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HEADLINES
– Khaseem Greene runs an official 4.71, while Alec Ogletree clocks a 4.70
– Dion Jordan runs an official 4.60 and looks really impressive in drills
– Ziggy Ansah records an official 4.63, while it’s a 4.58 for Barkevious Mingo
– Sheldon Richardson is a little disappointing in drills and runs a 5.02
– Sharrif Floyd runs an official 4.92
Today the defensive linemen and linebackers work out. Given Seattle’s needs at defensive tackle, linebacker and maybe even defensive end, this is a crucial day in the lead up to the draft.
One of the big things on the NFL Network right now is to get a former GM or coach to compile a top-ten mock draft. We’ll update our full two-round projection on Wednesday as usual, but I thought I’d put together a quick top-ten myself based on what we’ve learnt so far and what I think we’ll see today…
#1 Kansas City – Luke Joeckel (T, Texas A&M)
#2 Jacksonville – Sharrif Floyd (DT, Florida)
#3 Oakland – Sheldon Richardson (DT, Missouri)
#4 Philadelphia – Dion Jordan (DE, Oregon)
#5 Detroit – Dee Milliner (CB, Alabama)
#6 Cleveland – Ziggy Ansah (DE, BYU)
#7 Arizona – Matt Barkley (QB, USC)
#8 Buffalo – Geno Smith (QB, West Virginia)
#9 New York – Cordarrelle Patterson (WR, Tennessee)
#10 Tennessee – Bjoern Werner (DE, Florida State)
The pick at #5 was influenced by this early report today…
If you want the draft’s top CB, Dee Milliner, you’ll probably have to trade ahead of Detroit at 5 to get him.
— Peter King (@SI_PeterKing) February 25, 2013
Interesting times. I’ve also moved Sheldon Richardson up to #3 in anticipation of today’s work out. He benched 30 reps of 225lbs, as many as Jesse Williams managed despite weighing 25lbs more. He moves like a linebacker so should post an excellent forty time and perform well in the mobility drills. Ansah and Jordan (if they work out) should do well too. I’ll post live updates below.
Unofficial 40 yard dash times (Group 1 – defensive linemen):
NOTE – The number in brackets is the ten yard split
Ziggy Ansah (DE, BYU): 4.62 (1.56) & 4.65 (1.57)
T.J. Barnes (DT, Georgia Tech): 5.22 (1.91) & 5.22 (1.88)
David Bass (DE, Missouri Western): 4.85 (1.67) & 4.84 (1.70)
Josh Boyd (DT, Mississippi State): 5.00 (1.67) & 5.18 (1.75)
Armonty Bryant (DE, ECOK): 4.78 (1.66) & 4.85 (1.67)
Michael Buchanan (DE, Illinois): 4.72 (1.59) & 4.71 (1.62)
Everett Dawkins (DT, Florida State): 5.00 (1.73) & 5.05 (1.73)
Lavar Edwards (DE, LSU): 4.82 (1.64) & 4.81 (1.64)
Sharrif Floyd (DT, Florida): 4.93 (1.73) & 4.87 (1.68)
Kwame Geathers (DT, Georgia): 5.40 (1.88) & 5.50 (1.91)
William Gholston (DE, Michigan State): 4.93 (1.73) & 5.06 (1.76)
Malliciah Goodman (DE, Clemson): 4.87 (1.65) & 4.90 (1.70)
Cory Grissom (DT, USF): 5.25 (1.74) & 5.35 (1.82)
Johnathan Hankins (DT, Ohio State): 5.28 (1.82) & 5.13 (1.80)
Jordan Hill (DT, Penn State): 5.15 (1.75) & 5.22 (1.75)
Montori Hughes (DT, UT-Martin): 5.13 (1.83) & 5.29 (1.80)
Margus Hunt (DE, SMU): 4.65 (1.62) & 4.60 (1.62)
Chris Jones (DT, Bowling Green): 5.30 (1.83) & 5.34 (DNR)
Datone Jones (DE, UCLA): 4.84 (1.63) & 4.84 (1.63)
Dion Jordan (DE, Oregon): 4.53 (1.57) & 4.63 (1.60)
Joe Kruger (DE, Utah): 4.88 (1.75) & 4.82 (1.75)
Corey Lemonier (DE, Auburn): 4.60 (1.58) & 4.53 (1.57)
Dion Jordan and Ziggy Ansah will be top ten picks. The little mock I did earlier at the top of this post was basically a review of what we expected to see today and neither player disappointed. Incredible.
Both players managed a sub-1.60 ten-yard split to go with blistering runs. Every mock draft will have them in the top ten from now until April.
Jordan in particular. Wow. I wouldn’t rule him out as a #1 pick option. Unlimited upside.
Margus Hunt also performed extremely well, that will give him a little kick start after a disappointing Senior Bowl. He ran in the early 4.6’s, benched 38 reps of 225lbs yesterday. All this at 6-8, 277lbs.
Armonty Bryant had one of the most bizarre running styles you’ll probably ever see. He looked like Scooby Doo pursuing a sandwich.
First Pete and John sighting of the day:
Corey Lemonier was the final player to run among the first group. He ended with a bang — matching Dion Jordan’s unofficial 4.53. If the Seahawks don’t grab a LEO to cover Chris Clemons in free agency or round one, then Lemonier could be in to play.
Seattle’s new defensive line coach Travis Jones was out on the field running mobility drills:
No big surprises during the first set of drills. Ziggy Ansah, Datone Jones, Margus Hunt, Dion Jordan and Corey Lemonier moved really well. Johnathan Hankins had to be stopped at one point to go over the drill again, something I’ve never seen before. His frame is extremely sloppy.
Now it’s onto the bag and cone drill, hurdling objects.
Everett Dawkins looked really good for his size and handled the bags perfectly. Sharrif Floyd kicked one of the bags over but generally moved well.
Johnathan Hankins looked a lot better in the second drill. Given how flabby he is, the guy can move. He needs to tone up though.
Datone Jones is a superb athlete. I just wonder if he’s maxed out at 283lbs. To play inside consistently you have to think he’d have to add another 10lbs.
The linemen are now onto the dummy drill where they get a chance to flash a swim and club move.
My favourite part of this drill? The coach in charge has a football on a stick and kind of waves it a bit to mimic a snap. It’s totally unnecessary, but I bet that guy loves dusting that thing off every year. I wonder if he ever got to the airport and thought, “Oh my god… I’ve left it in the garage!” I’d love to see that get through customs too.
Back to the football. Another drill, another chance for Datone Jones to look the best. Sharrif Floyd, Johnathan Hankins and Dion Jordan also looked effortless and explosive. Joe Kruger, William Gholston and Malliciah Goodman were underwhelming.
Armanty Bryant dominated at a small school, but he looks distinctly average in drills today. William Gholston really does not look all that impressive today. He’s fumbling through the drills a bit.
