The Auburn Tigers had a wretched 2012 season, going 3-9 (wins vs LA-Monroe, New Mexico State and Alabama A&M) while being outscored 150-21 in their final three defeats. It was ugly.
It’s easy to forget they started the year with some close defeats — 26-19 against Clemson, 12-10 versus LSU. Within that not-too-horrendous start, Corey Lemonier made an impression. He stood out and was universally ranked among the top 2012 draft prospects. As Auburn’s season imploded, so did Lemonier’s stock. It was quite dramatic. Suddenly, nobody was talking about him any more. He had five sacks in his first four games, then 0.5 sacks in the final eight. I watched his team get taken apart by Georgia (38-0) and Alabama (49-0). Unsurprisingly, he was anonymous in both games.
When you’re getting your ass kicked by the best the SEC has to offer, you can’t expect a pure pass rusher to be churning out production.
I’ll admit that I got a little sidetracked. Like everyone else, I lost interest. This guy wasn’t getting it done. Where was the fire and brimstone from earlier in the season? With hindsight I needed to appreciate just how bad things had become at Auburn. They’d lost their heart, their hope. The atmosphere wasn’t ripe for a productive speed rusher. I started to think of him as a middle round prospect, as did many others. I think that was a mistake.
A good performance at the combine has helped to put his name back out there. He ran a 1.57 ten-yard split and a 4.60 forty (unofficially he was originally credited with a 4.53). This despite the fact he gained 10lbs for the combine to get up to 255lbs. None of it was fat or excess, he looked compact and muscular (see the image above). He had 27 reps on the bench press — only three less than Jesse Williams.
Pat Kirwan wrote a review of his time at the combine for CBS and quoted an unnamed defensive coordinator in the piece: “We’re all looking for the Bruce Irvin in this draft.”
Well, Corey Lemonier is the closest thing to Bruce Irvin this year.
Considering 2012 was so bad for Auburn in general, I wanted to go back to 2011 and get a look at Lemonier playing for a competitive outfit. He had 9.5 sacks that year. So I searched out the tape and realised just how effective he can be.
Here’s what I like about him. For an undersized player, it was refreshing to see how many snaps he took as a pure edge rusher. Bruce Irvin was used creatively by West Virginia but made most of his round one money on third downs. Lemonier might be a more natural LEO ‘starter’, in that he often engages blockers at the line of scrimmage and is able to set an edge against the run. He’s stronger than you think in the upper body despite his size — and I guess that’s emphasised by his bench press tally. You can be as explosive as you like as a speed rusher, but to start in a four man front you can’t afford to be hopeless against the run. My biggest concern with Irvin is whether he can cope in a role that asks him to do more than pin his ears back, which kind of limits his ability to be anything more than a specialist.
Chris Clemons isn’t an amazing run stopper, but he kind of holds his own. Irvin struggles to get off even a tight end to make a play against the run. Lemonier plays with great pad level, he can disengage and break on the ball. I love his hand use. The guy can play above his size. There are times when he puts his hands on a blocker and drives them into the backfield. I love to see that from a player who featured at just over 240lbs in college.
He also has that relentless motor you crave from an edge rusher, with a real edge to his play. He’s driven in the way Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo clearly aren’t at LSU. He’s got the speed to beat his man on the edge and I like the way he sets blockers up over time. Aside from a naturally quick burst off the snap, he also flashes a decent repertoire (spin move is evident, rip move is effective too). Quite often he turns a sack into a sack-fumble, something that’ll go down well in Seattle’s front office. He had five forced fumbles in 2011 alone.
I feel like history is repeating itself here. Hey, maybe Lemonier doesn’t go in round one? But Auburn’s implosion shouldn’t impact his stock too much. He could go in round one. Technically he’s up their with Bjoern Werner as one of the better edge rushers in this class. Unlike Dion Jordan and Ziggy Ansah, he’s shown a degree of technical quality and readiness. Unlike Damontre Moore and Tank Carradine, he doesn’t look cumbersome getting off the snap. There aren’t any long term injury concerns like we see with Jarvis Jones. And unlike Mingo and Montgomery, he doesn’t take whole games off.
It won’t just be the teams looking for the ‘next Bruce Irvin’ that consider Lemonier. The 3-4 teams could show interest in moving him to outside linebacker. He has to be an option for New Orleans to improve their impotent pass rush. Pittsburgh at #17 need another edge rusher. What about Minnesota at #23? People will ultimately say this is too early, or too reactionary to the combine. They also would’ve said the same about Bruce Irvin a year ago.
“We’re all looking for the Bruce Irvin in this draft.”
Hey, I’m not saying this will definitely happen. Lemonier didn’t run a 4.4 after all. The one team who definitely will be using the LEO pass rusher in 2013 is Jacksonville and they’re not likely to take him with the #2 pick. Seattle already has Irvin. And if the 3-4 teams don’t bite after all, he could still last into the second round. I think that’s his floor though — round two.
I wouldn’t rule him out at #25. Not at all. Pete Carroll will probably take the best pass rusher in round one, whether that’s a tackle or a LEO. I think they’d rather bring in an interior rusher than another LEO, unless they have really serious reservations over Chris Clemons. You’d have to be pretty convinced about a particular prospect to take back-to-back first round LEO’s. What if neither player can act as a full time rusher? You’ve drafted two undersized defensive ends who can’t start. Even so, they might feel that the best value at #25 is to grab another LEO. And that could put Lemonier on the radar if he’s still on the board.
Keep an eye on his stock over the next few weeks. He could be one to watch. The Auburn pro-day takes place on Tuesday.
One of my regrets is that I often find myself saving my best write-ups and ideas for posts on the Seahawks.net draft message board, while sometimes failing to transfer those thoughts over here at Seahawks Draft Blog. That was especially true last year for Russell Wilson. Some of my best works have been on message boards. I have put as much as 36 hours into a message board post on a few occasions, ranging as high as 3,000 to 5,000 words. How anyone reads them, I have no idea.
Well here I am, another year and I am doing it again. Some topics aren’t quite blog appropriate, but today I’m linking a couple of works over there that you might find worthwhile reads. Continue reading
John Schneider is familiar with Jenkins during their time in Green Bay and the Seahawks need the ‘Packers version’ of Cullen Jenkins. He has 21 sacks in the last four seasons, so Seattle’s interest is perfectly understandable.
He’s also 32. How much has he got left in the tank? Even on a one year deal, can he continue to be productive? The Seahawks don’t carry ineffective, past-their-best veterans. This is a young, vibrant roster and that’s likely to remain the case. Jenkins would have to be worth it.
This could be due diligence or there could be genuine intent to talk about a contract. It’s no surprise that the Giants, Niners and Seahawks are the three showing the early interest here. They’re all likely to target defensive line help in the draft, and none seem particularly likely to open the cheque book in free agency to address this need. With Henry Melton receiving the franchise tag and Randy Starks likely to follow, the interior defensive line options are dwindling.
I didn’t spend any time watching Jenkins in 2012, but he had an excellent 2011. He looked powerful, quick off the snap and he made a difference. He’s good enough against the run to anchor but he also has a playmaking streak in him. He’s developed a lot of veteran moves and counter’s during his career. This is what Seattle needs.
The only question is, will Jenkins still be up to the task in his 9th season as a pro?
Barkevious Mingo is still confusing
Last night was pretty eventful. I dropped boiling water all over myself which led to a night in serious pain without any sleep. Before that delightful experience, I watched a couple more LSU games to try and ‘get’ Barkevious Mingo. I’d watched five last week and came away so completely and utterly underwhelmed I dropped him out of my first round projection. Then at the combine, he showed enough athletic quality to make me re-consider and put him at #15 to New Orleans.
