Seahawks Draft Blog

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2010-08-03T07:28:00.005-07:00

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Coach on camp

2010-08-01T07:38:00.001-07:00

Herm Edwards with PAC 10 QB's

2010-07-30T14:10:00.003-07:00

Mel Kiper, Seattle and Rodney Hudson

2010-07-29T04:23:00.004-07:00

By Rob Staton
Mel Kiper has been taking a look at all the teams' efforts this off season as we build up towards training camp. His review of the Seahawks is favorable, praising the new regime's determination to improve competition by bringing in fresh faces (particularly at defensive end). However, Kiper made one point that really stood out. Speaking of newly drafted left tackle Russell Okung, Kiper suggested pairing him with a long term addition at guard. Ben Hamilton has been signed as a veteran presence in year one - but long term what is the plan?

One prospect I rate particularly highly is Florida State interior lineman Rodney Hudson. Last October I wrote this piece on the Seminoles guard and suggested he could be a first round pick. If I were to recommend watching anyone closely in 2010, it's Hudson. With the Seahawks investing in Alex Gibbs as line coach, Hudson is the prototypical guard for his zone blocking scheme. He's not the biggest at 290lbs, but he's quick, strong and smart. Without doubt nobody impressed me more than Hudson last year.

In Kiper's team review of Seattle he has a section called, "Next April's pick, now". For the Seahawks he suggests Hudson: "He's a guard, so he probably doesn't go early, but Hudson is my early best in the class at that position. He'd look great next to Okung for the next decade."

Seahawks & Tate agree to terms

2010-07-28T15:10:00.003-07:00

By Rob Staton
Only two of Seattle's 2010 rookies remained unsigned after Golden Tate agreed terms with the Seahawks today. The deal is reported to be worth $3.26m over four years and was first announced on Tate's twitter account. The Notre Dame playmaker will be available for the start of training camp and leaves just Earl Thomas and Russell Okung awaiting to reach a deal. As with Aaron Curry last year and John Carlson before that, it appears unlikely either pair will be signed for the start of camp. As things stand, only two first round picks have been signed as teams wait for others to 'set the market'. A short delay is fine, however both are slated to start and play large roles this year. They can't afford to miss too much time.

Mack Brown talks Texas

2010-07-26T16:13:00.000-07:00

Mel Kiper on NCAA & agents

2010-07-23T08:26:00.001-07:00

Prospect preview: Ryan Mallett, QB

2010-07-22T07:30:00.001-07:00

By Rob Staton
One of the prospects I'm most looking forward to watching in 2011 is Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett. I had a chance to watch the Razorbacks a few times last year and knowing there was a possibility he'd declare early, kept an eye on Mallett. Regular visitors will know I've been equally critical and praiseworthy of his performances to date. Consistency has been an issue and he's yet to truly pair touch and finesse to his obvious physical talents. A rocket arm and above average size (he's a well built 6'7") will interest scouts, but he still has a lot to do to really put himself in top ten reckoning (although he's fully capable of that).

A great game to watch if you can is last year's Florida vs Arkansas encounter. In all honesty, the Razorbacks should've won the game and ended Tim Tebow's dreams of an unbeaten season a lot earlier than the SEC Championship defeat to Alabama. Mallett was wildly inconsistent on the day. On one play, he delivered a picture perfect long bomb downfield for a huge touchdown, catching his receiver in stride. I'm not sure any other college QB right now could've landed that play. However, on a closer venture into the Gators red zone, he over shot a wide open full back in the end zone for a sure-fire six points.

You just got the feeling in a close game that ended 23-20, Mallett left some points on the field that day.

Indeed it was the big games he struggled in mostly last year. Against teams Arkansas were expected to dominate, Mallett enjoyed a solid completion percentage and racked up the bulk of his 30 TD's. Against the like of Florida, Alabama and Ole Miss - he registered completion percentages of 44.4, 34.3 and 35.3 respectively. That has to be better in 2010.

Mallett's also still recovering from a broken foot which has kept him from working out fully this spring. Arkansas and Mallett will deny the impact this has had on his growing development, but only results will give us a defining answer.

Sean Bartlett has featured the Razorbacks QB in ESPN Insider's most recent prospect review: "For all Mallett's ambition of becoming a complete, cerebral QB like Peyton Manning, there will still be hints of instinctive, Favre-like gunslinging in his game, so long as his arm will allow him to put balls in windows other QBs wouldn't even consider. If he hits on just a few more of those bombs this season, Mallett won't have to wait long to shake Roger Goodell's hand on draft night."