In the punch drills, Montori Hughes and Dion Jordan were the best. This was the first drill where Datone Jones rushed a little bit and had to be told to slow down.
We’re now back to the mobility drills and a few the bigger players are looking tired.
Brandon Jenkins (DE, Florida State) didn’t run a forty yard dash but he’s done the other drills. And he hasn’t looked particularly good so far.
In the current cone drill, Dion Jordan is sprinting around like a cornerback. His lean, change of direction, explosion and ability to go through the gears is incredible. This is one of the all-time great work outs.
Johnathan Hankins is getting better and better as the drills go on. Datone Jones seems to be tiring. LSU’s Lavar Edwards has flashed so far, he’s one to go back and have another look at after the combine.
That’s the end of the drills for the first group of defensive linemen. They’re moving on to the vertical jump. Coming up next, the likes of Sheldon Richardson, Barkevious Mingo, John Simon, Bjoern Werner, Jesse Williams and Sylvester Williams.
Unofficial 40 yard dash times (Group 2 – defensive linemen):
NOTE – The number in brackets is the ten yard split
Bennie Logan, Star Lotulelei, Kawann Short, Jesse Williams, John Simon and Alex Okafor are not running the forty yard dash.
Barkevious Mingo (DE, LSU): 4.53 (1.60) & 4.53 (1.55)
Sam Montgomery (DE, LSU): 4.79 (1.64) & 4.68 (1.64)
Damontre Moore (DE, Texas A&M): 4.87 (1.69) & DNF
Sheldon Richardson (DT, Missouri): 5.00 (1.77) & 4.97 (1.69)
Akeem Spence (DT, Illinois): 5.13 (1.67) & 5.15 (1.69)
Devin Taylor (DE, South Carolina): 4.75 (1.60) & 4.84 (1.59)
Bjoern Werner (DE, Florida State): 4.79 (1.68) & 4.81 (1.66)
Brandon Williams (DT, Missouri Southern): 5.25 (1.79) & 5.31 (1.80)
Sylvester Williams (DT, North Carolina): 5.00 (1.73) & 4.93 (1.72)
The number of non participants was very disappointing. We knew guys like Alex Okafor bailed at the last minute, but what’s the excuse for players like Bennie Logan and Jesse Williams?
One player who completely bombed? DaMontre Moore. He doesn’t look good in shorts with a really unrefined frame. He managed just 12 reps on the bench press yesterday and now a 4.89 forty. In his second attempt he pulled up with an apparent hamstring injury, but I suspect it may be more a damaged ego.
Bjoern Werner also doesn’t have the best physique and didn’t run a great time (4.79-4.81)
Barkevious Mingo matched Dion Jordan’s time from earlier but really had to run fast given his middling 2012 tape and lack of production. You watch Jordan and you can see his best is yet to come. You watch Mingo and you wonder how he fits. So while Jordan is trending upwards today, I’m not sure Mingo will get the same kind of boost.
Sheldon Richardson didn’t run as fast as I expected. In fact, Sylvester Williams posted a quicker time despite carrying an extra 20lbs.
We’re now onto the mobility drills again. Brandon Williams is moving well despite his massive size. Bjoern Werner tripped up and looked a little stiff.
Sylvester Williams looked incredible on the first drill. No waste bend, moved around freely. If only he wasn’t 25 this year, he’d be a top pick.
Bennie Logan, who didn’t run a forty, is now working out. Why?
Damontre Moore is out of the drills with the suspected hamstring injury mentioned earlier.
Onto the bag drills and Brandon Williams is again putting on a clinic, making light work of his huge size. He tip toes around like a 260lbs lineman.
Bjoern Werner, Devin Taylor, and the two Williams’ again all impressed in the rip and club drills. Surprisingly, Sheldon Richardson looked pretty average.
The NFL.com coverage has now moved away from drills to have some thoughts from Mike Mayock. Great timing, guys.
The official forty yard dash times are in for the defensive lineman:
Ziggy Ansah – 4.63
Armonty Bryant – 4.86
Michael Buchanan – 4.78
Everett Dawkins 5.06
Lavar Edwards – 4.80
Sharrif Floyd – 4.92
William Gholston – 4.96
Malliciah Goodman – 4.87
Johnathan Hankins – 5.31
Jordan Hill – 5.23
Montori Hughes – 5.23
Margus Hunt – 4.60
Chris Jones – 5.33
Datone Jones – 4.80
Dion Jordan – 4.60
Joe Kruger – 4.83
Corey Lemonier – 4.60
Barkevious Mingo – 4.58
Sam Montgomery – 4.81
Damontre Moore – 4.95
Sheldon Richardson – 5.02
Devin Taylor – 4.72
Bjoern Werner – 4.82
Sylvester Williams – 5.03
Brandon Williams – 5.37
Trevardo Williams – 4.57
The linebackers are about to run the forty yard dash, including Alec Ogletree and Khaseem Greene.
Tony Pauline is reporting the Star Lotulelei heat problem is not as grim as first feared:
“Lotulelei did not fail his physical but rather was given an incomplete designation pending the consultation with the specialist, the person said, adding it was Lotulelei’s decision to withdraw from drills after hearing the doctors’ recommendation that he sit them out.”
Lotulelei’s agent, Bruce Tollner, said in a statement Sunday that his client will visit a specialist later this week and is expected to participate in every drill at his pro day March 20. Tollner said Lotulelei will continue to interview with teams in Indianapolis.”
Tollner and doctors who examined Lotulelei are hopeful the situation will prove to be similar to that of Carolina Panthers defensive end Frank Alexander, who was pulled from combine drills last year following an abnormal test but was then cleared by specialists.”
One player a lot of fans are talking about today is Datone Jones. I thought I’d put some tape out there while we’re going through a lull in proceedings waiting for the linebackers to start. So here’s his performance vs Stanford in the PAC-12 title game:
Unofficial 40 yard dash times (linebackers):
Oregon’s Kiko Alonso is not running the forty yard dash. Why? Arthur Brown has also decided not to run. Again, disappointing.
Sam Barrington (LB, USF): 4.78 & 4.75
Steve Beauharnais (LB, Rutgers): 4.81 & 4.79
Jon Bostic (LB, Florida): 4.50 & 4.57
Jamie Collins (LB, Southern Miss): 4.60 & 4.59
Zaviar Gooden (LB, Missouri): 4.50 & 4.56
Khaseem Greene (LB, Rutgers): 4.67 & 4.69
Gerald Hodges (LB, Penn State): 4.72 & 4.84
A.J. Klein (LB, Iowa State): 4.68 & 4.75
John Lotulelei (LB, UNV): 4.75 & 4.78
Brandon Magee (LB, Arizona State): 4.69 & 4.66
Kevin Minter (LB, LSU): 4.82 & 4.81
Nick Moody (LB, Florida State): 4.72 & 4.69
Sio Moore (LB, Connecticut): 4.62 & 4.63
Alec Ogletree (LB, Georgia): 4.62 & 4.62
Sean Porter (LB, Texas A&M): 4.78 & 4.78
Keith Pough (Howard): 4.87 & 4.87
Kevin Reddick (LB, North Carolina): 4.72 & 4.66
Bruce Taylor (LB, Virginia Tech): 4.94 & 5.06
Manti Te’o (LB, Notre Dame): 4.81 & 4.80
Chase Thomas (LB, Stanford): 4.88 & 4.87
Cornelius Washington (LB, Georgia): 4.53 & 4.50
Tom Wort (LB, Oklahoma): 4.69 & 4.75
Alec Ogletree wasn’t as explosive as expected, running in the 4.6’s unofficially. I thought he’d be quicker than that.