There are plenty of teams in the NFL looking for pass rushers. I guess that search never ends, really. There are teams transitioning to the 3-4 who could use a skilled outside linebacker. But more than anything, there are also teams looking to mimic the Seahawks. Pete Carroll has created an ‘en vogue’ team. Seattle is flavour of the month, the trendy outfit. Young, fast, skilled and aggressive. Who doesn’t want that?
There will be GM’s out there looking at the moves made by Pete Carroll and John Schneider and they’ll want a piece of that. Bruce Irvin — a much maligned pick 12 months ago — is now considered a great success because he led all rookies for sacks. The truth is, Irvin was the least effective of the three early picks last year. But the NFL loves production and eight sacks is considered a positive in season one.
Mingo doesn’t have the same blazing 4.4 speed or 1.53 ten-yard split, but he’s the player who most closely resembles Irvin in this draft. So while 3-4 teams might be coveting him for a switch to linebacker, 4-3 teams might consider using him as a LEO.
If there’s enough demand for pass rushers this year (remember, Irvin was the first to leave the board twelve months ago at #15), then he could go early. Much will depend on the stock of guys like Bjoern Werner and Damontre Moore. Could he fall? Absolutely. The 2012 tape is not very good for Mingo. He hasn’t got close to the level of production Irvin managed at West Virginia, even though he acted mainly as a third-down specialist. At LSU Mingo had the benefit of Sam Montgomery, Michael Brockes and Bennie Logan, not to mention some of the best secondary talent in college football. He had 4.5 sacks in 2012, one of which came against Towson University.
When speaking to John Clayton recently, Pete Carroll stated he wants another LEO. That might be to cover the possibility of Chris Clemons never quite being the same post-ACL surgery. The Seahawks need to plan for the future anyway with Clemons approaching his 32nd birthday in October.
If the top rated defensive lineman at #25 is a LEO, I think they take him. I think they’ll look at any player with that first pick and try to find the best pass rusher. Could be an end, could be a tackle. If Mingo was there at #25, would they pull the trigger? Is a pass-rushing double threat of Irvin and Mingo too good to turn down? After all, nobody is doubting his physical talent and speed. He’s got the kind of length they look for. It’s just the attitude, the motor, the application. Is he a relentless guy who thrives on impacting games? Or is he doing what team mate Sam Montgomery admitted at the combine — picking his moments, taking weekend’s off? To fall to #25 there’d have to be some issues, even considering his measly 4.5 sacks this past year.
I could imagine a scenario where Mingo’s off the board at #6 to Cleveland or #9 to the New York Jets. Keeping him in Louisiana also makes sense for New Orleans. But I could just as easily see him dropping a bit, especially if Werner holds position and other players like Dion Jordan and Ziggy Ansah go early.
So, would you take him at #25 if he’s there?
Snap judgement? More tape on Cornelius Washington
We published tape of combine warrior Cornelius Washington earlier in the week. Many people were pretty underwhelmed by what they saw in the game versus Buffalo. So it’s only fair we put a couple more video’s on here for a more rounded debate. See what you think.
Further thoughts on Datone Jones
Who is this guy? That’s the question I keep coming back to. In fact, it’s more like two questions.
– Just how explosive is he? He isn’t running a 4.64 like Cam Jordan. He’s running a time comparable to J.J. Watt but at 10lbs lighter. You put his times and measurable’s together and there are similarities to Lawrence Jackson. So are we talking about a difference making, explosive defensive lineman or not?
– What position will he play at the next level? He lined up everywhere for UCLA – nose tackle, three-technique, defensive end. That can be a positive or a negative. On the one hand, you can put him in all kinds of confusing looks — get him rushing from a variety of angles and gaps. At the same time, he might always be a ‘tweener’ without a defined role.
For the first question, I went back to my notes during our live blog for the combine. It’s very easy to look at a list of numbers and get caught up. Tape, tape, tape. That’s how to do this. Whether it’s a work out in shorts or watching a game. Trust your eyes. And I asked myself this week — why am I still doubting this guy’s athleticism? This is what I wrote about Jones when watching the drills:
“Datone Jones is a superb athlete.”
In the video below you’ll find the defensive lineman vs offensive lineman drills from the Senior Bowl. I’d recommend watching the first 3:50, even if you can’t watch the full 46+ minutes. At 3:18 Jones makes his first appearance. And he destroys the interior lineman. The reason I’d recommend watching the first 3:50 is simply to see how things suddenly kick into life when Jones turns it on. Prior to that play you see John Simon get absolutely stoned, Brandon Williams get floored, Alex Okafor struggle a little bit with bog-standard blocker Ricky Wagner. Eric Fisher dominates his guy. Then there’s Datone Jones.
Mike Mayock is commentating from the booth and it’s like someone just injected him with a shot of caffeine. You can picture his eyes lighting up as soon as Jones flies into the backfield. “Boy was that a quick, explosive move there. Wooof, I like that. Let’s see it again here.”
On the next play, he does beat his guy again. Pure athleticism. And yes, he looks like a difference maker.
I’m at the point now where I really don’t care what forty time he runs, or whether his vertical jump and bench press compare favourably to Lawrence Jackson. They are just numbers. When I watch the tape, his athleticism stands out. And I get the impression in a few years time we may well be comparing other 275-285lbs defensive lineman to Datone Jones when it comes to combine performances.
Over the last two nights I’ve gone over seven UCLA games to revise my position on this guy. I made the decision to place him at #25 last week based on how he might fit as a Jason Jones replacement in Seattle. He could still fit into that role. However, can he be more than that?
The question over whether he’s a tweener will be a legitimate one for a lot of teams. If you’re running an orthodox 4-3 you’ll need to decide whether he’s stout enough to play inside permanently or whether he’s a power end. A 3-4 team will need to know if he fits at the five-technique, or if he can be that same roaming pass rusher that J.J. Watt is in Houston’s scheme.
Some might just say, “too many question marks.” The thing is, I doubt the Seahawks will be one of those teams.
Pete Carroll and John Schneider appear to be spending less time on what a guy can’t do. Of course, you never ignore a player’s limitations. You just don’t want to be consumed by them. So while we can sit here and argue Jones is maybe a shade small to feature as a permanent three-technique, or a bit too big to play the LEO, Carroll and Schneider might be debating what he can do for this team. What he can be is a possible upgrade for Jason Jones in an underrated role for the Seahawks.
He had 19 tackles for a loss in 14 games this season. He’s strong enough at the point to push his blocker into the backfield — something we recently highlighted as a key need for Bill Walsh defensive tackles. He also has a good enough first step, repertoire of moves (swim, spin, club, rip) and explosion to shoot a gap and make his presence known.
One of my big issues is execution. Given how often Jones has success in 1v1 battles, he should be even more productive. I’m a little surprised watching the tape that he only manufactured 6.5 sacks in 2012. Yet it’s not all about pure sacks. We should know that from the Walsh article. Being able to impact plays by your very presence is good enough for an interior rusher. And Jones appears to impact his fair share of plays, even if he doesn’t always finish.
The Seahawks really benefited from using Jason Jones at an interior starting point while getting Bruce Irvin to stunt around and come at the offensive line from a different angle. As well as Greg Scruggs played in relief of Jones, I’m not sure this tactic was quite as effective in the second half of the season. It’s perhaps no coincidence that Irvin’s production fell of a cliff as a consequence. So it was pleasing to see UCLA running similar stunts with their edge rushers while Datone Jones worked inside.
Jones has some pretty good tape (see: Washington State) but he also has some pretty average tape (see: Nebraska). There are occasions where he just absorbs blocks and doesn’t have any influence on the play. There are times where he’s not blocked and given a free road into the backfield, but he makes a bad read — pursuing a running back on a QB-keeper or failing to detect a draw play. He’s not a brilliant run stopper working inside, although upon further review I’m less concerned about using him inside as a conventional three-technique. I also think he gets tired in games and despite being athletic enough to shift around at 280lbs like he does, he could maybe use some pro-conditioning to max-out his potential for sixty minutes. He tired a bit at the combine too.
