#77 Luke Marquardt - possible Seahawks draft pick?
A lot of people have been using the comments section to post their seven-round Seahawks mock drafts this week. I thought I’d chime in with my own here. I’ve tried to mix in scheme fit, reported interest, official visits and hunches.
Round two – pick #56 – Quinton Patton (WR, Louisiana Tech)
Reports have suggested the Seahawks have been tracking Patton for some time. He’s a talkative character and even suggested he’d like to be the next Chad Johnson in a recent interview. However, it’s a deceptive comparison. Patton is an articulate, well spoken individual who doesn’t give off a ‘me-first’ vibe. He doesn’t look or sound like a distraction or headache. You can never have enough good wide receivers and Green Bay regularly re-tooled in this kind of range. Golden Tate is a free agent in 2014 while Sidney Rice’s contract will become an issue sooner rather than later.
Round three – pick #87 – Denard Robinson (RB, Michigan)
Robinson played quarterback at Michigan and worked out for teams at receiver, cornerback and kick returner this off-season. However, for me his best position will always be running back. Yes, he will need to get a grip on protections. He’ll need to learn to block if he has any hope of ever being an effective back. But everything else about him screams playmaker at the position. He’s 5-10, 199lbs and runs a 4.43. The Seahawks don’t have a #3 running back at the moment or anyone you’d use in relief for Percy Harvin returning kicks. I like the idea of the Robinson project.
Round four – pick #123 – Montori Hughes (DT, Tennessee-Martin)
There’s a lot of off-field red flags with Hughes and that could force him down the board. He matches the kind of size the Seahawks appear to like at defensive tackle. He’s 6-4 and 329lbs. He’s hard to move even with double team blocks and he has plus mobility for his size. He’s not much of a pass rusher but the Seahawks don’t appear to be to be looking for an orthodox three technique. He would offer further depth to the interior. Needs to improve his hand-use.
Round five – pick #138 – Luke Marquardt (T, Azusa Pacific)
Enormous 6-8 tackle with +34 inch arms. Comes from the same school as Christian Okoye — the only other previous NFL draft pick out of Azusa Pacific. In five years he added 100lbs to switch from basketball to left tackle. He missed the entire 2012 season due to a navicular fracture and he may need a further procedure to fully repair the injury. It’s likely to have an adverse effect on his stock. I’ve seen some people project him in the round 3/4 range, others have him as a round seven-UDFA type. Nevertheless, he has an intriguing skill set and the size Seattle looks for at tackle.
Round five – pick #158 – Zaviar Gooden (LB, Missouri)
I wasn’t blown away watching tape of Gooden. Despite the incredible speed and athleticism he flashed at the combine, I struggled to consider him much more than a later round project. I think it’s going to take a team that truly values speed to take him in this range. That’s where the Seahawks come in. I suspect Pete Carroll feels they can keep adding competition for the WILL rather than necessarily needing to for an early pick at the position. He’s talked about USC’s reputation as ‘linebacker-U’ during his time in SoCal, but he admitted he wanted to be known for the quality of the teams cornerbacks instead. If Khaseem Greene is there in round two, maybe they bite. If not, expect someone like Gooden later on to compete with Malcolm Smith et al.
Round six – pick #194 – Stefan Charles (DT, Regina)
He’s had an official visit with the Seahawks. Canadian prospect who’s been touted as a possible mid-rounder. I’m not totally convinced he’ll go quite that early but then it’s impossible to judge without being there for the work outs and comparing him to what else is available. Akiem Hicks went to the same school and ended up being a third round pick last year. We’ll see if Charles also goes that early.
Round seven – pick #214 – Dustin Hopkins (K, Florida State)
Seattle’s lack of urgency over the position suggests there’s a couple of guys they like in this draft. Perhaps they go even earlier to address this need? Dustin Hopkins is the NCAA FBS all-time kick scorer and had a productive career with the Seminoles. He has a strong enough leg to kick beyond 50-yards. With a couple of rookies coming into the league last year and having success (Blair Walsh, Greg Zuerlein), the Seahawks might be prepared to follow suite.
Round seven – pick #220 – Jeremy Wright (RB, Louisville)
The video above is a Khaseem Greene tape, but Wright is the running back used by Louisville in most of the snaps. The Seahawks have reportedly shown some interest in the player. He was a surprise addition to the draft, having graduated and chosen at the last minute not to enrol for 2013. Nobody knew he intended to turn pro. Seattle is likely to add some competition to the running back position in camp, even if they take a guy like Denard Robinson early.
Round seven – pick #231 – Michael Williams (TE, Alabama)
More of a blocking tight end who had a productive role in Alabama’s dominating ground game. He showed flashes of receiving potential at the Senior Bowl, including a nice touchdown grab from an E.J. Manuel pass. At 6-6 and 269lbs he’s a big guy who could earn some special teams duties. He’s not going to be the next great receiving tight end, but he’d offer something a little bit different to Zach Miller, Anthony McCoy and Cameron Morrah.
Round seven – pick #241 – Russell Shepard (WR, LSU)
The Seahawks love a project (see: J.R. Sweezy). There’s been some talk of Shepard potentially switching to cornerback and he’s taken an official visit with the the team. It’s impossible to say how these things might work out but when you get to this stage in the draft, why not take a chance? This is the first of Seattle’s two compensatory picks.
Round seven – pick #242 – B.J. Daniels (QB, USF)
Daniels had a mixed time in college, but there is something intriguing about him. The Seahawks clearly agree, given he made an official visit a few days ago. Whether or not he gets drafted remains to be seen, but Seattle is likely to bring in at least one more quarterback for training camp.
Aaaahhh… ya always keep us on our toes, rob. I really would be happy with this mock if it actually happened. There’s a lot of talent there. Looking at that video of Hopkins what really stands out is his length. We have it at evvery other position, why not kicker?
This would be a massive haul for Seattle.
Shoelace, Hughes, and Gooden are three of the picks I would love to see the Seahawks come away with. Add Marquardt and Daniels, and this would be quite a coup.
I would, however, prefer to see them pick up Toilolo or Fauria to add to the TE position group.
All your picks seem like they would be high on the Seahawks board. The only guy I would have a problem with is Gooden. He just doesn’t seem to like contact and I don’t know if I guy like that fits into this defense. More often than not he goes for the arm tackle, sometimes even giving himself a little cushion to avoid impact. Every now and then he would square up a ball carrier but it didn’t look natural for him. This also shows up when he tries to avoid blockers rather than stacking and shedding. I could see the Hawks forgiving this if he could use that athleticism to be an elite cover LB. He just seems to be average in coverage though.
The one mid round guy that is really screaming Seahawks to me is Kyle Juszczyk from Harvard. Not tall enough to be an inline TE but he is a special reciever who if used right could be a weapon. Sound familiar? He is an elite athelete, very strong and is the best of the tight end class at running good routes and getting himself open. Watching him play it’s obvious he loves the game and has a high football IQ. Another Seahawks value is versatility and again he has it. At the Senior Bowl he worked out at FB and was far and away the best lead blocker and pass blocker on the field. He left several LB’s on there backs. A 37″ vert and 24 reps bench at 250lbs lead to a powerful and nasty blocker. Use him as a Joker TE, motion him in or out of the backfield, H-back in the read option or as an old school I form FB. Robinson insurance and a Joker TE in one player.
I had the same feelings about Juszczyk (see below).
I just went back a few years to find guys to compares his numbers to to put his athleticism in context for receiving backs. His 3 cone, short shuttle, vertical and broad jump score are almost all better than the times and distances of Maurice Jones Drew, Leon Washington and Matt Forte. Even if he is not quite 6’2″, his quickness, crisp routes and ability to set up defenders helps him get open better than any TE in the draft. He’s not going to be an inline TE, red zone or jump ball threat but what he can do is impressive. I wouldn’t be shocked if he slipped into the 4th round. I’d be fine taking him there. I’d prefer the 5th or 6th though. The guy is special if you know how to use him.
You aren’t the only people looking at this guy. There were like 15 other teams watching his pro day. He won’t make it pass the 5th round.
Haha. Good thing the Hawks have an early fifth round pick then.
That is, if they’re interested.
I have two versions:
The first one assumes that Seattle’s top priority in the draft is to get another big run-stuffing DT. They signed Tony McDaniel and I think he’s this year’s Barrett Rudd. Insurance, in other words.
Second assumption is that they want quality competition and depth at the LB position.
With that, here it is:
2nd round: best DT on the board they like. This could be Jesse Williams, Jonathan Hankins, Kawan Short, or John Jenkins.
3rd: best LB. Arthur Brown, Kasseem Greene, Sio Moore.
4th: one of the following, in this order: Chistine Michael RB, Marcus Lattimore RB, Kyle Juszczyk FB/TE
5th: Reid Fragel OT
5th: Eric Martin LEO/LB
6th: Mychal Rivera TE
7th: Ryan Aplin QB
7th: Knile Davis RB
7th: Mark Harrison WR
7th: Rodney Smith WR or Brice Butler WR
Second version is more about my favorites, and less about what I think Seattle might do. It assumes that Shamarko Thomas is this year’s Bruce Irvin. Thomas is like Earl at strong safety. The kid is fast and powerful.
2nd: Shamarko Thomas
3rd: Christine Michael. I think this guy is going to be a star at the position, if he can get his head right. If He is not available, Marcus Lattimore. There is a spot on the roster for a 3rd RB, and taking an near-elite talent would be a good use of the pick.
