Henry Anderson could provide a cheaper option to Tony McDaniel
If you missed today’s combine live blog you can recap the day here. It includes workout notes, winners & losers, measurements, breaking news and a lot more
We’ll come onto the Seahawks in a moment. Firstly — this is a good class of defensive linemen but it’s also a top heavy group. It’s safe to say after watching today’s workouts there are twelve prospect with legitimate hopes of going in the top-25:
Leonard Williams (DE, USC)
He didn’t jump particularly well with a 29.5 inch vertical (worse than Danny Shelton and Jordan Phillips) and an 8’10” in the broad jump. But a 4.97 in the forty and a good performance in the drills cements his place firmly within the top five. Richard Seymour is a good comparison — he ran a 4.95 in 2001 at 6-6 and 299lbs. Williams is a shade under 6-5 and 302lbs. He could go at #2 to Tennessee or #3 to Jacksonville.
Dante Fowler Jr (DE, Florida)
Another prospect who didn’t jump particularly well — and this matters to some teams who want to see that explosive lower body. He jumped a 32.5 inch vertical and a 9’4″ broad. But he has length (arms just under 34 inches) and a 4.60 forty is good enough. A 1.56 ten yard split should attract a team like Jacksonville. Fowler Jr is a pure playmaker who can line up anywhere to rush the passer — even inside.
Randy Gregory (LB, Nebraska)
He’s far from the finished article and people knock him for a lack of production. At Nebraska he didn’t do a lot of edge rush — he played in the open field and read the offense. 3-4 teams will salivate over his skill set. He’s 6-5 and 235lbs but should be able to add weight. He has 34 inch arms and managed a 36.5 inch vertical. He jumped 10’5″ in the broad and ran a 4.64 with a 1.60 split. He had a great day in the drills, particularly when asked to change direction. Gregory has the hips of a defensive back.
Shane Ray (DE, Missouri)
He didn’t work out today due to injury but he shouldn’t lose any momentum as a consequence. Ray was a monster all season long for Missouri and answered a few questions without performing. He’s closer to 6-3 than 6-2, he has 33 1/8 inch arms and he’s 245lbs. He’s not the biggest but he’s hardly small and plays above his size. At worst you’d expect a time in the 4.6’s. He’s a gritty, competitive player who should be able to stick in a 4-3 rotation.
Eli Harold (DE, Virginia)
This was Harold’s opportunity to announce himself to a mass audience. On tape he flashed explosive pass-rushing qualities, dynamic closing speed, the ability to convert speed-to-power with ease and a relentless motor. He ran a 4.60 with a 1.56 split, jumped 35 inches in the vertial and a 10’3″ in the broad jump. He’s 6-3 with 33 inch arms. He’s the complete package of length, speed and grit. He’s an ideal LEO candidate and should be considered by the Atlanta Falcons at #8 as they build a new defense based on the Seahawks model.
Danny Shelton (DT, Washington)
Shelton is lazily compared to Haloti Ngata, which is unfair. Ngata was a physical freak and ran a 5.13 with a 1.73 split. Shelton’s official time was a 5.64 with a 1.89 split. As pure athletes they don’t compare and it’s wrong to set the bar this high. That doesn’t mean Shelton can’t get around a football field — he flashed impressive mobility and footwork during drills. He is not a rare athlete for his size and he will have limitations. But any 3-4 team looking for a nose tackle will seriously consider drafting Shelton early. He jumped a 30.5 inch vertical and had 34 reps on the bench press. He has 32 inch arms.
Vic Beasley (DE, Clemson)
Criticized as small and weak by some, Beasley set out to prove the doubters wrong today. After putting up 35 reps on the bench press, he ran the fastest time by a defensive lineman at 4.53 with a 1.59 ten yard split. He added a 41-inch vertical and a 10’10” in the broad jump. He has 32 and a half inch arms which isn’t ideal, but it’s only a shade under Shane Ray and Eli Harold. On tape he looked great for three years, putting up major numbers for Clemson.
Arik Armstead (DE, Oregon)
He chose to play defense instead of left tackle in college and teams are clearly intrigued by his size (6-7, 292lbs). You’d think he’d have longer arms (33 inches). He ran a 5.10 with a 1.76 split which is pretty average, with a 34 inch vertical and a 9’9″ broad. None of these numbers scream physical freak, but you don’t find many players who look this good at this size. Any team looking for a 3-4 end (it’s a big need in New Orleans) will have to consider Armstead with the idea of developing him into another Calais Campbell.