Khaseem Greene ran the time I was expecting — in the 4.6’s. He’s a good enough athlete on tape but you never expected to see a 4.5.
Zaviar Gooden ran a great 4.50 while Jon Bostic was also impressive with a 4.5.
It’s worth remembering that Brian Cushing ran a 4.74 at the combine.
Cornelius Washington — more of a pass rusher from Georgia, ran a 4.50 (unofficial) with a 1.62 ten-yard split.
The NFL Network is doing it’s usual trick of showing highlights of earlier drills while current guys are on the field. They kindly showed some of Alec Ogletree and Manti Te’o going through some of the mobility work and both looked pretty stiff.
Finally back to the live feed… Khaseem Greene looked really fluid in the bag mobility drills. He’s looking really sharp out there.
They just ran a catching drill where five guys in a row got in wrong. Can’t say this has been a particularly eye catching work out so far. Ogletree has been a big disappointment.
Official 40 yard dash times for the linebackers:
Zaviar Gooden – 4.47
Manti Te’o – 4.82
Jon Bostic – 4.62
Jamie Collins – 4.64
Khaseem Greene – 4.71
Kevin Minter – 4.81
Sio Moore – 4.65
Alec Ogletree – 4.70
Kevin Reddick – 4.70
Chase Thomas – 4.91
Cornelius Washington – 4.55
I still don’t understand why Kiko Alonso is out there running drills but didn’t compete in the 40.
Zaviar Gooden and Khaseem Greene looked really smooth in the catching drills, showing great back pedal, change of direction skills and burst.
A.J. Klein tripped up during his drill and appeared to injure his ankle.
Ogletree is now officially on a 4.70 which is a big surprise. Greene was given an official 4.71.
Zaviar Gooden’s 4.47 stands out and he’s likely to get interest from the Seahawks. But I wouldn’t rule out anyone running in the 4.6-4.7 range. After all, Brian Cushing ran a 4.74.
This statistic is pretty interesting for Greene and his stock.
The linebackers are now onto the bag drills. What can I say? Greene continues to impress. Great lean round the edge, quick feet despite the fact he’s added size for the combine.
Ogletree seems to be starting to try too hard, just tripped up on his attempt. Kevin Minter and Manti Te’o both look quick despite their 4.8’s earlier.
FREE AGENCY UPDATE
Anyone want Desmond Bryant still? Take a look at the mug shot from his recent arrest. My word.
The drills are starting to wind down so we’ll call it a day for today. I need some food after six hours. Tomorrow I’ll be starting an open thread and will have all the vital defensive back info available later in the day. Hope to see you there and thanks for getting involved.
Good morning rob thanks again for the coverage I am again bored at work following along
Good morning Nolan!
Thanks for the coverage, Rob! It is much appreciated!
With reports on Starks likely to be franchised and adding in the health issues with Star, do you think there will be a run on DTs in the first round? What is the best case scenario for the Hawks in terms of what DT would fall to us at #25?
I think it’s going to be very difficult for the Seahawks to get a great DT in round one. Floyd and Richardson will go early. If Lotulelei drops to #25 because of this heart issue, then he’s probably dropping even further. So unless they love a guy like Kawann Short, Hankins, Jenkins, Williams etc, I think it’ll be tough. This is a nice deep group of DT’s, but the special guys are going early. And the other guys are good… but it’s hard to fall for any of them at #25.
At this point, I’d be tempted to re-sign Branch and look for interior pass rushers later in the draft.
Re-sign Branch to cheap-ish 4-year contract, let Jason Jones walk, draft Datone Jones and Jordan Hill. Win the Super Bowl.
Cullen Jenkins was cut today by the Eagles. Maybe he makes sense to the seahawks? i think it it would be a good move. He would give our dline a good balance of youth and experience…if the hawks go ahead and grab a dlinemen in the first three rounds.
I agree on this might be worth kicking the tyres
Corey Lemonier 4.6 is impressive.
And Pete and John siting!
Sighting*
I would say Margus Hunt’s 38 reps and 4.6 @ 277lbs wins the Combine for the DL so far.
I concur.
Well I’m looking at Lemonier as a 3rd/4th rd. pick to compete at the LEO. Hunt was impressive in the measuables and would be a first rd lock if not for his age.
Ya I like Lemonier as a potential LEO. Stansly Maponga was another guy that someone pointed out yesterday that looked real good on the one game tape available. Will be interested to see how he and Kawann Short perform today.
After Datone Jones ran his forty they immediately showed PC/JS. I think you can mouth read Pete saying 4.84.
The more I see Datone Jones, the more I have a sense that he will be drafted by the Seahawks. They preach versatility and he’s the kind of player who can play inside, ala Jason Jones, and then kick outside to back up Red Bryant. Thoughts? He just looks great.
I’m starting to come around to this idea. I’ve been getting really hung up on his weight at around 280, but he’s realistically only 10 pounds light to start at 3-tech, if that.
He’s basically built like Jason Jones, but has a little more bulk. He’s destroying these drills right now. So quick and powerful. Really great instincts.
My ideal first two rounds would be Datone Jones in the first, and Stedman Bailey in the 2nd. I’d be ecstatic.
I love Datone Jones. I just have a really hard time seeing him as a 3-down player for us. And if he isn’t a 3-down player is Pete gonna pull the trigger on another situational pass rusher?
Hey Gus Bradley, do us a favor and swap first rounders with us, ol’ buddy. We’ll throw in Flynn for old time’s sakes.
I think he want to be head coach for more than 1 year.
we’d welcome him back 😉
trying to talk us out of Paul Kruger by subtly sneaking his name in there?
Too many Kruger’s in the NFL!
Did you see Andy Reid talking to JS? Flynn to the Chiefs?
No but I saw Andy Reid eating a huge sandwich at 9:30am.
Haha it was probably a good sand which though
maybe that was part of the Flynn trade? Flynn + huge sandwich for 4th round pick?
That would be so John Schneider, to throw in a sandwich sweetner.
Schneider: Andy, you need a QB. Did you see what Flynn did in Green Bay? He threw for like 500 yards in one game!
Reid: Yah, but he doesn’t have much experience.
Schneider: Pauses. Pops locks on briefcase. Pulls out huge sandwich.
