I put out an updated mock draft yesterday — but to be honest, I have very little faith in it. I think they’re going to trade down from #31.

The Seahawks manipulated the board in 2014 accumulating picks along the way. It seems they always intended to draft Paul Richardson with that first pick and knew the range they could move into to get him. I suspect the plan to draft Richardson was as much to do with trading down (and getting a guy they liked) as it was to draft any particular prospect with that top pick. Why? Because their main intention in round one last year was to use the #32 selection to make sure they got more picks for other targeted players later on.

Seattle traded down twice — acquiring an extra fourth rounder from Minnesota and a seventh from Detroit. They also swapped a fifth for a fourth with the Lions. That deal essentially allowed them to take Cassius Marsh, Kevin Norwood and Kevin Pierre-Louis in the same round. A calculated move — because all three screamed ‘Seahawks’ pre-draft. This wasn’t done on a whim. And you can’t draft all three without the carefully orchestrated trades.

I’m not sure Marsh or Norwood necessarily go in the fourth round unless Seattle takes them. They made sure they got the guys they liked. There are other examples. They knew at #64 they had to take a tackle or risk missing out altogether (they had no third round pick because of the Percy Harvin trade). So they took Justin Britt — a move that, in fairness, seemed like quite a reach.

Garrett Scott provided a physical upside at tackle (a SPARQ demon) in round six. Eric Pinkins was a total unknown, but also a total fit for what they look for in a defensive back. Does Jimmy Stated get drafted if the Seahawks don’t pick him in round five? Moves to get physical ideals onto the roster or obtain players they’d struggle to attract in UDFA.

There weren’t a lot of ‘big names’ on the 2014 list of draftees. There were a lot of players that made you say, “of course!” right after the pick when you looked at the measurables.

I suspect we’ll see something similar again this year. It’ll be a combination of hitting certain positional needs (and possibly reaching a little) in targeted rounds and selecting physical/character fits in other spots.

There’s every chance they’ll trade down again from the #31 pick to give themselves a chance to draft more of their ‘target list’. We get caught up names, we see players we like. The reality is there’s probably only 15-20 players in this draft that the teams will grade in the first round. Which means the player taken at #22 (for example) might not be graded that much higher than the player graded at #35. So if you’re John Schneider picking at #31, the motivation is there to move down.

Another lesson from last year — don’t overrate the combine too much. I think I’m already guilty of that, as I’ll explain in a moment. Donte Moncrief’s workout in Indianapolis a year ago was exceptional. Most people believed he’d be a third rounder before the 2014 combine. With a perfect blend of size, speed and vertical leaping ability — you had to mark him up. You go back to the tape and watch with a positive eye and you see what you want to see. I mocked him in the first round on more than one occasion, eventually settling on a second round grade. He went in the third — the original mark everyone expected.

It’s easy to sit here today and wonder if Tre McBride will go in the second (as I have) or whether Darren Waller with his Vincent Jackson physical comparison will get pumped up the board (guilty, again). It might happen, but is it more likely both players will settle into rounds 3-6? If they like either player enough they might be willing to go a round early. But that’s a big if. Just because they each had a good combine doesn’t mean they’re going to sky rocket into round two or higher.

So while we sit here and wonder what Seattle might do at #31 — it’s probably more worthwhile to simply identify a group of players that could be taken at any point. Prospects Seattle might like and will work out a way to collect.

Receiver might even be a position they’re willing to wait on. If they’re able to pull off a move for a free agent like Julius Thomas — they’ll be adding that elusive dynamic, tall receiving threat to the team. A guy who can work the middle, create a mismatch wherever he lines up, produce in the red zone and convert third downs.

If you sign Thomas as a free agent, you can afford to wait on ‘your guys’ because you’ve added the missing piece to the offense. And you can perhaps afford to develop McBride and Waller (if they’re on your target list) over time. It took V-Jax four years to post a 1000 yard season in San Diego.

They could take two receivers (Pete Carroll and Schneider looked particularly busy in their booth during the WR forty yard dash runs), two corners, two offensive linemen, a linebacker, a safety, a running back and a couple of defensive linemen. That’s a pure guess. The tight end class offered very little to get excited about — and if you sign Julius Thomas (or Jordan Cameron) it’s much less of a need.

Of course, if you’re trying to manipulate the board — you also might trade up for a certain player. They did it for Tharold Simon in 2013. I think it’s unlikely in round one, but certainly is a possibility from the #63 pick onwards.

Players they might manipulate the board to target:

Henry Anderson (DT, Stanford)
Similar size to Tony McDaniel at 6-6 and 294lbs — 33 1/2 inch arms. Ran a 5.03 with an impressive 1.63 ten yard split. He aced the short shuttle with a 4.19 — quickest among defensive linemen. Anderson performed very well at the Senior Bowl. Can play the five technique or work inside. Typical Stanford lineman, great attitude. He’s projecting in rounds 3-4.

Alex Carter (CB, Stanford)
One of the few corners in this class to tick the right boxes for Seattle. He’s 6-0, 196lbs with 32 1/8 inch arms (the Seahawks have not drafted a corner with sub-32 inch arms). He ran a 4.51 (Richard Sherman ran a 4.56). He tested well in the short shuttle and posted a 10’1″ in the broad jump. According to reports he aced interviews at the combine. He’s projecting in rounds 4-5 but might need to be taken earlier due to the weak overall cornerback class.

Ty Sambrailo (T/G, Colorado State)
Active blocker who will be a good fit in a zone scheme. Showed off his movement skills with a terrific 4.58 in the short shuttle (fifth overall among offensive linemen). 6-6 and 311lbs so compares to Carpenter/Britt in terms of size. Short arms so has to play guard. Tony Pauline reported in January that Seattle had interest in Sambrailo. He’s projecting anywhere from rounds 2-4.

Tre McBride (WR, Williams & Mary)
High character receiver. 6-0 and 210lbs with 32 1/8 inch arms. Smallish hands (nine inches) aren’t ideal but they’re bigger than Paul Richardson’s a year ago. Ran a 4.41 with a 1.51 split. Posted a 38 inch vertical and a 4.08 short shuttle. Kick return experience. Plays big on tape — high pointing the football and making contested catches downfield. Sparky on the field and respectful off it. Made ‘wow’ plays even against big school opponents. Recently projecting in rounds 3-4 but rising.

Zack Hodges (DE, Harvard)
Pass rusher with a relentless motor. 6-2 1/2, 250lbs with fantastic length (34 1/2 inch arms). 4.68 forty isn’t ideal for a LEO but a 1.61 split is intriguing. Showed explosiveness in the broad jump (10’5″). Incredible back-story. Lost his mother in high school after losing his father aged six and then his grandfather aged 14. Fought to get to Harvard. Will not quit on or off the field. Touted as a day two pick going into the Senior Bowl, a more modest expectation is mid-to-late round.

Rakeem Nunez-Roches (DT, Southern Miss)
Missed the entire 2013 season with a knee injury but bounced back in 2014 to lead the team in TFL’s (14). Declared early after finding a way to impact games. He’s 6-2 and 307lbs with a shade under 33 inch arms. Ran a 5.02 and posted a nice 34 inch vertical. He could sneak into the later rounds as a priority UDFA. Moved well at the combine.

Rob Crisp (T, NC State)
Handled Vic Beasley better than any tackle in college football last season. Injury history is concerning but he’s 6-7, 301lbs and has 34.5 inch arms. Ran a 5.26 and posted a 32.5 inch vertical (same as T.J. Clemmings). Short shuttle was in the top-eight for offensive linemen at the combine. Could be a steal in the later rounds or UDFA.

Laurence Gibson (T, Virginia Tech)
Only started full-time for the Hokies in 2014 and considered a bit of a surprise invite to the combine in the media. He’s 6-6, 305lbs with vines for arms (35 1/8 inches). Ran an impressive 5.04 forty, posted a 33.5 inch vertical (best among offensive linemen) and a top-five short shuttle. Combine invite hints at respect within scouting circles. Could be a nice later round option ala Garrett Scott a year ago.

Terry Poole (T/G, San Diego State)
Another player linked to the Seahawks by Tony Pauline. Moved well in drills and looks like a big, mobile guard prospect at the next level. 6-5 and 307lbs with a good body shape. Ran a 5.09 forty with a good 1.79 split (Jake Fisher’s split was 1.75). 31 inch vertical and another lineman who put in a good short shuttle. Possible later round ball of clay for Tom Cable.

Kurtis Drummond (S, Michigan State)
Not the fastest (4.68) but showed explosion in the vertical jump (39.5 inches). 6-0 and 208lbs. As good as any safety not named Landon Collins in this mediocre class at the position. Showed genuine range on tape and seen as the organizer within Michigan State’s secondary. Performed well at the Senior Bowl before picking up a slight hamstring strain. Instinctive. Graded in the later rounds — the kind of range Seattle could target a safety.

Nelson Agholor (WR, USC)
Better athlete than people realize — click hear for evidence. Didn’t do the jumps at the combine after dislocating his finger during catching drills. Ran a 4.42 which is quicker than Marqise Lee and Robert Woods. Mr. Reliable for the Trojans. Chose to go to USC specifically to compete with Lee and Woods. Former big-time recruit. Tremendous 1.53 split. 6-0 and 198lbs — but the Seahawks will take receivers in that range. Productive return-man. Could be a top-40 pick.

Darren Waller (WR, Georgia Tech)
Almost identical size, speed, length, jumping ability to Vincent Jackson. It’s quite unbelievable how similar they are physically entering the league. 6-6 and 238lbs and still ran a 4.46. One of only two players in the NCAA not to drop a single catchable pass in 2014. 37 inch vertical with 33 1/4 inch arms — tremendous catching radius. Still growing into his body and production was poor in the triple option (no surprises there). Seen as a tight end project for some teams. Has the upside to go day two, more likely a day three selection.

Josh Shaw (S, USC)
The guy who lied about saving his drowning nephew. He doesn’t have the length to play corner in Seattle (6-0 but only 30 3/4 inch arms) but he could be a mobile safety project. He ran a 4.44 forty at 201lbs, jumped 37.5 inches in the vertical and 10’10” in the broad. Will go in the tail end of the draft if not UDFA.

Adrian Amos (CB, Penn State)
Is he a corner or a safety? He has the size, length and speed to play corner in Seattle (6-0, 32 1/4 inch arms, 4.56 forty). He is 218lbs though and that’s big. Jumped a 35.5 inch vertical and a 10’2″ broad jump. Passionate about the game. Apparently the Seahawks contacted his old High School coach to ask about him. This has legs it seems. Graded mainly in rounds 4-5 it seems.

Mitch Morse (T, Missouri)
6-5, 305lbs lineman with guard length (32 1/4 inch arms). Ran a 5.14 but more impressively posted the third best short shuttle (4.50) among linemen. Would be a later round guard project for Tom Cable. Missed the Senior Bowl after undergoing surgery on his index finger. Replaced Justin Britt at left tackle for the Tigers but also has experience at center.

Tony Lippett (Michigan State) & Nick Marshall (Auburn)
I’m listing both players together for a reason. I highly doubt Seattle drafts either to play receiver (Lippett) or quarterback (Marshall). But both players could be converted to cornerback. Marshall worked out at corner during the Senior Bowl. Lippett is 6-2 1/2 and 192lbs with nearly 33 inch arms. He ran a 4.61 with a 36 inch vertical. Marshall is 6-1 and 207lbs with 32 1/8 inch arms. He ran a 4.54 and posted a 37.5 inch vertical.

Chris Conley (WR, Georgia)
The combine freak of the year until Byron Jones showed up. On tape he actually makes some nice plays — but he clearly lacks refinement. Seemed to be one of the players leading the way at Georgia. He’s nearly 6-2, 213lbs with just under 34 inch arms and ten inch hands. He ran a 4.35, benched 18 reps, posted an insane 45 inch vertical and an 11’7″ on the broad jump. Going into the combine he wasn’t on anyone’s radar. Now? You wonder if he’ll be over-drafted.

Cameron Erving (G/C, Florida State)
Intelligent, edgy player and a converted defensive lineman (like J.R. Sweezy). Had a year and a bit at tackle before moving inside to center. Unlikely to go back to tackle but can easily cover three spots in the interior. 6-5 and 313lbs with 34 1/8 inch arms and ran a 5.15 in the forty. Managed 30 reps on the bench press, a 30.5 inch vertical and a 9’4″ in the broad jump (top five among offensive linemen). Also had an excellent three cone (7.48) and short shuttle (4.63). Would start at left guard you’d imagine. Expected to go in the top-50.

Eric Rowe (CB, Utah)
How long are his arms and how much does it matter? At the Senior Bowl he was measured with 32.5 inch arms. At the combine? 31.5 inches. Again, the time Seattle drafts a corner with sub-32 inch arms will be the first. Wingspan also matters — Rowe isn’t short or small (6-0, 205lbs). Another prospect who could play corner or safety. Ran a 4.45, jumped 39.5 inches in the vertical and 10’5″ in the broad. Originally considered a round 4-5 type prospect, Rowe’s impressive combine could lead to a rise.

Davis Tull (LB, Tenn-Chatt)
It’s a bad class of linebackers but this guy is athletic enough to warrant later round or UDFA consideration. He’s 6-2 and 246lbs, jumped a 42.5 inch vertical and posted an 11 in the broad. He played defensive end in college but should convert to the SAM linebacker spot at the next level. Didn’t run the forty at the combine due to injury.

Jake Fisher (T, Oregon)
Converted tight end who lit up the combine last Friday. 6-6 and 306lbs but ran a 5.01, recorded a 32.5 inch vertical, posted incredible three-cone (7.25) and short shuttle (4.33) times. Had a 1.75 ten yard split. Arm length a shade under 34 inches. Tape isn’t as good as Joel Bitonio’s but they’re similar athletes. Could play guard or tackle. Following his workout in Indianapolis it’s probably #31 or bust if you want Fisher.

Buck Allen (RB, USC)
Cut-and-run specialist who had the best ten yard split among running backs at the combine (1.58). Ran a 4.53 at 6-0 221lbs. Doesn’t come close to the raw athleticism Christine Michael showed in 2013 but he’s a more technically sound runner. Only managed 11 reps on the bench press. Had a 10’1″ in the broad jump (top-five for running backs).

Kenny Bell (WR, Nebraska)
Ran faster than people expected (4.42) and also had a 41.5 inch vertical and a 10’9″ in the broad jump. Probably the best run blocking receiver in the draft. That won’t be reason enough to draft him, but the physical upside could make the entire package intriguing as a day three project. He’s 6-1 and 197lbs. He only had seven reps on the bench press with 31 5/8 inch arms.

Players not included because they’re unlikely to be available to Seattle: Eli Harold (DE, Virginia), Byron Jones (CB, Connecticut), Jalen Collins (CB, LSU), Jaelen Strong (WR, Arizona State), Ereck Flowers (T, Miami).

