Oklahoma’s Jordan Phillips could see his stock sky rocket

#1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Marcus Mariota (QB, Oregon)
This pick looks like a formality. A total no-brainer. The Buccs need to appoint a creative and open minded offensive coordinator who won’t try to turn Mariota into a pure pocket passer. He didn’t play particularly well in the Rose Bowl but he should flourish against Ohio State in the title game.

#2 Tennessee Titans — Randy Gregory (OLB, Nebraska)
The Titans appointed Ray Horton as defensive coordinator and handed him a unit devoid of any players that fit his scheme. Jameis Winston is not the man to lead this tired looking roster. Build the defense and invest in Horton. They have to become tougher to beat.

#3 Jacksonville Jaguars — Dante Fowler Jr (DE, Florida)
Fowler is a maestro. You can line him up anywhere — outside linebacker, defensive end — even inside on third down. He will make plays. A tremendous athlete and playmaker, he’d be a legit candidate to be defensive rookie of the year in 2015. Simply put — a fantastic talent.

#4 Oakland Raiders — Andrus Peat (T, Stanford)
Peat has no peer in this class in terms of pass protection. He’s a natural with ideal length. Technique-wise he can make improvements, but he has the upside to quickly establish himself as one of the premier tackles in the NFL. Oakland has a boat-load of needs but protecting Derek Carr for the duration of his career is a good place to start.

#5 Washington Redskins — Landon Collins (S, Alabama)
He impacts games and when he turns up at the combine, he’ll be one of the winners. At 6-0 and 212lbs expect a lightning performance. He covers well despite his build, he’s instinctive. Collins can be a tone-setter for a secondary that is badly lacking talent.

#6 New York Jets — Shane Ray (DE, Missouri)
They can ill-afford another gaffe at quarterback. They have a talented defense but lack a pure edge rusher and any kind of talent in the secondary. Jameis Winston playing in New York doesn’t seem like a recipe for success.

#7 Chicago Bears — Leonard Williams (DE, USC)
I’m not as crazy about Williams as some others. He sounds better than the tape suggests. He’s mastered the J.J. Watt ‘swat the ball’ act but he’s not a brilliant edge rusher. What is his position at the next level? Still, the upside is there. Someone will take a punt.

#8 Atlanta Falcons — Bud Dupree (OLB, Kentucky)
A leader who flies around the field — he can play defensive end or outside linebacker. The Falcons lack toughness, speed and playmakers on defense. Dupree ticks every box. Few players were more fun to watch in 2014. He makes plays in a variety of ways.

#9 New York Giants — Eddie Goldman (DT, Florida State)
He didn’t have an impact against Oregon but was he 100%? He has every opportunity to establish himself as a premier inside rusher and run stopper. Goldman looks every bit a former 5-star recruit in terms of size and athleticism. Overall he had a great 2014.

#10 St. Louis Rams — T.J. Clemmings (T, Pittsburgh)
The Rams are a quarterback away from relevance but I’m not sure even Jeff Fisher will be prepared to put his franchise in the hands of Jameis Winston. Look for them to give Sam Bradford one last shot on a modest salary and add a quarterback later on. Clemmings has a ton of upside — the type of player Les Snead and Fisher have gone after.

#11 Minnesota Vikings — Amari Cooper (WR, Alabama)
He’s shown he has the deep speed this year to make up for a lack of elite size. He’s the most naturally gifted receiver to enter the draft since A.J. Green. Very focused individual and not a diva. Pairing Cooper with Teddy Bridgewater seems like a smart move.

#12 Cleveland Browns — Jordan Phillips (DT, Oklahoma)
When Phillips rocks up at the combine and runs a 4.8-4.9 he’ll start to fly up the boards. He has better tape than Dontari Poe but has the same kind of rare size and speed. He’s had some injury history and that’ll need to be checked out. If he’s cleared — watch out for Phillips. He declared for a reason.

#13 New Orleans — La’el Collins (G, LSU)
The Saints rely so much on their guards to protect Drew Brees. It’s the way it’s always been in New Orleans with that quarterback. They’re likely to make some cost savings with the current starters and Collins is an absolute beast.

#14 Miami Dolphins — Malcolm Brown (DT, Texas)
A stud. Anyone who needed convincing just has to look at the way he took on Arkansas’ massive offensive line. He kept making plays. Another former 5-star recruit who appears destined for stardom. Like Goldman he should impress at the combine.