4th: Kyle Juszczyk FB/TE. This kid seems really talented and wouldn’t necessarily take Michael Robinson’s place on the team. He might even play the joker role some.
5th: Bennie Logan DT. The big guy falls to here due to better value in previous picks.
5th: Reid Fragel OT. Seattle gets a potential swing tackle.
6th: Mychal Rivers TE. This guy can block and he can catch. Good value.
7th round same as above.
First mock you did looks pretty much bang on. I am also a fan of Christine Michael and think he’s the #2 back in the draft. Also like Arthur Brown and Sio Moore a lot.
In reality probably closer to Rob’s where I have heard of 3 guys, watched tape of 1 and didn’t like what I saw. Either way, go hawks!
Rob,
As far as your mock goes, we definitely see things differently. For one thing, unless somebody falls to #56 like Woods or Hopkins, I can’t see Seattle making WR that high a priority. They rank their board with an ‘upgrade’ factor, and I can’t imagine a WR at 56 will rank higher for upgrading a position than so many others (DT, LB for instance).
Taking a project at RB in the 3rd round doesn’t make sense either. As an athlete without a position, rounds 6-7 would be more appropriate. In the 3rd Seattle could draft a legitimate NFL RB, so why take a project?
I would echo Leonard’s comment above about Gooden. Not sure he’s the guy you want to bring in to compete at that position.
As far as Hughes (DT) is concerned, he might be the guy. If Seattle likes somebody they can draft later (like they did at the QB position last year) then great. I think this is the single most obvious priority in the draft, and I think they take the best player they can when they can, and that’s likely sooner rather than later.
Finally, as for QB projects, I don’t believe Daniels possesses an NFL-caliber arm, and that will limit his effectiveness. But that’s just my opinion from watching the tape. Maybe he can throw better than I give him credit for.
We can’t work on perceived value and conventional thinking. That’s not how this team works.
Not sure how your comment pertains to anything. The only difference between ‘perceived’ value and value is what you think and what I think and what PC/JS thinks. We all have our ideas of value, and nothing I wrote or suggested had anything to do with conventional thinking. My judgments are my own, based on what I know about the Seahawks and what I know about the players.
Seattle ranks draft prospects in part on how they will improve the position. That’s not conventional thinking, that’s what we think we know about how they build their board. With that in mind, how does Quinton Patton get ranked so highly, with Rice, Tate, Baldwin and Harvin on the team? He doesn’t.
And what tape do you have on Robinson playing a traditional RB role? None. Yet you think Seattle will burn a 3rd round pick on the guy.
In hindsight, every Seattle draft pick made sense, even if they didn’t all work out. Their top three picks last year have been ranked in the overall top 15 in redrafts. That’s not unconventional. That’s simply sensational drafting, and every pick – Irvin/Wagner/Wilson – could have been predicted. I know, because I predicted two of those picks (although I had Irvin in the second with Wilson in the third – I could not figure out the first round pick).
That’s why I think Shamarko might be the Irvin of this draft, a player they may fall in love with. Learning more about what Winfield can do makes Shamarko even more intriguing, as he could play the same role in future years.
I don’t mind criticism or disagreement, but dismissal by generalization is unhelpful.
My response to that is – it’s a two way street. Yes, Seattle ranks its board by how players will improve the position. But in order for that to work, there must be players who will improve the position. I’m looking at our two biggest needs, LB and DT, and I don’t see a player who will be there at 56 beating out Smith or even McDaniel.
Anyone that you draft there will be depth and competition – and you’d better be comfortable cutting them if they lose.
There are also two types of needs at play – long term and short term. In the long term, we need a replacement for Sydney Rice and/or Golden Tate. Our current replacements are Steven Williams and Phil Bates – that is where Patton is a huge improvement. In the long term, we need a replacement for the big Russian and McQ – currently our replacements are . . . no one. Given this years draft class, it may be better to focus on long term needs.
I think that’s perfectly fair. To your point, I don’t know if they rank any of the DTs I mentioned high enough to be much of an improvement over what they have (Howard, Scruggs, McDaniel, Mebane, Bryant, McDonald). Same goes for the WILL. Perhaps they really like Malcolm Smith and Morgan.
That’s where my second mock comes in, where they take Thomas in the second and Michaels in the third. More about long term value versus short term need.
As far as Patton goes, I just don’t see the talent that projects to replace a Rice or Tate. But that’s just another opinion. In my mock, I have three guys taken late that are tall and fast. All seventh rounders, maybe one makes the team, maybe not.
“Their top three picks last year have been ranked in the overall top 15 in redrafts. That’s not unconventional”
Irvin at 15 and WIlson in the third were unconventional at the time. In hindsight, they worked out to be great players, but when Irvin was drafted, he was labeled a huge reach as a 2nd- 3rd round prospect (and with Coples and Ingram still on the board!), and the Wilson pick was scrutinized by nearly everyone.
I like your mock drafts, but also agree with Rob completely. Carroll and Schneider have shown little conventionality in their draft process.
Perhaps its just a question of semantics. I suppose convention is what the commentators say it is. In that regard, last year’s draft was indeed unconventional. But I don’t consider the talking heads as authorities. The authorities are those making the decisions – the GMs/HCs around the league.
If we use that as convention, then the Irvin and Wilson pick become more ‘conventional’ as it has been reported that several teams would have drafted both players within a few picks of Seattle.
In PC/JS’s first draft, it was easy to call the first round. I had an LT at 6 (although didn’t believe Washington would pass on Okung so thought it would be Williams) and had Thomas at 14 in every comment for a month before the draft. But I wasn’t alone. Both picks were utterly predictable and ‘conventional’ by any measure.
Taking a RT at 25 the following year was also predictable (although I thought it would be someone other than Carpenter – never even considered him as a possibility). So maybe Carpenter was ‘unconventional’ but the pick of a starting RT wasn’t.
Which brings me to my main point. I don’t believe PC/JS go out of their way to surprise people. What they do is set their own board based on their own criteria, period. They judge what other teams will do (thus waiting until the last moment to select Wilson, and trading down in the first before taking Irvin). As fans, we can perceive some of the trends, guess at some of the criteria, and attempt to match it with what we see in the draft.
As I stated earlier, it’s not that PC/JS are unconventional. It’s that that the people who are setting convention are far less qualified than those making the actual decisions. Ironically, when the decision makers do something unexpected, they are labeled ‘unconventional’ when in fact they are exceptionally competent evaluating college talent, at least in the case of PC/JS.
The point is, making an argument for a player to be selected by Seattle entirely due to the unusual nature of the pick is not an argument in it’s favor. Suggesting a possible selection based on PC/JS’s known approach to the draft, their likes and dislikes, the state of the roster, and the nature of the prospect makes far more sense. In a particular case, this may go against conventional wisdom, and at that point, we know better than to argue against it because the pick might be criticized as being ‘unconventional’.
I don’t see the dismissal or the generalization here.
The point I’m making is… this team does not work by conventional wisdom. No, there is no tape on Denard Robinson playing running back. And? This team constantly asks what a player ‘could’ become. Always thinking outside of the box. Heck, they take a DL and put him at guard. Irvin at #15 was the definition of unconventional. It was a stunning pick at the time. Complete out of the box thinking. The same for Wilson. Half the league is scared off by his height. Not the Seahawks. They think outside of the box. That is what I have done here. That is what they might do again this year.
You say, “How does Quinton Patton get ranked so highly, with Rice, Tate, Baldwin and Harvin on the team? He doesn’t.” I’d respond — how do you know? A gentle reminder that Green Bay took Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb despite having a loaded receiver group. Now those two guys are the main players. You can afford to think ahead. Tate and Rice might not be with the team in 2014, let alone 2015.
I could post a really dull mock here that just fills every need with a ‘name’ everyone knows and still be completely wrong. This team is the definition of unconventional. That’s what I’ve gone with.
It was both dismissing and general because you didn’t back it up with any substance like you did here.
I have already addressed the notion of conventional wisdom that we posted simultaneously . As far as my judgment of Patton, the short answer is I don’t know. Maybe he rates far higher than I suspect. I just think a WR at 56 would have to be truly special to score high enough on the Seahawks board to take, and I don’t think Patton special enough. It’s not that I don’t think Seattle would consider a WR at 56. Only that it would have to be somebody unique, as there are a lot of WRs in this draft, and I don’t think the drop-off between Patton and the next 5 or 6 guys that immense.
As far as Robinson goes, perhaps they see a position fit for him. I don’t. We don’t have any reason to believe he would excel as a RB, a WR, or a safety. You mention the example of turning Sweezy into a guard. He was drafted in the 7th round, not the 3rd. If Seattle could take Robinson with one of their 7th round picks, I would call it a pick well spent.
You assert that Irvin was a complete shock. To observers, yes, but not to other teams ready to take him a few picks later. Same goes for Wilson. He wouldn’t have made it out of the 3rd round. I put it on JS’s brilliance to wait until 75, when they would have taken him in the second if necessary.
The Seahawks don’t think outside the box. They simply establish the boundaries of their own box, one that looks different to most outside observers. As Seahawk fans, we probably know more about how that box is shaped than the Mel Kipers of the world.
The main thing I am missing is an evaluation of later round DTs and LBs. That’s where PC/JS will excel – finding that guy they can turn into a perennial starter, ala Kam and KJ (not even considering the possibility of snagging another Sherman).