When Seattle drafted Lawrence Jackson in 2008, it was seen as a copy-cat move to mimic Justin Tuck’s role in the Super Bowl winning Giants team. Of course, it never worked out. Jackson was a pure effort and hussle guy, not the kind of versatile, roaming athlete that Tuck’s been in New York. Jones is bigger than both Jackson and Tuck, but he appears primed to take on a role that puts him in different positions. That probably puts him on New York’s radar. He should be on Dallas’ too as they move to the 4-3.
If Jones ends up being a top-20 pick, it could push two or three other defensive lineman down the board — which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing for Seattle. If he is available, there’s a pretty good chance he’ll be on Schneider and Carroll’s radar. And even if they feel he isn’t an orthodox three-technique or end, don’t rule out this team drafting a specialist rusher in the first round. They want to play stout on early downs then create turnover opportunities in third and long by bringing the pressure and putting athletes in coverage. The Jason Jones role might be specialist, but it could also be crucial for this defense. Jones is the most likely candidate to fill that position in round one. If he’s available.
Here’s all the Datone Jones tape… this will keep you busy for a while…
Could Sheldon Richardson fall into range for Seattle to trade up?
When I was asked by Kenneth Arthur and Jacson Bevens who I thought Seattle should take if they had their choice of any player in the draft, it was an easy question to answer.
Sheldon Richardson.
Seattle’s defensive scheme is pretty creative. For the last two years they’ve used size up front in base while utilising a specialist LEO rusher. In nickel and passing situations, they’ve been pretty attack-minded. Bruce Irvin and Jason Jones were brought in for the ‘money downs’. And while I accept that Irvin has been talked up as a prospective full-time LEO, he made his money at West Virginia as a third down specialist. And I have no real issue if that’s all he ends up being in Seattle.
I don’t expect the Seahawks to make any great changes to this plan, which is why I projected Datone Jones to Seattle at #25 this week. Whether they use a first round pick on a nickel three-technique remains to be seen. But I think they’ll draft one, as Jason Jones re-signing seems unlikely. And we’ll see the specialists in for those obvious passing situations. We may also see a continuation of size at the one, three and five technique.
I still think it’d be great to get a defensive tackle who offers the pass rushing quality of a so-called ‘specialist’, but also has the ability to feature on early downs. Someone who can double up with the LEO and cause real problems on early downs. After all, the issues with the pass rush were not limited to simply third downs. In terms of a pure three-technique, Sheldon Richardson would be the ideal choice.
He’d represent a considerable downgrade in size from Alan Branch, but Richardson’s still incredibly strong at the point of attack. I thought for the most part Georgia’s John Jenkins struggled against Alabama’s offensive line in the SEC Championship. In the second half, Barrett Jones and D.J. Fluker dominated Jenkins and the rest of the Bulldog’s D-line. Missouri on the whole didn’t fair much better against the Crimson Tide earlier in the season, but Richardson as an individual gave Alabama headache’s throughout.
If the Seahawks are going to start a 6-2, 290lbs defensive tackle (in other words, an orthodox three-technique) I think he has to be stout against the run. The NFC West is different these days. St. Louis and San Francisco make up one quarter of Seattle’s schedule every year. And both of those teams are going to try and beat you with the run. For all the hype around Colin Kaepernick and the investment in Sam Bradford, Jim Harbaugh and Jeff Fisher will put a team on the field that wants to ram the ball down your throat. Seattle knows that.
It doesn’t mean you have to overreact and worry too much about what they’re going to do, but you have to be able to match-up at the same time. In using size and specialists I think the Seahawks are trying to get the benefits of both attack and defense. Pro-active and reactive. They can play stout on early downs to limit the run and capitalise in favourable down/distance situations later on.
Richardson isn’t going to anchor the run, but he’ll not be a liability either. He needs to be more disciplined and learn proper gap control. Yet he also plays with great leverage and 30 reps on the bench press was equal to Jesse Williams — so he has good upper body strength.
The fact that he’s capable against the run just makes his pass rush quality all the more exciting. He’s incredibly mobile and quick on his feet, has a great burst, he’s able to drive blockers back into the pocket but also show that great first step to beat a man with speed. He’s sparky — getting into a lineman or quarterbacks head (just like all great three-technique’s do). The motor never stops running, as witnessed by his willingness to chase to the sideline on the off-chance he might be able to make a decisive tackle. When he finds room to get into the backfield, he runs up the gears and finishes. While the sack numbers for 2012 weren’t great, he’s got as much potential as anyone to be another Geno Atkins (middling college production, superb as a pro).
The Cowboys would undoubtedly love to get Richardson. Monte Kiffin tried in vain to get him to commit to USC during his time in the JUCO ranks. He stuck with Missouri, who’d originally sent him to California to improve his grades so he could feature for the Tigers. It’s unlikely anybody in the NFL has a better insight into Richardson than Kiffin.
I found him to be an engaging character during his interview with the NFL Network in Indianapolis. His personality seems confident without pushing it. Scouts Inc, in their 2012 report of Richardson, stated: “Mental capacity and maturity level are being closely investigated by NFL scouts.” There may be a few skeleton’s we don’t know about and I don’t even want to begin to speculate. It could also just be an overreaction, given he had to go and play in the JUCO ranks. After all, he’s a three-technique, not a quarterback.
Going back to Jeremiah’s mock where Richardson falls to #18 — if he starts to drop, what would it take to move up?
I’m fairly confident we won’t see any blockbuster trades where the Seahawks move into the top ten. To get up from #25 you’re looking at two first round picks and a mid-round pick as minimum compensation. That’s not a deal I think this team will be particularly interested in. In Jeremiah’s mock the Seahawks wouldn’t have to move up that far.
The old draft chart is fairly redundant in the new CBA, as witnessed by the sheer number of first round trades last year. Picks 2-7 all changed hands with no obvious rhyme or reason. The biggest jump saw Dallas move up eight spots from #14 to #6 to select Morris Claiborne. The deal cost the Cowboys their second round pick (#45 overall). According to the old chart, the Cowboys overpaid by 150 points.
Seattle would also need to move up eight spots to get ahead of Dallas. The Pittsburgh Steelers are a viable trade partner, considering they don’t meet the Seahawks again for a while and play in separate conferences. Would a straight up deal for Seattle’s second round pick (#56 overall) get it done? Would the Seahawks be willing to make that kind of move? In a deep draft, it’d be tough to part with a late second rounder. Yet the prize of landing Richardson could help solve the teams greatest remaining need.
On the old trade chart, the #25 pick would’ve been worth 720 points, with the #17 pick worth 950. Seattle’s #56 pick is valued at 340 points. Technically, the Cowboys would be getting a great deal. Combining Seattle’s third and fourth round pick creates 209 points, making it a better deal for the Seahawks. Given the teams success in rounds three and four so far — again — it’d be a tight call.
But as we touched on, the chart isn’t that accurate any more and teams appear to be prepared to look at a deal on face value and make a judgement call. How else do you determine Tampa Bay being able to move from #36 to #31 last year for basically swapping fourth rounders with Denver? According to the chart, that trade was worth a third or fourth round pick straight up. The Buccs got a steal (even more so considering that pick turned into Doug Martin).
If the Steelers want to accumulate picks and are looking to move down anyway (perhaps eyeing a particular player), they might be willing to take a deal worth a single third rounder. Moving from #25 to #17 to get Sheldon Richardson for a third rounder would, in my opinion, be a fantastic trade. What it basically comes down to is your opinion of Richardson versus whoever else is likely to be available at #25. Would you be willing to give up a second, third or fourth round pick to move up?
Of course it’s all fantasy football at the moment. Projecting trades in the draft is like trying to guess the lottery numbers (well, nearly). There are too many factors that have to align for these things to come off. However, for anyone hoping there’s a chance Sheldon Richardson lands in Seattle in April — they’ll need to start considering what it’ll take to move up. Because there’s hardly any chance he lasts until #25.