Malcom Brown (DT, Texas)
He flew under the radar a bit today — doing well in all the tests and drills without making any headlines. He ran a 5.05 with a 1.75 split at 6-2 and 319lbs. He could probably drop to 310lbs and play with ideal size for a three technique. He doesn’t have amazing length with 32 and a half inch arms. He flashes constantly on tape and lives in the backfield. He’s also a dependable character guy with a wife and two kids already. Teams needing an every down interior rusher will give Brown a long hard look.
Eddie Goldman (DT, Florida State)
He didn’t work out due to injury but he wowed the media in the interview room. All of the Florida State guys are very talkative and confident. He’s an absolute beast at 6-4 and 336lbs with 33 1/8 inch arms. He’s a superb run defender who can act as a nose tackle in a 3-4 but he also has the technique to disengage and explode into the backfield. Like Brown he’s a former 5-star recruit and he was probably FSU’s best player in 2014.
Jordan Phillips (DT, Oklahoma)
He didn’t put in the Dontari Poe-type performance we thought he was capable of, but at 6-5 and 329lbs he ran a 5.17 with a 1.84 split. He also recorded a 30 inch vertical and put up 28 reps on the bench press despite having nearly 35 inch arms. The biggest threat to Phillips is a history of back injuries that’ll need to be checked out by any team thinking of drafting him early.
Bud Dupree (LB, Kentucky)
One of the few linebackers to make an impression today, even if he didn’t do drills citing a groin injury. At 6-4 and 269lbs he ran a 4.56 with a 1.60 split. He posted a 42 inch vertical and an 11’6″ in the broad jump. You see that athleticism translate to the tape and he flies around for Kentucky. The problem is — he isn’t a great edge rusher. He doesn’t do a good job rounding the tackle and often runs himself out of contention. He doesn’t always diagnose the play correctly. He might be best used as a Bruce Irvin LB/DE hybrid.
That’s a talent rich group of players. Unfortunately, none of the dozen are likely to make it to #31.
So what’s left?
Seattle loves speed. Bruce Irvin and Cliff Avril are in the top-five for defensive linemen in the forty yard dash over the last 12 years. They both posted incredible 1.50 ten yard splits. If you’re going to play LEO for the Seahawks, you need to be long, fast and tenacious.
If the top prospects are off the board, we’re likely concentrating on rounds three and four. The only defensive line prospect Seattle has drafted in the top two rounds since 2010 is Bruce Irvin (who subsequently moved to linebacker). Given the options on the offensive line and receiver, we’re unlikely to see that change in April.
Last year they drafted Cassius Marsh in the fourth round. He didn’t post a great forty time (4.89) but he had a 1.60 ten yard split. Jordan Hill (a third round pick in 2013) managed a 1.75 split at 303lbs (he also had long 33.5 inch arms). If we’re looking at edge rushers, they probably need to be running a similar split to Marsh. Interior rushers need to compare to Hill in terms of length and burst.
Scanning through the results today, these are the few prospects that are in the range for consideration:
Henry Anderson (Stanford)
Ran a 5.03 at 6-6 and 293lbs. Impressed at the Senior Bowl. He recorded a 1.63 ten yard split which is explosive given his size. He managed a 30-inch vertical and has 33.5 inch arms. The most impressive part of his day? Probably a 4.19 short shuttle — tied for first among all defensive linemen. He could be a candidate to replace 6-7, 305lbs Tony McDaniel if he’s cut to save $3m in cap space.
Zach Hodges (Harvard)
He’s nice and long with 34 1/4 inch arms at 6-2 and 250lbs. He ran a 4.68 with a 1.61 split. It’s not overly explosive but he’s a depth option later in the draft or in the UDFA market. He posted a 33.5 inch vertical and a 10’5″ broad jump. He has a terrific back-story.
Danielle Hunter (LSU)
Bit of a ‘looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane’ candidate. He’s 6-5 and 252lbs with 34 1/4 inch arms. He ran a 4.57 with a 1.58 split. He didn’t attempt the vertical or broad jump for some reason. He was too easily blocked at LSU and had a 1.5 sack season in 2014. There’s no denying his potential, but he’s likely to be over-drafted.
