Jonathan Taylor was one of the big winners at the combine
I’ve used the information from the combine and updated the tier list. This is my attempt to try and reflect on where some of the shelves are in this draft.
Tier one
Joe Burrow (QB, LSU)
Jeff Okudah (CB, Ohio State)
Isaiah Simmons (LB, Clemson)
Chase Young (DE, Ohio State)
Derrick Brown (DT, Auburn)
Andrew Thomas (T, Georgia)
I’ve narrowed the top tier to six prospects. Joe Burrow had a college football season for the ages in 2019 and fully deserves to be the #1 pick. He’s supremely accurate and poised but also has the ability to improvise and throw on the run.
Jeff Okudah is the best combination of talent and athleticism at cornerback since Patrick Peterson. He has ideal size, length and height and he’s a 142.56 SPARQ athlete, capable of running a 4.4, a 4.03 short shuttle and jumping a 41 inch vertical.
Isaiah Simmons is the complete package. He has great size and length (6-4, 238lbs, 33.5 inch arms), he ran a 4.39 forty and he was the heart and soul of Clemson’s Championship defense. He could change the game.
Derrick Brown didn’t have a great combine but not everything rests on a testing performance. He dominated for Auburn as a disruptive and disciplined defensive tackle with great size. It’s incredible how impactful Brown is. He’s so quick and aggressive and always has to be accounted for.
Chase Young skipped the combine which, to me, suggests our prediction of a poor workout was likely spot on. At SPARQ he ran a 4.94 forty and a 4.46 short shuttle. Even so, he had two terrific seasons at Ohio State and will almost certainly be the #2 pick in the draft.
The nonsense written about Andrew Thomas a few weeks ago shouldn’t be forgotten. All those people who were calling him a guard and putting him in the late first are now moving him back into the top-12. He has classic tackle size (6-5, 315lbs, 36 inch arms) and was a master at Georgia.
Tier two
Tristan Wirfs (G, Iowa)
Jonathan Taylor (RB, Wisconsin)
Henry Ruggs III (WR, Alabama)
Mekhi Becton (T, Louisville)
Javon Kinlaw (DT, South Carolina)
Jedrick Wills (G, Alabama)
Cesar Ruiz (C, Michigan)
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB, LSU)
Austin Jackson (T, USC)
C.J. Henderson (CB, Florida)
I’ve listed Tristan Wirfs as a guard. I think his frame is ideally suited to moving inside and it’s where he’ll make the most of his impossibly explosive traits. He was one of the stars of the combine, not unexpectedly, and will have teams salivating over his potential.
Jonathan Taylor is a deserved riser after a tremendous combine. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if he goes a lot earlier than people are currently projecting. Some teams still value the idea of a special running back and that is what Taylor is. He showed he’s the perfect combination of size and speed while on tape he sprints away from defenders and he runs over them. He led draft eligible running backs for yards after contact (1257 yards).
Henry Ruggs III was always going to run fast and a 4.28 was fairly anti-climactic in the end. At the next level though, every opponent who faces Ruggs will have to account for his speed. He will dictate game-plans every week.
The concern with Mekhi Becton was two-fold. One — he needs a lot of work on his pass-sets. Two — how athletic is he considering he has to shift around a 364lbs frame? After running a 5.10 it’s quite simple — he’s a freak of nature and every team will be very happy to work on his pass-sets.
Javon Kinlaw didn’t workout at the combine but he showed enough in two days at the Senior Bowl to suggest that the Alabama tape (and others in 2019) wasn’t a fluke. He has Fletcher Cox-type potential as a wrecking-ball defensive lineman.
Like Tristan Wirfs, I’m listing Jedrick Wills as a guard. This is the body of a guard. That’s fine though. He showed he was very explosive with exceptional footwork at the combine. Plug him in at left or right guard and enjoy ten years of quality play.
Cesar Ruiz has been a blog favourite for months. He’s a first round pick. The combine shouldn’t surprise anyone. He’s highly explosive and perfectly sized. Within two or three years he could be the best center in the NFL.
I’ve moved Clyde Edwards-Helaire down a few spots but he’s still very much a second tier prospect. I’m not bothered about a 4.6 forty. He jumped a 39.5 inch vertical and that’s a lot more important. He’s an incredible talent who plays with brutality as a runner. He’s an exceptional route runner and pass catcher. He energises his team mates. Draft the guy.
Austin Jackson needs time and might need a year or two to realise his potential. Left tackle prospects who are 6-5, 322lbs, run a 5.07 and jump a 31 inch vertical don’t last long in the draft for a reason though.
C.J. Henderson wasn’t much of a ballhawk at Florida but his coverage was always tight and he flashed a ton of potential. He can cover the slot or outside, he’s well sized for most teams and he ran a 4.39 to go with a 37.5 inch vertical. He’ll go early.
Tier three
Ceedee Lamb (WR, Oklahoma)
Isaiah Wilson (T, Georgia)
Jalen Reagor (WR, TCU)
Jerry Jeudy (WR, Alabama)
Denzel Mims (WR, Baylor)
Kenneth Murray (LB, Oklahoma)
Patrick Queen (LB, LSU)
Antoine Winfield Jr (S, Minnesota)
D’Andre Swift (RB, Georgia)
Raekwon Davis (DT, Alabama)
K.J. Hamler (WR, Penn State)
Ezra Cleveland (T, Boise State)
A 4.50 forty is fine for Ceedee Lamb. The fear was he’d run a 4.56. He’s a magician as a YAC specialist but during catching drills he showed unique body control and contortion skills that were just exciting to watch.
Isaiah Wilson was second only to Tristan Wirfs as the best combination of massive size and explosive power at the combine. He had a fantastic 2019 season as he and Andrew Thomas combined to create a laughably good pocket for Jake Fromm. Run-blocking is his speciality though. He’s 6-6 and 350lbs and carries hardly any bad weight. He’s a terminator.
Jalen Reagor gained muscle for the combine and it slowed him down. We were expecting a 4.3 and we got a 4.47. He can rectify that at pro-day. However, his 42 inch vertical showed up on tape countless times. Despite only being 5-11 he regularly out-jumped bigger defenders to high-point the football. There aren’t many 5-11 red zone dynamo’s but that’s Reagor.
Jerry Jeudy didn’t sparkle as much as some of the other receivers. That’ll be fine for teams with a young quarterback who needs a reliable, consistent route runner. But there are just more exciting receivers in the class.
Denzel Mims was a combine star after running a 4.38 and excelling in the agility drills. I didn’t really see 4.38 on tape and that’s worth remembering. Yet his ability to win contested catches, create quick separation on shorter routes and provide chunk plays is all very appealing.
