quickness for his size.

However — watch this 1v1 to close practise. He’s easily handled by Beau Stephens. This is the guy everyone’s hyping up? I think there’s been some serious attempted prior confirming this week and I don’t see the first rounder many are suggesting:

 

He’s too often upright and presents his chest as a big old target. Look how easily Stephens rips him to the ground. By the way, Stephens is a day three pick.

They kept forcing Stephens to snap at center too and he struggled with the timings during red zone scrimmages. I’m not sure why they kept on with this, it isn’t his position.

Gennings Dunker finished the practise by beating TJ Parker, who just tried to straight arm him as he’s attempted all week. Dunker handled it.

Top five performers of the week (based on what I saw)

Caleb Banks (DT, Florida)
Kyle Louis (LB, Pittsburgh)
James Brockermeyer (C, Miami)
Bud Clark (S, TCU)
Gennings Dunker (T/G, Iowa)

Top-10 fastest players at the Senior Bowl

1. Davison Igbinosun (CB, Ohio State) — 21.12mph
2. Mike Washington (RB, Arkansas) — 21.02mph
3. Barion Brown (WR, LSU) — 20.87mph
4. Reggie Virgil (WR, Texas Tech) — 20.83mph
5. Chris Hilton (WR, LSU) — 20.72
6. Taylen Green (QB, Arkansas) — 20.48mph
7. TJ Hall (CB, Iowa) — 20.46mph
8. Jaydn Ott (RB, Oklahoma) — 20.35mph
9. Ted Hurst (WR, Georgia State) — 20.33mph
10. Kyle Louis (LB, Pittsburgh) — 20.31mph

Before getting into the practise notes I wanted to share some general thoughts…

An alpha emerges

Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks could and should be a top-20 pick. If there was a bit of ring-rust on day one, it was gone by the second practise. Banks dominated in an incredible show of power and quickness. He was constantly jawing with the O-liners too, making it clear who the top dog was.

That he did all of this at 6-6 and 335lbs is all the more special. He also has incredible 35 inch arms and near 11-inch hands. Simply put, there are not many humans on planet earth like Banks. He needed to show up and perform after an injury-hit 2025 season and he’s delivering.

I was hoping there was a chance he might slip through the cracks and last into range for the Seahawks — but I’d say there’s next to no chance. If he gets a clean bill of health he might go in the top-15. He is a truly exceptional talent with major upside.

Come on, TJ

Clemson’s TJ Parker had a really poor 2025 season. To his credit, he’s turned up at the Senior Bowl to try and boost his stock. Although, I’ve not seen him take many 1v1 reps. I fear that the one win he had with a straight-arm on Tuesday has had his agent telling him ‘job done’ instead of ‘keep going’.

After practise he was interviewed by the NFL Network and they asked why his production dipped last season. His explanation was that Clemson had brought in Will Heldt the Purdue transfer and he’d taken up a lot of the production instead.

Really? That’s your best answer?

Take ownership. Explain you were disappointing and you’ve come to Mobile to prove a point. The excuse of another player out-producing you doesn’t work. Mainly because if Heldt was so disruptive, why didn’t that create opportunities for you? It’s not even like he claimed he was getting extra attention. He just said Heldt got the sacks.

Agents really need to do a better job here — to encourage their players to compete to the max in Mobile (it didn’t hurt Grey Zabel a year ago) and to have the right answers to inevitable questions.

Some Seahawks thoughts

It’s really quite simple, I think, when it comes to Seattle’s off-season. Now that we know they’ll pick 31st or 32nd overall, they have to scour the trade market to start with. If no attractive deal emerges and they end up keeping their top pick, they should obviously take whoever grades highest on their board.

I hope that would be a lineman of some kind. I think continuing to spend resources up front is the key. Look at the D-line. You have three older players — DeMarcus Lawrence, Leonard Williams and Jarran Reed. Uchenna Nwosu also turns 30 this year. Ideally you keep adding to your group now, rather than waiting to fill holes when the players move on.

There’s also nothing wrong with looking to continue to improve the offensive line — with some extra competition at right guard not unattractive.

This is why I would like to say with confidence that players like Caleb Banks or Gennings Dunker will last. I don’t think there’s any chance of that. Ditto Kayden McDonald, who isn’t at the Senior Bowl. They are players you feel will be high-end starters within a down draft.

They are going to have to replace Boye Mafe and could do with more quick wins off the edge. That’s why I would like to see one bold trade in particular to make that a reality. If it isn’t possible, I’m not sure if this draft will provide the solution. Most of the defensive ends are power based. Zion Young has had a good Senior Bowl but he has a quirky personality, recently was arrested for a DWI and he’s more likely to run through blockers than around them.

There are quite a few ‘big name’ edge rushers in this class but I’m not sure they fit the bill for Seattle’s needs.

It might mean expanding beyond a preference for the trenches, although I think that would be the best area to keep adding. Particularly I want to see the Seahawks target hyper-aggressive, alpha types. That’s the spirit of this defense. Players with a look in their eye. Try and find the next generation of front-seven ‘Dark Side’ personalities, not shrinking violets.

A note on Klint Kubiak’s future

Increasingly I think we’re seeing a lot of hopium on behalf of Seahawks fans in relation to the Raiders’ interest in their offensive coordinator.

Sure, it’s not an ideal job. The Raiders have been a perennial struggler. They play in a tough division. They need a big rebuild.

However, these things need to be considered:

— It’s very easy to say ‘wait until the next cycle’. There’s no guarantee 2026 goes according to plan and you get an offer. Look at Kliff Kingsbury. A year ago he was a candidate for jobs after helping Jaden Daniels to a great rookie year, with the Commanders reaching the NFC Championship game. Twelve months later he was fired and he hasn’t got a new job. You can’t assume opportunities will be there next year and if you want to be a Head Coach, you always have to consider the prospect that it could be now or never.

— The difference in salary for an OC and a HC is enormous. Aaron Glenn is getting somewhere between $10-12m from the Jets. Kellen Moore was considered to be the top-paid offensive coordinator in 2024 on $2.5m. Sure, Chip Kelly managed to convince the Raiders to give him $6m but that was an outlier. You could be talking about an annual raise of $10m a year for Kubiak. That’s hard to turn down.

— I don’t think Fernando Mendoza is a great prospect. However, he’s an ideal fit for the Shanahan system which requires timing and the quarterback basically reading his keys and doing what each play tells him to do. Mendoza’s super power is a relentless pursuit of mastering his offense, as we saw at Indiana, then executing the system at a very high level. Pairing him with Kubiak is a great plan and I’m sure Kubiak will be aware that this feels like a good scheme/QB fit.