Colby Cameron could be one to watch in the late rounds of UDFA
The best thing about the combine for me is discovering players you haven’t focused on. You see a guy run a great forty, make the most of his chance to shine in the drills and then you go and dig out the tape. I remember a year ago seeing a ripped Robert Turbin running well in Indianapolis, finding a couple of videos immediately and being impressed enough to believe he could be a third round pick for this team. Low and behold, he ended up in Seattle (albeit in round four).
It’s not always positive though. Take Georgia’s Cornelius Washington. He ran a 4.55 at 6-4 and 255lbs. He had 36 reps on the bench press and a 39-inch vertical jump. Basically, that’s first round athleticism. So why did he only have 0.5 sacks in 2012? You watch the first video below and realise why. Never has the term ‘looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane’ been more appropriate. Sure, the game against Buffalo is only one performance. Yet that’s the game where he recorded his solitary half-sack for the season. It’s hard to justify even a 7th round grade on that evidence, even with the upside.
In other cases there won’t be a negative outcome. Over the next 7-10 days I’m going to be studying the following prospects. I wanted to put out a video of each to get us started today. Take a look for yourself and let us know what you think.
Cornelius Washington (DE, Georgia) vs Buffalo
He made headlines at the combine with a superb show of speed, power and athleticism. I’m sure I wasn’t the only person saying, “Cornelius Washington? Isn’t that the guy from Georgia?” Nobody really expected to see what happened in Indianapolis and given his ideal size and speed combination, he appeared to be a brilliant LEO. Yet you watch the tape below and think… when’s he going to start trying? It’s incredibly disappointing.
Sio Moore (LB, Connecticut) vs Rutgers
With 7.5 sacks last season and a further 6.5 the previous year, it’s hard to ignore Sio Moore. The Seahawks need to find multiple ways to improve their pass rush and a naturally attacking WILL linebacker would be of some benefit. He’s not the fastest (ran a 4.65) but he is big, strong and athletic.
Mark Harrison (WR, Rutgers) vs three opponents
I don’t really know how I missed this guy. The presence of Brandon Coleman in the Rutgers line-up is pretty distracting, but Harrison also has a lot of attractive qualities. He’s a big target at 6-3 and 231lbs with 4.46 speed. My assumption when watching this video for the first time yesterday was he probably won’t have good hands or much playmaking ability. I was wrong. This guy is one to keep an eye on.
Jon Bostic (LB, Florida) vs Vanderbilt
I spent no time on Bostic during the season, mainly due to his position as a roaming middle linebacker. Yet as soon as he ran an unofficial 4.50 I felt obliged to add him to my list of targets. He was later downgraded to an official 4.61, but I’m going to recycle all the Florida tape I have and keep an eye on him.
Chris Gragg (TE, Arkansas) vs Ole Miss
I liked Gragg going into 2012 and thought he could have a bit of a break-out season. Then Arkansas decided to have a year off from taking football seriously and everybody paid the price as a consequence. He was raw in 2011 and even looked a little awkward at times. When you run a 4.50 at 6-3 and 244lbs however, you want to go back and check out the tape. So hear it is…
Sanders Commings (CB, Georgia) vs Alabama
When I watched the SEC title game, Commings stuck out like a sore thumb. He looked the part. Big and physical yet quick enough to shadow Alabama’s talented receivers. It was a superb display. As with all corners who weigh around 216lbs though, you worry about speed. Then he runs a 4.41. At just a shade under 6-0, he doesn’t have the natural length this team has looked for at the position. Yet Commings is intriguing as a mid-round option and could even convert to safety.
Trevardo Williams (DE, Connecticut) vs NC State
He lacks the height and length you’d prefer at the LEO (only 6-1) but it’s hard to ignore 4.57 speed at 241lbs. I’ve not spent any time studying Williams although I have a couple of Connecticut games to get through. One is a two-sack performance against NC State that you’ll find below. He’s Jamaican-born with a sprinters background.
Colby Cameron (QB, Louisiana Tech) vs Texas A&M
This is the guy who broke Russell Wilson’s NCAA record of 379 consecutive pass attempts without an interception. The Seahawks love mobile quarterbacks who can move the ball around the field and don’t turn it over. There’s a little Kirk Cousins to Cameron’s game and he had a prolific final season in college with 31 touchdowns and just five interceptions. No tape is available yet but he was throwing the ball nicely in Indianapolis. I’ve included a Quinton Patton video instead to get a glimpse of what he has to offer.
Zaviar Gooden (LB, Missouri) vs Syracuse
I’ve been meaning to watch Gooden for some time, but since his combine performance I’m even more determined to do so. He’ll probably be the first player I really study. With 4.47 speed he automatically screams ‘Seahawks’ and he’d make a natural fit at the WILL. He had 27 reps on the bench press too so he’s strong enough to take on blockers. Gooden’s stock is rising.
Matt Scott (QB, Arizona) vs Stanford
One of Kip’s favourite guys. Another big, athletic quarterback who might be able to come in on the cheap and backup Russell Wilson. He seems to have possible trade-value down the line too. Since his man-crush on Russell Wilson, if Kip likes a quarterback I’m going to make sure I take a closer look.
Corey Fuller (WR, Virginia Tech) vs North Carolina
Both Fuller and Virginia Tech team mate Marcus Davis impressed at the combine. There’s currently no tape for Davis available although I have two Virginia Tech games stashed to go back and look at. Fuller ran a 4.43 and while he doesn’t have amazing size at 6-2 and 204lbs, he’s a player I’ll be trying to learn more about.
Kerwynn Williams (RB, Utah State) vs Louisiana Tech
Seattle had some success with Utah State guys last year, why not go back to the well? Kerywnn Williams is small (5-8, 195lbs) but he has 4.48 speed and could end up being a kick return specialist with special teams upside. Leon Washington won’t keep going forever, after all.
This is without doubt the most fascinating, infuriating, unpredictable draft in a long time. If I was trying to palm this off as a proper prediction, it’d be a waste of time. The only people with any clue about how this might shake out are working in NFL war rooms. The rest of us are throwing darts blindfolded. You could argue that’s the case every year with mock drafts. This year though, it’s especially true.
There was a pretty substantial bombshell today with the news San Francisco would trade Alex Smith to the Kansas City Chiefs for the #34 overall pick plus change. So apparently the going rate for a guy who turns 29 in May and loves a checkdown is a borderline first rounder. Incredible. Andy Reid clearly feels he needs to hit the ground running (which he kinds of does) and doesn’t want to put his faith in a rookie. I can see the logic behind the trade. I just don’t get the price tag. It’s not like the 49ers would’ve been in any great rush to keep a backup quarterback earning nearly $10m for the next two seasons. The word ‘fleeced’ comes to mind.
Nevertheless, the deal will be finalised on March 12th. It likely rules out any shot of a quarterback going #1 overall and increases the chances of a left tackle being the pick instead.
So what are the big changes to the mock post combine?
Dion Jordan, Dee Milliner and Ziggy Ansah cemented their places in the top ten. Bjoern Werner and Damontre Moore are seemingly going the other way. Tavon Austin booked his place in the first round. Apart from that, the one big change is that everything became even murkier and unpredictable than it was before. The first couple of rounds are going to be pure entertainment. Shocks, gasps, surprises. Right from the top of round one.
Seahawks?
When I say the draft is fascinating, infuriating and unpredictable, it’s mainly down to the weekly confusion the #25 pick generates. I’m pretty comfortable thinking the Seahawks will draft a defensive lineman. It’s been spelt out to us anyway. And every single week I sit down to do a mock and can’t place a guy with this team. Nobody obvious jumps out. It’s very irritating. And it’s why I’ve looked at players like Khaseem Greene and Zach Ertz in the past, despite the big need for a pass rusher.