A good year could put Mallett in the top ten reckoning. He's very much in any discussion that involves Jake Locker, Andrew Luck or any of the other big name quarterbacks expected to be part of the 2011 draft. None are a lock and Mallett is no different. If he can become more consistent and find that level of touch to compliment the cannon, he'll go early next April. Whatever happens, the tools (rightly or wrongly) might stop him falling too much - but he has plenty to work on.

Marcell Dareus inleligible for 2011?

2010-07-21T14:23:00.005-07:00

By Rob Staton
Potentially huge news out of Alabama today - defensive lineman Marcell Dareus has reportedly been ruled ineligible for the 2011 college season, according to The Tuscaloosa News. The same report says Alabama will appeal the decision. However, CBS Sportsline's Dennis Dodd put the issue to coach Nick Saban at the SEC media day and received a negative response. "That's not true" stated Saban, bluntly. The revelation follows further concerns that a number of UNC prospects (including Marvin Austin) were in danger of missing the season after interacting with agents. Losing Dareus would be a major blow for the Crimson Tide and would deny scouts and fans the chance to watch one of 2011's top draft prospects before next April.

Jonathan Baldwin 'will declare' for 2011

2010-07-21T03:09:00.006-07:00

By Rob Staton
One of the prospects I'm most looking forward to watching in 2010 is Pittsburgh's Jonathan Baldwin. At 6'5" and 225lbs he fits the bill as the type of bigger receiver the Seahawks have been looking for this off-season. He registered 1111 yards and 8 touchdowns as a sophomore last year. Chris Steuber, now writing at CBS Sportline, takes a look at the Panthers prospect with one noticeable quote:

"I'm just going to do what I got to do, and I know that those guys are trying to accomplish the same thing I'm trying to accomplish. I may not be as highly touted as Julio and A.J., but I think I'm just as good, if not better than them. And, if I produce similar numbers or better than the ones they post, there's no question that I'm leaving early [for the NFL]." - Jonathan Baldwin

This isn't a major revelation because a lot of receivers and running backs do declare early. Baldwin is certainly worth watching in what could be a decent class of receivers in next year's draft.

NCAA probes UNC & South Carolina

2010-07-20T16:40:00.001-07:00

Final Thoughts on Russell Okung

2010-07-18T22:20:00.003-07:00

By Kip Earlywine
I was hoping to break down a full four games before giving my final opinion on Okung, but sometimes things don't go as planned. A couple days ago, my computer broke down, for good. I'm extremely poor, and my computer was made in 2000 with probably a fraction the hardware you'd find in a PSP. It really should have died about 2 years ago if not for all the times I've taken it apart and tweaked it to keep it going.

When the magic purple smoke had finished escaping my computer case, it wasn't just a problem of finding a new computer somehow, but I also lost all my games for Okung and Thomas in the process. So that's why I won't be able to break down that 4th game, or cover anyone else from this draft with real scouting reports.

Anyway-

When the 6th overall pick arrived and Seattle had to make its choice, my preference given the talent available, the historical scarcity of finding talent for certain positions (like QB), and the team's needs, was for the team to select Derrick Morgan, or failing that, Jimmy Clausen. Okung probably would have been my 3rd choice. Morgan is not a super-elite talent but thanks to his large pass-rush repertoire, production, and athleticism, profiled him to be a relatively low-risk, above average DE prospect- which given the value of the DE position and the scarcity of good DEs, makes him pretty valuable. Clausen was riskier certainly, but was the only real franchise QB prospect Seattle had a shot at- and Seattle badly needs a young QB with more than a ~10% chance of becoming a pro-bowler, which is about where I'd peg Whitehurst given his career to date and the success rate of 3rd round QBs (and never mind the fact that Whitehurst turns 28 in a couple weeks).

After those two, Okung was probably the most valuable option left. And if the team felt "locked in" on selecting a tackle very early in the draft, as was rumored (the rumor being that Gibbs was "lured" here with the promise of getting a top LT prospect), then you could easily consider Okung a "slam dunk" draft selection by Seattle. And in the minds of most experts, given Okung's status for pretty much the entire pre-draft run-up as the #1 OL prospect, you could easily argue that Okung was BPA, as measured by conventional wisdom, at the time of Seattle's first pick. I successfully predicted that Okung would go to Seattle at #6 before the draft, basically because I felt that Schneider would probably be more of a BPA type drafter and I felt pretty confident that Okung would reach #6, making him the consensus best player available at a premium position and area of need.