If he departs, I really hope the Seahawks have a great plan. The offensive coordinator pool is incredibly thin. They are likely to lose a number of key coaches who will travel with Kubiak. When the Eagles lost Moore a year ago, they failed to adequately replace him and it has caused major problems in Philly to the point they had to fire his replacement.

The Seahawks would not only need a good, preferably experienced play-caller — they’d also need someone with a deep contacts book of available coaches, at a time when a lot of people will already be employed.

Don’t underestimate Kubiak and his staff and the impact they’ve had on the O-line, Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and others. That play-calling performance against the Rams was a masterclass too.

If there’s any chance to pay big money to keep him in Seattle, I would take it.

Practise notes for day two

Highlighted players of the day

Caleb Banks (DT, Florida)
James Brockermeyer (C, Miami)
Max Iheanachor (T, Arizona State)

American team OL/DL 1v1’s

Gabe Jacas went up against Markel Bell and had no counter once Bell locked on. He came back and had a win against Jude Bowry at tackle. Bowry retained contact and Jacas couldn’t disengage but he was able to push the tackle back into the quarterback.

He just seems to lack the needed twitch and quickness to dodge initial contact, even if his power move can produce at times. It’s indicative of the EDGE/DE players we’ve seen in Mobile — nobody is winning with electric speed.

LT Overton doesn’t offer much twitch as a defensive end but when he moved inside he gave the interior linemen problems, including Ethan Onianwa during their first rep of day two. A permanent switch to 5-tech or passing-down interior rusher could be his role at the next level.

Miami center James Brockermeyer had another good day and has shown a lot of potential in Movile. He had four rounds against Alabama nose tackle Tim Keenan. In the first rep he wasn’t overpowered by the size difference and kept his feet moving to seal off the path to the QB. In the rematch, Brockermeyer won again — running Keenan out of the play. They lined up for a third battle and again Brockermeyer was terrific. He absorbed a big club move from Keenan, managed to keep his balance and anchor and matched his feet to wall Keenan off. It was a really impressive rep. Then he won round four two. I think the big Alabama DT would’ve been having nightmares about him on Wednesday when his head hit the pillow. Brockermyer also had an easy win against Nick Barrett.

I’ve put a big ring around Brockermeyer’s name for further tape study. If you’re wondering, his zone blocking grade is average (66.7). He’s far more of a pass-pro specialist (86.4 pass-pro grade) than a road-grader type, despite Miami’s playing style.

Keenan faired better against Logan Taylor, beating him far too easily with a basic arm/over move. He’s a good player — which speaks well to Brockermyers’ performance against him. He did have a lost rep against Gracen Halton (more on that in a moment).

Missouri’s Chris McClellan failed to beat Logan Taylor. He was bending at the waist and not driving through his feet. Taylor just had to hold his ground. By the time McClellan countered the job was done. He recovered and won his next two reps. He is intriguing with long arms and nearly 11-inch hands but his consistency needs work

Max Iheanachor didn’t have a stand-out rep on day one but he was excellent on day two — completely stoning the UCF pass rusher who isn’t on the team list. He took off from there, dominating most of his reps — including showing really light feet to mirror Derrick Moore and lock him down. He did so well on the rep, both teams came together and had a minor scuffle after. His footwork was so nimble for a 325lber.

Oklahoma’s blog favourite Gracen Halton had a good win against Brockermeyer, attacking with a good angle to the outside shoulder and ripping through contact. He showed good speed to penetrate and celebrated his win with gusto after. I really like Halton’s intensity and quickness but the simple fact is he’s 6-3, 296lbs and has sub-32 inch arms.

Today was the day of Caleb Banks as I mentioned earlier. He had an awesome rep against Logan Taylor. Like Halton on the previous snap, he attacked the outside shoulder. Taylor desperately tried to recover but Banks just swatted him away to work back inside to the quarterback. Halton, who was amped up, rushed over to celebrate with Banks. This was a grown man rep — showing off power, quickness and class.

He also won against Gators team-mate Jake Slaughter with a pull-push move. Slaughter did recover to avoid a clean route to the quarterback but this was more disruption from Banks.

Then he beat Fernando Carmona using his length to drive him back into the pocket before executing another pull-push move to win and leave Carmona lying on his chest. In the rematch, he bull-rushed him into next week.

Make no mistake — Banks was the alpha during this session. He was constantly jawing and then backing it up on the field. This was a top-20 pick performance.

Jake Slaughter had an interesting battle against Tim Keenan. The Florida center engaged contact and initially seemed to keep his hands inside, controlling Keenan. However, as the rep developed, it looked more like he was hanging on for dear life and he might’ve held his opponent.

Markell Bell held his own against Derrick Moore, who has become a bit overrated as the week has gone on. He’s not threatening the edge with much speed and in this 1v1, Bell was able to lock-out and turn Moore away from the quarterback. Moore is threatening to be the ‘social media’ winner of the week — where you have one good rep on day one, everyone overreacts and shares the clip and the reality is, he hasn’t done much apart from that.

Arkansas’ Cameron Ball easily beat Ohio State’s Ethan Onianwa with a swim/rip move. Onianwa looked like a turnstile.

Zion Young flattened JC Davis running right through his chest and sending him to the turf. That got the D-line pumped up again with Caleb Banks rushing over to celebrate with Young.

However, Young was easily handled by Austin Barber later on. He didn’t show much bend or quickness — only really power.

Nick Barrett of South Carolina had an awesome win against Jeremiah Wright — easily gliding by him with initial contact then an arm over. However, later on he was easily guided onto the turf by Brockermyer.

National team OL/DL 1v1’s

There was a real shortage of linemen for the National team it seemed with guards having to fill in at tackle and center. We also didn’t see many of the bigger names taking reps on both sides of the ball. This is continuing a worrying trend where the idea seems to be to turn up, make one big play that gets a lot of social media traction and then pack up for the week.

Iowa’s Beau Stephens had a decent rep against Penn State’s Zane Durant, just cutting off the outside shoulder and riding his opponent up and away from the QB. It was a rare loss for Durant who has looked quick and active all week. He might be undersized but he has caused bigger linemen problems — such as Kentucky’s 322lbs Jalen Farmer. He side-stepped him to find a route to the quarterback and Farmer wasn’t athletic enough to mirror or recover.

They hung Stephens out to dry by putting him at center later on, with Florida State’s call-up from the Shrine Bowl Darrell Jackson dumping him on his arse. I saw social media going nuts over this play but come on. Stephens isn’t a center and isn’t used to snapping then blocking. It’s a red herring rep and even the coaches insisted on a do-over with Stephens winning the rematch.