I went back and listened to Pete Carroll’s interview with John Clayton this week and one quote stood out… “We worked with Jason Jones last year and he got banged up a little bit. But that’s the right kind of move. We’ve got to find a guy in the draft here that can help us. We’d love to get a young guy, you know, we would really like to find the guy in the draft if it’s possible.”
When Carroll and John Schneider speak about the draft, they often say a lot without saying much at all. After the event you go back and have that moment of realisation. “Oh! That’s what they meant!” You think you’re getting a clue, only to interpret it a fraction incorrectly. Even so, we’ve got two months to go. We need to at least have a go at working this thing out.
I translate the above quote as an admittance that the ‘scheme’ and way of doing things is not considered a problem. That would mean they like the size up front in base while relying on the LEO to create pressure. They may well be a little more aggressive with Dan Quinn back on board, but I suspect that might just mean more creative looks from the same formations. “We worked with Jason Jones last year and he got banged up a little bit. But that’s the right kind of move” — that to me suggests that they’ll also continue to utilise more aggressive pass rush fronts on third, nickel and obvious passing downs. Maybe they like the idea of a specialist ‘three technique’ — it’s just that Jones’ injury issues prevented them from feeling the full benefit of his presence?
If they truly believe in that role and almost see it as an interior-Bruce Irvin, then maybe they would be open to spending the #25 pick there? After all, if that’s the big issue — better pass rush on key downs — why wouldn’t they?
Carroll also admitted in his interview with Clayton that he wanted another LEO and another defensive tackle, but it was the “that’s the right kind of move” reference to the Jason Jones position which really made me sit up and take notice. I could be a mile off here. They could have a third or fourth round guy earmarked for that role. It could even be a prospect like Margus Hunt. And they might just go after someone like Sylvester Williams or the best defensive end left at #25. Who knows?
Yet clearly they were optimistic about the inclusion of a specialist interior pass rusher last year even if it didn’t live up to expectations. If they intend to re-sign Alan Branch — not unlikely — then a move like that makes sense. So I gave in and put UCLA’s Datone Jones at #25. I’m honestly not just copying every projection by Derek Stephens — as I believe he was among the first to pair Jones with Seattle (and Khaseem Greene previously). Frankly, I’m not crazy about the pick. But Jones could, theoretically, replace his namesake. And I’m not here to choose my favourite players, but to discuss what the Seahawks might do once a week.
I tried to find physical comparisons for Datone Jones to see if I can feel a little better about this projection. He’s 283lbs and ran a 4.80 with an unofficial 1.63 ten-yard split. He benched 29 reps of 225lbs and a 31.5 inch vertical jumps. J.J. Watt — who only recorded six sacks like Jones in his final year in college — had a 4.81 forty at 290lbs with a 1.64 ten-yard split. Watt had 34 reps on the bench press but a 37 inch (!!!) vertical. Watt’s 20-yard shuttle (4.21) was also superior to Jones’ (4.32). So there are some similarities there. That’s the good news.
Here’s the bad news.
2008 combine. 6-4, 271lbs. 4.82 forty yard dash with a 1.60 ten-yard split. A 34-inch vertical jump and 31 reps on the bench press. The player in question? Lawrence Jackson. So there are similarities there too.
I suppose what I’m trying to argue here is Jones isn’t an insane athlete. The question is whether he can be effective to even 40-50% of the level of J.J. Watt, or is he just another Lawrence Jackson coming out of California? He might be somewhere in the middle, which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. Yet if they do place quite a high level of importance on that niche three-technique role, Jones is probably the most likely fit. And he can still feature off the edge or even as a starter at the three if needed. Perhaps by being more aggressive, they’ll look to use a swing pass rusher, lining up all over the place?
Either way the object of these mocks is to look at different scenarios. This is one we haven’t projected yet. And I’m still dreaming there’s a way to get at Sheldon Richardson. It’d be costly, though. I need to get over that already.
In round two I’ve added a guy who can provide some edge rush depth and a player both Kip and I are big fans of — Ohio State’s John Simon. Again, this pick probably relies on Branch being re-signed (or another big tackle). There are worse suggestions out there than adding Jones and Simon to the pass rush.
I’m currently going through prospects who stood out at the combine who didn’t get much attention pre-Indianapolis. One of the guy I’ve got Seattle taking in round four this week is a good example. He’s 6-3, 231lbs and runs a 4.31. As you’ll see in the tape at the top of this article, he can play a bit too. I’ve also put some Cornelius Washington tape at the bottom of the piece, as a lot of people wanted to see what he looked like at Georgia. Big thank you to JMPasq for putting it together for us.
First round
#1 Luke Joeckel (T, Texas A&M)
Alex Smith. Ok. I still think Joeckel will stave off a challenge from Eric Fisher to be the best left tackle available.
#2 Sharrif Floyd (DT, Florida)
Floyd has a ton of upside. He could play the one or three technique in Gus Bradley’s scheme.
#3 Geno Smith (QB, West Virginia)
They seem ready to move on from Carson Palmer. That regime needs to put down some roots.
#4 Dion Jordan (DE, Oregon)
Limitless potential. The next great young pass rusher? He could be.
#5 Dee Milliner (CB, Alabama)
Officially, now the complete cornerback prospect.
#6 Ziggy Ansah (DE, BYU)
He shined at the combine and would be an asset as Cleveland adjusts to the 3-4.
#7 Matt Barkley (QB, USC)
After the fiasco of 2012, don’t expect Arizona to do anything but draft a quarterback here.
#8 Kenny Vaccaro (S, Texas)
Would they trade up for one of the top two quarterbacks? Probably.
#9 Star Lotulelei (DT, Utah)
I suspect we’ll discover in the next few weeks that Lotulelei will be able to continue his career as planned. Let’s hope so.
#11 Eric Fisher (T, Central Michigan)
He could go earlier especially if Arizona doesn’t take a quarterback in round one.
#12 Lane Johnson (T, Oklahoma)
He has so much potential, the Dolphins might have to consider this if he falls to #12.
#13 Desmond Trufant (CB, Washington)
The Buccs could be aggressive to fill this need.
#14 Xavier Rhodes (CB, Florida State)
Running a 4.4 at his size will get teams very excited.
#15 Barkevious Mingo (DE, LSU)
Tremendous athlete but the 2012 tape is pretty mediocre.
#16 Tavon Austin (WR, West Virginia)
They want weapons on offense. Here’s a weapon.
#17 Chance Warmack (G, Alabama)
David DeCastro and Chance Warmack is a pretty good guard combo.
#18 Bjoern Werner (DE, Florida State)
Werner’s fall ends here and this would be a good fit in Dallas’ new 4-3 defense.
#19 Alec Ogletree (LB, Georgia)
Some team will convince themselves over this.
#20 Jonathan Cooper (G, North Carolina)
Assuming they get a tackle in free agency, this is step two in improving the offensive line.
#21 D.J. Fluker (T, Alabama)
I’m not a fan personally, but then I was never really a fan of Andre Smith either.
#22 Eddie Lacy (RB, Alabama)
If they’re losing Steven Jackson, then they’ll need a big, physical runner to win in the NFC West.
#23 Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee)
His work out at the combine summed it up – loads of upside, but equally so frustrating.
#24 Travis Frederick (G, Wisconsin)
More than anything they need to bolster the offensive line.
#25 Datone Jones (DE, UCLA)
He could be a pimped up Jason Jones. Maybe that’s what they’re looking for?
#26 Zach Ertz (TE, Stanford)
Donald Driver’s retired, Jermichael Finley might be cut. They could go for a pass catcher here.
#27 Manti Te’o (LB, Notre Dame)
Someone will take a shot in round one.
#28 Matt Elam (S, Florida)
He did well enough at the combine to warrant a place in round one.
#29 Khaseem Greene (LB, Rutgers)
Just a terrific football player.