Reid: 4th rounder?
Cysco just won the combine.
LMAO
Datone Jones looks good in these drills. Kinda impressed by Montori Hughes as well. Where is that dude projected to go?
Hughes is a R2-3 guy on this evidence.
I’m interested too. I can’t imagine Datone making it to the Hawks 2nd round pick, or Hughes making it to the Hawks 3rd round pick… but who knows. I’d love both.
How has Margus Hunt looked in drills? Is he showing any fluidity?
meh. still looks stiff to me. Fast, but stiff.
…there is a “that’s what she said” joke somewhere in there…
Gets upright too quickly. But the athleticism and measurables are just crazy.
That’s what she said!
Datone Jones is being interviewed now. Well spoken. Solid interview. Said he was begging to go out and do the linebacker drills as well, but was told he couldn’t. Sounded very confident about his abilities to drop into space.
Sounds like the kind of player Pete loves… hardworking, willing to do anything… Not to mention his physical abilities to play inside outside, drop into coverage. Didn’t Pete recruit him back in the day? I’d be a giddy school girl if we draft him at 25.
Yup, he was recruited by Pete before choosing UCLA. I think Jones is a good fit for us, just adding his speed to our front seven would open up some opportunities for matchup nightmares.
I live in LA and I love college football, so I watched a LOT of UCLA last season. Datone Jones is an exceptional athlete. He’s quick, strong, smart. He’s a tad underweight to be an every down DT in the NFL, but he can add some muscle.
Also, we didn’t see him yesterday, but Joe Fauria is an excellent TE.
Yeah he seems like he can add a bit more weight, although he has some pretty lean muscle mass. Still bulkier than Jason Jones though, although not by much. Rewatching some of his tape, this guy is great. Disengages really well and has the strength to push the guards back into the QB. Very patient in pursuit… Moves really well. I keep thinking of how Pete and John look for people with unique skill sets and adapts their defense to fit the player. D. Jones seems like the perfect player as a situational pass rusher on the interior who can swing outside to back up Red or even drop into coverage (remember Red getting those two picks?) My question is if the Hawks can retain Branch, is it even necessary to get a player who is an every down dlineman?
I hated Fauria on tape. He has decent size and mediocre speed. But can’t block at all. His hands are also limited and he doesn’t run a full route tree. Isn’t explosive. Doesn’t fight for the ball in the air.
I’d love to see Fauria’s 40 time. I’m a big UCLA fan and have watched all of their games. He’s got great hands and is physically imposing. But, I question his speed & athleticism. Can he run a seam route and get open?
Lemonier looks pretty good.
I love Margus Hunt, I feel like he’s a great future replacement for Big Red at the 5 tech. A huge body that can seal the edge, but also ridiculous athleticism, and he’ll also bring the pass rush.
He’s a specimen of an athlete alright. But he’s no 5-tech (at least not for us). Firstly, Bryant hasn’t been a problem so a 5-tech isn’t what we really need. Second, Hunt gives up about 50lbs to Bryant. I don’t care how fast or strong a player may be, you can’t give up 50 lbs to the starter and expect to play his position.
If anything, I see him as a LEO. In any event though, I don’t think he’s worth a 1st rd pick.
I know that Bryant isn’t replaceable at this point, but I think Hunt has so much upside. He hasn’t been playing football for very long, with the right coaching, this guy COULD be a stud. Do you think we’ll be able to find a player that can do what Red does so well? What about sacrificing a little of the run support for a big gain in the pass rush? Not saying Hunt comes in to start immediately. Well, maybe at LEO. I don’t know..
The one thing I just cant get past with Hunt is the age thing. Let’s assume that the two things that need to happen for Hunt to replace Red do in fact happen. First Hunt needs to be ready to take over, but also, Red has to decline enough to warrant replacement.
Now let’s assume that Hunt will decline around the same age as Red. The age differential between Red and Hunt is 3 years, 2 months, and 21 days. So basically if everything goes according to plan you are gonna get 3 years worth of what you want from Margus Hunt…
He looks great at the combine, but he sure was unimpressive at the Senior Bowl. Maybe it’s his lack of instinctive play — my meories of that game are that at the snap, he seems to hesitate, then stand up, then decide what he’s supposed to do.
“memories”
Richardson going sub-5 on his second run (4.97) Pretty impressive for someone his size. Any dream of him falling to within striking distance for the Hawks is well gone. He solidified his place in the top of the draft.
Pretty good split times for Devin Taylor (sub 1.6 on both attempts). I know he has the length we look for (6’7″, 36″ arms)–does he project as a good mid-round LEO option?
After watching him dominate at the Senior Bowl I checked out a little of his video. He flashes at times but too often gets pushed past the QB. If he was able to turn the corner better I think he would be a much better prospect.
I’d love if we got Datone Jones in the 2nd round, but the guy is probably going to be gone by the time we pick.
What intrigues me is I believe he has the size and speed to play that 5 technique spot in a pinch, but Pete has made it very clear he wants a big man out there.
Why not at 25? We saw how valuable Jason Jones was WHEN he was on the field. Datone Jones would be able to fill in right away at that position, provide the same amount of versatility… If interior pass rush is a need, and he’s high on their draft board, no need to get cute and see if he falls. Also, if the drop off between him and the next similar player is huge, I’d rather grab him at 25 than wait. I’d pick him over a WR based on depth and value (in round 1), that’s for sure.
They need interior rush, but they also need a guy who can play some early downs. I think Kawaan Short, if there at 25, could be our guy.
Not sure if Jones can play inside on those early downs…. he’s pretty tall and lean, might get bullied by guards in the run game pretty bad. I don’t know.
yeah may not be an early down player to start out, but if we resign Branch or draft a Hill or Hughes in the later rounds, would we need him to be?
Great stuff as always Rob – After watching Austin destroy the combine and backup his big prediction of being “the best player in this draft class,” I have a feeling he has to be on Seattle’s radar.
Mainly b/c of his versatility as a dangerous slot receiver as well as a perfect long term replacement for Washington.
Also, there is no doubt the competitive level in this kid. As this is Carroll’s #1 mantra, and apparently very important to Austin, it seems like a great cultural fit too.
Do you think we’re eyeing him for a potential #25 pick? Could be a steal.
Lol. Go read some of the Day 5 comments… we had a pretty substantial debate over Austin.
Missed it! Thanks.
I think someone will buy into him with the speed… if I had to guess St. Louis. I do think he’ll be off the board by #25 now.
Classic Rams pick…For some reason I don’t trust them and their taste in WR at this point. Ha.
Ouch! I fear you’re right abour him going to the Rams. Other possibilites are Detroit and maybe, after moving up, SF.
Rob- Have you seen enough tape on Datone Jones to determine whether he’s versatile enough to line up outside in run situations and inside on passing situations? Is he versatile enough for the Hawks to take at #25, or does he have mid 2 written all over him?