Owa Odighizuwa (UCLA)
He had an incredible day, running a 4.62 with a 1.62 split at 6-3 and 267lbs. He also posted a 39 inch vertical and a 10’7″ in the broad jump. He has 33 3/4 inch arms and ran a superb 4.19 in the short shuttle (tied with Henry Anderson). Medical checks are the key with Odighizuwa — previous hip problems will be a concern and need to be checked out. If he’s cleared, he’s one of the combine’s big winners. He needs major work on his technique as an edge rusher, but he’s adept at collapsing the interior.
Preston Smith (Mississippi State)
He’s 6-5, 271lbs with 34 inch arms. He ran a 4.74 with a 1.63 split. He jumped 34 inches in the vertical and recorded a 10’1″ in the broad. He also had an impressive 4.28 in the short shuttle and a 7.07 in the three cone. Smith’s tape drifts between very good and average, but he has the potential to be a terror in the right scheme. I’m not sure where he fits in Seattle’s defense. With Bennett and Marsh, do they need another end who kicks inside?
Anthony Chickillo (Miami)
We’ll need to get a check on his split. In his first attempt at the forty he recorded a 1.59, but in the second attempt he was given a 1.70. His official forty time is a 4.79. He’s 6-3 and 267lbs with 33.5 inch arms. He jumped 34.5 inches in the vertical but only a 9’6″ in the broad. His three cone (7.17) was also impressive. He played out of position in Miami.
Carl Davis (Iowa)
One of the standouts at the Senior Bowl, Davis is just under 6-5 and 320lbs with 34 5/8 inch arms. He ran a 5.07 with a 1.73 split. He also had a 33 inch vertical jump. His tape is flat out bad for the most part. You need to work out whether he can be the guy in Mobile more often than the guy at Iowa. Plays without an edge but he has the size, speed and length Seattle likes inside.
Grady Jarrett (Clemson)
Lacks length and that could be an issue. He’s 6-0 with 32 3/8 inch arms and that might be too short for the Seahawks. On tape he explodes off the screen in some games and today he ran a 5.06 with a 1.69 split at 304lbs. In the middle rounds he’s a value interior pass rusher who can hold his own in the run game. Posted a 31 inch vertical. Could sneak into round two.
Derrick Lott (Tennessee-Chatt)
He’s 6-4 and 314lbs with 33 5/8 inch arms. He ran a 4.99 with a 1.77 split. He didn’t jump particularly well but the speed and length is intriguing enough to search for some tape. One to take a look at.
Rakeem Nunez-Roches (Southern Miss)
6-2 and 307lbs — ideal size to work inside. Only has 32 5/8 inch arms and that might be a problem. He ran a 1.72 split and a 5.02 forty. He also managed a really impressive 34 inch vertical. Another one to monitor moving forward.
Marcus Hardison (Arizona State) and Christian Covington (Rice) didn’t participate.
You might ask about Davis Tull at Tennessee-Chatt who had an excellent workout even though he didn’t run a forty yard dash. He posted a 42.5 inch vertical and an 11′ in the broad jump. The problem is — he’s 6-2 and 246lbs with 31 1/4 inch arms. The Seahawks aren’t drafting a player with such paltry length to rush the edge. Mike Mayock suggested he’ll be a SAM linebacker at the next level.
None of the names above particularly appeal at #31 considering the possible sweet spot on the offensive line and the overall depth of quality at receiver. I would expect Carl Davis and Owa Odighizuwa to be off the board by #63, possibly Preston Smith and Grady Jarrett too. If the Seahawks go OL/WR (or vice-versa) with their first two picks, Henry Anderson could be an option in round three. He is the #88 ranked prospect according to ESPN.
If you need help on the defensive line and you’re picking in the top-15, this is a great draft. Many teams in the second half of round one will miss out. With so many attractive free agents hitting the open market, we could see plenty of interest from the clubs picking between #20-32.