You disagree with the mock. That’s fine. But your responses so far are very matter of fact. This team doesn’t work in a way that enables us to speak so firmly on what they will or won’t do. My mock could be 100% wrong. Frankly, I couldn’t care less. But the one thing I’ve learnt watching this team is to not rule anything out and in most cases, to think outside of the box. To be unpredictable. And I’ll continue to do that.
Feel free to continue to say what will/won’t happen. I learnt a while ago not to do that with this team.
My intent wasn’t to assert anything for certain that we don’t know for certain, but instead to write as clearly as possible around why I thought something that I did. If I left the impression that I was speaking “so firmly on what they will or won’t do” than I either mis-wrote it or you misread it, because I sure don’t feel that way about it.
I didn’t take your mock as any kind of prediction, but instead, a starting point for discussion. That was the spirit in which I responded. I have zero confidence this year (unlike past years) of asserting what Seattle will or won’t do in this draft. All I have is vague notions (most of them derived from what I have read here), and if my comments come off any stronger than that, I wrote it wrong.
Last year I had much stronger opinions about what Seattle would do, but this year wouldn’t bet a wooden nickel one way or another. I enjoy these discussion because I learn more about players I hadn’t considered, or revise my opinion about players I already know (for example, you have completely convinced me about D’rick Rogers).
What do you think about Shamarko Thomas being drafted by Seattle? Does that seem out of the question for you, or is it a question of where?
As I recall, you are the one who argued for taking Marcus Lattimore in the mid-rounds and putting him on ice for a year. That makes a lot of sense to me.
Do you have an opinion about Juszczyk? He seems like he might be one of your ‘out of the box’ kind of players.
Final question: why do you like Daniels over Aplin? Kip convinced me in his piece from a few days ago. Was there something you didn’t like about Aplin?
It’s all discussion. If it sounds like I am trying to win an argument, or convince you of something, then something has gone wrong, because it doesn’t matter to me if our convictions match or diverge.
I wouldn’t rule out Thomas… although I find it interesting that they brought in Duke Williams for a visit. He might be a more likely target because of that — they’ve drafted or signed a lot of the guys they’ve visited with in recent years. Juszczyk is getting a lot of attention right now and it appears he’s on Seattle’s radar (another guy who they’ve had in for a visit). I can’t judge him as a full back without seeing him play snaps there, which I have not. I went with Daniels because he’s a player who I liked in college, not as a high pick or anything, but a guy I enjoyed watching. Again, another player who met with the Seahawks last week. As far as I’m aware, they haven’t met with Aplin. I tried to use the visits, scheme, and other aspects to make this projection.
Okay, that makes a lot of sense. Weighting the prospect based on professed interest indicated by visits. I hadn’t considered that as it cuts both ways – high-profile prospects don’t get invitations, ala Irvin and Wilson, but for later round players like Daniels, why not? Plus, if they were truly interested in Aplin, they lose nothing by meeting with him as well.
Also, they could get Williams later than Thomas, at least based on how the two are currently ranked. I don’t know how they compare on the field (I haven’t seen anything of Williams).
One last question: do you think Daniels possesses an NFL arm? Just watching him play, it doesn’t look good to me. What do you think?
I don’t think he has a great arm, but then I think the range they would be drafting him in (late 7th, UDFA type scenario) he’s really coming in to compete with Portis to make the PS. If he gets passed that hurdle, then it’s something he could work on.
If you are interested, Juszczyk played fullback during the Senior Bowl and you can find the entire game on YouTube. He looked very impressive to me. More so during the week of practices. Powerful blocker and graceful reciever. Kind of unique. Carroll and Schnieder seem to find the Senior Bowl a usefull tool in finding draft prospects. And the do like unique.
For the record you and I had five of ten picks the same. You had them in different rounds is all. Over all, I like your picks. I am not nearly as high on the RB group as you. I think they can get a starting LB late than the third round. IMO, this is a deep draft and the Hawks will use it to reload with starter caliber guys. They have to release some big dollar guys in the year(s) ahead and will prepare for that. Lattimore is an injury risk but betting on a guy like Denard Robinson who has never played the position seems to be too much risk for me. When they go unconventional the team has a position for the guy to step into. Sweezy played. Sherman and Browner played. I don’t believe in taking a gamble on a guy who’s upside is probably the practice squad in year one. A better gamble for me is to convert Cooper Taylor from SS to WLB but we all see it differently. Nice job Hawk.
I think the only aspect you may have overlooked is that they look longer term than just this year. So if their re-sign plans involve playing hardball with renegotiating a WR contract, they may see a replacement value for 2014 as the grade of the WR they’d get at #56 in 2013 over a potentially empty chair in 2014, which would make the upgrade value substantial, perhaps even 8.0 – 0.0.
Since you welcomed disagreement – here is mine.
You are correct in your statement that JSPC are always looking for the “upgrade” factor in their evaluation of draft picks. They do.
However, you took that to mean they just compare the guys they evaluate with the current roster. This is were i think you are wrong.
I hope they see more then the roster as it is now. I hope they look a year or two ahead.
Let me point out what they might see if they do that –
They see a very talented roster with very few “easy to upgrade” positions, especially drafting late starting at 56. They also see a roster with 10 impact starters on rookie contracts that will need to be extended in the next 2 years. We can’t sign them all and keep the contract players we already have. Drafting today the guys that will be the “next man in” in 2014 must be high on their mind.
So, Patton (or Swopes) may not be an immediate upgrade on Rice&Tate but they are a major upgrade to either Rice OR Tate (plus krease) in 2014.
I agree that a RB on the 3rd sounds far fetched. It’s not a position that will need much upgrade in the next 2 years.
I do see the following as positions that will need an upgrade soon :
OL – with Breno and McQ gone in 2014 (7.5M cap) – We’ll need someone in there so we actually looking for upgrades for Moffit and Sweezy.
DT – with Bennet and McDaniel gone in 2014 – We’ll need someone in there so we actually look for upgrades over Scruggs and Howard.
WR/TE – Do you honestly see Rice, Tate, Harvin, Baldwin, Miller on the roster in 2014 ? At over 40M contracts ? No you don’t or they don’t. So we need to look for upgrades for Krease or McCoy.
etc. etc. etc.
Between the cap restrictions, the quality and contract status of our current roster – we are no longer that poor rebuilding team that drafts to improve immediate glaring holes. We should draft for our future and use late round high risk high reward guys that dropped due to physical or off the field issues to find those extra value additions.
That’s what makes Rob’s mock smart in my eyes. I don’t agree with all of them but i like the concept that i see in it.
I hope i was clear in my reservations.
Cool, makes all the sense in the world. JS is always talking about the cap plan, and that plan may involve restructuring Rice/Miller, and that plan comes with risk (see Winfield). If that is the case, drafting young talent at that position (WR/TE) now ensures they have somebody in the future. It also provides negotiating strength in future discussions.
I don’t know how to weigh such considerations (obviously) so that definitely limits the value of my mock.
As far as Patton goes he is not the WR I would take but if the hawks felt that him or another WR in the second round could be an upgrade over Rice and his current contract or Tate and his new as of yet unsigned deal then that’s were the value could come. This could be particularly true if they have a later round prospects in mind for OLB and DT like rob points out in this draft.
Forgot to add two things to the receiver comment our WR have all had injury struggles Harvin, Rice and Baldwin so that could add value to the 2nd round receiver pick. I prefer Darick Rodgers and actually a couple of other guys to Patton but WR in the 2nd would be fine with me
I like picking a wide receiver in the second. It adds to our offensive weapons.
Patton would probably be a Golden replacement. I’m extremely partial to Tate.. he’s a boss and really makes the most out of his touches. But I think this would be a good move. We have great talent at the top of our WR corps
I like Rice as well. But, as Rob points out, that contract is going to be a problem soon. With that in mind, if you think that WR has a pretty long learning curve (like most do), then drafting so that that you’re not in a situation to rely heavily on a rookie or two at the position makes a lot of sense.
There are a number of WR’s in that 4-6 round that look really worthwhile, to me. I’d like to see the Hawks go play the big man’s game early with some DT/OT guys, and then scoop up the skill positions later. But…like every other fan out there, I’m pretty much along for the ride and all in with whatever they decide.
That said, I know he’s got some issues, but I really like Justin Hunter, and I think that speed/height/jump he brings is intriguing.
Dennard Robinson is not my favorite running back in the draft but when you consider the role of the third running back on this team he might be perfect fit. He provides home run potential every time he touches the ball, he could add another later to the read option game, he can be a factor in special teams play. As far as him being a project well the Hawks took a project in the first round in Bruce Irvin when traditional every down DE were available so I don’t see it as being a stretch that they would do it in the third round. I would much rather have Lattimore but I see the value in Robinson as well
* layer to the read option game not later…
I would the draft to be over and the season to start. Wow.
I see us having one need now (wlb) and 4 needs next year (wr/dt/cb/ot).
If we can come away with a starting wlb and possible starters at 2 of the other 4 next year, it will be a great draft.
2nd Greene (wlb) / Hopkins (wr)
3rd Williams (wr) / Moore (wlb)
4th DT/OT
5th OT/DT
5th CB
I don’t like Gooden, no instincts and is a poor tackler. Robinson is a project, although good value. I am not a Fragel fan. Just sayin….
One guy I like is Steve Beauharnais. He’s an inside linebacker who played alongside Khaseem Greene at Rutgers. He’s projected to go in the fifth or sixth round, but he runs a fast enough 40 that we could put him into the mix at OLB as well as special teams.