#15 San Francisco 49ers — Devante Parker (WR, Louisville)
I think he’ll measure out at 6-2/6-3 and around 205lbs which isn’t huge — but he plays big. The Niners should move on from Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin won’t last forever. They need more talent on offense, especially with the Frank Gore era drawing to a close.

#16 Houston Texans — Melvin Gordon (RB, Wisconsin)
It’s not their biggest need of course but Gordon isn’t going to last long in round one. Plenty of teams are going to fall for his combination of suddenness, a fluid running style and gym-rat mentality. It’s just a matter of how early he’ll go.

#17 San Diego Chargers — Ereck Flowers (T, Miami)
Having revealed D.J. Fluker will be switching to guard, San Diego desperately needs to add a quality tackle. Flowers looks the part and could be the next best pass protector after Andrus Peat. This franchise only goes as far as Philip Rivers allows, so they must protect him.

#18 Kansas City Chiefs — Kevin White (WR, West Virginia)
No touchdowns for a receiver all year only tells half the story. Look who they’re starting. It’s hardly a shock. Alex Smith is such a limited passing quarterback you need to put weapons around him. White will compete in the air, run after the catch and make plays downfield.

#19 Cleveland Browns — Vic Beasley (DE, Clemson)
A lack of size might be a hindrance although he should run a good forty time and ten yard split. Beasley has been ultra-productive at Clemson and could end up replacing key free agent Jabaal Sheard.

#20 Philadelphia Eagles — Jameis Winston (QB, Florida State)
Eventually someone will pull the trigger — and it’s likely to be an offensive mind that DNGAF. Chip Kelly clearly backs himself to fit any kind of quarterback into his scheme. The Eagles can afford to roll the dice — Kelly and not Winston would remain the focal identity. They also won 10 games with Foles/Sanchez, they wouldn’t be giving Winston the keys. This is the franchise that gave Michael Vick his second chance.

#21 Cincinnati Bengals — Cedric Ogbuehi (T, Texas A&M)
The Bengals regularly take a chance on players who just dip a little bit. Ogbuehi didn’t have a great 2014 but with the right guidance he can make it work. There are questions about his preparation and work ethic — Cincy are always willing to take on a lost-soul project.

#22 Pittsburgh Steelers — Brandon Scherff (T, Iowa)
The guy just looks like a Steeler — and it’s more than just the Iowa uniforms. Lunch-pail worker who drives people off the ball in the running game. Right tackle is a huge need for Pittsburgh and Scherff would be a day one starter.

#23 Detroit Lions — Cameron Erving (C, Florida State)
He looked good at tackle last season — and looked even better at center in 2014. The Lions would get a player who can start immediately at center and back up every other position on the O-line. He’s a defensive line convert with massive potential.

#24 Arizona Cardinals — Todd Gurley (RB, Georgia)
A likely top ten pick without his ACL injury setback, Gurley could still be a top-20 selection. If he falls, a good team will get lucky. The Cardinals need a feature runner with size and are good enough to let Gurley take his time, fully recover and explode in the NFL.

#25 Carolina Panthers — Trae Waynes (CB, Michigan State)
It’s a bad class of corners but even so — it’d be a shock to see none selected in the first round. Waynes is being touted to have a terrific combine performance and at 6-1/182lbs he could be the one and only cornerback taken in the first frame.

#26 Baltimore Ravens — Tevin Coleman (RB, Indiana)
As well as Justin Forsett has played, you’d have to expect the Ravens to draft a running back this year. Coleman might not work out at the combine due to injury, but he’s shown enough on tape to warrant a top-40 grade.

#27 Indianapolis Colts — Taylor Decker (T, Ohio State)
There’s talk he could declare against the odds. Indy can upgrade both tackle spots and Decker has the size and athleticism to work his way into round one. Keep an eye on this guy.

#28 Dallas Cowboys — Eli Harold (DE, Virginia)
Harold’s speed is a joy to behold at times, but he also has a lot of average tape to counter some of the hype. He’s a determined individual and should be a leader even early in his career. Dallas needs all the talent it can find on defense.