Getting a player like Cameron Erving at #31 (as projected yesterday) is all well and good, but the Seahawks might prefer to get as many players on a list similar to the one above versus just drafting one big name at #31. Especially if they are able to make a splash in free agency — beginning March 10th.

For further thoughts on the Seahawks pick, scroll to the bottom of the piece. This includes opinions on what Seattle might do in rounds 2-4.

#1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Jameis Winston (QB, Florida State)
Winston stole the show at the combine. He spent the entire weekend playing the role of a superstar quarterback. He was confident, comfortable and in control. On the field he performed well. This just feels like it’s going to happen.

#2 Tennessee Titans — Marcus Mariota (QB, Oregon)
The Titans need a quarterback. They can stick with Zach Mettenberger if they want and be right back here next season. Leonard Williams is a nice option but this is a team that needs a focal point and a face of the franchise.

#3 Jacksonville Jaguars — Leonard Williams (DE, USC)
He moved so well for a 300lbs-er. The Richard Seymour comparisons are fair. He can play end for the most part and kick inside for the nickel packages. It’s another building block for the slow moving rebuild in Jacksonville.

#4 Oakland Raiders — Kevin White (WR, West Virginia)
He competes for the ball in the air like Larry Fitzgerald and then runs a 4.35. He suffers with confidence issues and that needs to be looked into. Amari Cooper is a more natural receiver but White doesn’t drop passes like Cooper. He has the size of a #1 receiver.

#5 Washington Redskins — Dante Fowler Jr (DE, Florida)
You can line him up anywhere — outside backer, defensive end, rushing from the inside. He’s a heartbeat player who just makes plays. Incredible talent with a great motor. He can make the Pro Bowl as a rookie. The Skins are likely to lose Brian Orakpo.

#6 New York Jets — Vic Beasley (DE, Clemson)
What a performance at the combine. People questioned his weight — he turns up at 246lbs. People questioned his strength — he benches 35 reps (more than any other defensive lineman). How will he run with the extra size? A 4.53 — better than any other D-end or linebacker. Beasley was a sack machine in college too.

#7 Chicago Bears — Randy Gregory (OLB, Nebraska)
San Francisco rebuilt their defense with an outside linebacker in Aldon Smith with the #7 pick. Vic Fangio might suggest a similar path for the Bears as they transition to a 3-4. Gregory is lighter than Smith, but they share similar length and potential entering the league.

#8 Atlanta Falcons — Shane Ray (DE, Missouri)
If this was a question of length, Ray’s 33 1/8 inch arms should ease any concerns. He’s lean enough to play the LEO and even though he didn’t run at the combine due to injury — expect a big pro-day and eventually a top-ten grade.

#9 New York Giants — Danny Shelton (DT, New York Giants)
They have Johnathan Hankins but he’s not at Shelton’s level. He can rush the passer and that’s what the Giants need — a greater interior presence. They have to focus on rebuilding their defensive line to get back into contention.

#10 St. Louis Rams — Brandon Scherff (T, Iowa)
Scherff ran well at the combine even though he picked up a hamstring injury in the first drill. He was more athletic than I expected. The Rams will likely have their pick of the offensive linemen here and Scherff seems like a Jeff Fisher type player. He could play guard or tackle.

#11 Minnesota Vikings — Amari Cooper (WR, Alabama)
This would be a bargain for the Vikes. Teddy Bridgewater needs a weapon to grow with. Cooper is a sparky, athletic playmaker with a great attitude. He lacks size but is the most natural receiver to enter the league since A.J. Green.

#12 Cleveland Browns — Bud Dupree (OLB, Kentucky)
They could lose Jabaal Sheard in free agency and he was an ill-fit in the 3-4 anyway. Dupree would step in and provide a jolt to the front seven. He’s passionate about the game and a playmaker. He’ll be a better edge rusher playing in space. They need a solid pick here after last years disaster.

#13 New Orleans Saints — Trae Waynes (CB, Michigan State)
A lack of true length keeps him out of the top ten, but he’s still a physical 4.31 runner with a great attitude. The Saints could have holes all over their roster — they’re in a nightmarish cap situation.

#14 Miami Dolphins — Landon Collins (S, Alabama)
They have needs at safety, defensive tackle, the offensive line and potentially receiver. Collins is a safe pick for them and an instant starter. They won’t find a solution at this position later in the draft.

#15 San Francisco 49ers — DeVante Parker (WR, Louisville)
Long receiver with good hands. Kind of a surly player who lacks the charisma of a #1 receiver, if not the skills. The 49ers are going to move on from Michael Crabtree and Colin Kaepernick needs a long term go-to target.

#16 Houston Texans — Eddie Goldman (DT, Florida State)
Terrific prospect. Didn’t workout at the combine but wowed the media with an engaging press conference. Former 5-star recruit. Excellent in the run game but also a capable pass rusher. Probably FSU’s best player in 2014. Has nose tackle size.

#17 San Diego Chargers — D.J. Humphries (T, Florida)
They can’t seem to make their mind up on whether D.J. Fluker’s a guard or a tackle. Stick him at guard and make Humphries the long term answer on the blindside. They’ll win or lose on the arm of Phillip Rivers. He has the weapons, he also needs a good offensive line.

#18 Kansas City Chiefs — Jaelen Strong (WR, Arizona State)
Strong enjoyed a surprisingly athletic combine, running a 4.44 and posting a 42-inch vertical. He struggled to separate in college but showed he has explosive upside in Indianapolis. He probably needs some route-refinement but the Chiefs are desperate for playmakers at receiver.

#19 Cleveland Browns — T.J. Clemmings (T, Pittsburgh)
Another safe pick in the sense that Clemmings is a big-time character guy. He struggled at the Senior Bowl but he ticks every box — length, foot speed, aggressive nature. He can be a perfect bookend for Joe Thomas.

#20 Philadelphia Eagles — Byron Jones (CB, Connecticut)
The headline maker at the combine for destroying the broad jump record (12’3″) and posting a 44.5 inch vertical — Jones is making a case to go in round one. Adding to his cause — the total lack of depth at the position. He has a great shot to go in round one.

#21 Cincinnati — Malcom Brown (DT, Texas)
Will Geno Atkins ever be the same again? Either way, Brown is a dynamic interior rusher who lives in the backfield. He also has great size to play the run. Line him up alongside Atkins and go to work. That’ll be tough to stop.

#22 Pittsburgh Steelers — Jalen Collins (CB, LSU)
He may be usurped by Byron Jones as the #2 corner, but Jalen Collins is still a terrific player with a huge upside. He has the length, size and speed to be a star at the next level. He’d be a bargain for the Steelers at this point.

#23 Detroit Lions — La’el Collins (T, LSU)
If they lose Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley, defensive tackle becomes a crucial need. They seem determined to keep Suh. If they go in a different direction here, Collins makes sense at tackle or guard. For me he’s better off moving inside. He looked superb at the combine and Senior Bowl.

#24 Arizona Cardinals — Eli Harold (DE, Virginia)
Harold did a great job at the combine — but was it good enough to overtake some of the bigger names in this class? His passion for the game, attitude, speed and length are a great fit in Arizona. This makes a ton of sense.

#25 Carolina Panthers — Andrus Peat (T, Stanford)
He’s a really odd shape. Small head, enormous lower body. He didn’t look like a natural left tackle. On the tape though — that’s exactly what he is. Someone will take a chance but it won’t be as early as I first thought. He didn’t stand out at the combine.

#26 Baltimore Ravens — Melvin Gordon (RB, Wisconsin)
Outstanding player with an insane work ethic. Runs like a gazelle. Didn’t have the monster workout we expected and therefore might last into the 20’s. A smart team will take him off the board and the Ravens always find value.

#27 Dallas Cowboys — Todd Gurley (RB, Georgia)
They could go after Adrian Peterson and that would change things here. If not, Gurley could be the long term replacement for Demarco Murray. We’re unlikely to see him in 2015, but a patient team will be rewarded handsomely. The Cowboys have made the run game a priority.

#28 Denver Broncos — Ereck Flowers (T, Miami)
He had a hit and miss combine but look at the tape. He puts people on their back, he’ll drive linemen off the ball in the run game and he can kick-slide effectively. Whether he lines up at tackle or guard, he’s a better football player than combine star.

#29 Indianapolis Colts — Jordan Phillips (DT, Oklahoma)
Back problems could be a concern. He didn’t put in a Dontari Poe-style performance at the combine. The Colts released Ricky-Jean Francois yesterday and need an anchor for a defense that gets pushed around too easily in key games.

#30 Green Bay Packers — Arik Armstead (DE, Oregon)
The Packers haven’t done such a good job in the first round in recent years. Armstead is big and has major potential — but he’ll need some coaching. Whoever drafts him will be trying to shape him into the next Calais Campbell.

#31 Seattle Seahawks — Cameron Erving (G/C, Florida State)
Converted defensive lineman who’s played left tackle and center. His days at tackle are over but he can start quickly at guard and be the backup center. Very intelligent/well spoken. Plays with an edge. Had a good combine with a 9’4″ broad jump, a 30.5 inch vertical and a 5.15 forty. Managed 30 reps on the bench press.

#32 New England Patriots — Jake Fisher (T, Oregon)
Bill Belichick seems to like these tall, tight end-converts. Fisher might end up at guard like Kyle Long, or he could play right tackle. One of the early combine stars doing every test well. Needs to keep adding strength.

Explaining the pick at #31

Usually we see a premium on offensive linemen in the draft but this class is loaded with defensive talent. Instead of seeing the usual cluster of 3-4 offensive tackles going in the top-15, we could see a number of pass rushers and receivers taking in their place.

When we get to picks #17 (San Diego) and #19 (Cleveland) we could start to see the domino’s fall. The big question is — how quickly do the offensive lineman come off the board when the rush begins? We could see a bunch of o-liners go very quickly. Or we could see a bit of a sweet spot between picks 25-32. In this projection the Seahawks catch the tail end of the rush.

I’m anticipating Byron Maxwell and James Carpenter will depart in free agency, creating holes at corner and guard. They already have a need for a dynamic pass catching target at receiver or tight end. I suspect we could see Julius Thomas and Jordan Cameron targeted in the open market.

Right now I’m thinking they’ll strongly consider the offensive line and receiver with their first two picks, before adding depth on the defensive line and eventually bringing in a corner or two. That just appears to be where the value is this year.

In this projection the Seahawks could move down into the late 30’s or early 40’s and select the best receiver on their board, before possibly targeting a player like Ty Sambrailo in round two. That would also make some sense.

Instead I have them taking Cameron Erving because I think the value dictates this to be a good range to take an offensive lineman. I also believe that once the top four receivers are off the board, there really isn’t much between the #5 receiver and the #10 receiver in a deep class. If you can get a similar quality player at #63 compared to #31 — why would you fight the board?

Erving’s days at tackle are in the past. He struggled manning the blindside in 2014 before an inspired switch to center. He looked very comfortable — finishing blocks in the run game, controlling the point of attack and doing a good job nullifying the interior rush. He has the potential to play any of the three interior spots. He can start at left guard replacing Carpenter and act as the main backup to Max Unger at center.

It’s hard to work out exactly what Tom Cable, John Schneider and Pete Carroll look for in a lineman. James Carpenter provided massive size and length plus proven run-game production at Alabama. John Moffitt also had reasonable length and size. Ditto for Justin Britt. None of the trio tested particularly well at the combine.

Their most athletic starting offensive lineman is J.R. Sweezy — a converted defensive lineman. He ran a 4.9 in the forty and posted a 38 inch vertical. He was a later round project who came good. They also went after a similar project in Garrett Scott in round six last year.

Many will pin Jake Fisher to the Seahawks because of his outstanding combine workout. It makes sense — a converted tight end with major athletic upside. He might have a future at tackle, a potential need if they don’t re-sign Russell Okung. But as we’ve seen with the Carpenter, Moffitt and Britt picks — major athletic potential is not something they’ve necessarily coveted in an offensive lineman in the early rounds. Instead they’ve looked for traits — such as Carpenter’s run blocking in college, Britt’s attitude and wrestling background or Moffitt’s mauler mentality.

Erving is somewhere between Fisher and the trio mentioned above. He’s 6-5 and 314lbs with 34 1/8 inch arms. He’s not as big or as long as Carpenter, but it’s close. He ran a 5.15 with a 1.84 split. He managed a 30.5 inch vertical and a 9’4″ broad jump. The only three offensive linemen to record a superior broad jump were Terry Poole, Laurence Gibson and Mark Glowinski (all posted a 9’5″). He’s not as athletic as Fisher, but he’s certainly no slouch.

What traits does he have that could specifically appeal to the Seahawks? Versatility to play multiple spots including center, fantastic character (incredibly well spoken and trusted by the FSU coaches) and he plays with an edge. Like Sweezy, he’s also a converted defensive lineman.

A final point on Erving vs Fisher. Stability and consistency is as important as anything for an offensive line. Replacing Carpenter like-for-like isn’t a sea-change in personnel. Moving Britt inside and asking him to learn a new position while starting yet another rookie at right tackle is much more disruptive. Unless you intend to switch Fisher to guard.

Regular visitors to the blog will know I’ve spent many posts arguing against the need to invest further high picks in the offensive line. It’s received more attention in the draft than any other position group on the roster. We could easily see a situation where Seattle lets Cable pick a couple of guys on day three to compete for a start. Let’s not forget, they were prepared to start Sweezy in the first game of his rookie season (a 7th round recent defensive convert). On this occasion I just believe the value matches need to warrant another high pick.

Providing they go O-line in the first frame, in round two I can imagine the Seahawks drafting a playmaking, physical receiver with speed. William & Mary’s Tre McBride makes a lot of sense at #63, especially as he offers some kick return value.

Want a wildcard alternative? Georgia Tech’s Darren Waller ran an official 4.46 which seems to have gone relatively unnoticed. We know the Seahawks admire Vincent Jackson. Waller and V-Jax are virtually identical players ten years apart:

Vincent Jackson (2005 draft)
6-5
240lbs
4.44 forty
39 inch vertical
32 inch arms
9 5/8 inch hands

Darren Waller (2015 draft)
6-6
238lbs
4.46 forty
38 inch vertical
33 1/4 inch arms
9 inch hands

Jackson was the #61 pick in 2005. Is Waller going to be the #63 pick in 2015? It’s probably too early. But if we see a second round rush on the position, I don’t see any reason why he won’t see a higher than expected selection. And if you’re worried about the hand size — a quick reminder that Calvin Johnson has 9 1/4 inch hands. I’ve seen no evidence on tape that Waller has an issue with drops.

Stanford’s Henry Anderson has the length and size (6-6, 294lbs, 33 1/2 inch arms) plus the athleticism (5.03 forty with a 1.64 split) to potentially offer a cheaper alternative to Tony McDaniel at defensive tackle. Is he a third round option? We could also see another Stanford prospect targeted on day three — cornerback Alex Carter has the length, size and speed to match Seattle’s ideals at the position. As for beyond, I’m still a fan of NC State left tackle Rob Crisp and Michigan State safety Kurtis Drummond.