Lee Hunter struggled in 1v1’s yesterday. His first rep came against Delby Lemieux here. Lemieux held his ground. They called it a draw on the NFL Network but a draw is a win for Lemieux who is learning a new position. Hunter has received too much unwarranted hype this week. He’s been way too upright on contact and he’s hardly been the dominating force social media has been suggesting.

The NFL Network showed a clip of Keylan Rutledge dunking a basketball today. In his first rep he stalled Jeffrey M’Ba although I would’ve liked to see better hand placement and less of a struggle at the end to finish.

Rutledge then had a big win against Minnesota’s Deven Eastern — staying square, controlling with his hand placement and finishing the block through to the whistle with no ground given.

Demetrius Crownover easily dealt with Nadame Tucker. The pass rusher tried to counter inside and Crownover just stepped across to his right and shut down the B-gap. An easy win that had team mates on the O-line hollering and going over to celebrate with Crownover. The Texas A&M blocker has shown something through two days but he can be a bit flat-footed against speed. He’ll need to master inside-out technique and even then will be challenged off the edge at tackle.

Max Llewelyn and Gennings Dunker matched up in an all-Iowa affair. You won’t be surprised to know Dunker just kicked to seal the edge, worked his hands to control the block and easily handled the pass rusher.

Dunker didn’t have as much fortune against Logan Fano — he was bull-rushed right back into the QB. It was the first time Dunker looked off this week and it was a poor rep.

Sam Hecht had a really good 1v1 against Darrell Jackson but was then bullied by Bryson Eason of Tennessee. I will watch more of Hecht in the coming days.

Dani Dennis-Sutton was comfortably handled off the edge by Alan Herron. He’s not had the big impact I think he needed to really push his stock upwards.

Notes from the other positions

— I’ve been talking up Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green all season. I appreciate people look at his turnovers, many of which are ugly, and feel put off. However, his situation at Arkansas was dreadful in 2025. It’s a part excuse.

The simple fact is he’s massive (6-6, 225lbs) with 10-inch hands and the ability to run like a gazelle. He has a rocket arm and did have some really good moments at Arkansas too. Is he the finished article? Far from it. But every single day of the week am I using a day two pick to try and develop this physical talent.

On day two he made some really good throws and when he took off during scrimmages he looked electric. He also made a bonehead throw on the run for a lousy interception. I get it, the tape shows that too. But Josh Allen made mistakes like that at Wyoming. There aren’t many players with Green’s upside. Take a shot.

— Mike Washington the Arkansas running back just looks the business. A blog favourite during the season — he’s big, powerful and quick. He looked outstanding during scrimmages. When he was running the ball you noticed a difference. He played like a player who could find a home in round two.

— Will Kacmarek the Ohio State tight end did a good job getting open during 1v1 drills against the DB’s. He easily beat Jalon Kilgore early on and then had another victory against Michael Taaffe.

— Malik Muhammad has not quite had the Senior Bowl he expected. He face-planted on a 1v1 against LSU’s Barion Brown, who was left wide open to complete the catch.

— I came into the Senior Bowl thinking Georgia cornerback Daylen Everette was underrated. Watching him get beat on a long-winded double move by Cyrus Allen of Cincinnati has me second-guessing that thought. At least he doesn’t look as bad as Ohio State’s Davison Igbinosun.

— Bud Clark the TCU safety had the play of the day with a remarkable, improbable interception. He has a nose for the ball with 11 career interceptions. He’s also said to be a big-time team player. He’s someone I need to study closely because he gives off a Seahawks vibe.

— Malachi Fields made a great downfield grab on a 55-yard bomb from Taylen Green, doing ever so well to track the ball in the air. He also had a 1v1 win against Malik Muhammad (plus one that was probably a score-draw). According to Zebra he’s the seventh fastest receiver in Mobile (19.43 mph). Long speed is going to be the question here. You need to be able to separate consistently at the next level. I think some of the top-45 talk on the NFL Network is premature. If he can sneak into the late 4.4’s at the combine, that changes things. He’s mature in terms of personality and he certainly looks the part but there aren’t many Courtland Sutton types out there who succeed being bigger and running in the 4.5’s.

— Xavian Sorey the linebacker from Arkansas was levelling anything that moved during scrimmages. He also had a deflected pass interception. However, he couldn’t beat running back Jaydn Ott in a blocking drill to end the day. It was a bad way to end his session.

— Garrett Nussmeier is the most naturally talented passer at practise and it really isn’t close. That isn’t a surprise.

— In the 1v1 reps I’ve seen, Washington cornerback Ephesians Prysock has performed well.

— Reggie Virgil the Texas Tech receiver looked electric running routes. He was separating so easily with a suddenness that is very interesting.

Please note — I’m at the mercy of the footage I can access. This includes the NFL Network’s live coverage and whatever is uploaded to YouTube. I don’t see everything — but have watched all of the 1v1’s for the offensive and defensive linemen.

Standouts based on the tape I saw

Gennings Dunker (T, Iowa)
Zion Young (DE, Missouri)
Rayshaun Benny (DT, Michigan)
Sam Hecht (C, Kansas State)
Jake Slaughter (C, Florida)
Demetrius Crownover (T, Texas A&M)
Taylen Green (QB, Arkansas)

National team OL vs DL 1v1 notes

Iowa lineman Gennings Dunker showed a forceful punch to the chest on his first 1v1 rep against Vincent Anthony of Duke. He widened the route to the quarterback, then showed good footwork to seal off the edge.

His second rep came at right guard against Zane Durrant. Wow. His base looks like a truck, his feet are quick and in control and he so easily got into position to intercept Durrant — clamping his hands inside to finish.

He then took on Nadame Tucker and handled the edge against his speed (Tucker is a smaller, quicker EDGE rusher).

I’m sold after one day. In this down-year of a draft, Gennings Dunker should be a high pick. He is a plug-and-play starter at guard and potentially right tackle. There’s absolutely no reason, looking at him today, to think he’s going to be a poor tester. He should go in the top-25 of this draft. Dunker just looks different out there.

Bryson Eason of Tennessee demolished guard Jalen Farmer with a vicious club move. Farmer recovered to regain some position but the damage was done and he was left clinging on around Eason’s neck (it would’ve been flagged for a hold).

Carter Willis of Washington had more success against Eason — anticipating the club move this time and just letting Eason’s momentum take him out of the play.

Kansas State center Sam Hecht took on Lee Hunter for their first rep. Hecht held his ground and Hunter’s attempted disengage was laboured and late. He was too upright and didn’t have any juice on contact. A comfortable win for the O-line. Hecht also had a win against Bryson Eason. He had a good first day I thought.