All of Beauharnais’s times other than the 40 were pretty good. His 40 was 4.84 though which might suggest he needs to stay in the middle. This is a week top and middle draft for LB’s in my opinion. I see a lot of possible talent in the later rounds though. The only guys I’d consider in the 2nd are Brown, Greene and Moore. In the middle rounds I like Bostic and Jenkins from Florida and Klein from Iowa St. Several late round guys are interesting: Dimanche-S. Ill., Bartu-TX St., Stewart-Hou, Green-NV, Campbell-NMH, Sabino-OSU, Major-Colo, Tate-MD and Wilkins from Old Diminion.
Pretty sure Steve ran a 4.6 at his pro day.
I really like Dimanche. He’s a very unique linebacker who can be an unpredictable blitzing linebacker. Dude is quick on tape.
Wow. Big improvement from the combine.
how about Kiko Alonso from Oregon , they say he plays with a mean streak and can any of the linebacker positions. 6’3″ 238lbs.
Gooden has the high end speed, the question is do they feel they could teach him to be assignment correct and learn proper tackling form. But the lower he falls in terms of rounds, the more that may become a possibility as a project.
Are you trying to tell me that last video isn’t Russell Wilson? He even had a simultaneous catch in there…
#56 Jonathan Hankins DT Ohio State
#87 Jonathan Franklin RB UCLA
#123 Jordan Mills RT/OG Louisiana Tech
#138 Zavier Gooden LB Missouri
#158 Aaron Mellette WR Elon
#194 Joseph Fauria TE UCLA
#214 Marquess Wilson WR Washington St.
#220 Dustin Hopkins K Florida St.
#241 Rufus Johnson DE Tarleton St.
#242 BJ Daniels QB South Florida
Other options I’d like to see drafted:
Travis Kelce
Sylvester Williams, Montori Hughes, Brandon Williams
Khaseem Greene
Marcus Wheaton, Robert Woods
Cornelius Washington
Menelik Watson
Tyrann Mathieu
Interesting. A couple of comments/questions:
1 – who is Aaron Mellette? I couldn’t find him listed on CBSsports.com. What makes you think Seattle might be interested? (question asked in curiosity not criticism)
2 – There wasn’t much on Jordan Mills, either, other than his impressive measureables. Do you know much more about him?
3 – you still think Seattle should draft Mathieu? Perhaps for sometime after Winfield leaves?
4 – do you have a sense of what round Kelce will get drafted in?
Thanks for the feedback Hawk.
Aaron Mellette is a 6’3 receiver who ran a 4.45 at the combine. Here’s a profile on him:
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/21748249/the-sudden-rise-of-elon-wide-receiver-aaron-mellette
I think Seattle might be interested because he’s a taller than average receiver with speed. Also, the fact that he went to a small school could mean he’s being overlooked by some teams. He hasn’t gotten a lot of publicity. I don’t pretend to know a lot about him, but what I know, I like.
Here’s something on Jordan Mills from his NFL.com Draft Profile:
“BOTTOM LINE Mills is a powerful player with tremendous size. He combines this size with great hustle. Aside from a couple starts at guard his freshman season, Mills has only played at right tackle, but scouts will likely see him as a versatile prospect capable of playing left tackle, right tackle, or guard. Mills could find himself as a top-100 selection.”
Again I admit I don’t know all that much about him, but I’ve heard and read good things and he seems like he’s versatile enough to fit Seattle’s needs as reinforcement on the O-Line.
At the risk of incurring Rob’s wrath, yes I would be happy if Seattle drafted Mathieu as an heir apparent to Winfield as the slot corner. I’m not concerned about his past marijuana use. I saw some coverage of the recent report of his drug test failures which pointed out that, aside from his suspensions and subsequent dismissal, his issues never caused any problems on the field in terms of missed meetings, practices, poor effort, etc. I think he’s a turn-over machine and skilled at blitzing. Not nearly as good as Winfield against the run though. I also like the fact that he’s a specialist, and I think that could appeal to PC/JS.
I really like Kelce a lot. When I first watched video on him I was struck by the dominance of his blocking. He looks like an offensive lineman in that role. Then later on I was surprised to learn that his stats in 2012 were comparable to some of the top TEs in the draft. It’s hard to say where he’ll go. Shouldn’t get past mid 4th, but could easily go in the 2nd IMO.
Kelce 2012:
45 catches for 722 yards and 8 touchdowns
Eifert 2012:
50 catches for 685 yards and 4 touchdowns
Good mock, Aaron. Just so you know, many of the names on your list can be linked to the Seahawks as at least three had private meeting and workouts with them:
Aaron Mellette
BJ Daniels
Tyrann Mathieu
Also, Jordan Mills is a prospect they have been linked to as their scouts have been seen sniffing around him repeatedly.
That said , Rob’s mock (One that I also like; this is all for fun, right?), has several players that the Hawks have also met with:
Quinton Patton
Stefan Charles
Jeremy Wright
Michael Williams
Russell Shepard
BJ Daniels
Anyways, it’s fun reading what guys everybody is interested in.
Nice, thanks.
About Kelce: he was the one name on your ‘options’ list that I suspected might make your draft, and after your comment, even more so. If he is on the board in the 3rd, do you take him over Franklin?
That’s a tough one. I really liked Franklin watching him play this past season. I also heard Daniel Jermiah from NFL Network say that of all the prospects in the draft this year, Jonathan Franklin is that one guy that stood out to him as having that “it” factor. (Or something to that effect. He was basically saying he’s his “favorite guy” in this draft.) So that backed up an opinion I already held.
I mentioned why I like Kelce. I chose Franklin over Kelce in my mock because I had them taking Fauria later on. I love him for the Seahawks, and have already talked about him ad nauseam on this blog. I guess I’d say if they wanted to take a tight end early, I’d say go ahead and take Kelce at the expense of Franklin.
You bring up a great point and the complexity of these kinds of projections. Sure, Seattle might like Kelce (in this example – it could be any player) but if they think they can get a guy at the position later in the draft that may be a little less talented, but at the same time get a guy in this round (could be any round) whose skill set they can’t replicate later, then they might pass on Kelce for a Franklin and take Fauria later.
The permutations are endless.
I would probably go with Kelce over Franklin in R2. I do not see RB as a high priortiy. We have four (Lynch, Turbin, Harvin and Coleman). MRob could fill in, in an emergency. I think we are a year ahead of burning a high pick on a RB. Monte Ball is probably the only one I would consider taking that high.
I expect they emphasize OT in this draft. We have released Omiyale so we need at least one. I expect either Breno or McQ will be cut/traded in camp. Providing protection for RW has to be the highest need. We only ran to the right side 4% of the time last year. Most of those were read/option plays by RW not hand offs to Marshawn. The coaches did not have any confidence in going right. That needs to be fixed along with the protection. We face Chris Long twice and Breno was beaten badly each time. We cannot risk getting DangeRuss hurt because out line is below average at RT.
And Breno wasn’t beaten by Mario Williams, Cameron Wake, Jared Allen, Julius Peppers…. and most other teams who don’t blitz using the Greg Williams scheme.
If they draft a right tackle, the chances are it’s either depth or a cost effective potential future replacement. There isn’t a team in the league that is fretting over the protection of a right tackle. Pass protection for Wilson was not a problem last year, it’s not an issue Carroll has touched on at any point in this off-season and they clearly like Breno. But hey, I guess we have to find something else trivial to worry about now that Matt Flynn has been sent packing.
My issue with Breno is his cost. If they draft someone at Tackle in the 2nd or 3rd and they can compare equal to him on the field, then you can save 3.5 against the cap. I actually like Breno and his attitude, and maybe the Hawks can get him with a lower salary for the next few years. But if they find a replacement this year instead of waiting and the guy beats him out then I am happy with that as well.
Unlikely that his salary drops but it could remain static. Far more cost effective for the Hawks to draft a young guy with upside.
Your 4% stat is misleading. The Seahawks ran off the right end 4% of the time. They ran right tackle 21% of the time. You’re talking about a difference of only about 35 carries over a full season between left and right. If you want to consider FO’s line stats as well, they ranked #1 in “adjusted line yards” running off right tackle.
You can prattle on about penalties and struggling against the blitz but to take aim at Breno’s most valuable skill is a little silly and misguided.
I believe there a couple of mistakes here in your article Rob, not trying to be a butt here. Seattle doesn’t have 214 pick anymore, it was given away in the Percy Harvin trade and Cameron Morrah TE is not on Seattle’s roster. The Roster for TE is Zach Miller, Anthony McCoy, Sean McGrath, Helfet Cooper, and Darren Fells.
Morrah was put on injured reserve at the end of the year and I believe is still with the team. He was with them throughout last year on IR. According to NFL.com we still have 214.
My mistake Morrah is of yet a free agent still unsigned and Drafttech has Minnesota with our pick at 214 and a article I read said we gave our highest 7th round pick. I was just going on what I’ve seen. I sure would like to have 214 over 231 to be quite honest with ya.
I took the picks off NFL.com in a rush this morning and didn’t check for the Minnesota pick. I’ll double check now. I’ll probably leave the mock as it is anyway because it keeps another ‘possible name’ up there.
I’m alright with that. I was looking at the roster on Seahawks official site , I didn’t see Morrah on it. Looking deeper I found he’s unsigned free agent but there are errors since Steven Hauscha, Frank Omiyale, and Jon Ryan are still there even thou they are unsigned free agents. go figure’
I love the Luke Marduarot pick he can take Franks place.