#29 Green Bay Packers — Bendarick McKinney (LB, Mississippi State)
Big, physical 3-4 inside linebacker who made Miss State’s defense tick. Could be the player Rolando McClain should’ve been. Very solid prospect for any club looking for a presence on defense. He’ll move around at his size.

#30 New England Patriots — Devin Smith (WR, Ohio State)
Sparky, athletic playmaker who makes chunk plays. Always competitive. Has a little Odell Beckham Jr to his game. He’d offer something the Patriots don’t have on offense and he’d be a great compliment to Gronk and co. Smith averages an incredible 27.7 YPC.

#31 Denver Broncos — Shaq Thompson (LB, Washington)
The last couple of Washington games I watched forced me to temper expectations for Thompson. He’s athletic, he has major upside potential. But linebackers like this haven’t traditionally gone in the top fifteen. He’s certainly not Ryan Shazier.

And that brings us to Seattle.

I hate putting the Seahawks at #32 and dodged it throughout last year. For the purpose of this mock, however, it seems perfectly acceptable. I won’t be making a single selection. I want to run through the remaining options and get your thoughts. And the best way to do that is to have no other team picking after Seattle.

Let’s group some of the remaining prospects by position and need (and yes, it’s way too early to have any clear idea on whether this is a remotely realistic looking first round). Some potential draft targets are already off the board.

Running back
If the Seahawks lose Marshawn Lynch this has to at least be considered as a possible early draft target. The top three prospects are off the board and I have a hard time imagining Seattle going after Alabama’s T.J. Yeldon. In fact, the increased opportunities for Robert Turbin and Christine Michael could even be a trial run for 2015. Let’s not forget, when Ian Rapoport was touting interest in Melvin Gordon, the Seahawks were 3-3 and staring at a possible mid-first round pick. Now they can’t pick any earlier than 28th in round one. Gordon and Todd Gurley (even with his injury) could be long gone. Are you ready for the Turbin & Michael era? There’s enough depth to add a third wheel later on if there’s no shot at the top two prospects.

Wide receiver
I’m not a huge fan of Arizona State’s Jaelen Strong and don’t see him as a first round prospect. I think he’ll measure smaller than expected, I think he’s a modest athlete and he’s best suited to a Terrance Williams-style role on a prolific passing offense. Sammie Coates has the difference making athleticism Seattle loves but he’s not had the consistent production they also appreciate. He’s had some tough games. For every downfield bomb there’s a drop. He’s had injuries. He has the upside that is definitely worth considering — just not necessarily in round one. The options aren’t great for Seattle when it comes to this position as a first round choice, especially with Duke Williams staying at Auburn.

Tight end
There are a couple of intriguing players to monitor here. We’ve talked a lot about Maxx Williams — a player who blocks well, doesn’t have bad snaps and is as tough as they come at the position. He’s also shown a playmaking flash, he was Minnesota’s top receiving option in a run-based offense and crucially in terms of Seattle — he made the most of his limited targets. He could replace Zach Miller for the long haul and he only turns 21 at draft time. Would they go big on a Miller replacement? They did give him a five-year $34 million deal ($17 million guaranteed). At the time they also needed to bolster a weak roster and Miller understood Tom Cable’s system. I suspect Seattle will like Williams unless he’s a really mediocre athlete at the combine — but round one might be a bit rich for their tastes. We’ll see. The other player is Devin Funchess at Michigan. He has the size they badly lack in a receiver or tight end (6-5, 235lbs). The concern is he totally underwhelmed in college and needed pushing every step of the way. He turned it on for the Ohio State game at the end of the season — where was that type of performance earlier in the year? I’m not convinced he’s ‘Seahawky’ enough in terms of his attitude. But how can you not be intrigued by that size? Especially given Seattle’s redzone struggles. He wouldn’t be a blocker — he’d be a flex tight end/receiver.

Defensive line
A lot of the better options are gone here. I’m a huge fan of Missouri’s Markus Golden. He doesn’t have the length but he has the athleticism, attitude, competitive nature and production. I’d love to think he could be an option here, adding to the rotation for the next few years. I think it’d be too early for a prospect like Washington’s Hau’Oli Kikaha or Mississippi State’s Preston Smith. As noted earlier in the week — I think Danny Shelton is overrated and wouldn’t expect the Seahawks to show interest here. Locking up Cliff Avril was key and maybe limits the early round need here. Think of how well this D-line has played recently, then add a healthy Brandon Mebane and Cassius Marsh into the mix.