Hunter’s second rep came against Texas A&M’s Trey Zuhn, who moved inside from tackle. Hunter was again too high, he easily stalled and although he had a late move to disengage and swim to release the rep was already won by Zuhn.

Hunter’s third rep came against Iowa’s Beau Stephens. He tried too hard to make amends for a poor start, worked to keep low and was off-balance and ran straight into Stephens who just cut his arms away and sent Hunter to the turf.

His next rep was a moderate win over Lemieux when he tried to be quicker off the snap and take a wider angle to the QB. He then finally won with leverage on another rep against Beau Stephens. Overall though, an unconvincing set of reps for Hunter who I feel is a bit overrated.

Iowa guard Beau Stephens matched up against Penn State’s Zane Durant for his first 1v1. Stephens overset to his left and left a wide open A-gap. Durant just had to absorb initial contact and sprint through the hole. It was poor technique from Stephens who bit way too had on Durant’s wide alignment.

Texas A&M’s Zuhn was easily beat by Tucker of Western Michigan. The speed rusher sprinted into contact and then swam away from the block with an arm/over to attack the B-gap. It was way too easy.

Demetrius Crownover the right tackle from Texas A&M faced off against Romello Height. There’s a 100lbs difference between the players and Crownover caught Height as he engaged and didn’t let him go. On Crownover’s second rep he featured at left tackle and sealed off the edge against Vincent Anthony. He’ll struggle against pure speed for his size but this was a good start to the week for Crownover.

Minnesota’s Deven Eastern went up against Georgia Tech’s talented guard Keylan Rutledge. The O-liner kept low, got into a strong base quickly, stuck his hands inside and stayed square on his man to finish the block.

Rutledge’s second rep came at center against Penn State’s Durrant. Again, another easy win. He struggled on his third rep though against Durrant, who easily beat him to the outside shoulder then squeezed through the B-gap with better power/quickness.

Jeffrey M’Ba of SMU took on Delby Lemieux from Dartmouth. There’s hope Lemieux might be the next small-school find at the Senior Bowl. He’s practising at center having played tackle previously. He needs to add weight and he’s light in the lower half. The anchor isn’t there. I think just looking at his frame he needs time and work to adjust to this position change. It showed on this rep, M’Ba just barged into the backfield.

M’Ba’s second 1v1 came against Carter Willis. He dominated him with brute strength, walking him backwards into the pocket. He’s someone I’d like to watch more of.

Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton’s first rep came against Boise State’s Kage Casey. It was a total mismatch. DDS extended his arms into Casey’s chest, created separation between the two and then it was a simple disengagement to reach the QB for the sack.

Texas Tech’s Romello Height also had a win later on against Kasey just driving through his chest. It’s a good way to win for an undersized rusher, flashing some power.

Clemson’s TJ Parker (not listed on the National team roster yet competing in this practise) came up against Alan Herron of Maryland at right tackle. Parker attacked the outside shoulder, saw Herron had slightly overset in his stance and then delivered a devastating straight arm to the chest, driving him back into the quarterback. A big win for Parker. The rest of the National team D-liners were jacked, coming over to celebrate with him.

Utah’s Logan Fano took his first rep against Kage Casey. Fano took advantage of Casey leaving the inside move wide open. You can’t play outside-in like that at tackle. An easy win for Fano. On his second rep he reduced inside which doesn’t suit him and the guard Jalen Farmer walled him off and dealt with an ineffective spin-move.

Iowa’s Max Llewelyn had his first rep against Alan Herron. Unsurprisingly he went for the spin-move (he always does this on tape) and it was fairly well contained by Herron.

American team notes OL vs DL 1v1

Missouri’s Zion Young had his first rep came against Austin Barber of Florida. Young got into the tackle’s chest and drove him backwards, with an arm/over to finish the rep. It’s the kind of power move he’s good at. Young also had a win vs Jude Bowry and showed off a dynamic inside move after faking to the outside.

Having won with power earlier, Zion Young then attacked Max Iheanachor with a brilliant inside counter. He also demolished Bowry with speed-to-power and then a brilliant disengage. For me, Young was the no-brainer winner among DE/EDGE types on day one. He certainly looks the part and is playing like he needs to make an impression after his DWI arrest a few weeks ago.

Fernando Carmona of Arkansas took on Missouri’s other D-liner here, Chris McClellan, on the second rep. McClellan tried a variety of moves but Carmona did a reasonable job containing him. He had more success against Boston College’s Logan Taylor, walking him back into the pocket. It flashed McClellan’s great length to extend his arms and power to drive through contact.

Florida’s Jake Slaughter faced Alabama’s Tim Keenan on his first rep. Keenan tried clubbing at him but Slaughter stood his ground, locked in and planted the anchor. A good rep for the center. They matched up again for a rematch. Again, it was a good win for Slaughter who controlled the much bigger Keenan. He just locked him down.

Slaughter vs Oklahoma’s Gracen Halton was a good battle. I’d say it was a score draw. If you’re looking for a day one winner, I would count Florida’s Slaughter among them. A few people are highlighting bad reps when he was moved to guard but that’s clearly not his position. They should keep him at center for the rest of the week.

Back to Keenan, he had a great rep against Fernando Carmona. He took the initial contact, swatted away Carmona’s arm and then just pressed him deep into the backfield. A great combination of power and hand-use. He also bullied James Brockermeyer into the backfield on a later rep.

Auburn’s Jeremiah Wright dominated Florida’s Caleb Banks in their first reps. Banks was way too high and left his chest open as a nice big target. Wright levelled him to strike him off balance and then ran him out of the play. The ref’s threw a flag but I’ve no idea what they were looking at there. Wright won the rep.

Banks had a tough first day. On his second rep he was again easily handled by Logan Taylor. He’s too upright and even though his initial jolt was effective, Taylor simply regained hand position and locked out, stoning Banks in position. He had no counter.

Banks’ best rep came later on in a rematch against Wright. He got initial push into the pocket then threw the guard away to complete the win. Wright ended up on his backside. Sadly though, Banks was then easily handled by James Brockermeyer on his next attempt.

It could be some ring-rust given he barely played for Florida in 2025. It’ll be interesting to see if he bounces back on day two.

Gabe Jacas of Illinois flashed good speed off the edge on his first rep. He took on Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor. The tackle did a good job gaining the initial position to force him wide. Jacas didn’t show a ton of bend, it’s hard to say whether he would’ve got to the QB in time, but his quickness to reach the arc stood out.

Illinois OL JC Davis handled a fairly meek looking inside counter on his first rep. His opponent, from UCF, isn’t listed on the roster sheet. He also had a good win against Alabama’s LT Overton when he kicked inside and offered a fairly laboured straight-line attack.