Jon Ryan is not a FA
My mistake Ryan Longwell PK
Just a few thoughts on some names that intrigue me. Not saying that these guys reflect any dire need or anything, but these are just players that I have an eye on:
Barrett Jones (T/G/C Alabama) – I’m torn as to how big of a need the OL is, but if there one lineman I would target, it would be him. I love his versatility and intangibles.
Chris Jones (DT Bowling Green) – I’m surprised that Chris Jones isn’t getting more attention. Granted, Bowling Green isn’t Nebraska or Alabama, but he was still extremely productive. His production is very similar to Brandon Williams.
Kerwynn Williams (RB Utah State) – I would actually prefer Denard Robinson or Marcus Lattimore (even if he does start on IR), but Robert Turbin’s old teammate had a great year. The one thing that stands out for me is 45 receptions for 697 yards and 5 TDs. I don’t think RB is much of a need at all, but if the Hawks are going to take one, Kerwynn Williams is a name to keep in mind.
Quanterus Smith (DE Western Kentucky) – He was having a huge year before he tore his ACL, so he’s one of those guys that may end up starting on IR. However, talk about a guy who gets sacks in bunches. 3.0 sacks vs. Alabama (o_o), 3.5 vs. Arkansas St., and 5.0 vs Florida Int’l. He’s also 6-5 250.
Will Davis (CB Utah State) – Antoine Winfield isn’t going to be our nickle corner forever, and we still have Jeremy Lane, Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond on the roster, so this is hardly a need, but he did tie Dee Milliner with 22 passes defended. I don’t really see the Hawks drafting a corner in the range he is expected to go, but I think Davis is going to be a steal in the mid rounds. He’s also a native of Spokane btw.
Marcus Davis (WR Virginia Tech) – The one thing that intrigues me about Davis is his size (6-3 233) and he has some decent speed. I couldn’t find any comprehensive highlights, but the few highlights that I have seen makes him look like he could be a deep ball threat.
That’s all I got right now.
Barrett Jones could make Lemuel Jeanpierre expendable. He is probably best at center. Cable likes them versatile. He can play all five line positions at a high level. I expect he will be gone before we pick.
Chris Jones is a guy I have liked for a while. His production as the 3-Tech is off the charts and he put on 10 pounds since the end of the season. He might make a good late round pick that challenges and becomes another surprise starter.
I strongly disagree that Barrett Jones can play tackle in the NFL. That would be a massacre. He played there in college for a spell, but he’s no more or less likely to feature at tackle in the pro’s than any other center.
Enough about Tyrann Mathieu…. there are PLENTY of guys who can play the nickelback spot adequately if not be superstars. I get that we were burned by slot receivers entirely too much last year, but I believe an increased pass rush will negate those problems moreso than whomever Seattle has playing nickelback.
The obsession with the nickel corner here drives me nuts sometimes.
Agreed.
Since we’re on the topic of nickel corner I thought I’d brighten people’s days with this from the cbssports blog.
“Though Winfield is nearly 36, he’s still a viable defender. He graded out as the top cornerback last season in the Pro Football Focus rankings, mostly because he was rated, by far, as the best run-stopper in the league. He also allowed zero touchdowns in pass coverage, and even though receivers caught the ball 66.7 percent of the time against him, Winfield was one of the best in the league at preventing yards after the catch.”
That last sentence is key. Slot receivers are going to get their catches but we need to keep them from getting YAC.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/eye-on-football/22059001/cb-antoine-winfield-agrees-to-oneyear-deal-with-seahawks
We got enough CB on the roster this year. If we need one next year know that JS/PC will draft one next year, but for now we look just fine.
The only issue is this: If you’re going to draft a player at any position at the 56 slot and tutor him to start next year, there is no better position to do so than nickel corner. Nickel is probably the hardest position to play on defense. It requires a strong mind, speed and good tackling among other things. The position is very hard to learn and very hard to get used to. Drafting one at 56 this year would be ideal given we have Winfield for one year and then the job will likely be up for grabs again. Among this crops of corners my favorite is Winfield, but we could also go with Mathieu or… another guy…
Darius Slay. Out of all the corners in the draft, I believe Slay is one of the few who has been primarily a nickel corner in college. Someone will have to check me on that one, but I believe that’s correct. If he was available at 56, I would strongly consider him. His tape is really fun to watch.
Sorry — I said my favorite corner was Winfield in this crop of draft corners. Believe it or not, what I meant was Robert Alford… 😛
I’d like Patton in the 2nd, but I wouldn’t touch Denard Robinson in the 3rd. I’d rather take Quessenberry with that pick. I don’t think Gooden will be there that late because some team will think they can develop him like Zach Brown in Tennessee.
What do you like about Quessenberry? I thought his tape looked awful. But then again I haven’t watched it for awhile.
I haven’t watched any of his regular season games but he looked really good all week at the Senior Bowl.
Rumor has it he can play all five positions. GB is said to really like him. Seattle had him in for a visit. Cable likes his guys to be flexible as well. He may be the #87 pick.
From what I remember he had really good feet and balance but was also able to hold up pretty well against the bull rush. It might come down to an attitude thing with him to determine if Cable wants him. If he has a nasty streak then he might be the swing tackle they are looking for.
He displays a mean streak on film, however he looks a step slow vs. speed rushers. He is able to anchor and he gets to the second level effectively. He also has the ability to pull, and trap block defenders. He reminds me of Steve Hutchinson…
That would, ah, be pretty cool 🙂 A swing Hutch would be amazing. McQ can play tackle in a pinch as well. So Quessenberry and McQ, and perhaps Carpenter provide depth.
I think he will be a successful NFL Guard.
So Kiper (for what he’s worth) has Carradine sliding to 42 in his 4.0. I’m wondering how far he could slide.
Draft Insider has him down to 51.
Quinton Patton @56? I’d be fine with that. The team needs to be thinking about life after Rice and Tate. The guy has a edge, but IMO that’s a good thing at WR. He talks the talk and appears to be willing to work to back the talk up. This is a small thing, but I really like how after every touchdown he turns to find the nearest official and tosses or hands them the ball. That shows a lot of maturity.
Denard Ronbinson@87? Yes Please. He’d be like the Percy Harvin of our backfield. I can totally see our offense becoming a fast attacking and dynamic offense where defenses have no idea where they’re going to get attacked from. Deep-throwing, mobile QB. Massive Playmaker at WR. Dynamic RB with 4.4 speed that can catch. Sign me up.
Dustin Hopkins @214 – Hopkins is one of the only players in the draft that I’ll be disappointed if we don’t get. The Hawks are going to play some close games agains the West this season. The difference between a wildcard slot and winning the division could very easily come down to a 55yd field goal. Hopkins will win you games. I’d honestly be willing to take him in round 5. Dude defines “tilting the field”
Cysco – couldn’t agree more on the possible 5th for K Dustin Hopkins. We need rthis to finish off the few close battles we will have. Plus he will cost peanuts vs. Hauschka.
Denard, the way u mentioned him sounds intriguing…. as does Patton! I love offense! Arm UP!
I’ve seen a lot of Gooden, and I think he profiles as an excellent WILL for a team that values coverage. He’s a converted safety recruit. Look at the UGa tape and you see a guy who is plenty physical.
I like him too. He overplays the run sometimes, sure, but his issues seem coachable to me.
The guy can certainly cover. I do agree that he seems to lack physicality.
Rob.
I totally support you and your affirmations that this is a speculative game and that none of us here are “right” or “wrong”. Honestly, I’m surprised and a bit disappointed at how catty some participants have gotten on this message board. This should be a fun exercise and a practice of building greater awareness through a sharing of ideas, not a contest to prove ones (not so) superior intelligence. Nuff said!
I don’t think people have bad attitudes on this site. Isn’t the idea of these mock drafts to have us discuss them in the comment sections? If not, why have a comment section, and why do these?
I love this site, but it’s not like Rob’s words are necessarily the truth. He tells us what he believes, and then we can agree or disagree. And people do. If anything I feel like disagreements in the commentssection makes this a better community.
If anyone thinks my grammar is way off, or weird, I’m not american. So please bear with me.
If we pick Denard Robinson in the 3rd round the first thing I will feel, besides shock, will be total excitement. On athleticism alone Robinson is a top 15 talent. If Carroll and JS take him it will be any wonder what the big picture plan is for the guy, but I totally agree he’s the type of physical talent that Carroll salivates over.
Would a 3rd rounder be an overdraft? Yeah, probably. We head into this draft with few needs, so taking a flyer on a talent like D.R. would be justified. This draft has been described by many as a ‘depth’ draft. Something tells me Carroll won’t be satisfied with players who he looks at as having ‘depth’ potential; he wants players with star potential. Denard Robinson has star potential.
Denard could actually become a Golden Tate replacement, because remember he’s only been a WR since his Junior year of college. Didn’t really make an impact until this year..
pick 56 Travis Kelce TE Cincinnati
pick 87 Ryan Swope WR Texas A&M
pick 127 Quinton Dial DT Alabama
pick 138 Kiko Alonso OLB Oregon
pick 158 Oday Aboushi ROT Virginia
pick 194 Luke Marduarot LOT Azusa Pacific
pick 220 Zac Stacy RB Vanderbilt
pick 231 Mark Harrison WR Rutgers
Pick 241 Daimond Stafford FS Nebraska
pick 242 B.J. Daniels QB S. Florida
UDFA Joseph Campbell OLB New Mexico
It seems to me that Kelce stock has gone up and Swope has slowly slipped but not by much. Dial is probably a reach but DT at this point is a give or take. One thing I’ve notice is Seattle 4th round picks is a bust then win then bust I’m hoping for the win here. Oday is rated 2nd round propect but has drastically dropped since the combine and the fact that many teams have got there tackles early if he’s here I just have to grab this guy. After the 5th pick its just to hard to see where things will go. Luke will need year of coach as will Oday but then that s not a problem since they’ll have time learning the ZBS.