Offensive line
Seattle has already invested two first round picks, a second round pick and a third round pick on the O-line in the Carroll/Schneider era. I think if they were going to go down this route again it would mean James Carpenter departing and Justin Britt moving inside. I’m not totally convinced they’d want to move Britt after one year — but they did it to Carpenter. South Carolina’s Corey Robinson is a massive 6-7 and 335lbs with ideal length — but he’s said to have bad work habits. Oklahoma’s Daryl Williams has shown some skill as a run blocker and also has long arms to match a 6-5, 330lbs frame. I wasn’t blown away watching Colorado State’s Ty Sambrailo but he’s from an athletic family and has the size Seattle loves (6-7, 310lbs). I’m not sold on Oregon’s Jake Fisher as a first rounder — or Sambrailo for that matter — and this could be an area they wait on. Of course, they could just keep Britt at tackle, re-sign Carpenter or even start Alvin Bailey.

Remember, at the heart of everything is where can Seattle best upgrade their roster? That’s how they set up their draft board. The defense is remarkably well set for now and will be difficult to upgrade. On offense, they can make obvious improvements — especially if the likes of Lynch and Miller are no longer with the team. They’ve already lost Percy Harvin — their best X-factor playmaker at receiver. Then there’s the potential of changes to the offensive line.

Discussing possible draft picks for Seattle is about more than just SPARQ. It’s a combination of factors — including mainly film assessment, production, character and that all important roster upgrade. So you’re on the clock.

Who should we be talking about here?

Danny Shelton is considered by many to be a likely first round pick

If Danny Shelton is going to be a first round pick this year — and I’m not convinced — he’ll need to prove he’s more than just a run stuffer.

Remember Louis Nix? About this time last year he was being touted as a likely first round choice. The usual things were said, “there aren’t many people who can do what he can at his size.” In reality, that wasn’t really true. He was pretty average at the combine, carried too much bad weight, had some character concerns and flopped into round three.

There’s a reason the word ‘rare’ is place before the words ‘nose tackle’ when trying to describe the type of player who does go early in the first round. Dontari Poe was the #11 overall pick in 2012. He was 345lbs, 6-3 and looked in terrific shape. He ran a blistering 4.97 at the combine. He really was a freak of nature. That’s your rare nose tackle right there. Not just any type of big guy with production. Recent history shows (more on that later) that there just aren’t that many nose tackles going in the first round.

Shelton is not Poe. Far from it, in fact. He’s 339lbs but looks fatter. Poe is as chiseled as a 345lbs defensive tackle can be. Shelton has a flabby midriff and doesn’t have the same foot-speed or general athleticism. Would anyone be shocked if Shelton’s forty time is nearer to Nix’s 5.42 than Poe’s 4.97?

Of course it’s not just about athleticism. The tape and what you’ve done on the field matters too. He had nine sacks in 2014 and 16.5 TFL’s, which is impressive. But stats can be manipulated any way you want. You can make the case that his production is a major positive. Or you can point out seven of the nine sacks came in the first four weeks against Hawaii, Eastern Washington and Georgia State. In the same three games he had 9.5 of the 16.5 TFL’s. In the PAC-12 he had half a sack against Oregon, half a sack against Washington State and a sack against Arizona. That’s it.

I’ve kept going back to Shelton because it’s almost assumed he’ll be a first round pick. I keep thinking I must be missing something. So I keep looking. After last night’s Citrus Bowl, I think I’m done with my conclusion. I just think he’s overrated.

Oklahoma State didn’t run the ball particularly efficiently last night — they managed less than 4 YPA even if they churned out +160 yards. But every time they ran at Shelton I kept seeing a similar trait. He was being turned, time and time again. It’s subtle. The O-line didn’t use a double team against him, but they found a way to manipulate his body to create space up the middle. Rinse and repeat.

Given his size the very least you want to see from a first round pick at this size is great run defense. He can’t be moved that easily with blocking technique. If he’s going to get moved off the spot, it needs to be because the opponent has keyed in. Double teams, schemes, running away from the inside. Not in the Citrus Bowl. ASU ran up the middle. They ran at Shelton. No answer.