Kenneth Murray and Patrick Queen both fly around the field with speed and quickness. They’re modern day linebackers. They both ran well at the combine before picking up injuries.
Antoine Winfield Jr had a ‘wow’ combine. He ran a 4.45 and jumped a 36 inch vertical. Then the drills started and he took the roof off. His ability to shift and change direction was eye-catching. He’s so sudden with almost no wasted movement. He has everything. Production (seven picks in 2019 alone), athleticism, quickness, bloodlines, focus and maturity.
D’Andre Swift did enough by running a 4.48 and jumping a 35.5 inch vertical to keep his stock ticking along.
Raekwon Davis is a beast. He’s just what you want lining up at defensive tackle. He looked terrific at the combine and his testing numbers and size are extremely similar to Calais Campbell. I’ll take a shot on anyone you can say that about.
K.J. Hamler put up 15 bench reps of 225lbs despite only weighing 178lbs. Do people realise how freakish that is? The guy is an absolute beast. Only 1% of the world can bench their own body weight. He benched an extra 47lbs 15 times. That was the best performance on the bench by any player at any position by far. He’s a great receiver too and very creative and slippery with the ball in his hands.
If you’re 6-6, 311lbs, run a 4.93, a 4.44 short shuttle, a 7.26 three cone and you have highly explosive traits — the NFL is going to make you, Ezra Cleveland, a high draft pick.
Tier four
Grant Delpit (S, LSU)
Trevon Diggs (CB, Alabama)
Brandon Aiyuk (WR, Arizona State)
Julian Okwara (DE, Notre Dame)
Justin Herbert (QB, Oregon)
Tua Tagovailoa (QB, Alabama)
Prince Tega Wanogho (T, Auburn)
Kristian Fulton (CB, LSU)
J.K. Dobbins (RB, Ohio State)
Justin Jefferson (WR, LSU)
Some of these players would be higher if they’d been able to test as expected or weren’t carrying injury question marks.
Grant Delpit didn’t work out at the combine. I’ve been resisting moving him down boards because he’s so ultra-talented. Yet Tony Pauline reported teams are getting a Greedy Williams vibe from him. I want to see him compete to restore his stock.
Trevon Diggs is an excellent athlete and does a great job tracking the ball in the air. You can work on flaws but generally you can either track the ball or you can’t and Diggs is ready to play. He didn’t take part at the combine but we know he’s a great athlete — just look at his brother.
Brandon Aiyuk is terrific. He has excellent size and acceleration. His catching technique, control, ball-tracking, positioning, ability to create easy separation and special teams dynamism makes him a fascinating talent. It was surprising that he only ran a 4.50 forty and I’ve dropped him a little as a consequence.
Julian Okwara is 6-4, 252lbs and he has 34.5 inch arms. He’s a dynamic speed rusher in a draft class with barely any dynamic speed rushers. He couldn’t run at the combine but will at Notre Dame’s pro-day. Expect a fast time.
I put the two quarterbacks in this tier. Justin Herbert is big with a good arm and he can create, improvise and deliver exceptional plays. He’s too erratic though and I think he’ll need a strong supporting cast and a quality offensive mind as a coach to get the best of him. Tua Tagovailoa would be higher but it’s as simple as this — nobody is going to know the full medical picture by the draft and I can’t rank him higher than this with major question marks about his future and his ability to play at the same level we saw pre-hip injury.
Prince Tega Wanogho has ended up becoming one of the most underrated players in the draft. With great size he was tipped to a run a 4.95 but he couldn’t run at the combine. If he falls, he’ll provide value.
Kristian Fulton is a physical corner who loves to get after it. He can line up outside or at nickel. He ran a 4.46 forty. That’s fast enough for the way he plays.
J.K. Dobbins could’ve owned the combine but he chose not to workout. He was also lighter and smaller than expected (5-9, 209lbs) which was a surprise.
I don’t really understand the hype around Justin Jefferson’s 4.43 forty. He’s always looked like a mid-4.4’s type. He’s solid and consistent.
Tier five
Damien Lewis (G, LSU)
Willie Gay Jr (LB, Mississippi State)
Hunter Bryant (TE, Washington)
Anthony McFarland (RB, Maryland)
Matt Hennessy (C, Temple)
Jabari Zuniga (DE, Florida)
Curtis Weaver (DE, Boise State)
Logan Stenberg (G, Kentucky)
Shane Lemieux (G, Oregon)
John Simpson (G, Clemson)
Jalen Hurts (QB, Oklahoma)
Jordan Love (QB, Utah State)
The more I’ve watched of Damien Lewis the more I’ve liked. He’s a terror blocking in the run game, he recovers well and is very difficult to beat. He looked very polished and accomplished at the Senior Bowl. At the combine he showed he’s explosive with great size.
Willie Gay Jr jumped a 39.5 inch vertical, ran a 4.46 and a 4.3 short shuttle. He’s such a playmaker too and the only thing holding him back is some 2019 weirdness (suspensions, incidents).
Hunter Bryant is a dynamic big-slot or joker TE who will create endless mismatches. He ran a superb 7.08 short shuttle and his overall testing marks aren’t a million miles away from Jordan Reed.
I think Anthony McFarland is one of the most underrated players in the draft. He’s so quick, so electric. He destroyed Ohio State in 2018. He won’t fit every scheme but if he lands in the right place — watch out.
The more I watched of Matt Hennessy at the Senior Bowl the more impressive he looked. Hennessy was one of the top performers in Mobile having been able to make a full assessment. He could easily go in round two.
Jabari Zuniga is one of the most explosive pass rushers to enter the league in recent years and he ran a good 4.64 forty to rebuild his stock after an injury plagued 2019 season. He could be a value pick.
Curtis Weaver lacks length or a typical pass rushing body (he’s 6-2 and 265lbs but dropped weight from 300lbs). Even so, he had 18.5 TFL’s and 13.5 sacks in 2019 and ran a 4.27 short shuttle which catches the eye. That will translate.
I’m a huge Logan Stenberg fan. He absolutely batters opponents and is a true finisher. He reminds me of Alex Boone. He talks how you want a guard to talk. He lacks ideal length and profile but who cares with the way he plays. Shane Lemieux is also very aggressive yet controlled and was mightily impressive on tape. John Simpson has some iffy moments with his footwork but his size, tenacity and aggressive blocking style has some appeal.