It was a marked difference compared to Overton’s first rep inside attacking the left guard. He was too quick for Fernando Carmona and targeted the outside shoulder, swam through contact and finished to the quarterback.

On his second rep, however, when he lined up at defensive end, he was easily walled off and kept away from the pocket. He faired a lot better attacking the left edge, scoring an easy win against Florida’s Austin Barber.

Michigan’s Rayshaun Benny drove through Wright of Auburn for a big win. He just bullied him into the QB’s lap with pure power. He showed a scrappy quality on his second rep too, battling through contact against the left guard. He then drove Carmona backwards for another win.

Then Benny easily beat Logan Taylor to his outside shoulder to generate. He caught my eye today — keep an eye on this Wolverine for the rest of the week.

Gracen Halton was easily stoned on his first rep by another unlisted player (an offensive lineman from Ohio State). There was a real lack of initial power from Halton and no counter attack. That was a shame to see.

South Carolina’s Nick Barrett took on Miami’s James Brockermeyer. The undersized Brockermeyer (297lbs) walled him off and handled the rep with relative ease. He looked intriguing on this rep as a center prospect.

Logan Taylor of Boston College, who had a mixed day, lined up at right guard and had a good win against Arkansas’ Cameron Ball. He got his hands inside and then extended to press him out of the play.

Auburn’s Keyron Crawford was bullied by Jude Bowry of Boston College. The right tackle engaged and cut his arms away, sending Crawford to the turf. Bowry is well liked by some and has talent, although he’s expected to be a mid-rounder. His zone-blocking grade was OK last season. In a later rep, Zion Young engaged and ripped through his block to finish. That was a beasting by Young. Bowry was also beaten easily by Crawford at left tackle.

Miami’s Markel Bell took on Michigan’s Derrick Moore. It was an awful rep for Bell, who was bulldozed onto his back. Moore just ran through him. Bell had no anchor, was immediately off-balance and ended up on the turf.

Moore, however, is in danger of winning the one-rep wonder award that Mike Green took last year. Sure, his first rep was great and looks good on social media. But he was easily stoned by Markel Bell later on.

Florida’s Tyreak Sapp certainly looks the part in terms of his frame. His tape is inconsistent, and so is his effort, but he had some moments here — including a win against Boston College’s Taylor.

Other notes

— Malachi Fields (WR, Notre Dame) got a lot of attention from Daniel Jeremiah on the NFL Network and was touted as a possible second round pick. There’s no doubting he looks the part and has a great frame — but nobody seemed to be really focusing on how challenging it is for him to separate. Players like Puka Nacua are rare. Fields does not possess suddenness off the snap, downfield speed or short-area quickness. Can he perform consistently if everything is contested at the next level? I’m not sure. In 1v1’s today he wasn’t separating very easily.

— Quarterback Taylen Green of Arkansas was really letting it rip during the American team practises. There’s something here. He’s 6-6, 225lbs, has 10-inch hands and runs like a gazelle. His arm is legit and while he had some issues with turnovers in 2025 — part of that was the hopeless situation he found himself in at Arkansas. If I’m a team wanting to draft a quarterback — this is the player I’m bringing in to try and work to realise his potential.

— I’m not surprised to see Lance Zierlein pumping up Pittsburgh linebacker/hybrid Kyle Louis. He writes: “In one-on-one drills against running backs, Louis basically ran the option route for the runner and nabbed the quarterback’s pass with his quick hands. He was tight in coverage throughout that portion of the practice, showing why he should be a rising prospect in this draft.” Louis is one of my favourite players in the draft and his commitment to his craft and playing style very much put him in contention to be drafted by the Seahawks.

— Jacob Rodriguez (LB, Texas Tech) also received positive reviews for his performance. I’m eager to see his reps and also how he tests at the combine.

— I’m afraid to say Davison Igbinosun (CB, Ohio State) just doesn’t look good. His tape was a constant disappointment and he was not tight in coverage during 1v1 drills between the receivers and cornerbacks. He looked like an UDFA today.

— Stanford tight end Sam Roush lacks length and doesn’t have a prototype body for the position. However, he had a good rep against South Carolina’s Jalon Kilgore — showing an ability to create late separation in the route and track the ball well. Kilgore was also flagged for a hold on the play.

— Another tight end, Alabama’s Josh Cuevas, continued his knack from the season of making plays with a great low diving catch on one rep. He could provide some day three value.

— I came into the week a big fan of Georgia cornerback Daylen Everette because of his physical potential. He was far too easily beat by Boston College receiver Lewis Bond in one 1v1 and then in a rematch, he totally lost track of the ball as Bond made an easy catch.

— Malik Muhammad (CB, Texas) was physical during his 1v1 session and tried to rough receivers up. Julian Neal (CB, Arkansas) meanwhile showed reasonable recovery speed and the ability to turn his head around to play the ball — yet he’s just a tad leggy and that could cause problems at the next level.

— Colton Hood (CB, Tennessee) has got a bit too much hype for my taste this week. Vinny Anthony of Wisconsin beat him on one 1v1 rep but then dropped the football. Anthony generally looked quite free and agile running routes, then a little bit hopeless when the ball came towards him (tracking, hands). Hood easily lost a second rep to Tyren Montgomery going back to the football. He did have a good battle down the sideline with Jordan Hudson later on to get the win.

— Chris Johnson (CB, San Diego State) is another player I think gets a bit too much love in the media. He didn’t stick in coverage during 1v1’s.

Meanwhile check out my latest conversation with Puck Sports below:

If you missed my Senior Bowl preview, check it out here. And if you can like the video below on YouTube and leave a comment, it’d be much appreciated!

Although Seahawks fans are mostly focussed on a different type of Bowl at the moment, the Senior Bowl is the critical starting point of the draft process. Once again Mobile has attracted the top All-star group, despite the ridiculous modern-day competition it faces from the Shrine Bowl.

There’s already been good news for players like Iowa’s Gennings Dunker, who measured with +34 inch arms. We don’t have a full list of measurements yet.

Some players who were expected to attend from Miami and Indiana are now not slated to compete, including Rueben Bain Jr, Akheem Mesidor, Keionte Scott and Elijah Sarratt.

Here’s a collection of players I would recommend keeping across…

Julian Neal (CB, Arkansas)
Great length and size. Expected him to be leggy at his size but he closes quickly and sticks downfield. Still not top-level speed and high-end speed demons could give him trouble downfield. Competitive when the ball’s in the air. Predominantly used outside but did get snaps in the slot and the box in 2025. Only missed four tackles in his final season for Arkansas. Tremendous run defender — will be a major plus point of his evaluation. Tackles are forceful. Did get away with some early contact in 2025 that could be flagged in the NFL.
Well worth a middle round pick to try and develop.