Barring any unforeseen falls, the Seahawks are unlikely to find defensive line value at #31. Is it really that much of a need anyway? Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett are a pass rush duo most teams can only dream of. Bruce Irvin has developed into one of the better defensive playmakers in the NFL. Brandon Mebane, Jordan Hill and Cassius Marsh will return. They could keep Tony McDaniel. There’s every opportunity they’ll add a veteran presence to replace Kevin Williams.
Three days ago Darnell Dockett was hinting at a move within the NFC West:
People ask me am I gonna play in az next year. My response is “ill be in az next year 1way or another rather … http://t.co/VposAGsBh7
— DARNELL DOCKETT (@ddockett) February 19, 2015
Adding Dockett on a team-friendly deal could be the best way to improve Seattle’s interior pass rush. You might be able to give him McDaniel’s salary and then draft a guy like Anderson in the third. How much can a soon-to-be 34-year-old pass rusher expect to earn as a free agent coming off an ACL? Like him or loathe him, his competitive personality would really mesh with Seattle’s defense.
Of course, Arizona has to cut him for this to have any legs.
There are some players we can possibly rule out today. The early round talk on Nate Orchard seemed premature after the Senior Bowl. He has the length (33 3/4 inch arms) but a 4.80 forty was unimpressive today at just 250lbs. He only had a 31.5 inch vertical too. He’s just not a special enough athlete. Xavier Cooper had a good workout and ran a 4.86 with a 1.68 split at 293lbs. The problem? 31 1/2 inch arms. The Seahawks would need to be willing to make a concession there. Markus Golden is an easy player to root for but he has 31 1/8 inch arms and ran a 4.90 at 260lbs.
The less said about today’s group of linebackers the better. I wouldn’t expect the Seahawks to draft any of the prospects we saw today. They have depth at the position and will probably look for athletic options in UDFA.
Free agency can change things very quickly but are we seeing some clarity on what might be the plan this off-season? Here’s my best projection for the 22nd February:
— Use any free cap room to target a dynamic pass-catcher like Julius Thomas (this could include cutting Zach Miller to save $3m)
— Draft an offensive lineman and a receiver with your first two picks, replacing James Carpenter and adding another weapon for Russell Wilson
— Consider adding a defensive lineman in round three
That would essentially leave one hole to fill — cornerback. This could be the greatest off-season challenge.
Tomorrow the defensive backs workout. Very few prospects fit Seattle’s size ideal (32 inch arms, long). UConn’s Byron Jones — a possible candidate — is recovering from a torn labrum and might not participate. There’s also a real lack of depth and quality at the position — and free agency will be an expensive market to dabble in. It could be a case of searching through the second wave of available veterans — or even looking to make a trade for a player buried on someone else’s depth chart.
The Seahawks are the best team in the league at developing cornerbacks but they’ll need to pull a rabbit out of a hat to replace Byron Maxwell this year. Tomorrow should be interesting, if not a little scary.
I love Marcus Hardison in 3rd or Derrick Lott in 4rd.
What do you think about Marcus Hardison?
Being a Nebraska fan, I’d love me some Suh since I know we won’t get any of these guys early and I keep having flashbacks to Brady having all the time in the world a few weeks ago (and, yes, I know guys are going to get healthy, too). I know it probably won’t happen, but I wrote this at the Fanpage on Field Gulls because I was bored. I more wish it would happen more than anything.
http://www.fieldgulls.com/2015/2/22/8088421/ndamukong-suh-to-seattle-seahawks
I like Anderson alot….watching him all season and post. Good size,length,motor, and smarts.Perfect compliment to our current squad. Hope we can target him in late 3 or early 4 to fill other needs first.
Great write up as usual.
What are the odds of Chris Conley being available by the end of the third round this year? Sammy Coates’ 1-2 round hype came solely on physical ability and character. Conley ticks these boxes while being bigger and more polished, so, what keeps the guy from rocketing straight to the 2-3 round this year when teams start to look back At him?
Seahawks might have to spend at least 2 of our first 3 picks to adress the WR need with big talent.
Also, how does 11 picks work out for the roster to absorb eleven new players plus UDFA? I think some trade ups will be a need in mid rounds in this year’s draft. Any thoughts?
I was thinking the same thing.
Use the 3rd (move up to mid 3rd) to get Conley, the 12th fan’s favorite. Use him at WR or CB. He has some experience as CB and Sherman would be a great teacher. He has excellent recovery time and length, and can catch.