I’m putting Jalen Hurts and Jordan Love in the same area. Both players have the tools to be starting NFL quarterbacks. Yet both players need to be more consistent and learn to handle pressure and slow the game down. Hurts was exceptional at the combine. I wouldn’t bet against him.
Tier six
Davon Hamilton (DT, Ohio State)
Justin Madubuike (DT, Texas A&M)
Jonathan Greenard (DE, Florida)
Kyle Dugger (S, Lenoir Rhyne)
Devin Asiasi (TE, UCLA)
Adam Trautman (TE, Dayton)
Hakeem Adeniji (G, Kansas)
Chase Claypool (WR, Notre Dame)
Nick Harris (C, Washington)
Michael Pittman Jr (WR, USC)
Rashard Lawrence (DT, LSU)
Cam Akers (RB, Florida State)
Matt Peart (T, Connecticut)
Zack Moss (RB, Utah)
Davon Hamilton was highly explosive and has outstanding size (6-4, 320lbs, 33 inch arms). If you want someone to anchor the interior this is your guy. Justin Madubuike was by far the best performer during D-line drills at the combine. He just looked so smooth and fluid. The problem is — where’s he playing at his size?
It was no secret that Jonathan Greenard was going to run in the 4.8-4.9 range at the combine. However, a 4.34 short shuttle shows up on tape and he has 35 inch vines for arms. He’s always had something, he just lacks twitch.
Kyler Dugger has the size, he’s highly explosive, he’s a star special teamer and most importantly — he’s a true alpha. The Seahawks need some dogs and Dugger fits the bill. He does have a little stiffness though and ran a slower than expected 4.49.
Devin Asiasi is a very clean catcher of a football and while he appears heavy there’s no doubting his quickness and athletic elegance at tight end. Adam Trautman running a 6.78 three cone and a 4.27 short shuttle has piqued my interest. You can work with those numbers to create mismatches.
Every time I watched Hakeem Adeniji I thought he was impressive in Mobile. Now he had an explosive workout at the combine. He has tackle experience but will play guard. He’s a great prospect to try and develop.
Chase Claypool was one of the stars of the combine with his complete performance. I don’t think he’s quite the fluid athlete his testing might suggest but as a big target with rare speed and change of direction, he’s a worthwhile project.
Nick Harris is undersized and won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. I don’t care. I love his tenacity, attitude, physical style, ability to get out into space and connect and his pissed off approach to the game. I thought he looked excellent during combine drills.
Michael Pittman Jr ran well at the combine (4.52 at 6-4, 223lbs) and he also excelled in the explosive and agility tests. I just didn’t see much separation on tape or an ability to win with quickness and suddenness. It’s key for most schemes these days. I suspect on some boards he’ll be rated a lot higher than others. It’ll just depend on how the offense is coordinated.
Rashard Lawrence equally just plays with a fire and intensity that you need in the trenches. As a former #12 overall recruit, he ran a 5.07 forty. He gives you everything and he’s well sized at 6-2, 308lbs and 34 1/8 inch arms.
Cam Akers fits the Seahawks’ profile for a running back with a great blend of explosive power and size. He also ran well in the forty.
Matt Peart just oozes potential. He’s 6-7, 318lbs and has nearly 37 inch arms. He’s a candidate to draft and develop.
Zack Moss has explosive qualities and he’s a really tough, physical runner. I just wonder about his upside and ability to shine at the next level.
To be determined…
Tee Higgins (WR, Clemson)
Joshua Uche (LB, Michigan)
Yetur Gross-Matos (DE, Penn State)
K’Lavon Chaisson (LB, LSU)
Bryan Edwards (WR, South Carolina)
Robert Hunt (T, Louisiana-Lafayette)
Lucas Niang (T, TCU)
Tee Higgins said he wasn’t doing anything at the combine because he needed a rest. I’m tempted to rest him from all of my mocks and tier lists for the rest of the year.
Joshua Uche, Yetur Gross-Matos and K’Lavon Chaisson didn’t run at the combine. All have strengths and weaknesses but all also rely quite a bit on upside (which is impossible to determine until we have testing numbers).
Bryan Edwards broke his foot during combine training. He’s a terrific receiver who shouldn’t fall too far.
I’m intrigued by Robert Hunt. He sets the tone as a blocker but he’s injured. It would’ve been interesting to see how he tested at the combine.
Lucas Niang is a forgotten man of the class due to injury but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he entered the league and quickly became a starting right tackle or guard.
If you missed yesterday’s post-combine, pre-free agency podcast, check it out below…
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Thanks Rob. After reading this blog there are a ton of attractive players the Seahawks would love to get there hands on.
If the Hawks did let Britt go Nick Harris could be an option in the middle rounds.
Harris looked pretty good at combine, if I recall correctly, and he has solid play in CFB.
He did get pushed around at the senior bowl, though.
Only in 1v1’s and Jim Nagy told us those drills are set up for the DL to dominate.
In scrimmage and the game, he was very good.
👍🏼
Great work as ever, Rob.
You make the off season fun around here. I’m kind of floating around in the ether as to what the Seahawks might do? The only real domino that’s fallen that’s begun to start clearing matters up is the Olsen signing. I can’t argue with that move in the least in that it notches the TE position down on the worry list.
I’m still in the camp of not picking a RB in the first two rounds. I’m fine with a WR as the top pick IF it’s someone who falls that they are truly salivating over. I go back and forth about using the top pick on an OLman, though want draft capital spent there in rounds 2-3-4. I’ve always been an advocate for trading up to add potential star power on defense. We desperately need star power on D. You’ve got me intrigued with DT Davis if he fall to us in the 2nd round, or we trade up a bit to get him in that round.
Just waiting and hoping that that HUGE first domino falls on the D-line.
Love your work.
Great post, lots of names moving up and down.
Hard to see AJ Dillon being put lower than Akers, Moss, and McFarland, but thats mostly personal preference
I think Akers, Moss and McFarland are well above Dillon to be honest. It’s not that I dislike Dillon but he’s stiff and rigid. He’s a more athletic James Connor.
I see that whole group of four names as +depth with upside so it’s really splitting hairs to pick your poison from them.
What’s wrong with an athletic James Conners? Mans does work so it’s not a slight to compare Dillon to him.
Dillon aint fumble in almost 900 touches.
I don’t think it’s splitting hairs at all. I think there’s a noticeable talent step.
The Dillon hype, for me, is born out from everyone knowing how he tested. The tape is nothing to write home about really. He’s not bad. There’s just nothing exciting.