Daylen Everette (CB, Georgia)
Ideal frame — looks athletic, well sized. Physical corner who seems to like contact and plays with a sparky edge. Former 5-star recruit. Supposedly can run in the 4.3’s. Seems to have long arms that often out-stretch to deflect balls away. Length and physicality used to good effect to disrupt receiver routes. Lots of starting experience for Georgia. Was described as the leader of Georgia’s secondary. Quickness is evident on the way he breaks on the football. Closes ground so quickly. Can deliver a jolting blast to receivers, timing his hits to jar the ball away. Very willing in run support. Speed allows him to be an effective corner blitzer. Plenty of reps where you see him living in the hip-pocket of his receiver. Has a swagger to him that most good cornerbacks have. Doesn’t miss many tackles. Only five interceptions in last three seasons and just one in 2025.

Malik Muhammad (CB, Texas)
Breaks on the ball with quickness. Shows great degree of dynamism to plant and drive to get to receivers in zone. Competitive against Jeremiah Smith — only gave up two catches for 15 yards vs Ohio State. A willing run defender for his size. Showed great anticipation in coverage vs Oklahoma to eye up wayward passed (two picks). Seems to show good awareness in zone and reads the quarterback successfully. Reasonably sized. Played mostly outside in 2025 but took some snaps in the box, slot and free safety. Used to blitz from the slot. Upside TBD but has the qualities needed to start at the next level. A very interesting player.

TJ Parker (EDGE, Clemson)
After a fairly disastrous 2025 season, the former Clemson pass rusher needs to use the Senior Bowl to get things back on track. Once considered a possible first rounder, can he flash those skills in Mobile during 1v1’s?

Zion Young (DE, Missouri)
Lacks speed/twitch. Is not going to win consistently with a bend/straighten. Pass rush repertoire appears limited. High motor player but looks like an early down run-defender as a ceiling. More of a ‘bull in a china shop’ approach to rushing the passer. Would like to see him work inside and attack the outside shoulder of the guard. Tight ends will not be able to match-up to him in the running game. Is most effective creating pressure when he tries to run through, not around, blockers. Was recently arrested on suspicion of DWI/speeding — his coach said it was ‘disappointing’ from a team captain. Feels like a player you can’t draft early but due to motor/power he will have a shot to make it. Just don’t expect any blinding speed rushes at the next level.

Dani Dennis-Sutton (DE, Penn State)
Definitely has something about him and this needs to be a platform to show that despite a mixed final season full of flashes and some quiet tape, that he has the qualities to be a good NFL player. Intrigued to see confirmed measurements.

Tim Keenan (DT, Alabama)
Feels underrated due to the size/playing style (not always the flashiest) but I really liked what I saw on tape and I’m intrigued to see if he stands out during 1v1’s.

Gracen Halton (DT, Oklahoma)
Explosive first step enables him to shoot gaps. Gap discipline flashes consistently and he makes plays within structure. Lines up across the interior. Closing burst to the ball carrier is strong. When he gets his feet moving he’s difficult to slow down once engaged. Slippery through gaps. Undersized — might be less impactful against bigger blockers. Worried he will be a liability vs run at next level, limiting early snap potential. Not the deepest repertoire of moves and he relies on quickness. Could thrive in 1v1’s.

Kyle Louis (LB, Pittsburgh)
Well known for his first-in, last-out approach. Said to be completely committed to his craft. Team captain. Versatile player — used in the box (319 snaps), on the line (105) and slot corner (244). Undersized but electric. Has a knack for big plays in big moments. Explosive blitzer flying to the QB when given a runway. Was really surprised how effective he was starting at the line and creating pressure. 18 pressures in 11 games in 2025 for a player playing all over the field. Despite lack of size, has shown he can play at the line, absorb contact and still make plays. Doesn’t give up on plays, always competing. Downhill ability underrated for his size — willing to fill a gap and make a tackle. Works through traffic with great agility, dodges blocks and shows stop-start qualities. Legit coverage ability when matched up against tight ends. So loose in transition for his size. You see his speed running to the sideline. Could play safety, WILL, SAM, big nickel, maybe MLB. Drake Thomas was 223lbs at his combine and Ernest Jones 230lbs — Seattle can live with his size.

Keylan Rutledge (G, Georgia Tech)
Consistently solid on tape with good zone-blocking grades — 1v1’s will be intriguing for him. Feels like he can really rise and think teams will like him.

Caleb Banks (DT, Florida)
Has the talent to go in the top-20. Enormous size and length (6-6, 325lbs, 35-inch arms). There are not many humans who look like him or move this well at his size. Can play across the line in different positions — nose, 1-tech, 3-tech, 5-tech. Barely played in 2025 due to injury issues so this is big for him. Barges his way into the backfield. Can swipe away blockers hands to keep frame clean and skip into backfield. Throws off blockers with disdain at his best. Can bully mediocre interior linemen in the run game. Will shock interior blockers with his quickness. Effective push-pull move on tape. Lateral agility is astonishing on some reps. Tries a slightly laboured spin move at times. Controls blockers with a straight arm that allows him to plot a course to the QB or play the run. Plays with an upright style at times when he gets tired. Can get lazy and is an occasional waist bender. Sneaky quickness so if you don’t get into his frame quickly he will take advantage. Very capable of running around blocks when gaps are created through stunts. Great swim move to penetrate. Has great quickness when he attacks gaps in the running game. Shocks linemen with a jolting punch. A ball of clay ready to be moulded into a disruptive, brutish force. Uniqueness of his frame and profile should ensure interest early in this draft. Injury concerns will require medical checks though.

Gennings Dunker (T/G, Iowa)
Brilliant zone-blocker who we’ve been talking about for two years. Could play tackle with his 34-inch arms but still has top-end skills to be a great right guard. Testing will determine upside but as long as it’s not awful he has legit top-45 potential.

Beau Stephens (G, Iowa)
Good zone blocker. Sinks hips well to anchor. Adept at getting on the move and reaching up to the second level. Has the brawling mentality you expect from an Iowa lineman. Examples on tape of him turning defenders and finishing his blocks to the turf. Has a willingness to combo block but some technical tweaks needed. Can do a better job angling into the block and not letting opponents attack left shoulder. Would prefer to see better initial punch into chest. Can engage with hands on contact in a more consistent manner.