Replacing Byron Maxwell is going to be the toughest challenge of the off-season.

He will leave, inevitably, to the highest bidder within hours of free agency starting. The word is he will command offers worth $10m a year. It’s an incredible sum of money and a perfect review of this cornerback class. It just isn’t very good, so teams will overpay for solutions elsewhere.

We’ll get onto how Seattle might address this situation in a moment. First, here’s the positive news from today’s defensive back workouts at the combine:

Trae Waynes had a big day and could move into the top-ten discussion. He’s a better player than Justin Gilbert a year ago without any of the character concerns (Cleveland really should’ve done their homework). He doesn’t have Gilbert’s length (31 inch arms) but he ran an official 4.31 at 6-0 and 186lbs. He also had a 38 inch vertical and a 10’2″ broad jump. On tape he’s a bit grabby but you can work on that. He’s physical, fast and professional. He won’t last long in the first round.

Jalen Collins will quickly follow. At 6-1 and 203lbs he ran a 4.48, adding a 36 inch vertical and a 10’4″ in the broad jump. He has excellent length (32 1/8 inch arms) and has so much potential. He only started 10 games at LSU but with the right coaching he’ll excel. There’s so much to like on tape — recovery speed, ball skills, physicality, edge.

After that? It’s a bit of a black hole — brightened ever so slightly by the star of the day. UConn’s Byron Jones is still recovering from a torn labrum and chose not to run. That aside, he smashed the broad jump record with a ridiculous 12’3″. He had one of the all-time best vertical jumps (44.5 inches). He also managed a superb 6.78 in the three cone and a 3.94 in the short shuttle. He’s 6-1 and 199lbs with 32 inch arms. He’s a brilliant forty away from being potentially the greatest athlete to ever test at the combine.

Why is any of this important? Speed isn’t the only factor in judging athleticism. A lot of teams (Seattle included) pay close attention to the broad and vertical jumps. It’s a great way to measure lower body explosion. Christine Michael had a 43 inch vertical in 2013 — it’s probably one of the main reasons he ended up with the Seahawks.

What kind of grade will Byron Jones receive after today? It’s hard to say. He was considered a mid-rounder at best going into the 2014 season. This adds a new dynamic. There’s not much tape available online, but this emerged in the last hour or so:

You see nice tight coverage and some decent recovery speed. There are a few plays where he’ll get flagged at the next level — or he’ll be punished by superior pro-receivers. We need to watch more to find out exactly what he’s capable of.

Teams will also need to check out his shoulder injury and look into whether it’s a serious long-term issue. Overall he’s very similar to Chris Conley. An incredible physical talent who flashes a bit on tape. Both players need refinement. How much is the potential worth to a team? How early do you back yourself or your coaches?

People who would know have told me in the past that Seattle will only consider spending an early pick on a cornerback if they possess the kind of physical upside we saw from Patrick Peterson. That’s how confident they are in developing later-round players. Jones jumps further and higher than Peterson. Can he match his 4.34 forty yard dash? If he does, he probably won’t be available to the Seahawks anyway.

He’s one of the few draftable options at corner. Zach Whitman, who does a lot of work with SPARQ, repeatedly makes the point that the Carroll/Schneider Seahawks have not drafted a corner with sub-32 inch arms. They want length. They don’t have to be tall — just long.

Aside from Jones, these are the guys who matched Seattle’s apparent physical ideals from a group of over 50 defensive backs:

Adrian Amos (Penn State)
There’s some debate over Amos’ position at the next level. Some think he’ll play safety and he’s big — 208lbs. It’s not too big, but still. He’s 6-0 with 32 1/4 inch arms. He ran a 4.56 which is identical to Richard Sherman. He posted a 35.5 inch vertical with a 10’2″ broad jump. He’s an athletic guy. I’m not sure he looked loose enough during drills to be a permanent cornerback but the Seahawks have made concessions there in the past. They’ll take a bit of stiffness if you’ve got the size, speed and length.

Alex Carter (Stanford)
He’s flashed on tape but he’s also had a few bad games. Does that remind you of another former Stanford corner? He looked terrific today. He’s 6-0 and 196lbs with 32 1/8 inch arms. He ran a 4.51 and jumped a 40 inch vertical. He also recorded a 10’1″ broad jump. He’s lean and long and the 4.51 is impressive. There’s a lot to work with here. Out of all the options he might be the most logical. Experience at the position, competitive, long, fast.

Jalen Collins (LSU)
It’s very unlikely he’ll be available for Seattle but he certainly fits the bill. We listed his data at the start of the piece but essentially he ran a 4.48 at 6-1 and 203lbs. He’s only going to get better at the next level with the right coaching. It’s a shame a player like this won’t last. That’s the price you pay for success. Every team in the league is looking for long and fast cornerbacks. He’s a stud.

There are others. Jaquiski Tartt ticks a lot of boxes but he’s 221lbs. Durrell Eskridge looked good in drills but an official 4.63 hurts. Kurtis Drummond is a very intriguing safety prospect to consider in the later rounds. Cody Prewitt could be another safety project.

Utah’s Eric Rowe is a curious case. When he was measured at the Senior Bowl, he had 32.5 inch arms. At the combine they measured him at 31.5 inches. I’m not sure which is accurate — or whether Seattle would refuse to draft a player who is half an inch below the ideal. For the record, Rowe is 6-0 and 205lbs, ran a 4.45 with a 39 inch vertical and a 10’5″ broad jump. It might be worth keeping him in our thoughts for now.

With so few options it’s hard to imagine how the Seahawks are going to solve this issue. Coming into the combine I thought they’d probably draft a couple of corners as a priority on day three. Watching this group makes you realize — that isn’t going to be easy. There are other possibilities — including small school prospects and players not attending the combine. Who among us can say they knew anything about Eric Pinkins a year ago? That was their guy. Their guy this year possibly wasn’t in Indianapolis.

Even if that’s the case, are we expecting a non-combine attendee to step in and start in week one? Are we expecting someone like Alex Carter to do that?

You can see the problem.

For a team that has constantly replenished the cornerback position, the well has run dry this year. There’s no Richard Sherman to replace Marcus Trufant. No Walter Thurmond to replace Brandon Browner. No Byron Maxwell to replace Walter Thurmond. Tharold Simon appeared to be out of his depth in the Super Bowl and might need off-season shoulder surgery. Jeremy Lane, a possible candidate to start, is facing a long road to recovery after breaking his wrist and tearing an ACL.

So what else can they do?

They could pony up for Maxwell. It would mean around 25-35% of your cap room for the next few years is tied up in four players — Maxwell, Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. You might argue it’s in Seattle’s best interests to secure the entire starting secondary for the long haul. Isn’t it the identity of the team?

The thing is, Maxwell is only a possible $10m per-year player because the market dictates that in 2015. In the future, say next year, you might regret making that deal. It might mean you lose another one of the group (Irvin? Wagner?). You might miss out on a dynamic free agent you’d love to have (Julius Thomas?).

Overpaying Maxwell might mean you avoid a tricky situation this year — but you’re not planning to avoid issues in 2015. You’re building for several years into the future. I’m not convinced Maxwell is a player you just have to have because the options to replace him in 2015 aren’t great.

This might be about finding a one year solution and pushing the problem into 2016. A veteran stopgap. Accepting the situation for what it is. You still draft your guys later in the draft this year. Maybe one of them shines and even wins a starting job by the end of his rookie season? By 2016 you could have a long term, cheaper replacement for Maxwell. And if not, perhaps it’ll be a better class of corners in 12 months time?

Who that veteran option could be — I have no idea. Some have suggested a possible return for Walter Thurmond. He missed most of the 2014 season with a torn pec. His one-year deal in New York last season carried a $3m cap hit. There’s every chance he burned bridges in Seattle with multiple suspensions. He had a chance to be the one replacing Browner ahead of Maxwell and blew it. In a Super Bowl year no less. Can they trust him?

Veteran Charles Tillman had a triceps injury end his 2014 season. Would he consider a one-year stint in Seattle? He turned 34 today. He’s played for the Bears since 2003. The Seahawks have plugged in vets before — Kevin Williams is a good example of that in 2014. They also added Antoine Winfield before the 2013 season but he didn’t make the team.

This isn’t the year to chase cornerbacks in the draft and sometimes you just have to accept a situation for what it is. The Seahawks could go offensive line and receiver with their first two picks, then take a defensive lineman like Henry Anderson. After that, rounds 4-6 could be the area they bring in a corner or two. Alex Carter could be on the list after today’s performance. But you wouldn’t be expecting those players to start.

With Byron Maxwell possibly heading to Philadelphia if you believe certain reports, finding a veteran one-year rental for the LOB might be the best, or even only option.

HIGHLIGHTS

— Byron Jones records best broad jump since 2003 (12’3″)
— UConn’s Jones also posts a 44.5 inch vertical, but won’t run
— Jalen Collins runs an official 4.48
— Trae Waynes runs an official 4.31

We’re live blogging throughout the combine. Keep refreshing this page for the latest Seahawks news, data and notes on the DB workouts as they take place today (beginning 6AM PST).

Seattle hasn’t drafted a cornerback with sub-32 inch arms. Here’s a list of all the DB’s today with +32-inch arms:

Adrian Amos
Alex Carter
Jalen Collins
Kurtis Drummond
Durrell Eskridge
Gerod Holliman
Byron Jones
Cody Prewitt
Jordan Richards
James Sample
Tye Smith
Jaquiski Tartt
Julian Wilson

Mike Mayock begins the NFL Network broadcast by stating it’s a poor safety class. He name-checks Richard Sherman and says the entire league is looking for length and speed. The secret’s been out for a while.

Mayock says the key will be hitting in the middle rounds. It’s like he’s speaking directly to us.

Time for the first set of forty’s. The first two prospects are on the length list.

To compare, Richard Sherman at the 2011 combine was 6-3 and 195lbs. He has 32 inch arms. He ran a 4.56.

The guys in bold have +32 inch arms:

Adrian Amos — 4.56
Alex Carter — 4.52
Donald Celiscar — 4.62
Justin Coleman — 4.53
Jalen Collins — 4.48
Landon Collins — 4.54
Justin Cox — 4.37
Ronald Darby — 4.37
Quandre Diggs — 4.57
Lorenzo Doss — 4.50
Kurtis Drummond — 4.65
Durrell Eskridge — 4.57
Charles Gaines — 4.45
Clayton Gaethers — 4.55
Jacoby Glenn — 4.58
Senquez Golson — 4.46
Doran Grant — 4.44
Ladarius Gunter — 4.69
Chris Hackett — 4.83
Troy Hill — 4.56
Gerod Holliman — DNP
Kyshoen Jarrett — 4.58
Anthony Jefferson — 4.72

Alex Carter is a guy I’m focusing on here. He looked really smooth and fluid and ran a 4.52 first up. He’s in fantastic shape, has good length (6-0, 196lbs, 32 1/8 inch arms). Another Stanford corner.

Jalen Collins ran a 4.48 with his first attempt. That’ll do.

Pete Carroll and John Schneider watched Kurtis Drummond closely, one of the players with 32 inch arms. He is a safty though.

Durrell Eskridge ran in the Richard Sherman range. He’s also 6-3 and 208lbs with 32 3/8 inch arms. I believe he also had a 1.52 ten yard split, they’re not showing them in the broadcast for some reason.

NFl Network crew talking about the Super Bowl play. Ouch.

Jalen Collins having fun today:

Mayock: “I’ve seen more 4.7’s and 4.8’s this morning then I think we’ve seen in the last five years.”

Time for the second runs:

Adrian Amos — 4.49
Alex Carter — 4.54
Donald Celiscar — 4.63
Justin Coleman — 4.50
Jalen Collins — 4.43
Landon Collins — 4.53
Justin Cox — 4.40
Ronald Darby — 4.32
Quandre Diggs — 4.56
Lorenzo Doss — 4.56
Kurtis Drummond — 4.70
Durrell Eskridge — 4.56
Charles Gaines — 4.45
Clayton Gaethers — 4.52
Jacoby Glenn — 4.67
Senquez Golson — 4.46
Doran Grant — 4.46
Ladarius Gunter — 4.65
Chris Hackett — 4.81
Troy Hill — 4.55
Gerod Holliman — DNP
Kyshoen Jarrett — 4.58
Anthony Jefferson — 4.76

Jalen Collins’ second attempt is a 4.43. I’m convinced he’s going to go in the top-20.

Daniel Jeremiah says ‘defensive back’ is the hardest group to evaluate these days and find good players. Just to make you that little bit more concerned.

Mayock: “I’m struggling finding safety’s”. He again points out it’s the slowest group he’s seen in a long time.

Syracuse’s Durrell Eskridge just ran a 4.56 on his second attempt., identical to Richard Sherman’s 2011 time. He’s 13lbs heavier than Sherman but has longer arms and they’re both 6-3. There’s a candidate for Seattle. Mayock says he’s best friends with Devonta Freeman (running back in Atlanta).

Onto the drills. This combine has lurched between explosive and mediocre. A rotten group of TE’s followed by the impressive receivers. The average looking running backs before the brilliant defensive linemen. Then the frankly miserable linebackers and this.

If you’re in the second group of DB’s — you’ve got a real opportunity to stand out.

Here’s some running back news:

From @mortreport: Dr. James Andrews: Todd Gurley “probably six weeks ahead with his recovery” – http://t.co/nktESJvg52

— Sigmund Bloom (@SigmundBloom) February 23, 2015

Jalen Collins’ backpedal is pretty good in the first drill. Not spectacular. Landon Collins is moving well at 228lbs. The average time for this first group of DB’s in the forty yard dash was a 4.55. Kurtis Drummond moves like a safety but could be of interest to Seattle. Durrell Eskridge has a thick lower body. He’s not as lean as a Sherman. That impacts his movement and his backpedal is a little stiff. Senquez Golson is slow to break after his backpedal. Doran Grant is a lot smoother. It’s astonishing that Chris Hackett ran a 4.8 at 195lbs. He looks small and heavy legged.

Jalen Collins did this pretty well. https://t.co/MHI4LMxvcq

— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 23, 2015

This is also troubling:

“Schneider has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave Seattle to become Packers’ GM” I did not know that. http://t.co/Tawg5cbWJ2

— Aaron Nagler (@AaronNagler) February 23, 2015

Jalen Collins moved his hips nicely and showed good ball skills downfield. He transitions well enough to be a starting corner in the league — size, length, backpedal, recovery speed. He’s only going to get better with the right coaching. Jacoby Glenn appeared really tight running downfield and did a poor job tracking the football. Chris Hackett looked even worse. Alex Carter struggles to open up and looked stiff. I’m not sure what happened on his deep throw, it’s like the ball slipped out of the quarterbacks hands and went to the wrong end of the field. Adrian Amos also looked a bit stiff.

Penn State coaches loved Adrian Amos. Adequate speed but also good feel for the game.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) February 23, 2015

Wow — UConn’s Byron Jones (who was a doubt to participate as he recovers from a torn labrum) just recorded a 12’3″ in the broad jump. It’s the best jump by any player at any position since 2003. And yes, he has 32 inch arms.