Would you maybe say Dillon has the highest potential of that group? McFarland is nice with it, but (and I know it’s flavor of the day) Dillon has a slim chance to perform like a poor man’s Henry
No not at all. I would say Dillon has the least potential actually. Although you could make a case he has more ‘potential’ or upside than Moss but Moss is pure toughness and doesn’t have the issues Dillon has cutting.
I really don’t want to cut Britt. But if the Hawks need to cut Britt to free up cap space for their pass rushing needs. Then the Hawks got to do what they got to do.
Fantastic work!!! Thoughts on Malik Harrison OSU or Clay Johnson Baylor? Thanks in advance Rob
Not studied Johnston. Harrison has some physicality and punch to his play but you could see on tape the time he ran at the combine (4.66) and that limits his stock IMO.
That’s like the same time as Cody Barton (more explosive in the jumps too). Faster than Darius Leonard, a guy who is frequently referred to a sideline to sideline modern day speedy linebacker. He’s bigger than both those guys too.
Nothing wrong with that physical profile. He’s a 77.2% (top 23%) sparq athlete at the linebacker position compared to nfl peers. I thought he had a better than expected combine. Love his toughness and physicality and I’ll take that every time over a 1/10th of a second faster 40. (Hamilton also a good guy to watch on that D).
The forty times don’t matter. The Seahawks drafted Cody Barton because he ran a 4.03 short shuttle. Malik Harrison ran a 4.32.
We’ve been over this a lot.
Really enjoyed this piece. It’s a great roadmap to establishing relative value, especially for Day 2 and 3, though it applies to R1 as well.
I also agree with the tiering and ranking. It’s all well grouped and well reasoned.
I wonder where you’d rank Tua if he didn’t have the medical issue? I’m not very enamored of him so I think your tier 4 is pretty accurate in light of the medical uncertainty, but even if he clears all checks with flying colors, I still see him as a tier 3 type, especially in this draft class relative to Herbert. Just not convinced Tua’s game translates to the pros. I’ll happy eat crow if he turns out to be a Kyler Murray, but I think he’s more of a Baker Mayfield.
For the rest of them, this is a broad, deep class full of plus athletes, many with the game tape to back up the excellent testing numbers. Every position group except EDGE has multiple intriguing prospects with legit potential to provide outstanding value deep into the draft. I’d be pretty happy with almost anyone in tier 6 on Day 3, though most happy with the likes of Mandubuike, Duggar, Asiasi and Trautman, Adeniji, Lawrence, Akers, Peart…like I said almost anyone. But only on Day 3. That’s why I really appreciate this post because I can already see where certain prospects will be over drafted. And I can almost predict which teams will do the over drafting.
FWIW I think Mandubuike is a very interesting early Day 3 prospect. I think his floor is Clint McDonald and his ceiling is Geno Atkins. I’d be pretty happy to get a Clint McDonald out of this draft in R4 or later. Heck maybe even the R3 compensatory pick is worth it if Mandu can become a rotational 4-5 sack per season DT like Clint was. And if Mandu turns out to be more like Geno Atkins…the pick becomes another JS/PC draft diamond.
Also FWIW I’m getting a certain feeling about Raekwon Davis. Like he could be SEA’s first pick after a trade down from 27, just like another DT prospect was a few years ago who shall remain unnamed so as not to taint the present. Or maybe the second pick after a small trade up from 59. But somewhere in the 40-55 range — so either he’s their guy and they take him early in the 40s, or they have someone else they’re interested in first (like maybe Isaiah Wilson or even a Taylor or Ruiz if they were to fall) but move up to take Davis if he lasts into the 50s.
Davis isn’t an EDGE obviously, but DL is generally the team’s biggest need so he addresses it to an extent, and his upside is Calais Campbell, who also I might add went in R2 around the same range (50). It took Campbell about 5 seasons to become the player so it’s not reasonable to expect Davis to come in and Campbell out as a rookie. But he’d definitely be an investment in the future of the DL. Also, if they could somehow trade for Campbell so that he could mentor and coach up Davis…man that’d be something special.
I’m with ya on Madubuike.
Tua’s a difficult grade for me. Even before this injury — he’s nearly always hurt. He’s a leftie. He’s thrown some horrendous, Ryan Tannehill-at-A&M style interceptions where you just wonder what he’s seeing. I find him to be quite robotic. He played with an unreal arsenal of receivers.
He is also accurate when he delivers the football, he has reasonable velocity, he can deliver a scheme very efficiently and move the ball. He’s a tremendous character and leader.
I wouldn’t bank on him being a franchise saviour but I can see why teams would roll the dice on him. So for me, probably tier two without the hip.
I’d love to see Campbell & Davis partnering the interior.
Interceptions is a very strange category to ding Tua. He had a phenomenal season in that regard, with only 1.29% of interceptable passes according to Ian Wharton, who produces a chart like this every year. Hurts was nearly 3x that number and Love nearly 4x.
https://twitter.com/NFLFilmStudy/status/1232455470738067457/photo/1
Tua’s numbers are great across the board but still below Burrow. Jake Fromm is an absolute disaster. It will be interesting to see how far he falls.
I’ll be very surprised if Ruggs ends up a superior pro to Jeudy. Speed is markedly overrated at wide receiver and ridiculously underrated at running back. Guys like Ruggs seldom fully pan out. Contrast to Jeudy who has that fantastic athletic arrogance to step up and separate when most needed. Lost of Alabama fans post on some of the most respected draft forums and have great reputation as analysts. I haven’t seen one who doesn’t prefer Jeudy to Ruggs. More than one say Ruggs was the fourth best receiver on the team.
Regardless, I always enjoy the tier lists.
I didn’t say anything about the number of interceptions.
I was speaking clearly and specifically about the types of interceptions he threw.
And that is more important because at the next level he’s not playing for Alabama with all the perks that come with playing for Alabama.
Interesting
PJ Walker had a gaggle of Seahawks scouts watching him at todays game Roughnecks vs Dragons. If this is what becomes of the XFL (2.0), then it will be a resounding success. Develop potential NFL QB stars / prospects. This would be similar to NFL Europe and the old XFL (1.0).
Nice to finally see Robert Hunt’s name on here. I know we haven’t seen him test, but he gets after it.
Think he could play RT at the next level? Or is a move to guard in the books?
He’s a mauler but he moves pretty well when he has to get up to the 2nd level. The injury is a concern but I think he would have tested pretty well.
After hearing JS combine interview, JS mentioned about keeping team in mind not for just coming year but down the line 2 or 3 years.
Britt is in contract year and coming from ACL injury.
Seahawks will take Center in draft but if they sign someone in FA it will be lower priority.