I’ve seen games (eg Hawaii) where he does play with a solid anchor and you see plenty of upper/lower body power. He can play with heavy hands and he can work through traffic to get into the backfield and create a splash. But there are other games where he just looks average or slightly above average. I could live with that if he was an explosive pass rusher, but he isn’t. He just isn’t.

For me he’d be best served losing weight. Get down to 320lbs and play lighter. Gain more mobility. There’s bad weight on that frame that he can shift and not suffer any loss of power. At the moment he looks sloppy (was he asked to gain weight quickly this year?) and wherever he gets drafted — and by whoever — he’s going to go straight on a conditioning program.

Teams can find big-bodied DT’s later on. The pressure to go big early just isn’t there. Look at the first round defensive tackles taken in the last five drafts:

2014 — Aaron Donald, Dominique Easley
2013 — Sheldon Richardson, Star Lotulelei, Shariff Floyd, Sylvester Williams
2012 — Dontari Poe, Fletcher Cox, Michael Brockers
2011 — Nick Fairley, Corey Liuget, Phil Taylor
2010 — Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy, Tyson Alualu, Dan Williams

Of the 16 players listed above, Poe, Dan Williams and Phil Taylor are the closest to Shelton in terms of style. We’ve discussed Poe. Williams played lighter and looked better in terms of body shape — he was 6-2 and 327lbs at the combine and ran a 5.19. He was the #26 overall pick in 2010. Taylor was 339lbs but in a different league in terms of athleticism and mobility. He carried the weight superbly and flew around the field — even chasing runners and receivers to the sideline at Baylor. He ran a 5.14 and had length — 34 inch arms and 6-3 in height.

All of the other 13 defensive tackles above were pass rushers or three-techniques. There really isn’t a deep history of big nose tackles going early unless they flash the kind of rare athletic qualities I don’t think we see with Shelton. If he’s going to convince a team to spend a high pick, I think he has to show he is athletic. That he is more than a space-filler. And I’m just not convinced.

You can find two-down tackles and run stoppers later. If you’re going to draft a run-stuffer in round one you pretty much accept you’re taking a player who faces limited snaps every week. What’s more, they don’t necessarily play the money downs. What team in the league is saying today, “if only we had a big fat run stuffer in there?” Very few — and the ones thinking it probably aren’t looking at round one. There are just better ways to spend a first round pick.

For me he’s more likely to follow the path of Notre Dame’s Nix — especially if these quotes, credited to a NFC West scout and reported on NFL.com, have any legitimacy:

“He really scares me because he has major talent, but I also wonder if he’s on his best behavior because it’s a contract year for him. What happens when he signs his contract? Scouts are concerned with Shelton’s personality and work ethic. More than one scout has said the previous coaching staff at Washington had issues with Shelton’s surliness and selfishness. Shelton’s weight has to be monitored in the pros, and he could stand to play with more consistent power, but big nose tackles who can cave pockets and pursue running backs from sideline to sideline are rare. Shelton’s tape will ultimately tell the tale, but if there are worries about his character or work ethic, it could cost him spots in the draft.”

The scout is much higher on Shelton’s potential than I am, but the possible character concerns add a dynamic to this debate. A selfish, surly defensive tackle who needs to monitor his weight isn’t a great combination — and it’s part of what hurt Nix.

Personally I thought Washington’s defensive line appeared more threatening last night when freshman Elijah Qualls spelled Shelton. I’ll just call this as I see it. For me, Shelton is getting pumped up too much by the media. We’ll see how he performs at the combine. We’ll see how the off-season unfolds. It wouldn’t surprise me if, by April, he’s seen as a second or third round option rather than the celebrated first rounder many believe at the moment.

A more likely first round nose tackle for me would be Oklahoma’s Jordan Phillips. He’s leaner, more athletic and has major upside. Expect an excellent work out in Indianapolis. The main concern is an injury history to look into — but he flashed several times during the Sooners’ fast start to 2014.

On the other hand — how good was Dante Fowler Jr today in the Birmingham Bowl? He had three sacks against East Carolina, a couple of QB hits and lined up all over the place. He’s athletic enough to drop into coverage, he can rush the edge and he even has snaps on tape rushing from the inside. He’s a complete defensive player and should be a top-10 pick.