He confuses me a lot. I cannot see him starting inside at 280lbs on early downs. Can he play power end? Maybe. On tape he kind of just puts his head down and charges. He gets into the backfield but often doesn’t finish. Great athlete but not a major impact on third downs. I dunno with him. Right now I think specialist interior rusher on third downs. I’m going to watch more tape.
If you watch his tape, he plays hard, down after down and has a relentless motor. I agree he doesn’t always finish off the play in the backfield, but keep in mind he didn’t have much of a supporting cast. His best feature is collapsing the pocket – he’s big enough, strong, enough and fast enough off the snap that he either drives the guard back into the QB or he commands a double-team, which, unfortunately, he doesn’t handle effectively. Because of this he wasn’t as much of an impact on those plays (like 3rd dns) because a double team could neutralize him, but UCLA just didn’t have the personnel to take advantage.
My only concern is that he played against PAC-12 O-lines, which aren’t the same as those in the SEC (let alone the NFL).
I like a lot about Datone just the one impression that sticks that I don’t like is if he doesn’t win against his man right away, he’s pretty much out of the play. I guess that’s in line with the ‘lack of finish’ comments above.
In interviews he talks up his tenacity a lot, but I think that tenacity is waylaid by an imperfect ability to locate the ball.
At 280 he is more of a defensive end than an interior threat. Even with 10 more pounds he seems more useful from the end position. Let the wide bodies play in the middle and absorb the double teams.
It’s all about the defensive scheme. In PC’s defense, Bryant plays end (5-technique) at 320lbs, when in most 4-3 alignments, he’d be a 1- or 3-tech.
In PC’s D, the left side DT (3-tech) calls for a quick, powerful, and relatively agile athlete. Ideal measurements range from 6’1″-6’4″, 290-300lbs. Quick feet, long arms help.
I guess the question is: with Clemons injured and Red having foot problems- will we have the same defensive scheme next year? There are only 1-2 LEOs and 3 Techs available each draft. We need both. So does PC continue with this scheme or adapt to players available?
Agreed. He’s not an every down DT. Certainly not a replacement for Bubba Bryant, though Datone can anchor the edge against the run well enough to rotate at that position, especially if he can add 10lbs of muscle in the weight room.
Think of him more as a slightly shorter, but larger version of Jason Jones (no relation I’m sure) – or at least the same role that JSPC brought Jason in to fill. But the intangibles are likely to factor with him, things like PC’s familiarity with him trying to recruit him out of high school, strong Combine interviews, great personality – feisty, almost cocky, but not arrogant. He wants to be the best. Not the best DT, not the best defensive player, not the best Seahawk, but the best on the field. I’m not saying he is or ever could be, but I’m sure that kind of attitude appeals to JSPC.
Eric – your comment “keep in mind he didn’t have much of a supporting cast” seems to ignore that Anthony Barr has 13.5 sacks playing alongside Datone. Hard to estimate Jones’ part in that impressive performance …
Some guy just broad jumped 11-7″, lol.
Collins at Southern Miss. I can’t see anything other than Charles Davis and Warren Sapp at the moment though.
That’s gotta be a record.
I wonder if he has enough size to play the LEO end? I saw an interview with his coaches who were raving about him and his pass rushing.
I’m really disappointed in some of these guys skipping the 40. If you’re healthy, run the damn drill!
Do you guys think the combine has a bigger impact on PC&JS than other teams do? They took Irvin and Wagner earlier than most people thought they should go but they killed it at the combine.
Not really… after all, Pete had history with Irvin. I think they value it, but not strictly. More about tape, production and the usual stuff.
Khaseem Greene with a 4.67 40. Not trying to overreact to the spandex olympics, but I can see this be a detriment in the eyes of PC/JS. Still love Greene, and not shocked by the time, but for a strictly WIL prospect, that will hurt him a bit.
I have my eye on Jon Bostic. I’m not one of these crazy conspiracy guys, but combine Dan Quinn with the fact that many believed that Wagner is better suited on the outside, and I wouldn’t be shocked if they drafted Bostic for the middle and swung Wagner to WIL. Bostic just ran a 4.5 and is a better run defender than Wagner. Bostic is a mid rounder too. Without getting worked up of “don’t move a great MLB,” think about the cost effectiveness of this type of idea/move.
*This is not me saying I want this to happen or that Wagner needs to move, but it does make some sense when you think about cost effectiveness of upgrading positions. Remember, KJ started out at MIKE then went to SAM. I don’t think it’s a bad thing when your LB core is highly flexible and full of speed. Just a thought.
I thought it was a good time to be fair, never expected a 4.5.
*I probably worded that extremely poorly. I am not shocked by Greene’s time. He plays fast/smart. I still love the guy and would love to see him as a Hawk. Just was throwing out that idea about “why sign a vet who runs a 4.7, when we can draft a young guy who runs a 4.4-4.5.” I’ve heard this several times from Schneider in radio interviews.
I thought KJ only started out in the middle because David Hawthorne was injured to start that season.
Ogletree and Green, both a bit slower than I thought they’d be
Greene was exactly what I expected.
Watching Zaviar Gooden and Khaseem Greene back-to-back I have to say that Gooden looks more the part in shorts.
Of course on tape in pads is a whole different story, but Gooden just looks like such a physical freak before he even starts running, and then accelerates so well through his first few steps that even with a mediocre get-off he has a 1.5s 10yd split.
It may only be in comparison (and if so Greene has the misfortune to come after the one true freak athlete of the group), but Greene looks substantially less chiseled and a little heavy-legged.
I think it’s a bit unfair to compare the two. One is a pure speed-demon, the other is fast but offers a lot more on tape. What is noticeable to me is the difference between Ogletree and Greene is 0.05 seconds.
Yeah, to be fair if I just looked at the numbers I’d think Greene did quite well (or again, if you reshuffled the order and I was watching him after Teo and Thomas, I’d think he was a fantastic athlete…), and as I said most of his value is obviously going to come from his college production and good tape.
I’m just saying that if all you knew of them was from the eyeball test in shorts, it’d be hard to imagine Greene going multiple rounds earlier.
Rob…Cornelius Washington. Ideal LEO candidate. Anxious to see his 10 yard split. Could be a mid round steal that fills the role very well. Strong as an ox too. Could see him being that “5th round steal” this year, that PC/JS seem to nail all the time.
And he just ran an unofficial 4.53. Wow!
Aka not going 5th round…not to overreact (though I am), could see him going much higher. How’s his tape Rob?
I will get the unofficial split for Washington.
I’m reading a 1.60. I think that’s pretty good for a 6’4″ 265 human being. Surprised he timed better than Ogletree (another shocker). IMO, this makes him a prime LEO candidate.
And backed it up with an unofficial 4.5 flat on his second attempt. For me the “workout warriors” of the LB group so far are Washington, Zaviar Gooden, and Sio Moore (who I don’t think I’ve seen much discussed on here).