Taylen Green (QB, Arkansas)
Great size. Runs like a gazelle with long strides chewing up yards quickly. Give him a crease to run and he’s difficult to stop. Running style, frame and athleticism reminiscent of Colin Kaepernick. Same athlete as Kaepernick but technically a better passer. Elusive enough to scramble away from heavy pressure to extend plays. Very capable yet inconsistent passer. Ample evidence of him attacking the middle of the field. Poise from the pocket was shown at times. Has shown he can go through progressions and run pro-concepts. Doesn’t show much evidence of throwing late on key passes. Very creative player only scratching the surface of what he could be. Awful season for Arkansas, led by a horrifying defense, made his life difficult. Did have too many really poor interceptions. Had the third highest number of ‘turnover worthy plays’ (tied with Marcel Reed). Only had 11 ‘big time throws’ in 2025. Showed he can sap, set, throw to the right receiver and fit passes into tight windows. For large parts of the season he led college football for QBR and EPA (tailed off at the end). Ended up #9 for QBR — ahead of Brendan Sorsby, Carson Beck & Dante Moore. Finished #16 for EPA. No way is he ready to come in and take the league by storm but there’s something here. Well worth drafting to develop.

Garrett Nussmeier (QB, LSU)
Gunslinger playing style. Made more NFL level throws in 2024 than any other QB I scouted. Pocket footwork, mobility, ability to throw on the run are clear. Excellent technical skills when he’s in top form. Has natural throwing talent. Only having 8 3/4 inch hands is a problem. Has had runs where he consistently throws receivers open. Completes big 3rd down plays. Doesn’t have a super high ceiling but there’s potential here. Execution within structure is impressive. Has ability to throw with anticipation. Clear evidence of comfort going through progressions. Moves his feet well to avoid pressure and create throwing lanes. Surprising elusiveness to extend plays. Did make some ‘wow’ throws in college but also had way too many ‘WTF’ throws and bad turnovers. Felt like he was trying too hard in 2025 to make up for a lousy roster. Had surprisingly bad protection in 2024 and 2025 for a LSU offense. Weapons massively limited in 2025 — again a surprise for LSU. Knee injury an issue throughout 2025 season. Mind became scrambled as 2025 went on and started forcing throws. Decision making on some plays is impossible to fathom. Was seen by some as QB1 before difficult 2025 season.

Mike Washington Jr (RB, Arkansas)
Shows great burst and decisiveness to shoot through openings. Accelerates well for a 220lbs back. Changes direction well and finishes runs. Has a gliding quality to his running style you don’t often see on a physical back like this. Collected yards after contact during best spell of 2025. Impact limited by how often Arkansas had to play from behind. Dodges and weaves through tackles. Doesn’t have game-changing long-speed. Capable of making defenders miss in space. Reminds me of Knile Davis.

Nick Singleton (RB, Penn State)
Outstanding physical talent who collapsed in 2025 and lost reps to his team-mate. Massive potential but needs to recapture his stock and explain what happened in his final college season. Ideal combo of size, speed and explosive traits. Could provide a bargain if he can’t completely repair lost stock.

Vinny Anthony (WR, Wisconsin)
Looks bigger than he is. Has enough speed to go by defenders and runs with aggression. Let down by a terrible QB situation at Wisconsin in 2025. Able to run over the middle attacking soft spots in zone, settling down to provide an open target. Can be used on sweeps, end-arounds. Had a kick-return touchdown against Alabama. Evidence of completing difficult grabs and sound ball-tracking. High-cut but appears to have power in his legs. Did see some crisp routes on tape. Definitely feels like a role as a WR3 is within his capabilities. Evidence of dragging toes (both feet) to make sideline completions. Can make defenders miss with the ball in his hands. Intriguing player.

Harrison Wallace (WR, Ole Miss)
Good size presenting a nice target for the QB. Goes up to get the football and catches away from his body. Capable of high-pointing difficult grabs. Good, consistent hands. Dominated against Georgia in the playoffs (nine catches, 156 yards, touchdown). Only had three drops in 2025. Silky smooth routes challenge receivers. Doesn’t have lightning quickness but his route-running and gliding style get him open. Subtle separation thanks to his stylish work on routes. Doesn’t need to be wide open to make plays — just throw it to him. Hesitation move tricks cornerbacks and he has a clinical stop-start. Makes catches in heavy traffic when throws go into tight windows (this translates). Just looks the part. Upside is to be determined but he’s a player with plenty of talent and a chance to make it. In an era where non-elite speed/size receivers are excelling — why can’t Harrison Wallace?

This is a guest article by Curtis Allen…

Nothing is given.  Everything is earned.

The Seahawks are on the precipice of a fourth trip to the Super Bowl after a remarkably successful season.  In their way stand the Rams, every bit their equal in so many ways.

In a season absent the dominance of traditional NFL superpowers Kansas City and Philadelphia, and with very good second class teams like Baltimore and Detroit taking steps back, Seattle and Los Angeles have put together seasons that are arguably as good as any in recent NFL history. 

This is not an ‘off year’ for the league, with some plucky underdog making a run that will soon become a major motion picture.  Both teams have every right to consider their seasons to this point among the best in franchise history.

And with all due respect to the Broncos and Patriots, this game is as the 2013 NFC Championship Game was:  A battle of the NFL’s two best teams.

Both know the other will not stand aside and let them run their game plans exactly as outlined and waive them into the Super Bowl.  It is going to need to be earned, yard by yard.  Whoever game plans and adjusts the best, and executes and plays with poise the best, will advance.

Since the blockbuster Week Sixteen meeting in Seattle, the Rams have lost in Atlanta in a game controlled mostly by the Falcons, won at home against the Cardinals by pulling away in the fourth quarter and then won both of their playoff games on the road by a field goal each while playing nowhere near their best football.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks went to Carolina and battled to a draw at halftime.  Since then they have been dominant.  They pulled away in the second half to beat the Panthers handily and then whipped their other archrival (San Francisco) in consecutive games.

The Seahawks have the momentum.  They have the workload advantage which is crucial.  And they are playing at home with a crowd hungry for a return to the Super Bowl.

There are any number of statistics you could point to that historically says the Seahawks have the advantage.  Mike Macdonald is perfect in rematches.  It is incredibly hard for any team to win three playoff road games in a row.  Teams from domed stadiums have a terrible record on the road in the conference championship games.  And on and on.

We all know, however, that in a single elimination game with two of the best teams there is no resting on those trends.  You either add to the trend or become the exception.  And it comes down to some critical factors.

Playing With Poise is a Must

If you have read any of my writeups this season, you will know I have been harping on this.  It is too important a factor to not be at the top of the list for this game.

Week 16’s game alone is proof of that.

Cooper Kupp is not stripped in the Red Zone just before halftime and the Seahawks get at least three points (and maybe seven).

Zach Charbonnet does not have the presence of mind to pick up a seemingly dead ball in the end zone on a two-point try and the game is not tied with six minutes to play.