#Baylor DE Shawn Oakman says he will return for his senior season

— Tim O'Donnell (@TimODonnell25) December 29, 2014

Malzahn: Duke Williams will return for 2015, which is why he's at the bowl game

— James Crepea (@JamesCrepea) December 29, 2014

Scratch off two names on our pre-Christmas first round watch-list. Shawn Oakman and D’haquille ‘Duke’ Williams won’t be part of the 2015 draft.

Both players had an opportunity to go early. Both players also have a lot to gain by returning.

Oakman took a big step forward in 2014 after a quiet first year at Baylor (he transferred from Penn State). He recorded ten sacks and 18.5 TFL’s. He’s built like a Greek God and could’ve been a very high pick with a good combine. He can also make clear improvements — he often struggles to disengage and get off a block. He can get even stronger and his goal should be to emulate Calais Campbell. He can be a more athletic version if he can keep getting stronger. It’s achievable.

This is a loaded defensive line class and while there’s nobody quite like Oakman — he’s likely to be a slow burner in the NFL instead of an impact player. He would’ve had a hard time getting ahead of more rounded prospects like Dante Fowler, Randy Gregory, Bud Dupree and Leonard Williams. In 2016 he could be one of the first defensive linemen off the board if he continues to develop.

Williams only moved to Auburn last year after switching from the JUCO ranks. He had an immediate impact and quickly became the go-to receiver for the Tigers, despite the presence of Sammie Coates. With only one year of experience in the SEC, he’ll get a chance to improve his technique and just get more quality snaps. He could be special. He has everything — size, length, hands and attitude. He was unlikely to walk into the NFL two years removed from the JUCO’s and suddenly explode onto the scene. Now he has a chance to work on his craft and potentially be the top 2016 receiver.

Elsewhere, Indiana’s superb running back Tevin Coleman is heading for the NFL after making an announcement today. According to Tony Pauline, Texas’ brilliant defensive tackle could play his final college game tonight too:

Told tonight's Texas Bowl could be final college game for DT's Malcom Brown/Texas & Darius Philon/Arkansas as both leaning towards draft.

— Tony Pauline (@TonyPauline) December 29, 2014

You can watch Brown in the Texas Bowl later — it’s a good match-up against the biggest offensive line in college football (Arkansas).

I still believe the Seahawks are destined for an offense-focused early portion of the 2015 draft, barring some surprising free agency moves. They’re keeping the defensive core together and know what they have on that side of the ball. The offense needs work and an injection of talent at key positions. Marshawn Lynch continues to be spelled early in games — hinting at more serious health concerns than perhaps we appreciate (and potentially an increased likelihood that he retires in the off-season). If that’s the case, Seattle could easily be in the market for one of the top running backs.

Receiver obviously remains an option too. Kevin White today scored a 49-yard touchdown for West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl against Texas A&M… provoking this Tweet…

I hope so RT @josh_poling: I seriously think we might see Kevin White join @BIrvin_WVU11 in Seattle. If he stays on the board that long

— Bruce Irvin (@BIrvin_WVU11) December 29, 2014

We can but dream.

Meanwhile Dan Kadar at Mocking the Draft has published a new mock draft today. He has the Seahawks picking at #32 — selecting Maxx Williams (TE, Minnesota), a player we discussed recently. Draft Breakdown published Williams’ tape against Michigan this afternoon:

Seattle scored 20 unanswered points in the second half

This was a typical Seahawks hosting the Rams type of day. St. Louis played hard. They hit Russell Wilson. They stuck around when nobody gave them a shot. And entering the fourth quarter they had a genuine chance to win.

Seattle simply finished stronger to get a crucial win. This is what it means:

— The Seahawks are NFC West Champions for the third time in the Pete Carroll era.

— Seattle is the first team to repeat as the #1 seed in the NFC since the 2003 Philadelphia Eagles.

— It’s home-field advantage again. The Seahawks won’t need to go on the road to get to another Super Bowl. On the two previous occasions Seattle had the #1 seed, they made the big game. They will face Detroit, Arizona or Carolina in the Divisional round.

— They get a much needed bye-week next weekend. Jordan Hill (more on him later) and K.J. Wright both picked up late injuries. Max Unger again didn’t feature. Marshawn Lynch continues to be spelled early. Their last weekend off was back in week four. They need a break.