Don’t waste a 3rd on an underwhelming DL when you have an explosive multi position player in Conley.
You don’t draft players to make the roster – you draft them to compete to make the roster. If everyone you draft is a lock to be on the team, news flash, your team sucks.
We’ll draft eleven and keep the best seven. And by drafting eleven we ensure those seven are pretty damn good.
I totally agree. Most years I’m in the trade down camp but there is so few roster spots this year I would think that making a move in the first might be an option.
I would like them to trade picks for picks next year. The board could easily fall that trading back is the obvious choice and likely scenario. However I would rather pick up more picks for next year then have 13 picks this year. Trading back 5 spots and get a 3rd next year over a 4th this year. You get the same talent level 31-36 and gain a top 100 possibly a top 75 pick next year.
Conley really unrefined as a receiver. Has some skills but quite a work in progress. Great athleticism but not sure he goes in the third. Or at least not sure I’d want to take him in that range.
As for the picks — some of them won’t make the cut. It’s about adding competition and the best man wins. They’ve cut a 4th rounder before in year one. They’ll be ruthless.
As much as i love Conely, i’d fel better about him as our first pick on day 3.
The combine is only a sample of the pool of draft-eligible players. Given today’s lackluster performance, if we draft DL it will probably be a SPARQee non-invitee project we’ve never heard of like Staton.
In an ideal draft for Seattle CB wise imo, they would be drafting Josh Shaw in the 4th and Nick Marshall in the 5th. Both have to be developed, but they both would have substantial upside with the right guidance. Why not roll the dice on these guys in the mid rounds, Seattle is becoming the CB University for the NFL!! I’m also not against adding a FA like Walter Thurmond for a fair price, due to all the injuries and uncertainty about CB/S availability, when the bullets start flying, in the 2015 season.
Josh Shaw 30 3/4 inch arms. Unlikely to see him in Seattle.
Unless Odighizuwa slips, I definitely think we should be looking at free agency to find help at tight end and on the defensive line. Julius Thomas and Ndamukong Suh are the respective big fish but both are likely to be too expensive.
I like Charles Clay at tight end because he could be productive in a number of ways whilst being relatively cheap. Jordan Cameron is the better player, but I’m not 100% confident he’d be worth the cap space with his injury history.
The defensive line class is deep, thankfully. Stephen Paea, Jabaal Sheard, Jared Odrick, Pernell McPhee, Henry Melton, even Brian Orakpo on a Michael Bennett deal could be good options. Personally, I like Paea and McPhee for their pass rush, but I think bringing in Henry Melton on whatever deal he declined last off-season to play in Dallas would be a sound move.
That leaves wide receiver and offensive line as the focus of the early rounds in the draft. I don’t know which offers better value in what round. They could be interchangeable. Whether it’s truly worth it to spend another high pick on a lineman will depend on James Carpenter’s free agency. Some team will give him $4 million a year or more, and I don’t think he’s worth that much to Seattle with so many other players to extend this year and next. Tre McBride is a flat out stud. Whatever happens, I want him in a Seahawks uniform.
Agreed
-Suh or Paea and Sheard or McPhee/Melton
-Clay/Green
Draft:
1st Erving/Collins
2nd Agholo/Dorsett
3rd McBride
4th OL
I wouldn’t want to be relying on Charles Clay and a rookie to give the offense a significant boost. Let’s remember — the defense has been #1 across the board for two straight years. I’m not convinced a big investment on a third wheel DE or a defensive tackle is necessary.
The common theme with Charles Clay, Pernell McPhee and the like is their price. We’ve had the most success in free agency targeting the second tier, signing/trading for impact players who are underrated for whatever reason and so less expensive. Clay is being overshadowed by Julius Thomas and Jordan Cameron, but he has value as a blocker/h-back as well as a receiver. I think he’d be a big upgrade over Zach Miller in the passing game. Faster, twitchier. Same goes for Paea. Much better pass rusher than Tony McDaniel but he’s being lost in the herd of free agent defensive linemen. These are the kinds of players we need to be looking at. They have upside. They will outplay their contracts, just like Michael Bennett, Marshawn Lynch, Kevin Williams. Spending big in free agency is not the answer.