Jones just added a 44.5 inch vertical jump. In a bad class of cornerbacks, he might be flying up the boards here. The tape wins the day, but you can’t teach that kind of explosion. He’s 6-1, 199lbs and has 32 inch arms — and he has the best broad jump for 12 years and a 44.5 inch vertical (among the best ever). That’s incredible.

It’s not unfair to say he’s already one of the most explosive players in combine history. And he’s not 100%.

Oregon’s Troy Hill showing good footwork and ball tracking skills. Sub-32 inch arms though.

Pete Carroll on the phone during the first group of DB drills:

Pretty sure Byron Jones is Spiderman. Will try to confirm. https://t.co/V6iW7nKkEW

— Chris Burke (@ChrisBurke_SI) February 23, 2015

Here’s some Byron Jones tape:

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According to Ian Rapoport, Byron Jones won’t run a forty yard dash because he isn’t 100%. This is unfortunate. After what he showed in the jumps, you want to see him run.

Troy Hill continues to impress during drills. Moves well laterally. Anthony Jefferson ends the latest drill with a wonderful diving catch.

The DB’s are running the gauntlet for the first time this year. It’s a mess. They all struggled. None of them have any technique catching the ball as you’d expect. It’s just a bunch of football’s pinging around. None of them can catch over the middle. It’s a total waste of time. What a way to end a disappointing workout for most of these DB’s.

Onto the second group. They start with the forty. The guys with 32 inch arms are in bold again (Seattle’s apparent cut off):

Kevin Johnson — 4.52
Byron Jones — DNP
Craig Mager — 4.44
Dean Marlowe — 4.58
Bobby McCain — 4.54
Tevin McDonald — 4.65
Steven Nelson — 4.49
Garry Peters — 4.67
Marcus Peters — 4.57
Cody Prewitt — 4.61
Damarious Randall — 4.47
Jordan Richards — 4.67
Quinten Rollins — 4.67
Eric Rowe — 4.45
James Sample — 4.62
Josh Shaw — 4.44
D’Joun Smith — 4.46
Tye Smith — 4.60
Damian Swann — 4.55
Jaquiski Tartt — 4.54
Trae Waynes — 4.35
Kevin White — 4.64
Jermain Whitehead — 4.65
P.J. Williams — 4.62
Julian Wilson — 4.59

Tartt, Prewitt and Richards have +32 inch arms but play safety. Eric Rowe ran a nice time but he has 31 1/2 inch arms. Josh Shaw ran a nice time but has 30 3/4 inch arms.

Trae Waynes just put himself at the top of the cornerback rankings with a 4.35. He and Collins can expect to go early because the depth at the position isn’t there. Waynes is physical and fast — he’s quite grabby and will need to watch that at the next level. He’s a good player.

Second attempts:

Kevin Johnson — 4.56
Byron Jones — DNP
Craig Mager — 4.57
Dean Marlowe — 4.59
Bobby McCain — 4.52
Tevin McDonald — 4.64
Steven Nelson — 4.52
Garry Peters — 4.62
Marcus Peters — 4.54
Cody Prewitt — 4.70
Damarious Randall — 4.47
Jordan Richards — 4.66
Quinten Rollins — 4.58
Eric Rowe — 4.48
James Sample — 4.56
Josh Shaw — 4.44
D’Joun Smith — 4.48
Tye Smith — 4.70
Damian Swann — 4.51
Jaquiski Tartt — 4.60
Trae Waynes — 4.32
Kevin White — DNP
Jermain Whitehead — 4.59
P.J. Williams — 4.57
Julian Wilson — 4.58

Marcus Peters runs a 4.57 and a 4.54. It’s not bad but it’s not great, even for a press corner. Waynes betters his first attempt with a 4.32. Kevin White didn’t run his second forty due to a hamstring injury.

Onto the drills.

Prewitt’s backpedal looking smooth for his size. Randall a big looking DB and a bit stiffer in transition.

Steve Nelson is one of my favorite corner prospects in this class — he stays low in his backpedal, shows great balance and transition and explodes. He doesn’t have the length Seattle looks for but he’s very competitive on the field and a playmaker. He’s looking good in the early drills.

Marcus Peters not doing anything that screams first round cornerback so far. Average change of direction. Bit stiff in the backpedal. Quinten Rollins just nearly fell over during his latest transition. Eric Rowe showing good hip movement and change of direction. This is a good day for Rowe so far. Damian Swann a little bit stiff.

Trae Waynes stays really low in his backpedal — love that. Can snap his hips better and explode but we know he was the speed after a 4.32 today.

This group overall performing better than the first collection.

Daniel Jeremiah says he thinks Waynes will go in the top ten after today’s performance. I’m going to post a mock draft tomorrow.

The NFL Network isn’t showing drills for the second group and hasn’t been for the last ten minutes.

Here are the top-10 official forty times for the DB’s. Trae Waynes has been given an incredible 4.31:

Jalen Collins ran an official 4.48.

Kurtis Drummond managed an impressive 39.5 inch vertical. He’s one to monitor. Eric Rowe had a 39 inch vertical and a 10’5″ broad jump. Impressive day for Rowe.

Josh Shaw’s back story is very weird, but he runs an official 4.44, records a 37.5 inch vertical and jumps a 10’10” in the broad. You can see all the data from today by clicking here.

The NFL Network continue to keep their camera’s away from the drills so I’m going to end the final combine live blog. I hope you’ve enjoyed the coverage over the last few days. I’ll have a new post on the blog later today so stay tuned.

HIGHLIGHTS

— Bud Dupree with an 11’7″ broad and 42 inch vertical
— Vic Beasley runs an official 4.53
— Eli Harold and Dante Fowler Jr run 4.60
— Danny Shelton rumbles to a 5.66
— Owamagbe Odighizuwa and Randy Gregory both impress
— Shane Ray & Eddie Goldman don’t workout
— Linebackers fail to impress during drills

We’re live blogging throughout the combine. Keep refreshing this page for the latest Seahawks news, data and notes on the DE/LB workouts as they take place today (beginning 6AM PST).

The player I’m most looking forward to seeing workout today is Virginia pass rusher Eli Harold. Check out this video on NFL.com. Aside from his taste in music — what’s not to like? He says this about Bruce Irvin: “He’s a physical specimen, he’s fast he’s quick — he’s like a cat, like a cheetah. That’s who I model my game after.” And then there’s this quote: “My style of play is — speed, I’m quick. I’m tough.” And this one: “I bring a lot of high energy, an unstoppable motor, I go hard all the time, I do whatever I’m asked — you’re going to get a gem.”

If he performs well enough today he could get into the top-15 mix. Atlanta needs a LEO and Harold is the ideal LEO from this class. He’s scheduled to workout with the linebackers — so is Bud Dupree.

Shane Ray and Eddie Goldman have chosen not to workout due to injury. Someone needs to let Mike Mayock and Daniel Jeremiah know.

The defensive linemen are dressed in bright green and look like comedy superhero villains.

Forty yard dash times with the ten yard split in brackets (first attempt):

Henry Anderson — 4.97 (1.75)
Arik Armstead — 5.10 (1.76)
Tavaris Barnes — 4.84 (1.70)
Vic Beasley — 4.66 (1.72)
Angelo Blackson — 5.06 (1.77)
Malcom Brown — 5.05 (1.75)
Anthony Chickillo — 4.77 (1.59)
Frank Clark — 4.79 (1.70)
Xavier Cooper — 4.88 (1.70)
Corey Crawford — 5.02 (1.79)
Carl Davis — 5.19 (1.87)
Tyeler Davison — 5.29 (1.91)
Ryan Delaire — 4.97 (1.73)
B.J. Dubose — 4.98 (1.66)
Mario Edwards Jr — 4.84 (1.76)
Kyle Emanuel — 4.77 (1.70)
Trey Flowers — 4.94 (1.84)
Dante Fowler Jr — 4.61 (1.59)
Markus Golden — 4.90 (1.72)
Randy Gregory — 4.64 (1.62)
Eli Harold — 4.61 (1.68)
Zack Hodges — 4.74 (1.63)
Danielle Hunter — 4.57 (1.58)
Martin Ifedi — 5.01 (1.73)

This is pretty interesting. Bruce Irvin and Cliff Avril in the top five forty yard dash times in the last 12 years. Speed matters at the LEO.

A quick reminder — both Avril and Irvin had 1.50 ten yard splits.

This is a must read by the way. After the forty times we’ll break some of it down:

Personnel men from 5 teams examine top 55 players in relation to #Packers‘ 30th selection … http://t.co/wmm6c00Mgj

— Bob McGinn (@BobMcGinn) February 22, 2015

Second attempts:

Henry Anderson — 4.93 (1.63)
Arik Armstead — 5.14 (1.76)
Tavaris Barnes — 4.75 (1.63)
Vic Beasley — 4.53 (1.59)
Angelo Blackson — 5.03 (1.79)
Malcom Brown — 5.07 (1.77)
Anthony Chickillo — 4.87 (1.70)
Frank Clark — 4.88 (1.76)
Xavier Cooper — 4.87 (1.68)
Corey Crawford — 5.04 (1.78)
Carl Davis — 5.07 (1.73)
Tyeler Davison — 5.19 (1.82)
Ryan Delaire — 5.02 (1.69)
B.J. Dubose — 5.08 (1.78)
Mario Edwards Jr — 4.79 (1.72)
Kyle Emanuel — 4.79 (1.69)
Trey Flowers — 4.93 (1.74)
Dante Fowler Jr — 4.65 (1.63)
Markus Golden — 4.81 (1.65)
Randy Gregory — 4.57 (1.60)
Eli Harold — 4.53 (1.56)
Zack Hodges — 4.68 (1.61)
Danielle Hunter — 4.58 (1.61)
Martin Ifedi — 4.88 (1.69)

Danielle Hunter with a typically explosive run. I tend to agree with this, however:

Hunter shows NONE of that athleticism on tape. Has no idea how to play football.

— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 22, 2015

Vic Beasley ran an excellent 4.53 with a 1.59 split. Remember, he benched 35 reps yesterday.

We have our first Pete Carroll and John Schneider shot of the day. Again, not as animated as they were with the receivers yesterday.

There’s a difference between the first and second forty/split times. Anthony Chickillo ran .11 slower in the forty and split. B.J. Dubose picked up an ugly hamstring injury on his second run.

Eli Harold ran a 4.53 with a 1.56 ten yard split on his second run. That’s the type of time I was expecting — the type of time that can get him into the top-15. He is a perfect LEO prospect for a team like Atlanta.

Avril and Irvin ran in the low 4.5’s and had explosive ten yard splits. It’s hard to match them, as noted earlier — they were top-five in the last twelve years. But he’s just a shade behind. It’s just what Harold needed today.

The drills are underway. Randy Gregory very fluid changing direction. Sharp cuts, really athletic frame. Eli Harold follows him and looks equally polished. The hip movement is exceptional with both players — almost DB-esque. They’re having a good day so far — Dante Fowler Jr too. All three could go in the top eight.

Next it’s the bag drills.

Mike Mayock says Xavier has to get stronger for the next level. Corey Crawford showing good movement running between the bags. Carl Davis also performs well here for a big guy. Malcom Brown had good footwork, wasn’t too upright. Trey Flowers shows quicks and balance and gets a roar of approval from the coaches.

Markus Golden is struggling a bit so far. Randy Gregory just blew up the first bag drill. Did it in record time, explosive. He isn’t polished as a pass rusher but he’s leaping off the screen here. Eli Harold let his eyes drop at the end but was also quick.

Eli Harold also looks comfortable moving in space. https://t.co/d2MB92NXNh

— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 22, 2015

Onto the club and rip. One coach screams “fight the bag” at Mario Edwards Jr. Trey Flowers gets another round of applause for his effort — so does Dante Fowler Jr.

Nobody bosses the bags like Aaron Donald last year from this group.

They’re bringing out the football on a stick for the punch drill. Corey Crawford and Malcom Brown the first pair to do the drill properly (it’s about staying low and punching, not speed). Xavier Cooper goes way too fast and barely touches the final bag. Trey Flowers lost balance on his attempt. Looking at his forty times from earlier, it’s hard to see him playing the edge at the next level in a 4-3.

Randy Gregory is again the best so far. Slowed it down and focused on technique. Eli Harold also doing a good job. Markus Golden is improving and looking nimble. He didn’t have a great forty or split but he’ll forge a role at the next level for someone (probably AFC North). They finish off with some running in space drills.

No surprises here — the edge rushers look smooth, the interior guys look like defensive tackles. Vic Beasley, Randy Gregory, Dante Fowler Jr and Eli Harold shine.

Some of the first DL group are now going to go through linebacker drills for the 3-4 teams. None of the group looked particularly comfortable dropping, opening their hips and playing the ball. Harold looked the best. Even Gregory looked raw here, as did Fowler Jr. Trey Flowers performed surprisingly well.

Neither the NFL Network or the online feed are showing the drills now. We’ll get ready for the second group of defensive linemen to run the forty yard dash.

The first group of defensive linemen are now going through the jumping segments of the day.

Vic Beasley continued his fantastic day — posting a 41 inch vertical. Mario Edwards Jr managed a 10′ on the broad. In comparison, Leonard Williams only jumped an 8’10”.

The second group of defensive linemen are running the forty. Here’s a reminder how the first group performed (unofficial):

Grady Jarrett — 5.23 (1.84)
Derrick Lott — 5.08 (1.81)
Joey Mbu — 5.42 (1.81)
Ellis McCarthy — 5.23 (1.82)
Rakeem Nunez-Rochez — 5.06 (1.74)
Owamagbe Odighizuwa — 4.64 (1.63)
Nate Orchard — 4.84 (1.67)
Leon Orr — 5.19 (1.85)
David Parry — 5.41 (1.76)
Jordan Phillips — 5.20 (1.84)
Darius Philon — 5.03 (1.82)
Bobby Richardson — 5.20 (1.85)
Ryan Russell — 4.77 (1.64)
Danny Shelton — 5.66 (1.88)
Deon Simon — 5.14 (1.78)
Preston Smith — 4.78 (1.64)
Za’Darius Smith — 4.85 (1.76)
J.T. Surratt — 5.22 (1.89)
Lynden Trail — 4.96 (1.77)
Louis Trinca-Pasat — 5.00 (1.75)
Zack Wagenmann — 4.85 (1.67)
Leterrius Walton — 5.29 (1.79)
Leonard Williams — 5.01 (1.74)
Gabe Wright — 5.09 (1.80)

Owamagbe Odighizuwa looked incredible. Fluid running style. Very relaxed — like a sprinter. Ripped muscle tone. An unofficial 4.64 with a 1.63 split is very good at his size (pushing 270lbs).

Florida’s Leon Orr is challenging the coach ahead of his forty yard dash. He’s trying to argue he wants to start on the first line, adding an extra six inches to his run. It’s bizarre. He’s not taking the coaching at all. It’s a very awkward situation.