…so we can realistically scoop up 3, maybe even 4 or 5 of these prospects – if we get lucky. staying within reason (respecting rob’s tiers), who would be your top 3 picks? followed by 2 wildcard picks that fall?
i’m sticking to my guns:
1 Isaiah Wilson
2 Raekwon Davis
2 Clyde Edwards-Helaire
3 Brandon Aiyuk
3 Logan Stenberg
There’s no chance of Aiyuk lasting to R3. He’s too good.
…Metcalf last to 64
*lasted*
And we spent an entire draft season talking about why he might fall.
Aiyuk hasn’t had a serious neck injury that almost ended his career within the last 12 months.
you make me fall in love with all these gems, then tell me I can’t have them all?
Apologies 😂
Assuming trade back with #1 and trade up a bit with one of the round 2’s…
2. Mims
2. Ruiz
2. Lawrence
3 CEH (Akers if he’s gone)
3 Peart
5 John Reid PSU – Nickel… I’m telling you guys, he’ll be on the radar. No one else ran a sub 4 short shuttle and a sub 7 3-cone (nobody else at the combine ran a sub 4 SS)
sign me up for a PC and Reid marriage
Boom! The bandwagon grows to two!
By the way, I like all of the guys you listed. Raekwon and Wilson just have that feeling of TJ Watt/Obi/Kevin King… where 90% of SDB really likes them, but we never seem to get our guys.
I remember the first draft I really got into, I was so excited that David DeCastro fell to us. I was high-fiving my buddy saying ‘here we go baby’. They announced Bruce Irvin and after my tirade, I swore to not get too attached to a prospect or caught off guard by what the Hawks do.
Fortunately I found SDB and have bettered my fanhood, particularly in regards to the draft. Here’s to a MLB, QB and Safety with our first 3 picks!
There is too many holes to fill this year for them to pick a WR early, its a luxury but not a necessity.
Just got to say I love this blog. All the insight that Rob provides is top shelf and I check the blog almost daily to gain some insight. I have thought since the Rose Bowl that Justin Herbert earned a top 5 grade and his combine reaffirmed that inclination for me. Rob, I am curious why you think Herbert is third tier? I understand there was inconsistencies in his play but I always thought those could be attributed to scheme and less than stellar quarterback coaching. Do you think he is destined to be Phillip Rivers?
I don’t see Rivers as a comp. I think he’s more like Josh Allen or Drew Lock.
The scheme definitely doesn’t help. It’s boring and frustrating. But there were still many times where he was so erratic and his decision making mind-blowingly poor. At the same time, he has the arm and the mobility and the ability to create.
I don’t think he has as many ‘WTF’ throws as Allen but equally I don’t think he has Allen’s insane playmaking improv as a runner or the will and leadership Allen shows. He’s more measured and in control but that’s a good and bad thing vs Allen. I think he’s similar physically and in terms of mobility to Lock but perhaps has a bit more X factor.
I could see him going top 10, I could see him lasting deep into R1.
As someone who watched just about every game of Herbert’s career, I would say that this is a very, very accurate description.
The improv is definitely not a big part of his game. Josh Allen is a good physical comp, and Jimmy G is probably a good comp in terms of decision making. If the first read is there, JH can make any throw. Getting through his reads seems to be where he struggles to me, and often why he seems to force throws to covered guys.
The other thing he lacks is the leadership factor. I can’t tell you how many times UO would be in a close game with the defense on the field and they’d show Herbert on the sideline by himself or just in a crowd doing a half-hearted clap when the D got a stop. You never saw him rallying the guys like Russ or so many other QB’s will do.
He broke his collar bone as a sophomore trying to punch in a goal line TD and UO stopped running him almost entirely after that. The RPO was a joke because he would never run, ever. It took until his last college game (Rose Bowl) before they finally let him run again. He ended up with 3 rushing TD’s in that game.
If he ends up in the right situation, I think he could do very well. I don’t necessarily think he’ll succeed regardless of where he lands though.
Another comp that I can see is Mariota. They have the skillset, just not the bravado/confidence/swagger that makes you think: This guy can’t fail.
I hope he can get that, but it seems like something you have or don’t. You see a lot of guys who have the body, arm, intelligence, measurables, etc. who seem to be ok, but they don’t raise their team up. Guys like Darnold, Trubisky, Goff, Carr, Mariota, Rosen all can make the throws, they just don’t have “It”.
All this isn’t to say you can’t have a good career or even be a Super Bowl winner without that. Eli won two walking around with that whiny, stupefied look on his face for 15 years. Heck, Trent Dilfer won a ring. I just think JH’s career will be decided by where he lands. Guys like Russ were going to succeed regardless of where they went. It makes me appreciate him all the more.
“ Eli won two walking around with that whiny, stupefied look on his face for 15 years.”
Whoa! That is … uh succinct.
Shows us once again that a decent QB, avoiding injuries and a passable defence can yield ya 2 rings.
I just cannot fathom his dropping into the late 1st.
He came into his SR year with all the pressure of the world on his shoulders, and he delivered. He was a presumptive top-5 pick when he announced he’d come back in January, and his team lost (I believe) his top-4 WRs between then and Game 1. He responded by winning the Pac12 and then the Rose Bowl.
Perplexing decisions and simplistic schemes be dammed, with the demand for franchise QBs in the NFL, no way he drops to ‘late’ RD1 (and I have a hard time seeing top-10).
*Before you mention Haskins having a similar story last year, please consider the weapons Haskins had to work with (what, five guys that would eventually go in RDs 1-3 at WR/RB) vs that of Herbert.
QB’s fall all the time.
Drew Lock, Lamar Jackson etc
Nobody wants to watch another Rivers anyway especially the Chargers. I can see the physical comp to Lock and Allen. I think Herbert’s arm strength is par with Allen and Lock just has small hands. Herbert was always hesitant to leave the pocket at Oregon except for the Rose Bowl game where he really turned it loose and gashed with his mobility. Herbert was also the MVP of the Rose Bowl and the Senior Bowl where he flashed brilliance and leadership in both. The best win to Josh Allen’s credit was the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and not sure Drew Lock.ever won a big game. So just saying I agree with the X factor x10. I see Herbert as the closest thing to a franchise quarterback in this draft. Cheers!