“We’ve had the most success in free agency targeting the second tier”
Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, Zach Miller?
I wouldn’t class Zach Miller as a success story. He never had less than 400 yards in Oakland but never had more than 400 yards in Seattle. I don’t think he was signed for his blocking.
Whether it was justified or not, Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril didn’t attract a huge amount of interest in 2013. They both signed short-term deals for less than they were worth and I think it’s safe to say they both outperformed those contracts. That’s the kind of move that we should continue to make. Sign someone on the (relative) cheap that fits a need and the scheme who still has upside. Guys like Clay, Paea, Jabaal Sheard, fit that mold perfectly.
I think Miller was a success overall. I think Sheard and Paea are going to get paid big time.
Miller is a good player but we were paying him Rob Gronkowski money at one point. I don’t think he lived up to expectations.
I think guys like Paea and McPhee could get paid big time, but this is a deep free agent class coupled with a really good draft class. Somethings gotta give. There’s a strong chance some of these free agents are devalued.
I love UCLA DE Owa at #31 for us. He’s great against the run, is a very physical and fast but raw pass rusher, who could kick inside at DT in NASCAR and at a minimum push the pocket. I think people tend to focus on speed and length when envisioning a LEO, but what a LEO really needs is a combination of speed, length, and strength; speed to rush the passer and strength to set the edge vs. the run, Owa has both plus length. Clem only had around a 4.7 40 when he came out at 235 lbs, I doubt he still ran 4.7 at 250 lbs when he played for us and he was an effective LEO because he was stout against the run and a good pass rusher. Owa could be a bigger faster stronger Clem, I think that’s worth a first round pick.
Seattle does already have Bennett and Marsh kicking inside for the NASCAR.
True, I was thinking Owa could be like Bennett on the right side next to Irvin. Marsh had the lowest pressures per snap of all our D linemen last year, and Hill has problems staying healthy. I’m not comfortable depending on either, I’d like more depth that can add interior pressure in passing situations.
http://draftbreakdown.com/video/chris-conley-vs-tennessee-2013/
12 second mark y’all. Might be all I need to see.
How did we miss this guy.
wouldn’t surprise me at all if we trade out of the first and make this guy our first pick
His tape is a little hit or miss but his acceleration out of his breaks is impressive.
Also some clips there where he doesn’t have a clue what route he’s supposed to be running. Very talented in terms of athleticism and can catch the ball — but very unrefined.
Rob, who are your top 5 pure pass rushers in this draft? Or pure pass rushers who could be valuable in rounds 2-3?
Problem is — I can give you a list of pure pass rushers who will be there in R2-3 but I’m not sure any have the split or length to be considered by Seattle.
nice breakdown on Odighizuwa, or Godzilla as Matt Waldman likes to call him. http://mattwaldmanrsp.com/2015/02/20/rsp-film-room-no-29-ucla-de-owamagbe-odighizuwa/
It’s a fairly good film breakdown, good for both evaluating the player himself, and also a good way to learn about film analysis.
Rob, as usual your analysis far surpasses any other…. the national guys can’t keep up with you, and I am not just talking about projecting the Seahawks, but your player analysis in general is more accurate than almost all others. I really look forward to living with your blog from now till the draft, and beyond of course.
First, Julius Thomas is such a no-brainer that Pete and John really need to make this happen. Sorry to see Zach go, but the Seahawks really need to add firepower to their passing game… and replacing Carp with a rookie (or Pig Bailey) will provide the cap space to sign Thomas. I actually prefer our deep threat to be a TE than a SE, because an elite CB can shut down our SE in the playoffs, but no LB is going to stay with Thomas down field.
I agree that the available talent likely to be there at #31, combined with team need, points to an OL. WR would certainly be a valuable addition in R2, but if Pete and John have a legit R2 grade on a CB that is the way they will have to go. Add a solid DT and I would be very happy to land a solid and winning OL, CB, WR and DT from the 11 picks and call it a day. Otherwise, just get our guys healthy and somehow keep them healthy, and we are poised to make a run for a ring again.
Thanks for the kind words James. Really appreciated.
Hey Rob, love the analysis. I just want to ask about your website, it seems to be going up and down a lot recently and it seems to be having major issues, maybe you need to check out a different hosting provider?