Nate Orchard doesn’t look like a quick twitch speed guy on tape — a 4.84 and 1.67 split confirms that. The first round buzz during the Senior Bowl was premature.

A 5.20 for Jordan Phillips isn’t bad at all — but it’s not in the realm of Dontari Poe. The back injuries might scare some teams off. In comparison, Danny Shelton ran a 5.66. Rich Eisen jokes he might be able to out-run him: “I’m coming for you Danny Shelton.”

Leonard Williams ran a very solid time. I still think he can tone up and be even more effective.

Second attempts:

Grady Jarrett — 5.09 (1.69)
Derrick Lott — 5.02 (1.77)
Joey Mbu — 5.57 (1.85)
Ellis McCarthy — 5.30 (1.87)
Rakeem Nunez-Rochez — 5.12 (1.72)
Owamagbe Odighizuwa — 4.66 (1.62)
Nate Orchard — 4.87 (1.68)
Leon Orr — 5.23 (1.87)
David Parry — DNP
Jordan Phillips — 5.29 (1.86)
Darius Philon — 5.05 (1.82)
Bobby Richardson — 5.17 (1.78)
Ryan Russell — 4.84 (1.66)
Danny Shelton — 5.66 (1.91)
Deon Simon — 5.21 (1.83)
Preston Smith — 4.78 (1.63)
Za’Darius Smith — 4.87 (1.77)
J.T. Surratt — 5.26 (1.86)
Lynden Trail — 5.09 (1.86)
Louis Trinca-Pasat — 4.99 (1.77)
Zack Wagenmann — 4.84 (1.67)
Leterrius Walton — 5.27 (1.79)
Leonard Williams — 5.00 (1.72)
Gabe Wright — 5.08 (1.79)

Vic Beasley added a 10’10” in the broad jump to his 41 inch vertical. Very impressive.

Jason Cole says the 49ers are going to draft a receiver at #15. After this weekend, they’ll be lucky if one of the top three lasts until #15.

Tony Pauline says in the piece below that UConn’s Byron Jones, one of the few cornerback prospects with 32 inch arms, is a “game time decision” to workout tomorrow. He had surgery to repair a torn labrum two months ago. Seattle has never drafted a corner with sub-32 inch arms.

Combine Sunday: KC Chiefs all over Justin Hardy. Ryan Delaire/Towson ran despite knee surgery three weeks ago http://t.co/g1I3w6lG73

— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) February 22, 2015

A quick comparison for you — Haloti Ngata ran a 5.13 with a 1.73 split in 2006. Danny Shelton ran a 5.66 at 1.91. It’s not a fair comparison. Ngata is/was much more athletic. It’s a lazy comparison based on size and the desire to backup a positive opinion on Shelton with a success-story comparison.

I wouldn’t want my team to draft Shelton because he’ll likely never reach expectations. Casual fan is listening to NFLN and thinking Ngata.

— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 22, 2015

The drills are underway with the change of direction assessment to start. Preston Smith moves nicely for his size. It’s difficult to project his stock — late second? Leterrius Walton showed some good footworka and quickness. Leonard Williams aced this drill.

Onto the bag drill next. Danny Shelton showed good footwork for his size but he kept his eyes down and cheated a little. The second group of defensive linemen is much less impressive compared to the first group.

Davis Tull didn’t run but he’s jumped an 11′ broad. Joey Mbu recorded a 22.5 inch vertical. Mbu has long arms and not much else unfortunately. Shelton had a 30.5 inch vertical.

In the club/rip drill, Williams dominated the bags. He didn’t jump well earlier with a 29.5 inch vert and an 8’10” broad. Preston Smith clubbed the bags nicely and showed some zip. Shelton ran around the bags with real intensity and acceleration.

Owa Odighizuwa managed a 39 inch vertical. Incredible. He’s helping himself big time today. He’s a positive medical report (previous hip problems) from being a genuine first round talent. He still needs to learn how to rush the edge. He presses the interior really nicely with power but often looks lost trying to bend the edge and beat a tackle.

In the stack drill, Shelton got a nice punch in and didn’t rush. Leterrius Walton was told to “bend the knees” — as was Williams. Shane Ray isn’t working out — but he’s holding the bags on this drill getting involved.

The official forty yard dash times are coming in for the defensive linemen. Leonard Williams’ is 4.97. Eli Harold and Dante Fowler both get official 4.60’s. Vic Beasley’s official forty is a 4.53. Danielle Hunter’s is 4.57. Owa Odighizuwa managed a 4.62.

Here’s the top-10:

Here’s the vertical jump data for the key prospects:

Arik Armstead — 34 inches
Vic Beasley — 41 inches
Malcom Brown — 39.5 inches
Carl Davis — 33 inches
Mario Edwards Jr — 32.5 inches
Trey Flowers — 36.5 inches
Dante Fowler Jr — 32.5 inches
Randy Gregory — 36.5 inches
Eli Harold — 35 inches
Danielle Hunter — DNP
Owa Odighizuwa — 39 inches
Nate Orchard — 31.5 inches
Jordan Phillips — 30 inches
Danny Shelton — 30.5 inches
Preston Smith — 34 inches
Leonard Williams — 29.5 inches

Of all the players to help themselves today — Odighizuwa, Beasley and Harold stood out. Odighizuwa also had a 10’7″ broad jump. Harold’s was 10’3″.

Davis Tull is getting a lot of love from Charles Davis on the NFL Network. Tull recorded a 42.5 inch vert and an 11′ on the broad jump. He’s 6-2 3/8 and 246lbs. Impressive. One to watch. Charles Davis predicted a high 4.5 or low 4.6. He didn’t run the forty due to a hamstring injury.

Some of the linemen are now running linebacker drills — including Preston Smith bizarrely. In a few moments we’ll be ready for the linebackers to run the forty yard dash — including Bud Dupree.

Even in space Odighizuwa doesn’t look uncomfortable. In terms of a physical specimen — he’s as good as anyone in this D-line class.

Mayock says NFL evaluators buzzing about Beasley’s #NFLCombine performance. Has put on quite a show.

— CollegeFootball 24/7 (@NFL_CFB) February 22, 2015

The defensive linemen are done for the day. I’ll have a review post up later. Now we wait for the linebackers to begin the forty yard dash.

Bud Dupree had a broad jump of 11’7″ and a vertical of 42 inches. To compare, Chris Conley yesterday had an 11’6″ and a vert of 45 inches. The difference is, Conley is 213lbs and Dupree is 269lbs. There’s still time for Dupree to be the star of the day.

Bendarick McKinney had a 40.5 inch vertical, second only to Dupree.

"He jumped out of the building." — @nflnetwork's Rich Eisen on Bud Dupree's 42-inch vertical jump.

— Kentucky Athletics (@UKAthletics) February 22, 2015

Bud Dupree's Broad Jump is the 3rd Best ALL POSITIONS since 2006

— Mike Loyko (@NEPD_Loyko) February 22, 2015

I believe Christine Michael is #1, incidentally.

Here’s the linebackers running the forty yard dash:

Kwon Alexander — 4.59 (1.59)
Stephone Anthony — 4.59 (1.57)
Aaron Davis — 4.99 (1.77)
Paul Dawson — 4.95 (1.69)
Xzavier Dickson — 4.77 (1.71)
Bud Dupree — 4.57 (1.60)
Alani Fua — 4.75 (1.67)
Geneo Grissom — 4.85 (1.66)
Obum Gwacham — 4.77 (1.68)
Bryce Hager — 4.65 (1.64)
Ben Heeney — 4.62 (1.63)
Amario Herrera — 4.86 (1.73)
Jordan Hicks — 4.65 (1.53)
Mike Hull — 4.71 (1.60)
Taiwan Jones — 4.84 (1.56)
Eric Kendricks — 4.66 (1.64)
Lorenzo Mauldin — 4.90 (1.71)
Benardick McKinney — 4.78 (1.74)
Denzel Perryman — 4.81 (1.69)
Hayes Pullard — 4.81 (1.68)
Edmond Robinson — 4.70 (1.69)
Jake Ryan — 4.71 (1.64)
Martrell Spaight — 4.90 (1.72)
J.R. Tavai — 4.94 (1.71)
Shaq Thompson — 4.72 (1.78)
Max Valles — 4.99 (1.77)
Tony Washington — 5.02 (1.75)
Damien Wilson — 4.80 (1.66)
Ramik Wilson — 4.81 (1.70)

Hau’oli Kikaha did not run the forty yard dash.

Here’s Rob Ryan, confused by a Microsoft Surface:

After jabbing his finger at the screen, he shrugged and turned away. This was definitely the lasting image of the combine for me. A genuine rival to ‘Andy Reid eating a sandwich’ from 2013:

Mike Mayock, clearly tired from the long broadcasting stints, is now signing funk music (badly). Rich Eisen found it very amusing:

According to the NFL Network, Bud Dupree won’t participate in drills. We’ll see if he runs his second forty. Apparently he intends to do drills at the Kentucky pro-day instead. Not sure about that decision.

Washington’s Shaq Thompson ran a mediocre 4.72 with an even worse 1.78 split.

Here’s the second attempt:

Kwon Alexander — 4.63 (1.63)
Stephone Anthony — 4.69 (1.66)
Aaron Davis — 4.99 (1.75)
Paul Dawson — 4.96 (1.73)
Xzavier Dickson — 4.91 (1.77)
Bud Dupree — 4.73 (1.71)
Alani Fua — 4.80 (1.70)
Geneo Grissom — 4.93 (1.68)
Obum Gwacham — 4.75 (1.67)
Bryce Hager — 4.57 (1.56)
Ben Heeney — 4.68 (1.68)
Amario Herrera — 4.95 (1.76)
Jordan Hicks — 4.71 (1.63)
Mike Hull — 4.79 (1.73)
Taiwan Jones — 5.01 (1.79)
Eric Kendricks — DNP
Lorenzo Mauldin — 4.88 (1.69)
Benardick McKinney — 4.69 (1.64)
Denzel Perryman — 4.81 (1.68)
Hayes Pullard — 4.80 (1.64)
Edmond Robinson — 4.63 (1.61)
Jake Ryan — 4.68 (1.62)
Martrell Spaight — 4.91 (1.72)
J.R. Tavai — 4.97 (1.74)
Shaq Thompson — 4.69 (1.72)
Max Valles — 4.87 (1.66)
Tony Washington — 5.03 (1.75)
Damien Wilson — 4.90 (1.71)
Ramik Wilson — 4.81 (1.67)

Bud Dupree ran a 4.73 the second time around after a 4.57 to start. That’s a pretty big difference. I wonder that the explanation is there? He’s inconsistent on tape and at the combine.

Danny Shelton found a camera in Michael Bennet-finds-a-bicyle style:

That concludes the forty yard dash for today. The linebackers are heading out for drills.

This is a really poor group of linebackers — and I can’t imagine the Seahawks drafting any of this group. They have a group of backers under contract, Kevin Pierre-Louis and Brock Coyle will return. They’ll likely shop in the UDFA market again.

Only four guys ran in the high 4.5’s. You really want to see that explosive speed — early 4.5’s.

In the change of direction drill, Ben Heeney is warned not to guess the drill as he stumbles a couple of times. Obum Owacham gets praise for his drill and looked as smooth as anyone.

Bud Dupree isn’t working out (apparently due to a groin injury, even though he ran a forty). Eric Kendricks is clearly the next best linebacker out there.

Hau’Oli Kikaha didn’t run the forty but is doing drills. He looked really stiff trying to change direction in space. Shaq Thompson showed a nice backpedal and transition. He ran a disappointing pair of forty’s but looked good in space.

This is pretty funny:

Paul Dawson always felt a bit overrated to me. He ran in the 4.9’s and doesn’t look free and easy in the drills.

Mayock calls Davis Tull his “best value” player of the day based on his athletic performance. He did everything but run the forty. Mayock says he’s a SAM linebacker.

Even the better runners in this linebacker class don’t look fluid in space. It’s a stiff looking group with a distinct lack of explosion in space. Penn State’s Mike Hull looking as good as anyone. Most are struggling to get low and stay balanced. Hayes Pullard was standing up far too tall.

Kikaha really tight and struggling to get around. Tony Pauline graded him as an UDFA recently. He might be right, despite all of the production.

Mayock says of this linebacker group: “They all have hands like feet.” He goes on to add he’s disappointed with the groups performance in field drills. It’s even worse than the tight ends on Friday. Just mediocrity across the board — no spark, nobody shining or standing out. The coaches are clearly frustrated, barking at the group and telling them basic things like “keep your eyes up”.

One of the few players that has done even OK is Stephone Anthony of Clemson. I don’t understand why Max Valles decided to turn pro. Anthony will make a nice inside guy for someone — he’s moving pretty well for a big guy. He’s 243lbs and ran a 4.57.

One of the coaches just stopped the final drill, told the players the performance wasn’t good enough and started again. It’s a really flat group — nobody is encouraging anyone. There’s no applause.

Shaq Thompson’s official forty yard dash time is a 4.64. He did a good job in the penultimate drill and drew some praise from the coaches. Nice transition, hip movement, catch and finish.

Denzel Perryman is a curious case. He’s thick cut and struggles to change direction. He’s a thumper inside. Is he an every down backer? Is he big enough for the 3-4?

The final drill is the rip. Lorenzo Mauldin showed some nice power here. Perryman cheated a little bit and just ran by it.

Here are the official linebacker forty times:

Top 40 LB times. #NFLCombine pic.twitter.com/ANVZ9idjL6

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) February 22, 2015

The NFL Network has completed its coverage so we’ll call it a day too for the live blog. Stand by for a new post debating Seattle and the defensive line class in a few moments.

HIGHLIGHTS

— Kevin White runs an official 4.35
— Jaelen Strong runs a 4.46, jumps a 42-inch vertical
— Amari Cooper & Devante Parker also run in the low 4.4’s
— Nelson Agholor runs an impressive 4.41 but dislocates finger
— Tre McBride runs a 4.41, Devin Smith a 4.42
— Jalen Collins’ arms longer than Seattle’s cut-off of 32 inches
— Waynes, Peters, Rowe have sub-32 inch arms
— Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota thrive during throwing drills
— Running backs fail to impress
— Melvin Gordon runs unofficial times of 4.52 and 4.53
— Shane Ray won’t workout at the combine due to injury

We’re live blogging throughout the combine. Keep refreshing this page for the latest Seahawks news, data from the cornerback measurement session and notes on the QB/RB/WR workouts as they take place today (beginning 6AM PST).

Before we get started, a further thought on the offensive linemen from yesterday. I’ve been thinking this morning — what constitutes a ‘Seahawks’ type of offensive lineman? Given their penchant for difference making athleticism and unique physical qualities, that’s not necessarily what they’ve gone with on the O-line. There’s nothing particularly ‘SPARQ-y’ about James Carpenter (first round pick), Justin Britt (second round pick) or John Moffitt (third round pick). It’s in the later rounds where they’ve looked to target physical upside (J.R. Sweezy, Garrett Scott).