Oregon fan and Kiko’s kinna garbo.
Not a fan of Kiko at all.
I’m not sure I ever take him in any round. There are close to a dozen late round LB prospects I’d rather add to the team.
Here is my revamp (first mock of the year)
Like a lot of your players, but I see two needs left for potential starters, dt & olb to go high for. This is a position draft.
I’m also throwing in a trade 1) to get there for the two players I want & 2) get rid of cap at one position. The trade is with Oakland for their 3rd round (66) for our 3rd (87) and let them choose either Paul McQuistan or John Moffitt.
Ok, here goes:
2 (56) dt. Kawann Short, Purdue
3 (66) olb. Kio Moore, Connecticut
4 (123) ot. Jordan Mills, Louisiana Tech
5 (138) te. Kyle Juszcyck, Harvard (Ma.)
5 (158) rb. Denard Robinson, Michigan (can get him here)
6 (194) k. Dustin Hopkins, Florida State (gotta go here if we really want him)
7 (220) fs. Duke Williams, Nevada (drops due to off-the field concerns)
7 (231) ot.og. Garrett Gilkey, Chadron State (Ne.) (Marquardt gone by now)
7 (241) wr. cb. Russell Shepard, Louisiana State
7 (242) qb. B.J. Daniels South Florida
Holy crap that’s a killer mock. Only one nit-pick: Sio, not Kio.
That’s the first Seattle mock that gave me a draft stiffy, including my own. But then, it’s not so much fun playing all alone…
Thanks. Am looking for 7th round big wr that Seahawks might be interested in instead of Russell Shepard. Don’t really think Shepard can make the team as either a wr or cb.
Watched a little tape of Juszcyck, Would add an interesting new offensive ploy instead of the standard te. I think if we want the standard te, then that should be to replace Zach Miller next year (cost?). Hopefully they’re not going to do that. Miller is an extremely good te. I think because of age, they should be able to resign him at reasonable amount. If they’re going for replacement, have to go higher (probably 2nd, maybe 3rd). Like Travis Kelce, but don’t want to do that unless plan is to get rid of Miller.
Ok,
Here is my edit of draft above:
7 241 drop Russell Shephard and take wr. Tyrone Goard, Eastern Kentucky
I feel like everyone calling for a LEO prospect is forgetting we signed Patrick Chukwurah..
and have Dexter Davis
I don’t think Chukwurah is on the roster now, (?) nor likely to be on this fall. He’s not exactly a young gun.
Chukwurah is a free agent. Dexter Davis is unproven. We could still use a LEO for the long-term. I’m pretty stoked about Lemonier (is it LEH-MON-EER or LEH MON-YAY)?
lem-on-yay
We do need to replace Konz though. Wait, was he a LEO or a WR when he got cut?
Pat and Dexter who? They are not in the future plans of this team.
I love this mock and if the cards do fall this way, we’re in very good shape in regards to the impact on 2013 season but more so towards the following seasons. Patton and Denard with the first two picks just scream “F U VIC FANGIO!! GAME PLAN THAT B___H!”
Though I think a QB will be drafted even earlier than most think. I could see JS/PC picking somewhere in the mid rounds. Personally Matt Scott in 5th wouldn’t be bad…
Definitely not a fan of drafting a WR with our first pick. This is a deep class and most of our receivers are already 6’0 or less. I feel like we need a 6’2+ big, physical receiver. Especially with Rice being injuryprone.
Also not a fan of Dennard Robinson. There have been so many of these kinds of players these past years, that are without a position. None of them really seem to succeed very well.
My first two picks would be Travis Kelce and Da’Rick Rogers. I know that you don’t like Rogers, but I am willing to take the chance on him in the late 3rd.
Loving the rest of the picks though, with the exception of Michael Williams. I just don’t see him succeeding in the NFL. I’d rather spend a rosterspot on a tight end who can both block and catch the football.
Montori Hughes is a beast. I fell in love with his lower body strength. Just really seems to get great push with his legs, when he get’s a hold of his opponent. We could definitely use that!
Instead of Russell Shepard in the 7th, I might go with Chris Thompson out of FSU. I liked what I saw on tape. Great receiver also.
Other than that, great mock!
I’m not a big fan of drafting Montori Hughes, but I have to admit the appeal to draft him for Seattle is pretty obvious. He’s a natural born Red Bryant type, and Seattle needs a Red Bryant backup now that Branch is gone.
Hughes moved very well in defensive end drills at the combine, but overall he brings zero pass rush on tape. He’s extremely strong against the point of attack though- he’d make a very good nose tackle. I’m a little surprised he’s not getting first round hype as he’s one of the best 3-4 zero techs in the draft, IMO.
My reason for not liking him is that on tape he’s a black hole in the pass rush, similar to Red Bryant. Red Bryant hurt our defense last year quite a bit (PFF ranked him extremely low). Even in Bryant’s better seasons, he was a total non factor in the pass rush. We need to find a superior alternative to Bryant, and drafting Hughes would mean more of the same for many years to come.
I am not a fan of Hughes. The senior bowl showed he could be single blocked. He may not move much with the single block, but he showed little ability to shed. Doubles at the senior bowl blew him up to the point where he would turn his shoulder.
I’m not convinced that Red will play much this year. He will rotate with Bennett, or be situational. Love big red. But I am suspecting a more balanced 4 down line in 2013.
I agree about Hughes having issues inside with run blocking. He anchors very well but struggles to keep his head up or control blockers. Red Bryant was a very similar case which is why they moved him outside. I think Hughes would be a terrible 3-tech, but his potential as a run specialist 5-tech is excellent. I’m not a fan of the run specialist 5-tech role, but the Seahawks and I don’t see eye to eye on that, and Seattle needs a backup for Bryant, so Hughes makes a ton of sense.
I’m not going to do a writeup on kickers, but I think Seattle’s actions the last two years with Steven Hauschka indicate that they’ve been looking in the draft for kickers. Maybe they draft one, maybe they don’t, but I have little doubt their looking. The best kickers tend to go in the 6th round. I don’t know if Seattle would draft a kicker before the 7th, but if Hopkins is there I could definitely see that pick happening.
Love the Denard Robinson pick, and I think of all the picks in this forecast, that’s the one that feels the most likely to actually happen. I was hoping he’d stay in the late round draft stock zone but it appears his stock has really climbed since his pro day.
I wish I could get behind a Robinson pick. My gut (yeah, great analysis tool 🙂 ) tells me he is what he is. A guy who cannot play special teams with any authority, has small hands and does not catch the ball naturally, and would be relegated to plays in the Pisol… where we have Percy Harvin already playing.
Unless Robinson can become a kick and punt returner, and maybe a gunner, he is a liability.
I think Robinson is already a very good 3rd down RB. He has the potential to add value in the return game and might develop into a WR, but I’d draft him as a pure RB and feel great about the pick, personally. He’s a natural runner with elite speed. He may have played QB, but he ran like a RB. It’s cliche and stupid sounding, but I think the term “he’s a football player” applies very well to Robinson. He’s a natural to the game of football, the question is where. I think he’s already looking very good at RB, with the tools to play other areas as well.
Kip, I have a vague memory of Robinson stating he didn’t want to play RB. He worked out as a WR at the combine, if memory serves.
If that’s true, what do we think about drafting a player for a position he has stated he doesn’t want to play? Sure, he may agree to the position after the draft but he has already stated his preferences. Do we care?
I do agree that Robinson is a natural runner. Great instincts, dangerous in open spaces, explosive. If we are convinced he can protect our Harvin investment by returning punts and kickoffs, I’d be down with a 3rd round pick. He would be Harvin insurance, in effect.
I haven’t heard Robinson say that. He did work at the senior bowl and pro-day as both a RB and WR. I think he’ll play whatever teams tell him to. Ultimately, it’s not his choice to make. Hell, I wanted to play TE during my playing days and they stuck me at offensive tackle, and I learned to love it and got great at it. The NFL is full of converted players who resisted a position switch and ultimately made that switch and excelled, our fullback included.
That makes sense. What’s he going to do, refuse to play the position. Not.
It seems that to use our 2nd R 5 pick on Dustin Hopkins wouldn’t be far fetched or crazy at all.
The kicker scores a lot of points, and to add the NCAA leader, who has a big leg and can keep the kinda humiliating punts from 52 yards out – out of our football experience, is well worth it!
You only need one, and with our team being SO competitive and powerfully rounded now, why not insure the position and use the late 5th on a staple of the game (albeit trivialized), the Kicker!!
We will have only a few close games this year, and into the future. To win them might come down to 1, 2 or 3 yards…off a game trying to win kick.
It could be the difference between wild-card, and home field advantage! I say completely YES!
Rob, nice find with Luke Marquardt. Small School caveat, but his tape reminds me a lot of Nate Solder. I would be stunned if he wasn’t on Seattle’s radar.