Crazy part is, Washington outweighs Gooden by 30 lbs. That is bananas. Also threw up 36 reps on the bench. He’s definitely my “shocker” pick watch for SEA.
I really like Sio. Watched highlights yesterday. Really nice athlete. Intriguing guy indeed.
Don’t forget that those 36 reps came using 34.08″ arms!
Ok, I have watched absolutely no tape on Cornelius Washington since I did not know he existed 5 minutes ago. And yes, I know that there is a laundry list of guys that dominate the combine and never amount to much as players in the NFL… But holy crap is this guy a specimen!
Bruce Irvin has been described by Pete Carroll as, “the ideal LEO”.
Cornelius Washington is 1″ taller, has 5/8″ longer arms and is carrying 20 more lbs. Despite the extra weight, he was only .05 seconds slower than Irvin in the 40 yard dash overall, and actually .03 seconds faster on his ten yard split!! Cornelius also out-lifted Irvin by 13 reps, and out-jumped him by 5″ on both the vert and broad jump.
Holy. Freakin. Crap.
Tape will need to be watched immediately, and unfortunately there won’t be as much as some other guys as he wasn’t on the field nearly as much as his teammates Jarvis Jones or Alec Ogletree. I don’t care how “raw” he is, I don’t think there is any way that this guy is not a massive blip on Pete and John’s radar.
Oh and as far as rawness/development time goes, Washington will also be 1 year and 7 months younger than Irvin was coming into the league.
Rob,
What do you think of Jamie Collins as a later round prospect. I just read on nfl draft scout, that he was playing a hybrid Bandit role in college for some of his time? The side to speed/explosiveness ration seems pretty intriguing.
If Collins lasts past round five I think he’s a guaranteed Seahawk. That’s freak territory for Schneider, where he finds guys with some bizarre measurable to exploit. Collins’ 11’7 broad jump is in Jameson Konz 46″ vert territory.
not “side” but “size..”
So! I know I am not supposed to overreact to the combine, but how would you view someone like damontre Moore? Is he still going to be picked top ten, i Love You! Alone the first round? He has to be one of the worst athletes ever to be projected as the #2 overall player in a mock draft!
He will fall after this. Terrible work out.
Not only was his workout terrible, it really looked like he just quit out there. And when he was interviewed after he didn’t even seem bothered by it.
Snoop Dogg-
Check out Matt Waldmann’s comparison of Werner and Moore:
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/futures/2013/futures-des-bjoern-werner-and-damontre-moore
He makes a credible case for Moore being a second round value. And that’s before the whole world saw him in his underwear.
Oh! Just saw that “love you” from myself! Sorry about that! I’m on my I phone and it self corrected weird.
Thanks Sam! Excellent article!
When I saw a random “I love you” in the middle of a comment from Snoop Dogg I just assumed it was from a text meant for one of your hoes… or a big ass bag of weed.
Yeah the best thing about Moore has always been his hustle. I expected better from a hustle player at the combine though, really hurt himself.
Quick question, Rob, with regard to Ansah going to CLE. I though he was a fine DE or even LEO prospect, but with CLE moving to a 34 defense, does Ansah project that highly as a 34 OLB?
No way that any of these LBs would be John/Pete R1 guys. Remember that Bobby Wagner, a middle LB (!), ran a 4.46. A Will for the Seahawks must be a pure 4.5 or better guy, in order to move sideline to sideline the way they want. There will be at least 2 DTs and maybe a DE/Leo worthy of a Seahawks R1 grade. The Seahawks will pick the one highest on their board. My guess is Datone Jones, Kawann Short or Sylvester Williams, then a WR R2, then another DL in R3 (lots of depth at this position). Mid/late rounds will be LB and DB, and give Tom Cable an OL pick.
Did you guys see how Datone Jones ran a 20 yd cone drill faster than most of the DE/Leos? Faster than Jordan, Lemonier, etc? Jones could be the clone of Geno Atkins of the Bengals, who was also considered 10 lbs less than ideal weight. Seahawks can find a run stuffer in R3 or so.
Speed at linebacker is over rated, IMO. I’ll take the player who has the instincts to diagnosis a play half a step quicker than the guy who runs a forty a tenth of a second faster yet hesitates.
Speed overrated? I’m calling BS on that one! Gus Bradley recently said in an interview to his jaguars fans that speed is the basis of the Seahawks type of defense! No way we are getting a slowpoke!
Football speed is different. If you have a guy who tests well and shows it on the field is one thing. But not all great players test off the board. KJ didnt and it hurt his stock despite great film. Its a bit of compromise IMO of the film and numbers, the numbers just back up what you see, sometimes not.
Let’s be honest with ourselves. Who’s considered fast on our defense at their position last year? Earl, Wagner, Clemons, and Irvin.
Outside of that, it was two large corners, a large SS, an avg speed SAM, slow veteran WLB and 3 slower, bigger defensive linemen. We have some serious speed, true, but it’s not the basis of our D as much as size is.
The poster above said we are only looking for linebackers who run 4.5 or faster. You do realize that, so far, Zaviar Gooden would be the only acceptable linebacker worth drafting in that case? I guess we should over draft him because he runs fast, huh? No, because the linebacker position is more about speed.
Gil Brandt put it best: “@Gil_Brandt: Back to linebacker 40s: Remember, LB isn’t all about speed. It’s more about play recognition, competitiveness. Ray Lewis is a prime example.”
Yeah! I would love drafting Zavier “Too Good To Be True” Gooden! His value would be more for our scheme than taking an Ogletree or Greene in the first.
Btw! Ray Lewis ran a 4.53….. Speed is important.
Aaron Curry ran a 4.56 so… speed is cool, but instincts are better.
Patrick Willis ran a 4.52.
Vernon Gholston ran a 4.56. We could do this all day.
We have Toomer, Malcolm Smith and Morgan, who are all very fast. Hopefully one of those guys steps up and takes over the spot!
Sio moore is my new favorite player.
He looked more fluid and natural than any LB in that shuffle drill. Ogletree went right after and looked like a spastic in comparison 🙂
Missed the video, saw some highlights and measurables, and am surprised Sio Moore isn’t mentioned more.
Rob, would you see a fit here? what R?
Seen one game for Moore so not really in a position to judge too much. I thought R4-5 on that one game.
Not convinced Te’o is a first round pick. Haven’t seen anything that overly impresses me
I really like Everett Dawkins as a late round pick (probably 5th) for the 3 tech. The size, athleticism and technique are all there. It is disappointing he wasn’t able to get more production in college, though, even if there were a lot of first round guys around him to finish the play before he did.
I thought it was worth doing a “what do Pete and John look for in a LB?” review for context.