Tom Cable clearly has a lot of sway in the decision making here. He knows what he wants — and essentially, we don’t. He’ll take the length and brutish size of Carpenter (plus the masses of tape showing an excellent run blocker at Alabama). He’ll take the workmanlike nature of Moffitt or the wrestling background and honesty of Britt. He has his guys and they don’t always fit a ‘type’.

If the Seahawks are considering drafting an offensive lineman early, I’m not sure we can assume what type of prospect it would be. It could be the size of an Ereck Flowers, the rare athleticism of Jake Fisher or the versatility of Cameron Erving. It might be the toughest pick to work out if, for example, the Seahawks let Carpenter walk in free agency and fill other needs (WR/TE/DL/CB). A case can be made for the #31 pick providing a bit of a sweet spot on the offensive line.

The first group of quarterbacks run the forty without any headlines. Brett Hundley managed a 4.63. Now it’s time for the receivers.

Nelson Agholor — 4.44
Mario Alford — 4.43
Kenny Bell — 4.42
Sammie Coates — 4.45
Chris Conley — 4.41
Amari Cooper — 4.43
Jamison Crowder — 4.56
Stefon Diggs — 4.46
Phillip Dorsett — 4.35
Devin Funchess — 4.70
Antwan Goodley — 4.46
Dorial Green-Beckham — 4.50
Rashad Greene — 4.47
Justin Hardy — 4.56

Mike Mayock calls Nelson Agholor a second round pick, praising his punt return qualities. His first run is a nice 4.44. Agholor and Amari Cooper ran faster than Sammie Coates in the initial run through. Here’s a note — Cooper and Coates have the same weight, height and speed (based on the unofficial times). I noted earlier in the week I didn’t expect Dorsett to run sub-4.3 — he manages an unofficial 4.35 in the first run.

Devin Funchess ran with a long stride. He’s incredibly long in the frame. He’s a build-up speed runner and it showed with his forty. A 4.70 would’ve looked good with the TE’s yesterday, but here it doesn’t look so great with all this speed on display. Dorial Green-Beckham had a nice 4.50 to start and appeared to be carrying the extra weight well. Mike Evans ran an official 4.53 last year.

The NFL Newtwork is showing a comparison between Agholor and Jeremy Maclin. Very similar physical traits. Worth noting — Maclin glides as a runner. We don’t see that from Agholor. There are very few receivers in the league with Maclin’s suddenness.

Second attempts:

Nelson Agholor — 4.47
Mario Alford — 4.45
Kenny Bell — 4.40
Sammie Coates — 4.43
Chris Conley — 4.35
Amari Cooper — 4.42
Jamison Crowder — 4.58
Stefon Diggs — 4.50
Phillip Dorsett — 4.33
Devin Funchess — 4.70
Antwan Goodley — 4.46
Dorial Green-Beckham — 4.49
Rashad Greene — 4.54
Justin Hardy — 4.62

Sammie Coates is in incredible shape. Not that you didn’t know that already. Fantastic athlete. Really inconsistent and suspect hands though. Amari Cooper ran a fantastic time. He’s the most natural receiver to enter the league since A.J. Green and could go just as early (top five).

Devin Funchess is in incredible shape and has great length too. But two 4.70’s just highlights why he should’ve worked out yesterday. Why not look great at the position you’re most likely to play (tight end) instead of looking like a big, slow receiver? Not helping matter, Dorial Green-Beckham is the same size as Funchess and ran a 4.50 and a 4.49.

We’re now waiting for the drills to begin. Rich Eisen and Mike Mayock are discussing Jameis Winston. Apparently Steve Mariucci told Eisen Winston is the most impressive prospect he’s met with. For the last few years, Mariucci has down a whiteboard session with one quarterback prospect. Last year it was Blake Bortles.

The first drill is a toe-tap exercise. The quarterback is having an issue putting the ball in the right place. Really messy drill so far. The ball is being thrown short or too high. Amari Cooper catches his throw but it warned to be faster by the coaches (he jogged the drill). Phillip Dorsett made a nice two-handed catch. Devin Funchess and Dorial Green-Beckham also caught the ball well here.

The quarterbacks continue to struggle and it’s hurting the receivers on the deeper routes. They’re slowing up to track the ball in the over-the-shoulder downfield throws. It’s messy. It’s making this session pretty much a write-off. How can you judge these receivers? Just for comparison, the second group of receivers get Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota throwing at them.

It’s more of the same in the gauntlet. Errant throws, balls flying into the receivers face. Devin Funchess dropped a pass straight into his hands. Dorial Green-Beckham had a really nice gauntlet and so did Justin Hardy.

Nelson Agholor had an exceptional gauntlet. EXCEPTIONAL. Caught two really difficult passes away from his body. Great instinct and feel, soft hands, cupping the ball. Agholor is having a great day as expect. Sammie Coates had a clean run but let one ball into his frame. Amari Cooper looked polished but double-caught his last ball. DGB let four balls into his frame and didn’t pluck. Devin Funchess also let some throws into his body but also had a nice high-pointed grab.

The funny thing about DGB is he doesn’t look long. He’s tall, but not long for the height. He only has 32 and a half inch arms at 6-5. Funchess should’ve worked out yesterday. He’s not a fluid, sudden athlete. He’s stiff. His best skills are boxing out defenders, throwing a head-fake to get open and winning contested passes. You can’t show that off here. Instead he looked like a big, slow receiver. He would’ve shone in a bad tight end group yesterday — and it’s almost certain he ends up working as a move-TE/ or slot/seam receiver at the next level.

Agholor for me has been the most impressive player so far catching the ball and running in the 4.4’s will aid his stock. There’s a lot of similar receivers in this group — 6-1/6-2, over 200lbs, running in the 4.4’s. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all if Seattle dropped back into the second round and targeted a guy like Agholor. He’s a reliable, competitive receiver with kick return skills. And he can do this:

Agholor had the best ten yard split among receivers too at 1.53. That’s sudden.

The quarterback group, which is incredibly mediocre, are now going through passing drills. We sit and wait for the next group of receivers to run the forty.

One of the QB’s just threw deep to Sammie Coates who dropped the football. Mike Mayock highlights it — when he has to adjust and track the football, he struggles. Coates the athlete is top-notch. But Coates the receiver just isn’t all that great.

You see this from Coates also. Deep tracking. https://t.co/MVo4mHxavH

— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 21, 2015

This is what you'll see on many of Coates successful catches. Isn't a plucker, but a trapper. pic.twitter.com/LsRkuHoMsW

— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 21, 2015

The second group of receivers are going through the jumps. Jaelen Strong posted a 42-inch vertical, which is not a surprise at all. He has basketball bloodlines and consistently won in jump-ball situations in college. He’s only 6-2 with 32 and a half inch arms, but that’s some vertical jump there. His forty will be interesting to see today.

Jaelen Strong’s 42” vertical is third best of the last 10 years at the Combine for wideouts.

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) February 21, 2015

Nelson Agholor dislocated a finger during the drills.

Yesterday Tony Pauline reported Philadelphia had interest in Byron Maxwell (and might be willing to pay him $10m APY). Today, Pauline links James Carpenter to the Jets:

Combine Saturday: Eric Eiland/DE/Houston headed to the supplemental draft? Jets in the running for James Carpenter http://t.co/KVKIsN12TK

— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) February 21, 2015

Pauline’s report also says Julius Thomas is “done” in Denver. He could be a target for the Seahawks. He also has quotes from former Cleveland offensive coordinator regarding Joel Bitonio: “Shanahan called (Bitonio) ‘great’ and the ‘best rookie lineman I ever coached’.”

The cornerback measurements are coming in. Marcus Peters is 6-0, 192lbs with 31.5 inch arms. Trae Waynes is 6-0, 186lbs with 31 inch arms. P.J. Williams is 6-0, 194lbs with 31 inch arms. Eric Rowe is 6-1, 205lbs with 31.5 inch arms. Jalen Collins is 6-1, 203lbs with 32 and 1/8 inch arms. Out of all the cornerbacks in this class — Collins is the most intriguing to me. Incredible potential and should be a top-20 pick.

The 32-inch arms are key for the Seahawks. You can probably rule out an early pick at the position unless Collins falls. We highlighted Alex Carter at Stanford as an option — he has 32 and 1/8 inch arms. We’re still waiting on Damian Swann’s numbers. You might be able to rule out Peters, Waynes, Rowe, Williams and a few others.

Jaelen Strong also had a 10-3 in the broad jump to go with a 42-inch vertical. That’s explosive. He’s a good forty away from being a very, very intriguing player. He couldn’t separate in college but he’s showing a ton of athletic potential here. Mike Mayock says he has a Larry Fitzgerald body type.

Devante Parker had a 10-5 in the broad.

The next group of quarterbacks are preparing to run the forty yard dash.

Sean Mannion — 5.16 & 5.14
Marcus Mariota — 4.52 & 4.56
Nick Marshall — 4.60 & 4.54
Blake Sims — 4.59 & 4.58
Jameis Winston — 4.97 & 4.99

Chris Conley who worked with the first group of receivers just recorded an 11-7 broad jump and a 45-inch vertical. That is incredible. We need to go back and look at this guy. He suffered in Georgia playing for two quarterbacks who couldn’t throw deep. He ran a 4.35 earlier (unofficial). He did drop a few passes during drills.

Time for the second group of wide outs.

Tony Lippett — 4.67
Tyler Lockett — 4.40
Vince Mayle — 4.73
Tre McBride — 4.41
Ty Montgomery — 4.58
J.J. Nelson — 4.29
Devante Parker — 4.45
Devin Smith — 4.47
Jaelen Strong — 4.51
Darren Waller — 4.46
Kevin White — 4.35

That’s a really poor first attempt for Tony Lippett and Vince Mayle. Ouch.

Tre McBride has a superb 4.41 and looked really, really smooth. He’s one of my favorite players in the draft — we wrote about him here. That is a fantastic time to go with his natural competitive spirit, ability to make chunk plays, catching technique and special teams value. I’d consider him in the late second or early third round, if not higher.

Pete Carroll and John Schneider are spotted making a lot of notes in their booth during the forty runs for this second group of receivers. No surprise there.

Devin Smith with a surprisingly slow 4.47 the first time around. A 4.51 will help Jaelen Strong — he’s had a fantastic day so far. Darren Waller is also having a tremendous day with a 4.46.

Since 1999, only three 6'2"+ players have posted a better vertical than Jaelen Strong's 42". That's including all positions. 17 years.

— Zach Whitman (@zjwhitman) February 21, 2015

Kevin White just ran a 4.35. That could be enough to usurp even Amari Cooper. If that stands officially he could easily be a top-10 pick. Outstanding. So far White and Jaelen Strong are significantly boosting their stock. Having pondered whether Strong could be an option for the Seahawks at #31, he could easily be gone now. If Cooper, White and Parker boost their stock into the top-15, you know Kansas City at #18 will take a receiver.

Here are the second runs:

Tony Lippett — 4.62
Tyler Lockett — 4.40
Vince Mayle — 4.67
Tre McBride — 4.41
Ty Montgomery — 4.55
J.J. Nelson — 4.36
Devante Parker — 4.50
Devin Smith — 4.42
Jaelen Strong — 4.44
Darren Waller — 4.54
Kevin White — 4.36

Tre McBride pumped up after his second run, saying to himself, “Let’s go”. Mayock enjoys that. McBride very exciting prospect. Jaelen Strong runs an even better forty time the second time around with a 4.44. Why couldn’t he separate in college? Everything he’s done today was explosive — forty, vertical, broad. That’s a question we need to ask going back into the tape. On this athletic display he could easily go in the first round.

Kevin White validates his first time with a 4.36. There’s a headline for you. He is going to go in the top-12 with a time like that. Oakland, the Jets, St. Louis, Minnesota and Cleveland have a need at the position.

Onto the drills…

Kevin White is putting on a clinic. He’s tracking the ball on the downfield routes, he tapped his toes nicely on the initial drill. The tape is great, he’s having a fantastic combine. He’s gritty. His catchphrase became the slogan for WVU’s season in 2014 (“Too easy”). He is going to go very early.

4.35 #Tooeasy

— Dana Holgorsen (@Holgorsendana) February 21, 2015

Kevin White has to go get this one. Does a great job. https://t.co/tjLO0sjauU

— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 21, 2015

Tre McBride was given a difficult gauntlet but did well to catch one ball thrown behind. Devante Parker sauntered through his gauntlet. He caught the ball well but never got out of third gear. Jaelen Strong and Devin Smith also aced the gauntlet. Darren Waller looked uncomfortable and dropped a couple. He looks fantastic for his size though. Remember, earlier he ran in the 4.4’s. Kevin White looked great. Tyler Lockett looking smooth in the gauntlet — no drops.

One thing is clear watching the receivers today — this is an incredibly athletic group. Much faster than we anticipated. You’ve got all types too — bigger, slot, sudden, jump ball specialists. You can either go early on one of the studs or wait a little while for a Tre McBride. Or double down. Great class — and another good year at a position Seattle still has a need.

Parker’s second gauntlet was even slower. He trundled along drawing criticism from Mike Mayock. He’s playing it too safe.

Daniel Jeremiah compares Kevin White to Julio Jones. Suddenly it doesn’t seem unrealistic. So who fancies trading up ala Atlanta?

The quarterback drills are underway but Tyler Lockett just made a stunning leaping catch on a deep pass. Jameis Winston is hitting the mark on the majority of his throws. There’s a real vibe this week that he’s going to be the #1 pick. Bryce Petty is throwing the ball well. He seems to be in pole position to be the #3 quarterback after Winston and Mariota.

Winston is now throwing down the left sideline and it’s a beautiful sight. Effortless. He looks the part here and aced his media interview last night. Mariota isn’t far behind in the same drill. Winston is almost leading the group drill-to-drill, he’s encouraging the rest of the guys along while the rest remain pretty silent. Greg Knapp (former Seahawks OC who’s leading the drill) is asking him all the questions before each drill.

Jameis Winston's natural accuracy is rare. Unique trait. Makes it look so easy!

— Todd McShay (@McShay13) February 21, 2015

On the last throw on a short-and-out-drill, Winston barks out to the receiver, “Let’s save the best for last” before throwing a dime. He’s showing alpha-male traits here, leadership and confidence. Both of the top two quarterback prospects are performing very well. This should be a lesson for future prospects debating whether they should throw at the combine.

Jaelen Strong dropped a few during the drills.

Good year to be a team in need of a WR.

— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) February 21, 2015

That’s the end of the throwing drills. Next up today — the running backs.

Mike Mayock, who just had some nice praise for LSU cornerback Jalen Collins, called Melvin Gordon “special”. Get ready for a huge performance here.

By the way — we’re still waiting for most of the broad/vertical jump numbers for the receivers, or a full list of measurements for the DB’s. It’s taking a while to get this information out this year.