I’ve been in touch with my host. Hopefully they will get this problem sorted.
SEA needs to find a way to get this guy on the team, David Johnson (RB,Northern Iowa). He’s got the big frame (6’1″/225lbs), speed (4.50 40) and hands… Check this video out on him. Mayock had high praises for him especially in regards to his hands. He also has a 41.5″ vertical and 25 reps @ 225lb. Look at how many plays in this video with him catching the ball. He’d complement Russell!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxC1LvZ5hSM
I’ve thought about the CB position and a name that I haven’t seen brought up in FA (that IMO could help us greatly) is Charles “Peanut” Tillman. Before you put my neck under the guillotine, hear me out. He’s 6’2″/197lbs (almost identical frames to Sherman AND Simon). He has played in similar press schemes and never stops working. Yes I know he’s 34 y/o, but with the time he’s missed in the last season +, thats time his body didn’t take a beating. He wants to play for a contender and what better contender than a team that has a need? Not only could he fill in immediately, he could pass along some veteran savvy to guys like Simon and whatever rookie we bring in. My assumption with Lane missing time is Burley will play NB and Simon could spell Tillman. Peanut is in no way going to require/request a big contract and a 1-2 year deal worth up to $5M could easily get it done.
Free Agents:
CB: Charles Tillman
TE: Julius Thomas or Jordan Cameron
DE: Jabaal Sheard or Brian Orakpo
DT: CJ Mosley, Jared Odrick or Henry Melton
Losses in FA:
UFAs: B. Maxwell, J. Carpenter, O Schofield, M. Smith, K. Williams
Cuts: Z. Miller (possibly T.McDaniel)
IMO –
This team made the SB with the current offense supported by the current defense. The offense did not take a step back yet but without Maxi the defense might. The draft seem to be offensive heavy in the top rounds but poor as far as LB/CB and the DL talent will be gone by the time we get there.
It seems to me that bolstering the D should be the task for FA rather then explosive weapons for the offense.
If we take care of that in FA (Milton, Paea, McPhee, Dockett) we can dedicate the first 2 days of the draft exclusively to the offense.
Unless we have our dream guy at 31 i think we should trade back. Our first and a 5th or 6th should net us a 2nd and 3rd. With 4 picks in the 2nd and 3rd round we should come up with 2 WRs, OL and maybe even a TE if Maxx is there at the right place for us.
With 6-7 picks left for day 3 we can mine for whatever gems were left on board.
And i was the first to say Conely…he is becoming my must for this draft just like Matthews was last year. Maybe this year they will indulge me…
Another tape of Conely playing for a team that passed 277 times all year.
http://draftbreakdown.com/video/chris-conley-vs-arkansas-2014/
I’m not a big fan of the suggestion you see a lot that, ‘well, this offense made the Super Bowl’. Seattle’s offense has major room for improvement in the passing game. Seattle’s defense carried them back to the Super Bowl by holding teams to under ten points for several weeks. The loss of Maxwell will not be so severe that you have to make defense a priority in FA — especially by spending big (and you’d have to) to try and get at people like Paea and McPhee.
Replacing Maxwell is going to be a heck of a challenge. But that’s what they need to do to keep the defense rolling. On offense, I think it’s easy to forget how badly the passing game needs help. And we saw it in the Super Bowl and NFCCG. The Seahawks are crying out for the type of mismatch they have with Gronk. It’s the one area this team can make a significant step forward on either side of the ball. The other is improving the return game.
A good tight end is the QB’s best friend. A security blanket as they like to say. Russell needs a new BFF. Hope they get Julius or Cam.
Agreed. I think there’s an absolute need to find a dynamic weapon at TE or WR and Thomas/Cameron provide that proven element at a good age.
Rob,
I agree that the offense needs more help then the defense. Dedicating our first 3-4 picks in day 1-2 of the draft to bolster the offense is not ignoring it.
What i’m saying is that since we do not see the talent we need for the defense available in the draft, we should not fight the board. We should use FA to help the D at a reasonable cost, Paea – McD = 4M.
We can then use this great deep WR class to pick 2 receivers and add add OL/TE picks too. That’s my take after watching the CB and DL class this year. Before it i was all for Thomas/Cameron.