#30 Gavin Escobar (TE, San Diego State)
Even if Tony Gonzalez returns, it’s time to start planning ahead.
#31 Johnathan Hankins (DT, Ohio State)
More size up front for the Niners.
#32 Kevin Minter (LB, LSU)
Tough shoes to fill, but the Ravens often look for value in round one.
Second round
#33 Jacksonville – Jesse Williams (DT, Alabama)
#34 Kansas City – Jonathan Cyprien (S, Florida International)
#35 Philadelphia – John Jenkins (DT, Georgia)
#36 Detroit – Jarvis Jones (DE, Georgia)
#37 Cincinnati – DeAndre Hopkins (WR, Clemson)
#38 Arizona – Menelik Watson (T, Florida State)
#39 New York Jets – Keenan Allen (WR, California)
#40 Tennessee – Blidi Wreh-Wilson (CB, Connecticut)
#41 Buffalo – Mike Glennon (QB, NC State)
#42 Miami – Damontre Moore (DE, Texas A&M)
#43 Tampa Bay – Sylvester Williams (DT, North Carolina)
#44 Carolina – Kawann Short (DT, Purdue)
#45 San Diego – Justin Hunter (WR, Tennessee)
#46 St. Louis – Larry Warford (G, Kentucky)
#47 Dallas – Shawn Williams (S, Georgia)
#48 Pittsburgh – Markus Wheaton (WR, Oregon State)
#49 New York Giants – Alex Okfaor (DE, Texas)
#50 Chicago – Tyler Eifert (TE, Notre Dame)
#51 Washington – Phillip Thomas (S, Fresno State)
#52 Minnesota – Corey Lemonier (DE, Auburn)
#53 Cincinnati – Arthur Brown (LB, Kansas State)
#54 Miami – Ryan Swope (WR, Texas A&M)
#55 Green Bay – Giovanni Bernard (RB, North Carolina)
#56 Seattle – John Simon (DE, Ohio State)
#57 Houston – Jordan Reed (TE, Florida)
#58 Denver – Johnthan Banks (CB, Mississippi State)
#59 New England – Dallas Thomas (G, Tennessee)
#60 Atlanta – Tank Carradine (DE, Florida State)
#61 San Francisco – Brandon Williams (Southern Missouri)
#62 Baltimore – Terron Armstead (T, Arkansas Pine-Bluff)
Projected Seahawks third round pick: Zaviar Gooden (LB, Missouri)
Projected Seahawks fourth round picks: Mark Harrison (WR, Rutgers), Sanders Commings (CB, Georgia)
Cornelius Washington (DE, Georgia) could also be a mid-to-late round option. Here’s his tape vs Buffalo from 2012, he is wearing #83 (courtesy of the man — JMPasq):
Last year we knew that Seattle needed a quarterback. Insider whispers as well as vague comments from our coach and GM implied this quarterback search would not be early. I still remember John Schneider saying there was one great quarterback “that nobody was talking about.” Intrigued, I began a writeup series studying the late round quarterbacks to see what was out there, and if possible, find out if this mythical quarterback really existed.
None of my non-internet friends are Seahawks fans. I have a friend who is a Packers fan, and I have a friend who is a Broncos fan, and neither spend much time following the NFL Draft. If I ever want to talk Seahawks without typing, it means talking my family members ears off, mostly my brother. Which I’m sure they appreciate, for the first 30 seconds or so. Maybe.
One day, I mentioned to my father that I was looking into late round quarterbacks, and mentioned to him the existence of “the one” whom our GM cryptically spoke of. Instantly, he mentioned Russell Wilson. “Insisted” might be a better word. “You have to see him. I think he’s the real deal.”
I had faintly heard of the name, only to remember how Rob had dismissed it. I trust Rob’s judgement, and combated my dad’s enthusiasm. My dad is about as great a football savant as any dad is. He ain’t Bill Belichick. Although to his credit, he did predict Giants over Patriots before that same season. So he might have ESP. Can’t rule that out.
I am not ashamed to admit, I had never watched Russell Wilson before that point. I don’t follow college football so much as follow the prospects, and Wilson had never been on any prospect watch lists. In retrospect, I think that blank slate played to my advantage, because I broke down his tape without preconception. It took less than one drive before my enthusiasm for Wilson exceeded his.
I mentioned Wilson a few times here and there on the blog. I promised to write a special article on him but never got around to it. However, on the draft board section of the Seahawks.net message boards, I was singing Wilson’s praises, and at one time was even caught with my pants down when Brandon Adams (of 17power) posted a Russell Wilson love letter I sent him in the fieldgulls comments. I defended Wilson there, I told everyone who would listen at Seahawks.net that he was the guy. I told them that his height wouldn’t hurt him because of the release point, the line he was playing behind, the skill he showed with throwing lanes, his spontaneous genius and his incredible feel for the game. I even went so far as to say that he was “the Tom Brady you could see coming” at Mockingthedraft.
But I was more cautious with sharing that sentiment here, outside of ranking him #3 on my quarterback rankings ahead of Ryan Tannehill, and espousing my love for the pick right after it happened. I really wish I had gushed more, and sooner. It is my greatest regret of the 2012 draft season.
When the 2012 draft finally came, it was a pretty interesting experience. Watching day one of the draft among a hundred or so Seahawks fans and a couple of radio talk show personalities, I told everyone within earshot of me that they’d love the Bruce Irvin pick, even if I wasn’t sure of the value at the time. I never thought he’d be a first rounder, but Irvin was one of just two players I badly wanted to see Seattle walk out of the draft with. When I wrote my draft reaction that night on this blog, I mentioned that the other player I felt we had to have was Russell Wilson. I even joked that it would be something if Seattle took Wilson with their next pick in the second round.
I didn’t really expect Wilson to be picked at #75. I thought they might try for him in the 4th. Funny enough, my brother had to work that next day and I ended up watching day two with my dad, the very same person that tuned me into Wilson in the first place. I truly believed that Wilson was the next great quarterback, but even worse, he was there for the taking. That third round was agonizing. Would somebody take him before the Seahawks? When that Marine spoke the word “Russell” we were already on our feet screaming and high fiving. It was an unbelievable, almost spiritual experience. I guess it was a nice father-son moment too, something I will always remember.
We weren’t the only ones celebrating. John Schneider and Pete Carroll, who were on camera during the draft, seemed quite enthused after the pick themselves. Pete Carroll held a press conference, during which he compared Russell Wilson to Fran Tarkenton, even saying that he had spoken with Tarkenton’s former coach about him. But it was John Schneider who said something most awesome, during a radio interview I believe. He mentioned that there were two players it would have hurt to walk out of the draft without: Bruce Irvin and Russell Wilson. The same two players that were my favorite out of that entire draft. It was pretty cool hearing that.
That experience taught me that sometimes a player can be great even if he doesn’t have the measurables, even if he’s not “cool to like.” Sometimes you just see greatness, and while there are many productive players who do not see their games translate to the next level, it seems like the truly special ones usually find a way.
If there is something I learned from last year, it’s that I’ll never hide my feelings about a prospect again. I don’t care if it makes me look silly or out of touch. I will tell you what I’m seeing, and I’ll tell you who this year’s Bruce Irvin and Russell Wilson are. The guys it would hurt to walk out of the draft without. You might think I’m way off the mark, but I don’t care.
Here it goes.
Seattle needs to increase their pass rush in the interior, and they need to boost their pass rush depth on the outside as well. There is a nice “pocket” in the draft for pass rushing end types in the middle rounds, guys like Corey Lemonier, Armonty Bryant, Cornelius Washington, and a few others. That depth as a pocket pushing defensive tackle is less evident, which is why I think Seattle will probably be forced to grab a defensive tackle fairly early, and highlighted the early round options a few days ago. Truth be told, this isn’t a great year to find a pass rush defensive tackle.