Running back forty yard dash (first attempt)

Ameer Adbullah: 4.61
Jay Ajayi: 4.62
Buck Allen: 4.55
Cameron Artis-Payne: 4.54
Malcolm Brown: 4.67
David Cobb: 4.81
Mike Davis: 4.61
Michael Dyer 4.58
Melvin Gordon: 4.52
Duke Johnson: 4.55
Matt Jones: 4.62
Jeremy Langford: 4.43
Josh Robinson: 4.71
T.J. Yeldon: 4.65

Apparently Jay Ajayi was born in England. That should provide a nice boost to his stock. David Cobb pulled up with a quad injury during his forty yard dash.

Some of the official forty times are coming in. Marcus Mariota had a 4.52, Phillip Dorsett managed a 4.33.

As good as 2014's group of WR's were in the NFL, 2015 has even more freaks: Big, fast, strong, unique & the Hawks could use a couple of 'em

— Brock Huard (@BrockESPN) February 21, 2015

Pete Carroll and John Schneider are not actively writing down notes and times during the running back forty’s. They were very active during the receiver drills.

I think on this occasion, you can read a ton into that. Expect Marshawn Lynch to re-sign. Expect the Seahawks to go receiver with at least one of their early picks.

Not much to get excited about so far with the running backs. Even Melvin Gordon ran in the 4.5’s. He also had a 35-inch vertical earlier. I thought he’d do better than that to be honest. As the receivers rise, the running backs are heading the other way. We’ve seen all the running backs run once and it’s been pretty underwhelming. Todd Gurley’s stock is rising and he’s stood watching the drills.

Second attempts:

Ameer Adbullah: 4.62
Jay Ajayi: 4.57
Buck Allen: 4.53
Cameron Artis-Payne: 4.53
Malcolm Brown: 4.62
David Cobb: DNP
Mike Davis: 4.63
Michael Dyer: 4.63
Melvin Gordon: 4.53
Duke Johnson: 4.60
Matt Jones: 4.61
Jeremy Langford: 4.43
Josh Robinson: 4.77
T.J. Yeldon: 4.61

This comparison raised a laugh from Mike Mayock:

The NFL Network created a system to churn out these comparisons based on physical attributes. Yesterday’s examples weren’t too bad, today’s have been all over the place. Clearly Lynch and Gordon are very different backs. He completed two runs at 4.52 and 4.53. That’s a fair bit slower than Jamaal Charles — the player Gordon is usually compared to. This isn’t the big day we expected and it could impact his stock.

Of all the players standing out in this running back class, Michigan State’s Jeremy Langford has been the most impressive so far. Great size and ran two 4.43’s.

Rand Getlin is reporting the Seahawks have offered Marshawn Lynch $20m over two years:

Sources: #Seahawks offer to Marshawn Lynch would pay between $11M and $12M in first year. http://t.co/AqwIPRdq2n pic.twitter.com/IpzjFhHb7I

— Rand Getlin (@Rand_Getlin) February 21, 2015

It’s essentially a three-year deal according to Getlin, with up-front pay in the first two years. It would allow the Seahawks to assess the situation after the 2016 season — and delay the need to go big on a running back replacement. They are trying to maintain the status quo and keep one of only two true starts on offense in place. They need to add receiving weapons to help Russell Wilson, not take away their only top-tier skill position player.

Instead of making the pipe-dream move for Ndamukong Suh, they might use any spare cap money to go after Julius Thomas while also adding a receiver early in the draft. That would bolster the offense significantly. They’d still need to focus on replacing James Carpenter if he moves on, plus Byron Maxwell. Defensive line depth could also be considered.

The running backs are going through drills. Duke Johnson gets a few cheers from the coaches for his cut and run — as did Florida’s Matt Jones. Josh Robinson ran two slow times and looks a bit sluggish during drills. T.J. Yeldon looks big and it shows — he’s not quite as sharp in these drills as he looked during the early days at Alabama. His footwork was plodding and he struggled to change direction off the cut. He could do with dropping a few pounds.

Sammie Coates had a 10-11 broad jump and a 41-inch vertical. Special, but we knew that already. If only he had hands.

Dee Hart had some nice change of direction skills in the slalom, drawing applause. He finished with a nice spin-move flourish too. Impressive run. Melvin Gordon didn’t look quite as fluid as I expected. The group overall again looked average. Duke Johnson ran the slalom nicely.

More of the official forty times are coming in for the receivers:

Phillip Dorsett — 4.33
Tyler Lockett — 4.40
Tre McBride — 4.41
Devin Smith — 4.42
Nelson Agholor — 4.42
Amari Cooper — 4.42

Compare those times to this group of running backs. They just look slow. The entire group.

McBride’s 4.41 is impressive. We talked about him earlier today, but it validates what you see on tape. He high points the ball, makes circus catches, always competes and plays big. He’s an exciting prospect. Nelson Agholor’s 4.42 is also impressive.

Vertical jumps:

Jaelen Strong — 42″
Sammie Coates — 41″
Devin Smith — 39″
Devin Funchess — 38.5″
Tre McBride — 38″
Darren Waller — 37″
Kevin White — 36.5″
DeVante Parker — 36.5″
Dorial Green-Beckham — 33.5″
Amari Cooper — 33″

DGB might have Mike Evans size and speed, but he has considerably shorter arms (smaller wingspan) and his vertical jump is 3.5 inches shorter. In terms of a catch radius, Evans is far superior.

Tre McBride had a 38-inch vertical to go with his 4.41. He’s 6-2 and 205lbs with room to get up to 210lbs.

Some breaking injury news:

Shane Ray isn't working out at the combine because of a foot injury but will at his pro day.

— Dan Kadar (@MockingTheDraft) February 21, 2015

So no Shane Ray tomorrow.

The running backs are now going through catching drills. Melvin Gordon impressed in the corner route, flew down the sideline and made a safe catch. Matt Jones dropped his pass. Jeremy Langford continues to show as much promise as anyone from this group. Josh Robinson is a fantastic catcher (huge hands) and he made a couple of good catches in the throwing drills.

The forty times were average for this group, but the vertical jumps were better. Ameer Abdullah managed a 42-inch vert, Jay Ajayi had a 39-inch vert. Melvin Gordon only managed a 35-inch vert in comparison. I’m not convinced the Seahawks will draft a running back if they re-sign Lynch to a new deal. Why would they with Robert Turbin and Christine Michael under contract? What have we seen here to think they’d draft a RB?

It’s clear what the priorities are — WR, DL, OL and TE if they don’t fill that need in free agency (I think they will).

Things are winding down now (Rich Eisen and Mike Mayock have finished for the day already). I’ll have a review piece on the blog later today discussing the receivers and the options Seattle has at #31.

HIGHLIGHTS

— Jake Fisher has an outstanding day, could be a first round pick
— Maxx Williams runs an official 4.78, excels in pass-catching drills
— Missouri’s Mitch Morse performs well across the board
— OT’s Flowers, Peat lose ground to Humphries, Clemmings & Collins
— Tony Pauline suggests Byron Maxwell could earn $10m APY
— Eagles reportedly leading the chase for Maxwell’s signature
— Pete Carroll says negotiations with Marshawn Lynch continue “in earnest”
— Eddie Goldman won’t work out tomorrow
— Eli Harold is 6-3 with 33 inch arms
— Jameis Winston shines during his press conference

For the next four days I’ll be live blogging during the combine. Keep refreshing this page for the latest Seahawks news, data from the defensive linemen measurement session and notes on the OL/TE workouts at they take place today (beginning 6AM PST).

Join in the debate using the comments section.

To start the day — the DE measurements are coming in:

Shane Ray — 6-2 5/8, 245lbs
Dante Fowler Jr — 6-2 5/8, 261lbs
Vic Beasley — 6-3, 246lbs
Randy Gregory — 6-4 7/8, 235lbs

That’s big news for Beasley. He’s bigger than many expected. There was some talk he’d be in the 230-240lbs range. Gregory basically is an outside backer at 235lbs.

Mike Mayock says there are six potential first round offensive linemen. He touts Ali Marpet from Hobart College as one to watch.

The O-linemen are running the forty. The NFL Network is providing an immediate time with a 10 yard split (in brackets).

The average times last year were 5.21 (1.82). The splits are really the thing to look for here. Anything under 1.80 is exceptional.

T.J. Clemmings — 5.24 (1.84)
La’el Collins — 5.13 (1.86)
Rob Crisp — 5.27 (1.91)
Jamil Douglas — 5.20 (1.75)
Cameron Erving — 5.16 (1.86)
B.J. Finney — 5.26 (1.84) — former H/S wrestler
Jake Fisher — 5.05 (1.75)
Ereck Flowers — 5.32 (1.90)

Jake Fisher looks the part of an athletic tackle or guard. I’d prefer him inside. Looks in excellent shape, nice length (33 3/4 inch arms) and ran a 5.05 with a superb 1.75 split in his first attempt.

Here are some of the key times on the second runs:

T.J. Clemmings — 5.15 (1.80)
La’el Collins — 5.16 (1.81)
Rob Crisp — 5.34 (1.97)
Jamil Douglas — 5.25 (1.81)
Cameron Erving — 5.20 (1.84)
B.J. Finney — 5.34 (1.88)
Jake Fisher — 5.01 (1.78)
Ereck Flowers — 5.29 (1.78)

Ereck Flowers managed a 1.78 split on his second run at 6-6, 329lbs. Remember, these are not official times. But if that holds, it’s big for Flowers.

Tight end Tyler Kroft won’t be running a forty today:

Tyler Kroft/TE/Rutgers strained his ankle during combine medicals as doctors twisted the joint too much. No 40 till pro-day.

— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) February 20, 2015

The O-liners are now going through movement drills (the wave drill). This is all about changing direction quickly, how quickly you can react and the coaches want to see if you have any stiffness in footwork and lateral mobility.

T.J. Clemmings looked very fluid and loose — very impressive. He looks the part of a high first round prospect he just needs time and coaching. Mike Mayock is signing his praises on the NFL Network, while noting his poor Senior Bowl display.

Rob Crisp looked a bit stiff but carries his weight well. It’s a really nice start for Cameron Erving who moves well for his size.

Jake Fisher’s lateral movement is good as you’d expect. Wonderful side step. Just looks like a really fluid athlete. Ereck Flowers also showed a nice slide. He’s not on Fisher’s level but he’s carrying an extra 30lbs, it’s hard not to be impressed with the start to his day.

They’re onto the pull drills — taking a stance and then off the snap tracking the direction they have to go (signal by the coaches) and the idea is you stay low and move fluidly, keeping your eyes up without a false step. Clemmings again looks sensational. Like the former D-end he is.

Cameron Erving has a football to snap for his version of this drill as a center.

The second stage of this drill has the players blocking a fake strong safety at the second level. Clemmings again is the star. It’s effortless. Jake Fisher almost just sprints the drill. This was the first time Ereck Flowers looked a bit sluggish.

The live feed has compared La’el Collins to Logan Mankins. I prefer the Joel Bitonio/Mankins comparison a year ago, but the two players do have a lot of physical comparisons (length, size, speed).

Mayock’s top OT in the class is Clemmings and it’s easy to see why teams might agree with him on this evidence so far. You can coach technique — and he only recently converted from defense. You can’t teach this combination of size, length and speed.

The bags are out and now they’re asking two linemen to work together. One runs a down block with the aim of driving the guy with the bag 6-7 yards downfield. The other blocks inside. This is where the technical flaws of Clemmings shows up. His hand use was poor, took a poor angle and struggled to drive the bag-man downfield. It was really awkward. La’el Collins looked good here. Shaun O’Hara compares Collins to Bitonio.

Fisher had good leverage on this drill, gaining pad level with his hands and driving forward.

Now it’s the kick slide. Clemmings is reminded, “Don’t wait for him” by a coach, as he slows to monitor the rusher. They want to see him finish this drill and flash how quick he can be. He’s showing by far the smoothest footwork here. Jake Fisher is a close second.

Clemmings and La’el Collins in their second go-around actually tried to block the guys getting their hands up — this is a footwork drill and they had to be reminded of that. Collins looked really smooth with excellent size/definition. He’s carrying minimal bad weight.

Here’s Ereck Flowers’ two attempts at the kick slide:

E.Flowers in that kickstep drill. https://t.co/oV987xwaQq

— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 20, 2015

Flowers at LT this time. Something is off. Looks stiff. https://t.co/TyBA6yiB1M

— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 20, 2015

As you can see — not great. He looked surprisingly sluggish on both tries (left and right side).

Pete Carroll and John Schneider are watching closely:

Mike Mayock says Ereck Flowers should be a right tackle at the next level, but can play on the left. He’s starting to struggle here.

Now it’s the mirror drill. Another big tick for Clemmings here. Wow. Just so athletic. Cameron Erving did an accomplished job with his footwork and staying square. Jamil Douglas also did well, ditto jake Fisher.

Ereck Flowers looked tired and all over the place on this drill. His arms flailed around, he struggled to stay square, he was blowing a lot. Flowers started well and gradually got worse. It’s hard to say we saw a first round performance from him today.

Miami's OT Ereck Flowers looks like he'd get exposed quickly on edge. I'd move him inside as ROG and he could contribute from day 1 there.

— Brian Billick (@CoachBillick) February 20, 2015

That’s the end for group one. The two standouts were Clemmings and Collins with an honorable mention for Jake Fisher. Charles Davis compares Collins to Josh Sitton of Green Bay.

Here’s the Collins/Mankins comp:

A quick further note on Ereck Flowers — James Carpenter didn’t have a great combine but he had tackle experience and projected well inside. Today’s performance wasn’t indicative of a NFL left tackle, but there’s no reason why he can’t be highly drafted as a guard. Daniel Jeremiah just compared him to Cordy Glenn.

Group two is just about ready to get going. For more on Tyler Kroft — this is bizarre:

Wow, per @TonyPauline Rutgers TE Tyler Kroft had his ankle injured during Combine medicals. Dr.'s pulled and twisted http://t.co/jR9HDNhuzs

— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) February 20, 2015

A quick reminder, the average times last year were 5.21 (1.82). The ten yard split is in brackets.

Key Group 2 forty times

Chaz Green: 5.16 (1.75)
Rob Havenstein: 5.48 (1.86)
D.J. Humphries: 5.13 (1.81)
Tre Jackson: 5.54 (1.92)
Ali Marpet: 5.10 (1.81)
Andrus Peat: 5.20 (1.82)
Terry Poole: 5.10 (1.79)
Jeremiah Poutasi: 5.33 (1.86)
Ty Sambrailo: 5.37 (1.84)
Brandon Scherff: 5.07 (1.78)
Donovan Smith: 5.37 (1.86)
Laken Tomlinson: 5.39 (1.89)
Daryl Williams: 5.41 (1.86)

Andrus Peat is an odd shape. He was a big lower body and a flabby upper body. He didn’t look in great shape.

A Seahawks scout timing group two is spotted yawning on the live feed. Long days for these guys.