Someone show there mock last article and I jump in and did mine and that was the first time I seen this guy. Charley Casseraly is one of the few analyst I listen to and he did a pc on him and how he’d make a good 5th round pick but would need a year to coach up and they say he’s 6 8 and 1/2 feet tall. I was mainly watch Charley because he was doing a pc on Travis Kelce and they had an interview of him. Charley has moved him up to his 3rd TE overall saying sometimes college schemes don’t show you the full potential of a player. That segment on path to the draft has definitely set my 2nd pick and given me a later one. Draftinsider’s has Luke as 5th rounder but Drafttek has him at pick 230. Hehe I’m still trying to fit Ryan Swope in the 3rd instead of Patton. I did this because Drafttek had him dead last in the 3rd round.
If the Hawks want K Hopkins and if he is the real deal, personally I would take him with our late 5th rounder. Every team out there has this guy mocked to them in the 7th. Remember how painful the loss to the Rams was when their rookie kicker made those two LONG field goals?
We are in a lot of close games and a great kicker surely is worth a fifth round draft choice.
I’d be very happy with this draft. I personally like Wheaton better then Patton but I would give the hawks front office the benefit of the doubt overall not bad though. If I could add one player I would add Phillip Stewart over Russell Shepard in the 7th – from the limited tape out there I think he could compete with Malcom Smith for the starting job and provide some special teams depth.
Rob and Kip, what do you think of DeVonte Holloman, LB out of South Carolina? I travel a lot for work so I might have missed you mention him but I like all of the video I’ve seen of him. He might provide depth at the strong side because he gets off blocks well but he was also a former safety so I have heard him rumored as a weak side option too. Anyways, thought if the Seahawks would be interested?
#56 OLB Corey Lemonier 6’4 255 (played DE but I can see him as are new OLB, and Dan Quinn’s new star if he’s going to use a “roaming back” or run any 3-4, runs a 4.5 with a bigger wing span than 6’6 Dion Jordan)
#87 TE Gavin Escobar 6’6 254 (just imagine the last hawks game you watched with Zach and Tony on are side, plus we could lose all four of Zach’s backups and never see McCoy drop the ball again) I’d grab Matt Scott if Escobar is taken
#123 OT Vinstin Painter 6’4 306 (we need someone to come in for Breno when he’s sat down for hittin after the whistle and has played on both sides with 32 reps at the combine)
#138 DT Montori Hughes 6’4 329 (if Red isn’t moving back to DT I like this guy, and he’s my favorite DT in the draft that we can get are hands on cause I believe Short will be gone before are pick in the second)
#158 SS Earl Wolf 5’11 209 (it’s time to get Earl a backup, and I can’t clone him, so this Earl should do. He runs a 4.4 with a 39in vertical jump)
#194 WR to CB Rodney Smith 6’5 225 (he played safety in HS and is my pick for a PC/JS project this year to convert from WR to CB, he runs a 4.4 with Sherm’s body type)
#220 K Dustin Hopkins 6’2 193 (I don’t know if he could kick a 65 yarder, but hes got a better shot than Longwell)
I’m also hoping two of the next guys slide down dew to injuries, they can rest up on the practice squad for now
#231 OT Luke Marquardt 6’9 315 (a giant, Russell could ride him to the endzone, if he’s healthy)
#241 WR Marcus Davis 6’3 233 (runs a 4.47 with a 39in vertical jump but I think he will still be here dew to his lack of blocking and fighting for jump balls, even though he has the size and strength, add some of Tate’s effort and Rice’s blocking and we got a WR)
#242 RB Knile Davis 6’0 227 (with 31 reps and running 4.35 he’s gotta be the fastest/strongest RB in the draft and has had ankle problems from HS on but I don’t see are 3rd string RB being on his feet much)
my wish list
I love your picks but do not agree with the position changes. Lemonier is my guy; I want him as a d-end. I think with one or two years to develop into the league he would be the next Cliff Avril. Which would be good for us, if we draft him. We’re not going to have Avril for very long, something tells me. But the thing about Avril is he has the ability to drop back as an OLB. So I’d like to draft Lemonier as a primary d-end but also a guy who can drop back into coverage. I think he’d become our best run-stopping DE outside of Red if we picked him.
I like Rodney Smith as a WR. I think he has the potential to become a really good receiver with a big body. That could be a pipe dream but I would give him his shot at WR before I thought about converting him to cornerback.
I was thinkin the same thing. Put Lemonier behind Avril and tell him to be that guy is. Escobar be Miller but be faster and taller, Painter to learn zone blocking from the best, Hughes to learn how to control the line like Red, Earl needs to learn how to be more like Earl, Smith converting to CB behind the best CB in the league who once made the switch himself, and a WR to learn the ropes for the future or a backup roll. Then take a kicker and a backup RB for short term. This draft was a lot of depth with me also taking an OLB. (I had Zaviar Gooden until I watched his film more and this guy doesn’t look like a seahawk to me) Lemonier does… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-IvI-cmcpA
With aging Leroy Hill being the one and only starting spot from last years D that I didn’t absolutely love, I was hoping for PC/JS to yet again find a mid round LB to to start his rookie year and lead the team in tackles. I’ve come to believe Lemonier makes more sense as that OLB for the Hawks this year than a DE. Why?
Dan Quinn likes a pass rushing LB that can cover and is good against the run (don’t we all)
As a DE he starts behind three of the best pass rushers in the league and the best run stopping DE
Is unblockable when moving but if a big blocker gets his hands on Lemonier before his first step he’s nullified
As an OLB we could have 3 or 4 guys hitting the QB at once (Bennett inside, Avril and Clemons/Irvin and a LB)
As an OLB he starts next year and completes are roster
nfldraftscout.com already has him moved to OLB
and in this youtube vid he thinks he can make it as an OLB http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFKp34ZJX50
hope I convinced you… now go talk PC/JS into it for me
Love the Earl Wolff pick.
I like Patton a lot, but I would not take him in the 2nd. I agree, that the need is not there with Harvin signing, and he’s a little shorter then what we need. I think we need a big physical WR also. Rice replacement, more then a Tate replacement. (Harvin replaces Tate)
Here’s my personal mock favorite: (I can’t predict what I think Hawks actually do, who knows)
2nd – K. Short/DT (Only if Greene/LB and Williams/DT were gone – Would take them in a heartbeat)
3rd – C. Thomas/LB (Not sure why I never see this guy talked about much, he looks amazing.
4th – M. Harrison/WR (I could see someone dropping though, like a Dobson or T. Williams or Patton)
5th – K. Davis/RB (I also like M. Christine, Zac Stacy, K. Williams, O. Mccalebb, and K. Barner here)
5th – S. Commings/CB (Also like L. McFadden, DJ Hayden, D. Gratz, D. Slay here)
6th – J. Fauria/TE
7th’s – Kicker, Oline, DT, FB
Sorry – I forgot QB… I would had in a QB somewhere in there. I’d like Scott somewhere in the mix, but not that early.
I like your second round pick – I think that’s close to what might happen.
One possible answer to your question about Chase Thomas – he’s 4.87 slow compared to other players considered at the position. Not saying that’s definitive, simply suggestive.
Perhaps you need to take Harrison that early, but most sites have him available later, 6th, perhaps 7th round (for good reason).
Knile Davis is also a late round prospect, due to injury and a serious drop off in his performance after returning.
After reading the posts on this site, I am sold on Dustin Hopkins the kicker. Maybe as high as a 5th, 6th at the latest. You could swap him for Harrison or Davis and probably get them all.
Just my thoughts.
I don’t think K. Davis will go that late at all. Harrison might, but very unlikely given his height and tape and ability to get deep.
K. Davis tore up the combine! He’s got speed and power and size. Every tool is there. His bench was outstanding too. And if you look at the year before tape, he looked amazing with impressive numbers.
I get the injury history, and fumbles. That’s the big issue.
But, there is no way this guy is a last round flyer that is lucky to get drafted. No way!
He might even be gone before the 4th actually. And in the Lattimore area. In fact, I like him way better then Lattimore.
I’m assuming he’s there in the 5th (due to the injury stuff) and I would take him there. He could go in the 3rd IMO though.
I think the question about Davis will be how effective he will be after the injury. Sure, he has retained his outstanding athleticism but he didn’t play well last year. Perhaps he hadn’t fully recovered, I don’t know. Here is what I read about his on-field play last year:
“He returned in 2012, but whether it was due to Petrino’s departure and the struggles of the entire team or if Davis wasn’t back to 100 percent health, he averaged just 3.4 yards on 112 carries with two touchdowns. Davis worked his tail off to return from injury, but he ran too hesitant and indecisive this past season, including issues with ball security. He was caught stopping his feet too much, routinely looking to bounce runs outside and not running with much conviction. But NFL scouts are hopeful he can return to his 2010 form.”
So the lingering question will be what Davis shows up: the 2010 version, or the 2012 one. To me, that’s what makes his status questionable.
But to your point, if this guy is a legitimate top RB, taking him with a 5th round pick would probably be worth the risk.
I made a HUGE MISTAKE !!!!
I was actually very happy reading all the above mocks. We have such an amazing team already and thinking about all those potential new blood…damn we’ll be GREAT…
But, i have to much time on my hands today and the mind drifts.
Suddenly, it drifted to another team, with a rather impressive roster as well, they who should not be named…
And the mind started thinking who would i take if i had 5 picks in the first 3 rounds. 5 bloody picks. Names started popping into my head…they could get that guy, and that guy, and that guy too or that guy, hell they can get both….
Did i mention what a HUGH MISTAKE that was ?
I can go get my underdog T-shirt that i already packed in the Attic after we got Winfield. I can already hear Kiper cheering their pics.
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
They don’t draft as well as the Seahawks. Don’t worry.