Harrison Mevis does not push a 48-yard Field Goal try wide with two minutes to play and we may or may not have gotten Overtime.

The Rams are so well-coached they not only have poise; they force their opponents to not have it in ways that can bend the outcome of the game in their favor.

The Panthers – perhaps fearing the Rams’ scoring prowess – made the poor decision to go for it on fourth down in the first drive of the game on their side of the field.  They doubled down on that decision by not running the ball with their rugged Running Backs – behind their $100 million duo of guards – but by calling a cute pass play that fails.  Four plays later, the whole sequence becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as the Rams are up 7-0 and the Panthers are playing from behind until the fourth quarter.

The following week, the Bears make a whole litany of mistakes.  Drops by their receivers – who seemed unprepared to play in the cold somehow – constantly kill momentum.  Again, the Bears go for it on fourth down in key spots only to come away with no points.  Caleb Williams threw three interceptions, the third a gaffe that showed zero situational awareness.  Ben Johnson decided not to go for two points late in regulation with every bit of momentum on his side after his Quarterback had completed a touchdown pass that had all the hallmarks of a fait accompli moment that Bears fans would tell their grandkids about a decade later.

Both of the Seahawks’ games against the Rams could have swung the other way with just the flap of a butterfly’s wings.  In both, the loser outgained the winner by over 165 yards!

Let’s talk about that for a moment.

In the two games combined, only one yard of offense and one point separates them.  So, these two games are as physically close to being ties as they can get, right?

Wrong.  The Seahawks had seven turnovers in those two games.  Seven!  The Rams?  One.

A +6 ratio in two games usually leads to two solid wins, if not blowouts.  The fact that the Seahawks turned the ball over that much and were still a hair’s breadth away from winning both games means they fundamentally played better overall football.

But none of that matters if they do not play with poise in this game.

All that said, poise is not some magical ingredient.  You can manufacture it – or even take it completely out of the equation – by your game play.

The best way the Seahawks can do that?

Win the Game in the Trenches

I hate to reduce two fantastic games down to one stat.  We just talked about all the variables in those games.  But there is a truth that cannot be ignored.  It is the elephant in the room.

In Week Eleven, when Stafford had arguably his worst game of the season?  The Seahawks pressured him at a 28.6% pressure rate.

Week Sixteen, when he threw for 457 yards, his highest total of the season?  The Seahawks defense – this incredible, nickname-worthy defense – only recorded a microscopic 9.8% pressure rate.

You get the sense the defense is grateful for another shot at Stafford after that poor showing.  They will need to be far, far better.  Getting their trademark ‘pressure with four’ will be absolutely critical.  Why?

Stafford has never been a high-completion rate guy.  He mixes a bunch of short passes with downfield shots that are deadly.  When he has pressure in his face, he can get out of sorts and make poor decisions.  He also occasionally trusts his world-class arm too much and allows his mechanics to get sloppy under pressure.

In Week Eleven, Stafford was 2-of-8 with no touchdowns on passes longer than ten yards, a meager 25% completion rate.

In Week Sixteen?  10-of-18 for 56% with a touchdown.

The two prior playoff games that were so close?  14-of-44 for 32%, with two touchdowns and an interception.

That is a key factor in why those two games were so close.  Both defenses – not exactly titans of rushing the passer (#31 and #22 overall this year) – were able to make Stafford uncomfortable enough to not be that deadly weapon in the deeper passing game.

The Rams love to creatively get the ball to players like Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams close to the Line of Scrimmage and let them get yards with their feet and their toughness.  It complements the run game well and allows Stafford the room to take deeper shots and not kill the offense if all he can get is 50% of them.

The Seahawks are a sure tackling team though.  When they have guys in their sights, they regularly get them to the ground.  That particular combo of not allowing too many Yards After the Catch on shorties and pressuring Stafford on deeper throws can be extremely effective if timed up right.

How do they accomplish that?  I will let Brian Baldinger explain that.  It is a chess match.  A game of cat and mouse.

And it is a huge reason why the Seahawks hired Mike Macdonald to be their head coach.

On offense, the line must improve in their pass protection.  It will be critical for this game.  Why?

Last week, Sam Darnold’s role was not pivotal.  Special Teams gave them a lead they never relinquished and the running game was working beautifully.  San Francisco had to chase the game and that added some fuel to the fire, with some key turnovers.

The game this week will not likely work that way.  Darnold will have a much bigger role, particularly with Zach Charbonnet out for the season.

And here is a bit of an inconvenient truth:  Last week Darnold was sacked twice and pressured at a rate of 26%.  Seattle’s run blocking was terrific.  The pass blocking was not.

When you consider how banged up San Francisco was — and that the Rams will line up Jared Verse, Kobie Turner, Byron Young and Braden Fiske — you see how critical it will be that line plays much better.

No doubt Klint Kubiak will dial up some creative plays to get the ball out of Sam Darnold’s hands quickly.  There will come a handful of plays where he will need a little bit of time though.  If the Rams decide to stack the box to stop the running game, there will be opportunities to make some deeper throws to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Rashid Shaheed.

The chess match on this side of the ball should also be very intriguing to watch unfold.

Game Notes

— Special Teams has played a huge part of the two games.  It could once again come down to a punt, a return, or a Field Goal try.  The Rams have been both good and bad in those games.  The Seahawks have been mostly stellar, as they have all season.

— Speaking of the ‘go for it on fourth down’ craze, it should be noted that Mike Macdonald has only gone for it one time in the two games.  It was a fourth and one and they used A.J. Barner to plow forward and get it.  In Week Eleven, regularly making the decision to take the points allowed them to stay in the game despite four Darnold interceptions and they almost won it on an admirable 61-yard try by Myers.

— Macdonald is not ultra-conservative though.  He went for two points in Overtime of Week Sixteen with the game, the division and a potential first round bye on the line.  So, let’s not shove him into back of the refrigerator with the expired yogurt that is the old-school coaching mentality just yet.

— Nick Emmanwori will once again be a key player.  Devon Witherspoon as well.  They allow the Seahawks to play ‘small’ on defense but still be stout against the run as well as Tight End types.  Emmanwori had touchdown-saving tackles at the one-yard line in both games.  In Week Eleven, the Rams scored eventually.  In Week Sixteen, the defense held them to a Field Goal.  Again, it is the little things like that that may decide the game.  Both are extremely effective at showing blitz before the snap but retreating to their assignments with enough speed to keep their positioning.  A bit of ‘who is coming’ misdirection combined with strong games from Jarran Reed, Byron Murphy, Leonard Williams and DeMarcus Lawrence could be the difference in the game.