My point is Eran — I don’t think the defense needs that much work. It’s the top unit in the league. Replace Maxwell and add some later round depth. Paea will probably cost more than $4m APY. They can afford to bring in a key FA on offense and still dedicate their first two picks to the offense. That’s where they can make the most improvement.
The big issue on defense is replacing Maxwell. That won’t be easy.
Is Haloti Ngata a potential target if he becomes a cap casualty?
Possibly. But he’d get a ton of interest. I think Baltimore has to find a way to keep him.
Rob great work at the combine! Your insight it great and really appreciated.
Question, I know it is completely against the norm for PCJS but do you think there is any chance they would trade up in the 1st for the Browns second 1st rounder at 19? If so what would it take and do you think Jalen Collins would be available at 19? Given our system and current roster he is the only guy I would be willing to move up for in this draft. What are your thoughts?
It would cost at least a third round pick, probably a third and fourth. I am a huge Jalen Collins fan but I would not be looking to trade up for him.
Give me Anthony Chickillo in the 4th and a WR in the 3rd. I know Chickillo is a ‘tweener,’ but Seattle isn’t afraid of taking guys like that. Put another 7-8 pounds on him, and he gives you a mix of Bennet and Marsh. Former 5 star recruit, can play 5-tech, rush from the inside, phenomenal motor, big personality. Really like this guy.
Check out these numbers- 4.79 40, 27 reps on the bench press, 34.5 vertical jump, 11’4 broad jump, 7.17 3 cone (one of the top performers in this drill), and a 4.25 20 yds. shuttle (one of the top performers in this drill)
Very appealing athleticism.
1.70 10 yard split, better than quite a few of the above listed D-lineman,
Guys like that tend to move up the ladder and end up second day picks. If we trade down from the first, though, we will have lots of second day picks.
Chickillo isn’t going on day 2 IMO. He’s a tweener and that scares certain teams off. But, if he does, I’d take him in the 3rd round. He also played out of position at Miami and therefore under-whelmed, but I think he’s a fantastic fit in terms of what Seattle looks for/ likes out of their D-lineman. Sacrifice size for length and quickness.
He’s one of those guys who doesn’t do any one thing great, but doesn’t do anything bad either.
I’m the most interested in draftee and FA comparisons to the players they would compete with who are already on the team. For instance, after reading this article and others which are swirling around in my head, the TE position in the draft has people who are approximately the same size as Chris Mathews. Same goes for the big WR’s in this years’ draft.
And LB’s? They are all too slow. Nothing like the players we already have on the team way down the list. And for CB we still have that guy we drafted last year who got injured.
Unless we hold onto Carpenter, I think we will be going OL in the early rounds. John Schneider has made it clear he is willing to trade down right now. I keep wondering when the formula will change. Until it does, trading down is the way to go.
At WR a lot depends on how likely PRich is to come back at all, much less when.
Is Shaq Thompson going to drop to the third day? Even then, I wonder if he has the speed to compete.
All in all, I don’t see it likely that any draftee does much to change our team this next year. They are all likely to red shirt one year like most of our recent drafted players. And plenty of our current roster backups are likely to move into starting positions. This is a mature team now. Fine tuning is all that is necessary.
Totally agree my man.
Seattle’s core is in place, and there’s a LOT of misplaced expectations among fans. IMO they’ll find 1-2 immediate starters, 1-2 project picks, and they rest will fill out the depleted depth from last year.
Rob, what are your thoughts of Dorial Green-Beckham or Sammi Coates on the Seahawks at #31? Coates seems to have run slower than expected (4.4s as opposed to 4.3s) and obviously is raw as a route runner, but his deep speed and size would be attractive on the Seahawks, I think. Green-Beckham obviously has monster size and good speed for that size and I’m thinking with the character concerns, he might be available at the end of the first. What do you think of them?
Also, do you see any mid-round CB prospects that the Seahawks could work with? Josh Shaw would be perfect if he had longer arms.
I wouldn’t be a fan of drafting either of those players at #31. Coates drops too many passes and gets by on athleticism. Green-Beckham — character concerns too much for me and he’s tall but lacks length (short arms), small hands and didn’t jump very well.
Call me crazy, but I think Seattle is capable of coaching up either of the disappointing/terrible long CBs that the Eagles are likely to part ways with. Fletcher & Williams