Tiers are looking great. I have a “tears” group of players I will hate to see go to opposing teams:
Many tears:
Isaiah Wilson
Cesar Ruiz
Jonathan Taylor
CEH
Yetur Gross Matos
Willie Gay Jr
Trevon Diggs
Kyle Dugger
Antoine Wingfield Jr
Jaelon Reagor
Julian Okwara
Raekwon Davis
If we get two of these guys it means we have had a pretty good weekend. I wouldn’t mind the hawks moving up in the early second to secure a couple of the guys who slip into day two, but the free agency/trade market has yet to play out. Hey, can we still try to trade for Simmons? 🙂
Well played. Several boxes of tissues will be required that weekend!
I just try to remember that all the teams who are picking early and often come out the “big winners” in the draft are actually the big losers when the season rolls around. For every year that we shed in April for a draft crush, they will shed double come next Jan when their team misses the playoffs yet again… 😢
Hey Rob, digging the tiers.
Thought experiment, if the draft fell perfectly in your mind and the Hawks front office had the perfect day in getting “their guys” from the list, what would be the top 3 guys they could get with their first 3 picks? Throw in a trade if you are feeling spicy with it.
I’m not Rob, but I just did a Fanspeak draft with no trades and ended up with Mekhi Becton, Jonathan Taylor, and Jaelon Reagor in rounds 1 and 2. That kind of draft would make me a very happy Hawks fan!
That draft site will break your heart. I’ve just spent a while watching every piece of Yetur Gross Matos film and he’s going to test well, I think. He just makes plays in space, on the edge… he shouldn’t be able to make these plays. Length, natural athleticism and instincts. He still needs refinement in technique, but he’s a guy who can play DE, move inside, and could probably play some rush OLB. He’s so physical too. Nose for the ball, saw him chase down McFarland down the line, blew up a jet sweep against Maryland too. He is great at stunting with a little Tackle-End twist. If he’s there, and they still need an edge player, that’s the guy. I’ve come full circle on him. Don’t look back in a few years and wish you had taken that monster.
Not Rob but this is a fun thought experiment. Assuming pick #27 is not in the cards here. I would go Raeking Ball Davis, any one of Wilson/Ruiz/Cleveland, and then Hamler to round out the first three picks.
I can answer that better after free agency
I had a hunch you might say that! Will re-ask then!
Good stuff Rob. I agree about 85%.
I am still going to pound the table for Zuniga though.
I really like Baun and McKinney as well. What’s keeping them out of your top 6 tiers Rob?
McKinney is slow and was used predominantly as a blitzer by Alabama. Baun is smaller than ideal, has to play SAM and lacks special athletic qualities.
No Cole Kmet? And Hunter Bryant as the top rated TE? I just don’t see it.
Hunter Bryant is the top TE in this class. His biggest challenger is Devin Asiasi.
Cole Kmet —- one year of moderate production, didn’t have great testing.
Kmet tested better than Hunter in every category but 3 cone drill. He’s bigger, faster, jumps higher and longer, has a bigger catch radius, and because he can also block, isn’t limited to move tight end. If a mismatch is what a team is looking for, they’d be better off drafting Mims or Claypool.
I’ve been through this enough times over the years. Very specific tests matter at different positions — not overall athleticism. Cole Kmet ran a crap three cone (7.44). There’s a reason why the Seahawks haven’t taken a TE with a +7.10 three cone over the years. Agility testing is hugely important for the role of a TE mismatch. Kmet’s times are not up to scratch.
Hi Rob,
I saw the video of Isaiah Simmons that you provided a while back. What would it take for the Hawks to move up and get him?
Is there someone else similar to him who is being overlooked that the hawks could get in R2-3?
I did a whole article on trading up for for Simmons last week, take a look.
Here you go, my friend:
https://seahawksdraftblog.com/further-thoughts-on-trading-up-for-isaiah-simmons#comment-478145
Seems like there are a lot of clustered positions. I guess that’s true of every draft, but Rob’s tier ratings really show the strength of the class to be OL and WR. RB also with some great prospects that I suspect will fall if teams keep undervaluing the position. Other positions have some great players at the top, but are much more hit-and-miss. Hard to fight this draft board if you want just about any difference makers on defense, I suspect, picking at 27 as the Hawks are.
Looking into day three WR options. I just checked out James Proche SMU. He Didn’t run a 40 @ the combine. His 3 cone or short shuttle were nothing special he did do 20 reps and his strength shows up on the tape. Definitely interested in his pro day numbers! Anyone got any thoughts on Proche?
Proche is one of my favorite WR’s in this draft and if he falls far it’s a shame.
Rob – I probably agree with 95% of what you say. However, I do have to say the statistics you gave on K.J. Hamler’s bench press are misleading. As you noted, he put up 15 bench reps of 225 lbs despite only weighing 178lbs. You said that only 1% of the population can bench press their own weight. That’s probably true if you take the population as a whole. But how can you compare an elite athlete to the population as a whole, especially when the general population has no training? I just looked up some statistics on the bench press that say the average person can bench press 90% of his/her body weight – but that includes all age groups. Men 20 to 29 can on average bench press their own weight. Elite athletes can bench press twice what the average person can. According to the chart I read, an elite athlete the weight of Hamler should be able to bench press 345 pounds. So while Hamler’s numbers are good, I don’t think they are quite as remarkable as you suggest. I’m not saying that he wouldn’t be a great choice for the Seahawks; I have no idea. But I wouldn’t make a judgement based on how well he did in the bench press.
Rich, I’ve been doing weight training for five years with an expert in the field.
When I told him KJ Hamler’s reps at his weight, he nearly fainted.
I guarantee that most men aged 20-29 CANNOT bench their own body weight. That is… not… true.
The bench press is influenced more by your weight and mass than you realise. What Hamler achieved was beyond freakish.
I’m certainly no expert on weight training, so I can’t dispute his comments. Here’s the article that I referred to: https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/average-bench-press#average-for-men. The article says nothing about the number of reps, so perhaps that was what he considered freakish. Incidentally, I looked up an article on the Nittany Lions online newsletter and it said Hamler ran a 4.27 last winter – that is impressive. The article also compared Hamler with other wide receivers about his size (under 5’10 and weighing an average of 185 pounds). It said that there were only about 12 first and second rounders about his size that weight lifted at previous combines (so small sample size) and that the average number of reps they did was 17.8. Eddie Royal did 24 reps while weighing 184 pounds. The article further stated that, “the average for players below 5’10” may be slightly higher than his 15, but it’s also worth noting that few receivers are as wiry as Hamler, making his reps quite impressive.”
I’ve got to be honest Rich, what’s the point of this?
I’ve written a 3800 word tier list on 64 prospects in my free time, running through so many aspects of the draft.