Then I went back and re-watched a favorite of mine. A hybrid defensive lineman in a 4-3 front, he played strong side end, LEO, and the 3-tech. A star for a major program during a quietly great season, he is generally considered too small to play defensive tackle and is too slow to play end at the NFL level, by the same people who thought Russell Wilson was too short to be an NFL quarterback. And yet this undersized wonder was by far the most unblockable 3-tech I’ve seen in his draft, hands down. Playing most of his snaps at strong side end, he was no less disruptive there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNAxf60wBas
Though because of his 6’1″ height and lack of weight, coupled with below average foot speed, many have projected him as a 3-4 outside linebacker. And I’m sure he’d be great in such a role. A common comparison for John Simon is Mike Vrabel, who funny enough, is Simon’s assistant head coach at Ohio State.
But as a 4-3 prospect, Simon is seemingly ignored. Like Wilson, Simon is a diamond in plain sight, a player who’s fantastic ability in a 4-3 defense is overlooked because conventional thinking says he can’t succeed in the same capacity at the next level.
Simon weighed in at 257 at the combine. It seems likely that Simon dropped weight for the combine to appeal to 3-4 teams looking for an outside linebacker. According to an interview he had this time last year, he played the 2011 season at 270 pounds. That’s just ten pounds lighter than JJ Watt, and it’s actually two pounds heavier than Justin Tuck. The game film of Simon shows that he’s a better run defender than you’d think against drive blocks, even beating a drive block double team at the 3-tech spot to force a tackle for loss. He actually looks very much in his element as a 3-tech, but he’s no slouch as a strong side defensive end either. While it’s true that Simon lacks footspeed and highly mobile quarterbacks can run around him from a defensive end spot, the same is true for JJ Watt. And I’d say he’s done okay for himself.
Simon may not always be a maestro against the run, but it’s clear he at least has surprising strength to anchor and has a nose for the football. He won’t even come close to Bruce Irvin’s forty time or Red Bryant’s size, but I could see him being an undersized yet still highly effective Jason Jones type player- one who rotates between the 3-tech and the 5-tech. He might need to add weight, but he’d only need to add six pounds on his playing weight to hit 276- the weight that Jones played at during last season.
I think Simon can pull it off, and if he does, I think he’ll be a complete player for the Seahawks. His upper body strength and ability to both push the pocket and shed blocks is incredible. And remarkably consistent. This is a guy who gets pressure or quarterback movement on most of his pass rushing snaps. More than anyone in this draft, John Simon is a badass in the phone booth. You will not contain him for long without a double team.
Simon is more than a special talent. He’s also a special person and leader. Ohio State coaches have said he’s one of the best leaders they’ve ever seen come through the program. Simon injured his shoulder in week two, but downplayed the injury to coaches and still went on to post 9 sacks in 11 games, including four sacks in his final college game, after which his shoulder gave out, forcing him to sit out the season finale. When coaches asked about his health earlier in the season, he replied “I’ll be ready. My shoulder is far away from my heart.” All this for a team on probation with no chance for a national title or bowl game.
Listen to Urban Meyer gush about Simon.
“He makes all of us look in the mirror and ask ourselves ‘are we doing enough for our team’?” Meyer also joked about naming his son after John Simon, and has called Simon “Tebowish” as a leader, both on the field and off it during workouts. Usually when a coach gushes about one of his players this much, it’s worth paying attention to. Just ask Bret Bielema.
Whereas Wilson is the first person at the building to break down film, Simon is well known to be the first person at the building to begin his workout routines, often dragging some less enthusiastic teammates with him. Simon is the ultimate competitor, the kind of leader a young up and coming defense needs.
Simon did not boost his draft stock at the 2013 combine. My other “must have” played did.
Last year I scouted four Texas A&M games for my Ryan Tannehill scouting report. Sometimes when you scout for a specific player other players will jump off the screen and grab your attention. In every game I watched, his go to receiver was a physically ordinary looking white possession receiver, Ryan Swope. Players of certain races at certain positions have long had to battle mindless stereotypes, but Swope actually seemed to further them. With skinny arms and legs and the face of a high school intern, Swope hardly seemed the type destined for NFL stardom at first glance.
And yet game after game, Swope was making plays. He finished that season with 1207 receiving yards- the most in Texas A&M school history. He also had 11 touchdowns. Sneaky fast and six foot tall, Swope was a frequent deep threat, but he was also extremely quick out of his breaks as a slot receiver and knew how to find soft zones, sit in them, and present his quarterback a target. In other words, he was a total passer’s pet. Between Swope’s strong 2010 and 2011 seasons, he helped make Ryan Tannehill a top ten draft pick.
During the 2012 season I discovered future and present megastar Johnny Manziel midway through his upset of Alabama. Once again, the favorite target of choice was Ryan Swope. I thought that was pretty neat, and thought to myself that Swope was probably going to be a 4th round steal for some team.
There is no shortage of quality options at wide receiver in this draft. I had Swope on my list to review, but he was pushed to the back of my list because like many I foolishly assumed he was an average athlete. Then I heard about the rumors that Swope was doing shockingly well in his pre-combine workouts. I decided to go bump him up the priority list and see if the athleticism would be there on tape. I had never really looked closely at Swope before, I just knew he was a difference maker on game days.
I was surprised by what I saw. Swope wasn’t just making catches, he was making yards after the catch too. With quick feet and faster change of direction skills than you’d think, he can at times remind you of Golden Tate. He doesn’t just have to run around defenders either. And at 6’0″, 205 pounds, you had better wrap up when you tackle him. This coupled with his multitude of deep scores, it was plainly evident that his athleticism and elusiveness was far better than I had assumed. But even I was stunned when he posted a 4.34 40-time and a 37″ vertical. That is damn impressive for anybody, but even moreso for a six foot receiver at 205 pounds.
But of course, Swope is more than a playmaker. He’s a great route runner and improvisor- one who flourished with Manziel and Tannehill, both of which are mobile, creative quarterbacks. I wonder who else has a mobile, creative quarterback in need of a receiver who knows how to get open on improvised plays?
He’s also tough, intense, smart, and fiercely competitive. And despite measuring slightly small hands, he’s about as trustworthy catching the ball as they come. Just watch that video above and notice how Swope is constantly trying to soak in the moment, even firing up the crowd before a game. See how he celebrates every big play. And if you watch the game compilations, you’ll even see him put a few defenders on their ass if their not looking for him. Many evaluators glance over that stuff, but Pete won’t. You can plainly see how much Swope enjoys competing, and winning.
The common refrain is that every white wide receiver is invariably compared to another white wide receiver, usually a better one. You hear “Wes Welker comparison” and assume it’s lazy. But just this one time, I think it’s justified. In fact, I’d compare him to someone else, someone better. Steve Largent. Same competitiveness. Same quickness. Same intelligence. Same reliability. Same impressive production. Same chip on the shoulder. Same love of the game. And like Largent, he might just kick your ass if you don’t watch yourself. And like Largent, he might be a 4th round pick. I’d take him much sooner than that, obviously.
I think Ryan Swope is destined to be pretty good, but he’s also the exact kind of receiver Russell Wilson needs.
The combine is over for another year and this is always a pretty exciting time, more so than the event itself. The work-out’s highlight prospects you know little about, make you want to dig out the tape again. Cornelius Washington being a great example (I’ve put the request in for some game tape so stay tuned).
But it’s not just the unknowns that you need to check back on. It’s some of the big names too. Damontre Moore had a disastrous combine and could sink as a consequence. A few weeks ago he was pretty much a consensus top-20 pick, but what if he’s there at #25? I think it’s incredibly unlikely this team would draft any defensive end running a 4.95, but what if it was just a bad day at the office? What if he improves at the Texas A&M pro-day? These are the kind of questions you have to ask. We have to find out if a pathetic combine display is the real truth here and recalculate his stock.