In terms of the performance, bad execution in the first half undermined what was actually a pretty good display. In the second half they scored 20 unanswered points to clinch a 20-6 victory.

St. Louis always creates pressure with the most complete front four in football. Just a reminder here — every one of their starting defensive linemen is a top-15 pick. Chris Long (#2 overall, 2008), Robert Quinn (#14 overall, 2011), Michael Brockers (#14 overall, 2012) and Aaron Donald (#13 overall, 2014). The Rams hit on every pick. Considering the high number of D-line busts in the last decade, it’s some record. The end product is a sensational pass rush.

This isn’t excuse making for Seattle’s offensive line, but just consider that fact before you jump to the conclusion that this was a horrific performance up front. The Seahawks will not face a pass rush of this quality in the playoffs. Not even close. Seattle is comfortable fielding an offensive line that is below average in pass protection and brilliant in the running game. They had 132 rushing yards today without the usual boost from Russell Wilson scrambling. These were hard earned yards. This is Seahawks football.

The key touchdown from Marshawn Lynch was created by a brilliant effort by the line, in particular the second-level blocking of Justin Britt and J.R. Sweezy. If you don’t like the way this O-line is set up, you simply don’t like the way Seattle plays offensive football. It’s been good enough to win home-field advantage in back-to-back years. Wilson is creative and difficult to protect in equal measure. This is the way this team is set up — it’s all part of the blueprint.

Jordan Hill, Bruce Irvin and Michael Bennett again stood out on defense. Bennett once again showed he’s playing as well as any defensive player in the league not named J.J. Watt. His ability to soak up double teams created a sack for Cliff Avril and Kevin Williams. This was another masterclass. Bobby Wagner has been described as underrated so much recently it’s almost a contradiction. Wagner’s return certainly helped shore up the run defense, but Bennett’s re-emergence as a pass-rushing force has been key.

Hill had an acrobatic interception to add to his growing collection of stats — 5.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries and a pick. Clinton McDonald? An afterthought.

And then there’s Bruce Irvin — one of the best defensive playmakers in the country who, like Bennett, simply isn’t getting enough props. Today he had a pick-six (his second of the season), a pass-deflection, a TFL and a sack. In year three he has arrived. Irvin is one of the best defensive players in the league. Believe it. Embrace it. He does the little things well and still makes the game-tilting plays too. How many other linebackers can cover with his speed, go sideline-to-sideline and still act as a Julian Peterson-esque pass rusher off the edge? He is the real deal.

Earl Thomas’ forced fumble into the endzone for a touchback is one of the best plays of the 2014 season.

Seattle has now led the NFL in scoring defense for three consecutive years — the first team to achieve that since the 1969-71 Vikings. Pete Carroll has created a unit for the ages.

It wasn’t a classic day for the offense but Wilson did enough after a tough interception and Paul Richardon’s highlight reel catch provides a talking point. It was a tremendous grab — high pointing the ball above the defender after a great leap.

Credit also has to go to Darrell Bevell for making the necessary second half adjustments to get the ball moving on offense. They found a few wrinkles to exploit as Seattle dragged their way back into the game before the defense finished things off.

A week after we saw the very best of Luke Willson, today we saw the bad version. Two big drops and a sloppy route to miss out on a key fourth down conversion. He’s a classic tease — so much potential and still so inconsistent. Perhaps year three will be his year — ala Bruce Irvin?

Arizona’s defeat in San Francisco means ten consecutive opponents lost their next game after facing the Seahawks.

Seattle will face Detroit in the Divisional round if they win in Dallas next weekend. If the Cowboys are victorious, the Seahawks meet the winner of the Arizona/Carolina game. They cannot be paired with Green Bay or Dallas in the Divisional round.

The top picks in the draft have also been confirmed. Here’s the top-14:

#1 Tampa Bay
#2 Tennessee
#3 Jacksonville
#4 Oakland
#5 Washington
#6 New York Jets
#7 Chicago
#8 Atlanta
#9 New York Giants
#10 St. Louis
#11 Minnesota
#12 Cleveland
#13 New Orleans
#14 Miami

We could easily see Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston go in the top two — although teams will have to dig deep to get a read on Winston’s character. After that there could be a rush on the top defensive prospects.

Having secured a first round bye in the NFC, Seattle cannot pick any lower than #25 overall.