And you’re challenging me on the quality of KJ Hamler’s bench press performance — when you admit you have no expertise in the field and I’ve already told you that I’ve been doing very specific weight training with an expert in the field for years and he believes Hamler’s performance was exceptional.
And by the way — that healthline article is total bollocks. There’s no evidence whatsoever to back up it’s assertions. I’d recommend going out to your local mall, scanning the 20-29 year-old’s you see and then determining whether the ‘average’ man could bench his own body weight. In fact, ask yourself whether they can even do 10 push-ups. The initial part of the article also seems to be suggesting a one-rep max. Which isn’t what we’re talking about here. You can train differently for a one-rep max than you can for multiple reps. But the idea a novice could bench virtually their own body weight is incredible.
You’re right. This is trivial. I really should have prefaced my comments by expressing my appreciation for all the effort you do. Your analysis in this article was incredible and must have taken a huge amount of time to write. Furthermore, seahawksdraftblog is my most trusted site for seahawks information and I almost always agree with the opinions you express. Sometimes I get a bug up my ass about things that aren’t that important, so I apologize for that.
No need to apologise (or preface comments with appreciation). It just felt like an odd takeaway from a long piece. But everything’s cool.
Hey you guys, to your discussion: I have some experience in strength training and especially sport specific resistance training as an athlete and in the field of sport science. There are strength standards that coaches use as a baseline to evaluate their athletes. In terms of the bench press the numbers are about 1.5-1.8xBW for 1 repetition for world-class elite athletes. Not only football players. So if Hamler is about 176lbs, he should be able to press 270-320lbs 1RM. Based on your training weight and repetitions, it’s possible to calculate your 1RM. I know that this is not completely accurate but probably enough for some comparison. At 15 reps with 225lbs, your 1RM is somewhere at 340lbs, which is in the range of 1.8-1.9xBW. Again these numbers I mentioned above are standards for elite athletes and not field sport athletes or even wide receivers.
And I think that’s the point really. Hamler is benching 225lbs at 178lbs 15 times. That was five fewer than some of the big name offensive linemen weighing over 300lbs. Which is stunning.
Missing Duvernay. I think he should be in tier 3 or 4
So you think he should be a first round pick!?!?!?!
Because tier four takes you to 28 prospects.
No chance. Let’s be realistic.
Not necessarily R1. Didn’t think these tiers correlated 1-on-1 to draft order, but I think he can be mid R2 pick.
He’s somewhat similar to Deebo Samuel who was an R2 (#36) pick last year.
Physical profile:
Deebo vs Duvernay:
weight: 214 lbs vs 200
height: 5’11” vs 5’10”
arm: 31 3/8″ vs 30 5/8”
hand: 10″ vs 9 1/2”
wingspan: 75 1/8″ vs 75 1/2″
Combine:
Deebo vs Duvernay:
40: 4.48 vs 4.39
bench: 15 vs no data
vert: 39 vs 35.5
broad: 122 vs 123
3 cone: 7.03 vs 7.13
20 yards: 4.14 vs 4.2
College production:
Deebo all:
30 games, 148 rec, 2076 yards, 14 avg, 16 TD, 25 rush, 154 yards, 6.2 avg, 7 TD
Duvernay all:
45 games, 176 rec, 2468 yards, 14 yard avg, 16 TD, 11 rush, 34 yards, 3.1 avg, 1 TD
Deebo last year:
12 games, 62 rec, 882 yards, 14.2 avg, 11 TD, 8 rush, 26 yards, 3.3 avg, 0 TD
Duvernay last year:
13 games, 106 rec, 1386 yards, 13.1 avg, 9 TD, 10 rush, 24 yards, 2.4 avg, 1 TD
They both did some KR, but Duvernay has a bit more limited exp at that.
Their playstyle is similar, both function as RB after catching the ball.
Duvernay is more of a burner while Samuel is better at tighter spaces a bit.
Duvernay absolute floor will be R3 in my opinion, but to me he’s probably the 4th/5th best WR in this draft
I don’t see the Samuel comp at all to be honest. I think you’re wildly overestimating his stock.
I love the tier concept for helping to temper my own expectations come draft time. I’d like to see OL, RB and defense BPA for their 1st 3 picks. WR after that. If the new CBA is approved, I’m thinking they would try to bring Josh Gordon back. He would be the perfect complement to Locket and Metcalf.
Thanks for the great content, Rob!
Off topic but possibly a valid question. Comp picks haven’t been announced. Any projections on what the Hawks will get?
Over the cap have the projections
The original projections were for a 3, 4, 6 & 7.
A few months ago, questions were raised about whether Iupati’s contract would cancel out the 7.
Now there is a question about whether the new CBA will apply. Overthecap says Seattle will also lose their 6 if that happens.
lol. right up there with the “types of DBs” videos:
https://twitter.com/JoeyMulinaro/status/1236466418599833600
You seen his Nick Saban impression?
Fantastic article Rob!
Do you get a sense on any of these players in the Tiers 1-3 that might fall to R2? Or any in Tiers 4-6 that might fall to R3?
There are some in tier three who might last. Cleveland, Davis, Hamler, Swift, Winfield. Some of tier six could easily last to round three.
Rob, your Tier system really helps us to try to understand John’s thinking (I know, good luck with that). John talks about a “shelf” for each position, and your Tiers clearly show a shelf for OTs which argues against trading down. At #27, at least one of Wilson, Cleveland and maybe Jackson should be there. They won’t be there 15 picks later, where OTs are off the shelf. Assuming we fill the DE positions in FA, logic suggests John will stay put and go OT in R1.
Maybe. But it’s also very possible those three won’t be there. I doubt Austin Jackson will be and I think the league will like Isaiah Wilson more than the media. The most likely to be there is Ezra Cleveland but he just had an outstanding combine.
And I do think there are options beyond #27 — Prince Tega Wanogho, Lucas Niang, Matt Peart and others.
Rob, have you studied Sewo Olonilua, RB TCU?
I haven’t
I’ve been trying to figure out ways we can solve our DL challenges (run and rush) without trading for a solution and losing draft picks.
In terms of inside rush and pass defense I think we should look hard at Leonard Williams instead of Calais Campbell. He’s 25 and entering his prime, he would cost no draft capital and has somewhat comparative rush stats to CC in terms of disruption while being a very good run defender inside.
In fact, given his scheme flexibility in terms of being able to play 3T, 1T and 5T, he is very similar to Campbell. Furthermore, in some ways, his capability to disrupt goes a bit under the radar, and here he reminds me a lot of Clowney.