Datone Jones is getting a lot of publicity at the moment and he did have an impressive work out. Yet I feel obliged to feather the breaks a little bit here. Running a 4.80 at 280lbs is not insane, difference making athleticism. Cam Jordan ran a 4.69 despite weighing a little more in 2011. J.J. Watt ran a 4.81 at the combine, but weighed 290lbs. If Jones needs to add weight to be a permanent interior feature, he’s not going to get any faster. On tape I watch his run defense and cringe at the thought he could be an every down three-technique for Seattle. As we’ve discussed before, being able to match-up with San Francisco is paramount for the Seahawks. And that means being big, aggressive and nasty up front to combat one of the leagues best offensive lines and a dominating power-running game. Can Jones deal with Mike Iupati? Or maybe even a double team? If he’s below average against the run, is he a good enough pass rusher to compensate? There are about ten UCLA games out there, we need to get into them and decide if the sudden hot favourite amongst mock drafts really is a realistic option at #25.
Barkevious Mingo’s tape was rank average in 2012. Flashes of quality, flashes of anonymity. A classic nearly man for the most part, he just did not impact any games last year. None. And while Bruce Irvin might’ve been a specialist for West Virginia, he made two or three plays a game that made a difference. Irvin’s sack numbers were right up there with the best college football had to offer. Mingo on the other hand was more reputation than production. I watched five LSU games recently and thought ‘meh‘. Mingo, Bennie Logan, Sam Montgomery — they all kind of played like they were coasting along. “We’re LSU, we’re going to the NFL, we’re the s**t.” That’s the impression I got. Other people like Mike Mayock watch the tape and make the same judgement. Then you see his combine performance and he looks incredibly athletic. You realise that there are a few teams out there who probably fancy their own Bruce Irvin. And if Irvin can go at #15 overall, then why can’t Mingo? So what’s his range? Is he a realistic option to drop into the 20’s? And is he an option for the Seahawks?
The defensive backs performed today and there were some interesting results. Who ever thought David Amerson would run a 4.44? He had a disastrous 2012 season but as a possible converted safety, that kind of speed will do. Dee Milliner’s 4.37 guarantees him a spot within the top-six picks I’d say. The only question mark with Milliner was straight line speed. Now there’s absolutely no reason to suggest he isn’t the complete cornerback prospect. He’s not a beast like Patrick Peterson or Morris Claiborne, but certainly good enough to be a pimped-up Joe Haden. Xavier Rhodes helped himself with a 4.43. Will Desmond Trufant make it passed Tampa Bay at #13 now that he’s run a 4.38? Tyrann Mathieu managed a 4.50 but yeah, the ridiculous off-field issues. I’m even more of a fan of Sanders Commings for Seattle after his 4.41. But what happens to Johnthan Banks after a 4.61? Not good for a potential first round pick, but not a death sentence given Joe Haden’s awful combine in 2010.
Tomorrow is mock draft day and it’ll be fun to see how things have changed after everything that happened in Indianapolis. I wanted to end today with an interview between John Clayton and Pete Carroll (see below). Seattle’s Head Coach is nothing but honest (again), admitting he has to get an interior pass rusher and another LEO. They seem to be the two top targets, although he does admit linebacker and receiver are also needs. This could be a classic smokescreen especially if they add a veteran LEO in free agency (Umenyiora? Avril? Freeney?) or a defensive tackle (Melton? Starks?). Assuming they don’t make the big splash, then it stands to reason that the first round pick is probably going to be a defensive lineman of some kind. They’ve attacked key needs so far, that probably isn’t going to change this year. And they need pass rush help more than anything.
Free agency begins on March 12th and it’ll be fascinating to see if the Seahawks re-sign Alan Branch. I suspect they’ll want to stay big and stout up front on first and second downs — they’ll need to against the 49ers and Rams. Signing Branch takes a lot of the bigger-bodied tackles in the draft out of the equation. Then the priority could be replacing Jason Jones with a more dynamic rusher inside. That’s where Datone Jones could fit. For me, that role is ideally suited to him. Is it worth a first round pick? Perhaps, if it helps Seattle get off the field on third down. I just need to be absolutely sure Jones is ‘special’ enough to go that early. I’m still a sceptic, for now.
Alternatively, they could go after another LEO. I think it’s more likely they pursue a Corenlius Washington or Corey Lemonier in the mid-rounds rather than spending another first round pick. But what if that unexpected player falls? Is Barkevious Mingo for example better value than Datone Jones? Or maybe there’s a defensive tackle they can rely on to play in any situation — Sylvester Williams for example — who is big enough to defend the run at a decent level but also offer one or two impact players as a pass rusher per-game? Is Kawann Short an option? Or a player we’re not talking about, but should be?
I tuned into the combine yesterday just in time to catch Cornelius Washington’s vertical jump. I had no idea who he was. He was standing there getting ready for his high jump, and I’m just wondering if he might be able to beat Robert Turbin in an arm wrestling contest, because the guy was ripped like an action hero from a comic book. Within half a second I noticed that Washington stood out athletically, just from his build and muscle tone. But even thinking to myself that he looked like the best athlete up there, I had no idea he was just about to destroy the combine to the extent that he would.
Washington posted one of the best vertical jumps of all front seven participants: 39″. He then clocked an official 4.55 forty, which was the best of the entire defensive end group. Officially listed at outside linebacker, Washington is 6’4″, 265 pounds and has 34″ arms. He’s clearly more of a defensive end than a linebacker, although he has the movement skills to play either one. Washington’s 10’8″ broad jump was tied for the best among all defensive ends (Barkevious Mingo, Devin Taylor). His 10 yard split was 1.60, which was narrowly beaten by several ends but is still considered pretty good. Washington then left everyone (except Margus Hunt) in the dust with 36 reps on the bench press, a number that was far ahead of the front seven pack. Washington looked fast during drills. I personally thought that only Auburn’s Corey Lemonier moved quicker during drills.
Basically, Cornelius Washington just had the combine that everyone thought his teammate (Alec Ogletree) would have. Actually, it was probably better than even that.
…Cornelius Washington, the hybrid linebacker/defensive end from Georgia. He had a solid week at the Senior Bowl and an even better Senior Bowl game yet he came to Indy as a sixth- or seventh-round player. He can rush the passer and he just ran 4.50.
He is moving up draft boards. One defensive coordinator said, “This is the kind of guy I came to Indy to find. Now I’ll go back and study him. We’re all looking for the Bruce Irvin in this draft.”
Despite playing for a major program like Georgia and being a phenomenal athlete, Washington has registered only 10 total sacks over four seasons at Georgia. He’s probably been moved around to play linebacker some, which hurts his production, but his tackles and tackles for loss numbers aren’t high either. Georgia is loaded with pass rusher talent, so it’s not unthinkable that Washington could have been buried on that roster to some degree.
As of today, there aren’t any game compilations of Washington on youtube. The best I could find was this brief highlight, and also a team highlight reel that probably give you 20-30 snaps with #83 on it. I guess you could go through Jarvis Jones’ and Alec Ogletree’s videos looking for him too. In a year where even small school prospects are usually getting compilation videos, Washington doesn’t have one. Maybe because he’s never really produced enough in a game to merit the effort?
Grading Washington’s draft stock is really hard to do. Not only is he lacking production, but the games he has played in haven’t given evaluators a ton to go off of. But that said, he sure looked a hell of a lot like Brian Orakpo today.
Washington (2013): 6’4″, 265, 4.55 forty, 1.60 10-yard-split, 39″ vert, 36 reps on bench press, cartoonishly ripped arms
I’m really looking forward to getting some tape to look at down the road, I think it’s pretty likely we’ll get access to some before the draft. Based on how he looked in the drills yesterday and based on what little I saw on youtube, I think he has some promise and the physical gifts do seem to translate at least somewhat. He has very obvious appeal to the Seahawks, and probably the 31 other NFL teams as well.