Daryl Williams sported gold track shoes to run his forty, before pulling off a 5.41. Talk about a deceptive image.

Tony Pauline reported during the Senior Bowl that Seattle had interest in TY Sambrailo and Terry Poole. Sambrailo is almost certainly destined to move inside to guard with a 5.37. Poole is intriguing with an above average forty and a sub-1.80 ten yard split.

Onto the second runs:

Chaz Green: 5.25 (1.83)
Rob Havenstein: 5.48 (1.86)
D.J. Humphries: 5.16 (1.82)
Tre Jackson: 5.56 (1.94)
Ali Marpet: 5.00 (1.74)
Andrus Peat: 5.26 (1.85)
Terry Poole: 5.17 (1.79)
Jeremiah Poutasi: 5.38 (1.87)
Ty Sambrailo: 5.38 (1.81)
Brandon Scherff: 5.07 (1.79)
Donovan Smith: 5.28 (1.84)
Laken Tomlinson: 5.33 (1.86)
Daryl Williams: 5.29 (1.75)

The NFL Network is comparing D.J. Humphries to Bryan Bulaga. Ali Marpet ran the quickest forty and ten yard split of the day (unofficially) with a 5.01 and a 1.74. Mayock says he projects to center at the next level.

The cameras panned onto Bill Belichick (wearing a hoodie sporting his own name) polishing off a chicken wing. There was no meat left on the bone. He ate every last bit. So far we haven’t seen the usual ‘Andy Reid devouring a big sandwich’ clip.

Brandon Scherff has the build of a guard — but moved really well. Very fluid athlete with a sub-1.80 split. Daryl Williams had a major improvement in his second run (he ran in a straight line for a start). He posted a sub-1.80 split at 6-5 and 327lbs. That’s special if it holds up officially.

No offensive linemen ran a sub-5.00 forty yard dash. There were five last year including Joel Bitonio and Taylor Lewan.

Tony Pauline is reporting Byron Maxwell could be set to earn $10m APY in free agency. He wont be returning to Seattle.

Yesterday I mentioned how hot the free agent cornerback market will be. Early numbers i'm hearing are $10 mill/annually for Byron Maxwell

— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) February 20, 2015

Time for the drills.

Andrus Peat moved really well in the lateral drills. Effortless. Terry Poole also showed well and received praise from the coaches. They called for Ty Sambrailo to open up more and show more fluidity in his hips. “Stay down low” was the shout. Brandon Scherff clung to his hamstring after his first drill — hopefully it’s just a twinge.

Tyrus Thompson looks a lot like James Carpenter in body type. He took an age to stand up for the first drill but once he got moving he covered some ground. Donovan Smith also performed well, showing good change of direction and foot speed. This was a good start for group 2.

Neither the NFL Network or the online feed is showing the second drill. Brandon Scherff has changed and is done for the day with a tweaked hamstring.

D.J. Humphries did a nice job firing off the snap in the second pulling drill. Ali Marpet continues his athletic performance, sprinting in a similar fashion to Jake Fisher. Possible Seahawks target Terry Poole looks really crisp getting out of his stance and exploding to the second level. This is a nice, mobile group.

The tight ends will run later but they’re starting to go through the jumps. Jesse James posted 10-1 broad jump (impressive). Some more of the DL measurements are coming out too:

Eddie Goldman — 6-4, 336lbs, 33 1/8 arms, 10 1/8 hands
Arik Armstead — 6-7, 292lbs with, 33-inch arms, 10 1/2 hands
Eli Harold — 6-3, 247lbs, 33-inch arms, 9 3/8 hands
Dante Fowler — 6-2 1/2, 261lbs, 33 3/4 arms, 9 1/2 hands
Danielle Hunter — 6-5, 252lbs, 34 1/4 arms, 10 1/2 hands

The offensive linemen are onto the bag drills as we’re skimming through some of these measurements. Nobody stood out, but nobody had any glaring issues here.

There’s also some breaking news on Todd Gurley:

Via @MikeSilver, Todd Gurley refused to allow doctors to examine knee at combine. –> http://t.co/8AXCbStdFE pic.twitter.com/AoEUzW19JF

— CollegeFootball 24/7 (@NFL_CFB) February 20, 2015

D.J. Humphries cut off his kick-slide. Missouri’s Mitch Morse looked good in this drill and received praise from the coaches. Robert Myers went the other way — putting in a poor effort. Andrus Peat’s was a little clumsy. Terry Poole was good here. Ty Sambrailo moves a lot better than his 40 would suggest. Tyrus Thompson just got hammered by the coaches. One shouted, “Don’t you listen?”

The full list of measurements is slowly coming out for the defensive linemen. You can see them here.

Vic Beasley is tall (6-3) but only has 32 and 1/2 inch arms. Eli Harold has decent length at 6-3 and 33 inch arms. Markus Smith had 34 inch arms last year.

Xavier Cooper is tall (6-3) but shockingly short arms (31 1/2 inches). That might put him out of contention in Seattle.

Leonard Williams is 6-5, 302lbs, has 34 5/8 inch arms and 10 5/8 inch hands.

Back to the OL drills — D.J. Humphries has really nice hips, opens up in the change of direction drill and looked incredibly smooth. Mitch Morse again looked good. He has short arms but incredibly mobile. I like Terry Poole’s overall workout. Moves well. Looks like a guard convert. Ty Sambrailo looked really tight in the hips. Daryl Williams also struggled somewhat.

Mike Mayock is praising the injured Brandon Scherff, comparing him to Maurkice Pouncey. At the same time, Daniel Jeremiah is Tweeting this:

Arrow down. RT @MoveTheSticks: I'm not all the way on board with the Scherff hype. He gets beat a lot in pass pro. Maryland game was rough.

— CollegeFootball 24/7 (@NFL_CFB) February 20, 2015

They’re onto the mirror drills. Humphries again moves well and might be seeing a nice boost for his stock having got above 300lbs. Mitch Morse looks really, really smooth. Love the way he’s worked here. One to go back and watch on tape next week.

Mike Mayock on Andrus Peat: “He looks like a young, big (Barack) Obama.”

Shaun O’Hara watching Ty Sambrailo work out says he could use a redshirt year. Andrus Peat is tough to diagnose. He’s huge in the lower body and moves surprisingly well. But when he got tired, his technique disappeared and he looked awkward. He doesn’t have a traditional left tackle body despite having ideal length and weight. He’s going to be a really tough one to work out. He could go anywhere from #10-25.

That’s the end of the second group’s drills. The winner’s for me were Mitch Morse, Ali Marpet and D.J. Humphries. Both Daniel Jeremiah and Charles Davis say they expect Humphries to be the first offensive tackle taken this year.

Now we wait for the TE’s to run the forty and perform drills. And it’s time for me to eat…

Florida State DT Eddie Goldman says he will not do the drills at the combine.

There’s also this:

Present word has the Philadelphia Eagles as front runners for cornerback Byron Maxwell.

— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) February 20, 2015

The official forty times are the offensive linemen. Here are the best times:

Ali Marpet (4.98)
Jake Fisher (5.01)
Laurence Gibson (5.04)
Brandon Scherff (5.05)
Terry Poole (5.09)
La’el Collins (5.12)
D.J. Humphries (5.12)
T.J. Clemmings (5.14)
Mitch Morse (5.14)
Cameron Erving (5.15)

Tight end forty yard dash times:

Blake Bell: 4.80 & 4.82
Nick Boyle: 5.04
Jesse James: 4.86 & 4.83
Nick O’Leary: 4.93 & 4.94
Wes Saxton: 4.56 & 4.66
Jean Sirfin: 4.84 & 4.84
Clive Walford: 4.79 & 4.81
Maxx Williams: 4.90 & 4.77

Nobody expected Williams to run a great forty, but I don’t think anybody expected a 4.90. His second time of 4.77 is more realistic for his skill set. It’s about what you’d expect.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why the Seahawks are reportedly very interested in Julius Thomas. The few TE’s who actually ran here (many didn’t) showed very little explosion. There’s just not that much to get excited about with this group. People who fantasize about later round picks will convince themselves there’s a find here. In reality, this is yet another poor class of TE’s.

If the Seahawks want a dynamic pass-catching tight end, they are probably going to have to look at Thomas and Jordan Cameron. Thomas is a fantastic open-field runner who can make big YAC in the open field. He can take a pass over the seam for a chunk play. He’s an exceptional athlete and receiver, not just a dynamic red zone target (24 touchdowns in two seasons).

Mayock compares Maxx Williams to Minnesota’s Kyle Rudolph.

The drills are about to begin. There’s really only two things I focus on here — hands and catching technique. Do they cup the football? Do they double catch? Is it smooth?

Nick Boyle double catches on the sideline and spills the ball, getting the attention of the coaches who say he should’ve caught it. The coach leading the drill says, “You need to move your feet like a typewriter but you guys probably don’t know what one is.”

Jean Sifrin looks lean, almost more like a big receiver. Clive Walford and Maxx Williams do a great job on the first drill (route to the sideline, catch in bounds) — the coaches let them know it too with some big praise.

The TE’s are now running downfield. Maxx Williams is putting on a clinic. No wasted steps, tracking the ball downfield, catching over his shoulder, cupping the ball (perfect technique) and catching it at the highest point. NO body catches so far. Just a really, really nice workout.

He isn’t a mismatch in terms of size/speed (or a great blocker) but he’s going to be a very reliable target for someone at the next level. There’s a bit of Dallas Clark on show here. He is very clearly the best tight end in this years draft, assuming Devin Funchess continues on this quest to prove he’s a receiver for financial purposes (he lacks the short area quick’s or long speed, he’s better working the slot or TE).

The one thing Funchess does that Williams won’t? Box off defenders. And that’s one of the things Seattle desperately needs on offense.

Official forty times for the TE’s:

M. Pruitt — 4.58
W. Saxton — 4.65
M. Williams — 4.78
C. Walford — 4.79
B. Bell — 4.80
J. James — 4.83
J. Sifrin — 4.84
N. O’Leary — 4.93

4.78 seems about right for Maxx Williams.

Now it’s time for the gauntlet. Blake Bell showed nice catching technique and didn’t drop a ball. The coaches yelled, “Classic” at him. Nick Boyle had a tough run, dropping a couple of balls. Cam Clear dropped two passes. Jesse James dropped one pass, let the ball into his body and he weaved around the route.

Ben Koyack looked smooth apart from one bad drop. Nick O’Leary was slow but showed fantastic hands — and he didn’t wear gloves. MyCole Pruitt jogged through his rep and dropped a couple. Wes Saxton labored through his. Jean Sifrin double caught one and missed another, but also high pointed a high throw.

Clive Walford dropped one but like Sifrin high pointed a really tough catch. Maxx Williams caught every ball away from his body and looked excellent. Again. He probably has the best hands in the draft (WR and TE).

In the second run it was more of the same. O’Leary was incredible again — natural catcher, no gloves, ran in a straight line, didn’t miss a step. No double catching. Excellent rep. Jean Sifrin dropped two passes on his second go-around. Walford’s second attempt was much better — no drops. Maxx Williams had another clean run with zero drops. Again, brilliant hands. Doesn’t let the ball into his body. All natural movements and technique.

Ball just sticks to Maxx Williams' hands. https://t.co/1iWsDtRb8N

— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) February 20, 2015

Mayock: “This whole thing (the workouts) confirms to me that this is a below-average group of tight ends in this draft class.”

Clive Walford jumped 10-feet in the broad jump. Still waiting on the other numbers. Jesse James had a 10-1.

You can’t help but feel Devin Funchess missed a trick not working out with these TE’s. Instead of looking like a physical freak among an average class, he’ll look like a big target among a bunch of really athletic receivers tomorrow.

It’s been a tough day for Nick Boyle. He had a nice Senior Bowl game but has struggled a bit here. Jesse James is lean — almost skinny — but runs nicely and can get to the second level. I don’t think he’s a big mismatch who can box people off, but give him a year to add size and maybe he’s a nice project for someone.

Every single tight end just struggled on a deep drill to the right hand side — except Maxx Williams. Whether they couldn’t locate the ball, catch it, get deep enough. Williams ran a fantastic route and caught it in stride without breaking sweat. Wonderful.

If you want to compare TE’s:

Luke Willson at 251 lbs and 6053, 4.51 forty, 1.53 10 yard split (jeez), 38 vert, 10-2 broad, 23 bench

— DAVIS HSU (@DavisHsuSeattle) February 20, 2015

That ends the drills for today. The most impressive performers? Mitch Morse from Missouri, D.J. Humphries from Florida, T.J. Clemmings from Pittsburgh, Jake Fisher from Oregon, La’el Collins from LSU, Maxx Williams from Minnesota, Terry Poole from San Diego State and Ali Marpet from Hobart.

I’ll keep the blog open for another hour or so. We’re still waiting for news on the vertical/broad jumps and the full list of DL measurements. There’s also this:

Coach @PeteCarroll is scheduled to meet with the media at 12 p.m. PT from the #NFLCombine.

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) February 20, 2015

According to Mike Loyko, Jake Fisher posted the third best short shuttle (4.33) for an offensive lineman and the fourth best 3-cone (7.25) since 2006. It’s impressive. We’ll need to consider his stock moving forward. Is he getting into Kyle Long territory? Very possible. Look at the physical similarities.

Jameis Winston is holding a press conference — and you have to say, he’s owning it. Very confident. Very chatty. Cracking jokes. The off-field concerns are legit but he played the role of a franchise quarterback very well today.

Pete Carroll’s press conference is taking place at the same time, meaning it’s getting very little attention and no live feed. The only news so far is he’s still looking to fill a couple of assistant coaching spots.

He praised Bruce Irvin, leading to this Twitter response:

@Seahawks atta boy Pete!

— Bruce Irvin (@BIrvin_WVU11) February 20, 2015

Carroll says they are negotiating “in earnest” to re-sign RB Marshawn Lynch. “We’ve had big offers out there.” He praises Jim Harbaugh and says he’ll “kick butt” at Michigan (it seems the pair became BFF’s following Seattle’s victory at Century Link during the 2014 season).

Going back to Jake Fisher, I had a look at Joel Bitonio’s combine numbers for a comparison. Bitonio had a 32 inch vertical (Fisher — 32.5), a 4.97 forty (Fisher — 5.01), a 7.37 3-cone drill (Fisher — 7.25) and a 4.44 short shuttle (Fisher — 4.33). Bitonio had 22 reps on the bench, Fisher had 25 reps. They are very similar. I’ve seen plenty of Fisher and felt, like Bitonio, he might end up moving inside. Bitonio is 6-4 and 302lbs with 33 7/8 inch arms. Fisher is 6-6 and 306lbs with 33 3/4 inch arms.

I’ll go back and review his tape with this new information. You have to say he’s in with a very good shot of the top-40 after this display and could easily land in round one if teams see the comparisons to another former Duck in Kyle Long.

That’s pretty much it for today. We’ll be back to do it all again tomorrow from 6AM PST. Don’t forget if you want to see any measurements or timings from today at the combine, click here.