PFF (Don’t have a subscription so this is what I found in articles)
LEONARD WILLIAMS
1 Sack, 19 QB Hits, ??Hurries, 54 Pressures, Pressure Rate 11.3% 13th of 87 DTs
CALAIS CAMPBELL
11 Sacks, 11 QB Hits, 31 Hurries, 53 Pressures, 11.4% Pressure Rate
In terms of rush defense, LW had a big impact as the Giants gave up 17% less rush yards (100 vs 120) and teams rushed 2.5 less times per game after Williams joined. In addition, according to PFF, he also has the third-most run stops (116) and third-most tackles for no gain or loss (53) of all eligible DTs since 2016. And while he is around the 12th ranked inside defender in that time, I do think there is room for improvement.
Here is the other good news, LW looks like he would be a comparable cost to Reed and possibly on a cheaper APY to Campbell. Sportrac put Reeds market value at ~10M APY and Williams at 8.5M. Commentators are saying that potentially Williams (and Reed) could go /and are seeking more but the figures so far are lower than Campbell at ~12-15M.
Again I think the added bonus of this is you can sign a young impact player, entering their prime, to a multiple year deal at a very good cost in a very important position that JSPC have been looking for a while now.
Leonard Williams just got re-signed by the Giants for $12 mil APY. Which, speaking of, gives us a market we’re looking at with Jarran Reed right now.
The Giants traded a third round pick plus for Williams at the trade deadline. There’s no way they’ll let him walk weeks later. He will either get the transition tag or a new deal.
Believe they were debating whether to use the transition tag
Either way he won’t reach free agency
Watched some Peart film and I have to say, he’s not exciting. No pop behind those pads at all. DaVon Hamilton, however, he’s a player. He looks powerful at the point and while he won’t be a pass rush monster, he’s athletic enough to get down the line and pursue. Like him.
Yes, Peart is a project.
On Clowney’s market value:
DeMarcus Lawrence:
2018 – 734 defensive snaps – 72% – 42 pressures – 10.5 sacks – 15 TFL
2019 – 668 defensive snaps – 62% – 29 pressures – 5 sacks – 10 TFL
Frank Clark:
2018 – 728 defensive snaps – 74% – 48 pressures – 13 sacks – 10 TFL
2019 – 725 defensive snaps – 65% – 27 pressures – 8 sacks – 12 TFL
JaDeveon Clowney
2018 – 902 defensive snaps – 84% – 48 pressures – 9 sacks – 16 TFL
2019 – 605 defensive snaps – 57% – 30 pressures – 3 sacks – 7 TFL
Both Clowney and Lawrence face much more double teams than Frank Clark. Clowney suffered double teams on 26% of the plays, Lawrence 25% and Clark like 16%.
Clowney is the worst pass rush finisher, but the best run defender of the bunch by far.
I’d say that would be his price tag for a 5-year deal: 5 years, 108 mm. Since we’d better extend Clowney for a shorter contract, like 3 or 4 seasons, with almost a team option on the last year, we’ll have to pay around 22-23 mil, and it’s fair.
Plus 3 TDs by Clowney on that span.
Leonard Williams, @ 6-5 291 lbs, plays DE in a 3 man front. Reed is a 6-3 315 lbs 3T/1T DT in a 4-3 Def.
DEs are paid more than DT, except for the Donald type player. Reed is not of that ilk.
I’ll take one from each tier, thanks very much😉
Joking aside, some of the upper tier players will fall into the bottom of R1 and into R2 because the QBs will move up and there might be a mid first round run on WR.
Nice work man. Glad to see Ruiz up there in tier one. Love him
.
I just re-watched Clowney’s combine highlights. We have the opportunity to sign this freakish althetic dude (who has played at a high level for two teams—including ours!). Seahawks gotta keep him this offseason.
By this time next week I think we’ll know the answer. I’ll explain why in a blog post that’s already written this week.
I think it’ll happen. It’s a stated huge priority. Everyone reacted to the Giants story the other day. Contained within it was a line that they won’t pay him $22-23m a year. So yes — there are clearly other teams interested in Clowney. But that doesn’t mean they’re going to pay him an amount that the Seahawks won’t match or better.
Look forward to the article, Rob. Clowney’s just everything you want in a DE. His play last year was unreal at times. And he played injured! PCJS really value that trait in a player. I get that it’s a lot of money. But he is a premier player at a position we are desperately in need of. And this draft doesn’t have any obvious replacements.
While I wouldn’t be thrilled with the price, I’d happily pay 22-23m to Clowney if it meant he was a Seahawk for the next 3-5 year SB window.
For me, I’d pay Lawrence/Clark money. That’s 21-22m. And I think that’ll do it. I don’t see other teams offering significantly more.
Then it’d be a case of what else can you do.
Feels like one of our first three picks is bound to be shipped for an impact starter—either at DE or WR.
I like to ask ya Rob if you think maybe we go ahead with 64 pick we get a WR that could drop from what I seen. The WR is Laviska Shenault from Colorado. I watched him the year before and he was crazy. He kindia disappeared this year. What do you think of his talent other than staying healthy which is normal for all rookie’s it seems?
I have several concerns. Injuries is the big one. The need to manufacture his touches rather than merely incorporate him into your offensive structure. I don’t think he’s as good an athlete as people have been suggesting for two years. I’m not against rolling the dice on him later on but it would depend who is left at the end of round two.
It always appears to me that half of his highlights are from package plays that the Seahawks don’t run and probably never will. They had maybe the best package-play talent in modern history (Harvin) and he just didn’t fit much into their offense. I almost don’t want the Hawks to draft him, just to avoid the fan twitter noise about why aren’t they calling more plays for him his first year.
I do like what I see in some of his contested catches though.
A two-round video mock from Bleacher Report…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J12na6mz2rw
First pick… they go Cesar Ruiz. I’m thinking… nice pick.
Second pick… they go Raekwon Davis… I’m ready to send them a congratulatory email at this point.
Final pick at #64…. Matt Miller picks a cornerback with sub-32 inch arms.
WHY RUIN IT.
A Ruiz, Davis draft would be the stuff of dreams.
Would be an excellent start to a draft class for sure.
Missed it by THAT much..
A+
A
Fail
I’d be thrilled by the first two picks!
I highly doubt they’ll pick CB R2, probably not even R3 and couldn’t watch the video who they picked, but for an nCB they’re fine with sub 32 arms aren’t they?
I’m pretty sure they can find an nCB later, but they need to address that position, and with good agility+ball skills I can see them taking one in R4 even with sub-32 arms
Yes but I think that will be later on or FA.
Curtis Weaver, good cone and shuttle