While Bobby Wagner (4.46 at 241lb, 39.5″ vert, 11′ broad, 24 reps), Korey Toomer (4.53 at 234lb, 42″ vert), and Malcolm Smith (4.44 at 226lb, 39″ vert, 28 reps) all fit into the workout freak category (and the undersized but fast/strong for the latter two), K.J. Wright (4.75 at 246lb, 32″ vert, 20 reps) was a perfectly orthodox linebacker prospect (not that any of his numbers were bad, he’s just normal size, normal speed, etc.), and we had no issue taking him in a middle round and giving him immediate playing time at both MIKE and SAM.
Just pointing out that while it’s natural to focus on the 4.5 guys as potential Seahawks, we shouldn’t necessarily count anyone out just because he wasn’t the fastest in the group.
To be a R1 John/Pete LB, the guy must run a 4.5 or better. They will certainly go with a slower guy in the mid rounds, like KJ. However, to start at the Will, the guy will have to be a 4.5. Anything slower is a backup at Mike or Sam.
Wright was a 4th round pick, though.
re: Wright, he’s also 6’4″, so not totally orthodox
His arms are nearly 35″ too.
I don’t want another KJ Wright though. Wright got burned in coverage quite a few times last year. We need another fast linebacker, not another linebacker.
Sorry for the back-to-back posts, but as a side note, Rob, what do you think of Cullen Jenkins (just released by PHI) for a short-term veteran addition at 3-tech?
Past his best, old. Approaching his mid 30’s.
Rob’s top 10 mirrors King’s top 5 players, which certainly is a list that makes sense given team needs and quality of talent.
On King’s:
“SI’s Peter King said Oregon OLB Dion Jordan, Texas A&M T Luke Joeckel, Florida DT Sharrif Floyd, Georgia OLB Jarvis Jones, and Alabama CB Dee Milliner are as “good a guess as any for the top five picks in the draft.”
King notes that the list is not in any specific order, but the inclusion of the five is important. In some sort of a mock draft, King went on to give Joeckel to the Chiefs, Jones to the Jaguars if medicals check out, Floyd to the Raiders, Jordan to the Eagles, and Milliner to the Lions.”
Damn. I was hoping Ansah would stumble a little. Not that it was ever very likely but I was holding out hope for a super sized LEO after watching him dominate from the 9 tech at the Senior Bowl. I guess my two favorites, he and Jordan, were never really possibilities.
Teo looks terrible to me. Am I not seeing something?
His college production was pretty good. 7 interceptions in a season is pretty incredible, and being the leading tackler for the 2nd best defense in the country will gain you some recognition as well.
I agree he is not that impressive a prospect though.
Seems like he may take a Brandon Spikes like fall due to his lead feet.
Rob- Is it safe to say you are starting to like Greene over Ogletree, not only as a human, but also as a physical specimen and football player?
After today, Yes Yes Yes. Definitely. Ogletree looks average out there. Greene is sparky, has a bit of electricity.
I like how Khaseem Greene back pedals and moves side to side, a real natural.
Everything else aside, if it’s Jones or Greene at #25, who’d you take?
Greene
I’d say Jones. Seahawks obviously have a need a WLB but unless we can get a pass rush, people are going to get open and the WLB will be less of a factor. I’d think we’d look to bolster the pass rush in the first few rounds, grab a play maker WR or TE, and add a LB in the middle rounds to compete with Smith/Morgan etc. If we get a consistent pass rush, I don’t think WLB will be as big a need as we think. With a draft as deep as it is with DL, I’d think you’d look to bolster that and “band-aid” the linebacker position until next year. It’s not like LB is overflowing with talent this year.
and because it’s deep, I mean grab multiple pass rushers in the first 4 rounds… Like 1 and 3 or 1 and 2.
But I don’t see jones doing that well rushing the passer in any of the game tape, there are lots of pass rushers in this draft and we could possibly get one of them in the later rounds, Greene won’t be there.
I’m falling in love with Cornelius Washington as our next LEO. Impressive workout.
I thought he looked great too. However, the announcers, can’t remember which ones, did make a point to say that his tape shows a lack of production.
use a late round pick, minimal risk and maximum reward.
I watched a lot of Georgia football this year and I don’t remember Washington having a big impact. Interesting athelete, but I don’t want to fall in love with him before someone here looks at his tape.
On paper, Cornelius Washington looks like a 1st round pick. What little tiny bits I can find of him on youtube look electric as well.
Problem is, he had basically no production at Georgia.
Might be the most mysterious LEO candidate this year.
I’d love to draft him though. He’s a BIG TIME athlete and he looked good in drills. If there is a good reason why he didn’t produce, I’d be just fine with learning that reason the hard way.
Kip, after the combine he just put up how late would we be able to get him?
what I like about Green is he’s a totally safe pick. You can grab him in the first and know you’ve got a rock solid addition to your team for 10 years. No questions, no risks.
thats funny…
Sorry, but last time we did that, we took Aaron Curry.
I hate going for the “safest prospect”. It seems like this label is a jinx.
DON’T SA THAT OR HE WILL BE AARON CURRY (crap I said his name).
Collins with a 41.5 vertical!? OMG!
AND an 11’7″ broad jump? How did he get around the rules of gravity? Are we certain he’s doing these drills in Indy and not, say, the surface of the moon?
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Ogletree. I wondered how his flat-footed run style would go. But to be honest hoped for better times. Jordan looks how he does on film, if he has the mean streak to match he would dominate as a LB, 3-4 preferably. He can cover, rush, get through blocks. Just needs more consistency vs the run and getting low but yeah amazing talent.
Oh My. That mug shot of Desmond Bryant is a photo only a mother could love. Seriously. Get yourself together man.
Lol, just in time too. Cross him off the list.
Read some stuff on Cornelius Washington. One guy said he didn’t do well at Georgia because he played a 34 LB and he wasn’t very good at coverage or blitzing from an upright position, but when they had him put his hands in the dirt like a DE he was a beast with an awesome first step. They said he needs to be a 43 DE.
His combine stats are awesome: he is like 6-4 265lbs
Bench, 36 reps
40, 4.55
I was talking film (vs Bama) on him last night after his numbers posted. On the plays he was in on the O ave about 3-5 yrds without 4-6. You noticed when he was not in but could also tell he was playing out of position. Interesting player, long…
That should have been *watching* film O.o
What position do you see him as a fit in the Seattle system? I can’t picture him on the Dline other than as a LEO. He might be awesome there but I’m not sure how you’d deploy Irvin or Clemons. (I don’t object to improving a position but that would still leave the defense with only one strong rusher.
Any time we can add Leo depth without making a big investment we should do it. Imagine if we had Clem playing in the ATL game. Clem may not make it back and we need depth.
Having now read some subsequent posts I am intrigued by Washington.
To me, a lot of the complaints about Datone Jones’ game have sounded a lot like the kind of claims that made Dangeruss Willson drop to the third round last year. Those who frequent this site know I’ve been really high on Jones and I think the Seahawks take him in the first. I don’t see anything ON TAPE that says he wouldn’t be able to play 3 downs at the next level. He looks like the fire 3tech.