Not to pick a nit, but you are probably unaware that your mock has 7-th round picks 214, 220, 231, 241 & 242 which is 5 picks instead of 4 (or should it be 3?). The Harvin trade cost the earliest of our multiple 7-th round picks, at least I think I read that somewhere. I think the correct picks may be: 220, 231, 241 & 242 (with 214 lost in the Harvin trade). I’m not 100% on those numbers, maybe they are wrong but I’ve looked at several recent 7 round mocks online at draft sites and the above picks seem right. Maybe I’ve missed something? Trades and comp picks mess everything up.
Yeah this was mentioned earlier. I decided to leave the extra pick in to leave an extra guy on the board.
I have been hoping for Brandon Williams or Margus Hunt to provide run defense and pass rush. I agree that our FO has multiple layers to their draft objectives. We do not need any help at WR this year. But certainly we cannot afford to pay the enormous contracts of Harvin, Rice, Tate (soon) and Miller. We need to draft and groom replacements so we can afford to keep our core players like RW, Sherman etc. To that end, I would not be surprised to see a WR selected at #56. But I hope we grab B. Williams and he clogs running lanes while pushing the pocket on early down pass attempts when teams double team Mebane. I believe a little improvement here over Branch goes a long ways, as our DE’s will cleanup on QB’s that cannot step up in the pocket.
Another guy I like is Armonty Bryant in the later rounds. His video is mesmerizing to me: He has a bag full of tricks for defeating blockers including quick 1st step and footwork fakes, which he combines with great hands and arms technique to quickly nullify the blocker. Run or pass, it doesn’t matter. This kid is always around the ball. He said in a recent interview that the Seahawks have met with him. Here’s his highlight video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPxEfFmRESg What do you guys think of this small school, late rounds prospect???
He has potential, but did you watch the feet of the guys he’s going against. Horrible. UDFA.
Id absolutely love this draft and who wouldnt. Anyone who disagrees is just making fun ideas worthless. Mock drafts are just for fun. Wow i like robinson in any roll way better than honey badger and rob i was wondering where you thought the hawks might rank te Kasa and rb Lattimore?
My attempt at a mock;
1rst Percy Harvin best playmaker in this years draft!!
2nd: monte ball. Über productive back built for the zone blocking system
3rd: John Simon. The guy is simply unblockable, a mini Justin smith!
4th: zavier gooden. Speedy cover backer adds competitive depth!
5th a; Nicholas Williams dt samford: want a project? 6’5″ 305lbs 3 tech with a 4:84 40!
5thb; Chris Faulk : a massive man who might need a little recovery time. Worth the risk!
6th: dion sims : big fast complete te who will slip because of some character flags.
7th a: jayson diManche tackle machine with great blitz ability!
7th b: bj Coleman read option qb.
7th c: Dustin Hopkins. Why not??
I’ll take a stab at it…
2/56 – DT Kawann Short or Jesse Williams
3/87 – OT Brennan Williams
4/123 – TE Chris Gragg
5/138 – CB Nickell Roby
5/158 – S Cooper Taylor (convert to WLB)
6/184 – K Dustin Hopkins
7/194 – WR Bryce Butler (convert to CB)
7/214 – WR Marquess Wilson
7/241 – QB Ryan Aplin
7/242 – FB Kyle Jusyczek
That’s a nice mock. My only quibble would be with your last pick. Kyle has gotten a lot of attention and seems more likely to go in the mid-rounds.
Other than that, I say ‘Book it!’
I thought the same thing… I worry about him and Bryce Butler lasting that long more honestly. I think he’s enough of an outlier (6’3, WR skills, the agility to play CB) that JS might pull the trigger early (6th or even 5th) if necessary to be sure he gets him. Kyle isn’t “special” enough to me that they’ll overdraft him. If he’s gone, I’d guess a RB with speed (Mike James maybe?) or a priority UDFA target they want to secure without the risk of him signing elsewhere. They can probably get a project and make him into a FB easier than a CB or RB with enough speed, agility, and ball skills for the position. FB’s don’t need the same athletic ability, so they are easier to find… There are only so many guys that fit the profile that Bryce Butler fits… We have two of them, the rest of the league has like two of them total. Amerson is the other CB we might target..
If I’m looking at armanty Bryant’s film, I easily fall in love with the upside. If I think about what a trainwreck of a human being he’s been, it’s tough to know what to think. Character flaws are just that…flaws. The same goes for mathieu. Over ten failed drugs tests? How will money make him a safer bet to stay clean? Brandon Williams is a good kid who works hard and displays some upside. That kid would be high on my list for a third round pick. I don’t thi k he makes it to our 4th.
2/56 – OT Teron Armstead
3/87 – trade down with Bucs for #112 and #126 (JS loves his 4th round picks)
4/112 – WR Darick Rogers
4/123 – OLB Jamie Collins
4/126 – RB Andre Ellington
5/138 – QB Matt Scott
5/158 – TE Ryan Otten
6/184 – DT Montori Hughes
7/194 – RB Christine Michael
7/214 – DE Quanterus Smith
7/241 – DT Stefan Charles
7/242 – S Earl Wolf
Yeah, i would be stoked for this draft. Would select Fauria over Otten @ TE.
I also expect seattle to trade a pick (probs a future conditional) to the Browns for DE Jabaal Sheard. There has been a lot of rumors that he is on the block and seattle is interested
Can’t wait for this to happen… Or something like it…
pick 56 Vance McDonald TE Rice
pick 87 Brandon Williams DT Missouri Southern
pick 127 Christine Michael HB Texas A&M
pick 138 Will Davis CB Utah St.
pick 158 Shawn Williams S Georgia
pick 194 Phillip Steward OLB Houston
pick 220 Kyle Juszczyk FB Harvard
pick 231 Jayson DiManche OLB N. Illinois
Pick 241 Chris Jones DT Bowling Green
pick 242 Caleb Sturgis K Florida
Couple of UDFA
UDFA Jordan Campbell OLB New Mexico
UDFA Armonty Bryant DE/DT East Central OK
UDFA Manase Foketi, W. Texas A&M
Any others?
Duke Williams, S Nevada @ #158 if not S. Williams, S Georgia.
I like Brandon Williams, as well. I think he would be an upgrade at Branch’s old spot. Next to Mebane, who commands a lot of double teams, they could push the pocket on early down passing attempts. If the opposing QB cannot step up, our DE’s will do the rest!
But a prevailing consensus, is that BW has below average lower body strength and cannot anchor well. I find that hard to believe. His legs and ass are huge and he lives in the gym. He looked great in drills at the Senior Bowl. Though he lost his balance at times. Coaching can correct that and teach him some much needed hands and arms techniques. I would like to hear your thoughts (and anybody else’s) on BW, generally and specifically on the too weak to anchor rap…
BW is a strong dude. Not worried about his base, he holds like all the records in the weight room at his college. Read that somewhere about him awhile ago. His technique needs work, as he needs to use his legs more and bend at the knees. He tends to get pushed down and bends at the waist too much. He would eventually replace Mebane on our line i.m.o… What really caught my attention was the combine. He looked okay at the Senior Bowl and all, but he looked great at the combine. I’m not only talking about all the athletic test, but mainly the drills. He had the best feet, on any guy there, over 300 pounds. He is able to move really well for a guy his size. Especially if you compare him to the rest of the true DT’s. That made me go watch more tape. He dominated his level of competition. My dream would to get M. Hunt and B. Williams in this draft. Both are freak athletes.
Liked this about him as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGSMeSZXQdM
Here’s my last mock that I’m doing….
2nd (56) – Quinton Patton, WR, Louisiana Tech
3rd (87) – Ty Powell, OLB, Harding
4th (123) – Montori Hughes, DT, Tennessee-Martin
5th (138) – Will Davis, CB, Utah State
5th (158) – Earl Watford, OG, James Madison
6th (194) – Luke Marquardt, OT, Azusa Pacific
7th (220) – Ray Graham, RB, Pitt
7th (231) – Quanterus Smith, DE, Western Kentucky
7th (241) – Zach Sudfeld, TE, Nevada
7th (242) – B.J. Daniels, QB, University of Southern Florida
I’m not too concerned with a kicker as they can grab one of those kids coming in as an unsigned FA. Also, they’ll be able to work them out and pick who they truly want instead of basing it off of game tape and what happened over a month ago at the combine.
One guy I wanted to put in the 7th round was Blaize Foltz from TCU. Sadly, there’s only so much room for a team with picks, I went with the possible slide in Quanterus Smith.
RD1- WR* Percy Harvin
RD2- DT* Kawaan Short, OLB* Sio Moore, WR* DeAndre Hopkins
RD3- DE/OLB* Corey Lemonier, RB* Christine Michael, QB* Matt Scott,
RD4- DT* Montori Hughes, WR* Aaron Dobson, TE\FB*Kyle Juszczyk
RD5- (TWO PICKS) LB* Zaviar Gooden, RB* Marcus Lattimore, DT* Bennie Logan, CB* Will Davis, OT* Jordan Mills, WR* Aaron Mellette
RD6- K* Dustin Hopkins, WR\CB* Rodney Smith, OT* Ricky Wagner
RD7- (FOUR PICKS) WR* Mark Harrison, RB* Miguel Maysonet, QB* Ryan Aplin, TE* Mychal River, RB* Knile Davis, WR* Marcus Davis,
UDFA- WR* Marquess Wilson, QB* B.J. Daniels, SS\OLB* Cooper Taylor, OT* Luke Marquardt