Also, Cornelius Washington’s speed really translates on the field. He shows up. I haven’t seen any tape of his, but from highlights he looks like a burner on the edge. Could easily be a fit at the LEO spot. If he could be had fourth round or later I’d take him.
Greene could potentially fall due to his “lack of athleticism” displayed at the combine. Might be had in the second.
1st- Datone Jones
2nd- Khaseem Greene
3rd-Chris Gragg (looks like what I thought Jordan Reed would be, but with more fire and grittiness)
After the third is where it gets kind of fuzzy…
4th-Cornelius Washington?
Seemed the scouts and Akbar liked him a lot. He mentioned he could play 3tech, and other positions…
Who knows? Looks like he has great feet…
The big thing for me with Datone Jones is the projection for the next level. Sure, he holds his own just fine against college linemen, but at that size, can he do the same against NFL linemen? It’s a big question.
I’d like to know what he can max bench. Might be more telling. Or maybe how many times he can press 325
Dion Jordan had a lot of hype prior to the Combine but he’s looking like a potentially elite edge rusher. Blazing speed in the 40 doesn’t define that, but it does help showcase how athletic he is, along with his smoothness in drills. He’ll be long gone by Seattle’s pick, but sure would be a nice LEO!
Rob, what do you make of the Ogletree time? On tape he oftent looks like the fastest guy on the field period. Is it just a bad day for him (bad off season really…)?
I’d take him off my draft board tonight. He looked sluggish out there, unprepared almost. The final straw after the DUI.
Is there any chance Star might now fall to 25 and if he did, do you draft him there?
from the sounds of it, there’s no chance he falls. If he does, it means there’s something seriously wrong and you don’t draft him.
I honestly don’t know if there’s a chance he’ll be there. But if he falls as far as #25, then it’s serious. And you probably pass too.
A friend of mine was telling me about a guy he wants in the middle round. Jamie Collins. What’s the verdict on him?? This particular friend is a die hard so i trust in his wisdom.
Stupid athletic.
11′ 7″ broad jump. (combine record I believe)
41.5″ vertical.
Same basic measurables as Chris Clemons 6’3 250lbs
solid pass rusher (10 sacks last season)
He’s probably a bit to lean for a traditional DE, but IMO he makes an interesting LEO prospect.
He did a bit of everything for SoMiss – he rushed standing up, with a hand in the dirt, and dropped back a lot, too. It looked like he was rarely asked to tee-off and rush the QB, it looked like he was asked to do more read-react and edge contain. I’m not sure if that was the best use of his abilities, but he is EXACTLY the type of player PCJS target in the mid-later rounds.
Agree with Morgan and would add that while he flashed some great closing speed and aggression, most of his tape looks like he’s just going through the motions. I wasn’t particularly impressed with his edge setting either. Maybe he’s the kind of guy that they work out at his pro day, but being projected 3rd round right now and I like Lemonier better at that spot. Still rooting for Maponga a bit later than that, or Quanterus Smith.
I’m watching him right now. Seems extremely finesse, and isn’t at all developed. I think he’s closer to being a WLB than a LEO, honestly. Good athlete. I think he’s going to be linebacker in the NFL.
Quick question. Are they running the 40 yard dash in the same direction everyday?
Certainly some interesting combine performances that might impact R1. Ogletree continues his crash and burn. Werner and Moore most definitely do not look like top ten DEs to my eye. No R1 RBs. Maybe not even two R1 QBs. About a dozen WRs more or less equal, can be had in R2. Will certainly be a run on OLs and DLs, though it still appears that at least two solid DTs will still be there at #25. I don’t see any R1 4/3 LBs. Manti Te’o runs a 4.8 vs. Bobby Wagner 4.46 and Luke Kuechly 4.5 at Mike LB last year. A good year to need a big ugly.
Agree with almost all of this. Ogletree will probably fall to the end of R1 and get scooped up by someone like the Ravens. Other than Dion Jordan, Damontre Moore was by far the most overrated player in this draft and is barely a 1st round pick. His tape is very pedestrian and most of his sacks are coverage sacks or the other side of the pocket collapsing toward him. Werner is a monster and he would be great value if he fell out of the top 10.
RB’s, I think Lacy is a R1 guy, and after that I think Christine Michael, Montee Ball, and Andre Ellington off the top of my head are R2 guys. Jonathan Franklin and Stepfan Taylor could creep into the back end of 2 as well. QB is going to be interesting this year, especially if Alex Smith goes to KC. I think both Geno and Barkley go top 10.
Agree on WR and the quality should last into R3, specifically Stedman Bailey after that awful combine. Excited about the Top 3 TE’s and haven’t watched much on guys like Reed or Toilolo yet, but the position seems deep as well. For LB’s who knows about R1, but there is a ton of depth, especially with guys like Jon Bostic and Zaviar Gooden. They both have good tape as well.
Love the Seahawks situation this year with all our picks and think we will look back on this draft as the best PC/JS draft to date. It seems like every day I see tape of another projected 5-7 round guy that is an absolute monster.
My take on Dion Jordan today was pretty different. Jordan does not bend well and doesn’t have the quickest feet- but the one thing he does have on tape is speed. A former WR, I was expecting Jordan to run in the 4.4s. He ran a 4.60. That’s not awful, but still disappointing.
I thought he looked good but not amazing in drills. I think he is really benefiting from a pretty unimpressive and unathletic DL class.
A good coach could turn him into a weapon, but he needs to be paired with a coach that can be really creative- because Jordan isn’t your run of the mill DE or even LB for that matter.
I agree, for the most part Kip. I dont see him as a full time DE, I think that would take away from what he can do. His personality seems to reflect that of a ex-wr and that makes sense. But watching him in coverage and other areas like coming down the line and blowing a play up in the back-field, you know he can do a lot for a team.
Though I’m not sure how fair it is to expect a guy outside of Calvin Johnson Jr to run a 40 at 4.4 at 6’6 250 lbs.
Jordan’s calling card was supposed to be his speed, not his speed for his height. Everything else being the same, I’d rather draft a 6’3″ guy who runs a 4.50 than a 6’6″ guy that runs 4.60.
I think Mingo is the better overall prospect, and don’t see anything on tape other than his measurables and some flashes of closing speed that justifies a top 15 pick for Dion Jordan.
AJ Klein has really good tape, and today he confirmed what I thought about his speed. It’s on the good side of average and his 10 yards split (1.60) was tied for 5th (Cornelius Washington, Alec Ogletree) of out of 26 linebackers. Basically, he’s more quick than fast, and he’s hardly slow. His forty time came in just ahead of guys like Khaseem Greene and Alec Ogletree.
Rob – what do you know about Trevardo Williams? I don’t recall reading anything here about his performance at the combine: he was the fastest DL at 4.57, did 30 reps @ 225, had the best vertical @ 38″, and broad jumped 10’4″. Outstanding for a guy that no one seems to be talking about. Where do you see him playing at 6’1″ and 241#?