But did Seattle do the right thing going BPA? After all, Greg Oden was once widely considered BPA over Kevin Durant (albeit by a hair), as was Aaron Curry over Mark Sanchez or Michael Crabtree (or any of the other LBs from that stellar LB draft class).

Barring the kind of injuries that have put Oden's career in jeopardy, I don't think Okung will bust. But I also think he will probably never be a true top-tier left tackle, either. The reason being, Okung is already pretty close to a finished product, a good player with elite tools, but his problems, though few in number, are the kind that are typically uncorrectable.

Starting with the good, first and foremost, Okung is legitimately elite physically. He had the longest arms at the combine as I recall: 36 inches. He's 6' 51/4", considered to be the perfect height, or rather, the prototypical height for an elite NFL tackle. Okung weighed in at a modest 307, and the lack of bulk helps him move side to side quickly and with ease. He has quick feet and really shines at turning DEs inside on rushing plays. He could probably bulk up to 320 or so without losing almost anything, given that he can be very quick with seemingly low effort levels and his body type which doesn't look maxed out. I'm not sure if he really even needs to add weight though. In the games I watched, Okung was never once beaten on a bull rush, thanks mostly to the advantage his monstrous arms afford him. For the most part, Okung stayed step for step with edge rushes and inside moves, thanks mostly to Okung's quick feet and explosive backpedal. I'd say pass blocking was clearly Okung's area of greatest strength- more because of his arms and feet than instincts or intangibles.

...Which isn't to say that Okung lacked in those areas. Okung is smooth in his movements and showed a good deal of polish. Charles Brown was the most polished tackle in the draft, and Bryan Bulaga was up there too, but Okung was not far behind either of them, at least in terms of the smoothness of his physical movement.

Okung's negatives aren't lengthy or serious, but they are worth mentioning. A minor negative for Okung is that he just isn't a great short yardage run blocker. Okung may have arms and feet through the grace of the almighty that allow him to beat skilled pass rushers simply by not screwing up, but his lower body strength is below average and his run blocking attempts very frequently turn into stonewalls. He is also pathetically bad at 2nd level blocking, partially because his inline speed is surprisingly slow (given he had a very respectable 40 time) which combines with a total lack of instincts. Okung runs (slowly) into the 2nd level without a lot of thought about taking angles or homing in on his target. Often times, he just runs to the second level and does nothing. Second level blocks are tough because linebackers are inherently faster than tackles, so intercepting them is not easy. Still, Okung had only 1 or 2 successful second level blocks in the 3 games I watched, out of roughly 15 or so attempts. And he just looked completely lost doing it. Okung has nimble feet and is adept at angle blocking, overall, I'd consider run blocking a slight weakness.

Another minor problem is Okung's "nastiness" or intensity level. He showed some intensity in the Ole Miss game and turned in a very impressive performance, but usually, he seems almost bored or depressed out there. I hope we get to see Okung's nasty streak more. Its one of the few areas where I feel Okung could realistically improve, because his feet aren't getting any faster or his arms any longer.

Okung's biggest problem was his penchant for mental lapses. Okung had 2-3 mental lapses a game- every game- that I watched. This is what I worry about, not only because of the ramifications in pass protection/QB health, but simply from a PR standpoint. Chris Spencer developed a horrible reputation for errors in his first few years with Seattle, which not only turned many fans against him but even drew the ire of Mike Holmgren and Jim Mora. But in reality, Spencer probably only had about a half dozen meaningful lapses per season, which is fewer than Okung had at Oklahoma State. Experience, motivation, and focus may help Okung reduce the number of these mental mistakes, but I don't know if they can ever fully be coached out of him. Football is played at a high rate of speed and some people are simply more error prone than others. Just ask Seneca Wallace, who for all his hard work and development, still can't remember to throw the ball away half the time when he's running out of bounds 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

Overall, I see Okung as being close to a finished product. In no way did he strike me as raw or under-developed. He's already a superb pass protection specialist, and a mediocre at best run blocker, and I just don't see much room for improvement in either area. Okung achieved good results in college largely by relying on his physical gifts and using the minimum amount of effort to win. Hopefully the challenge of playing in the NFL, and some tough love from Alex Gibbs will motivate Okung and bring out a higher effort level. I don't think the mental errors are going away, although if Okung increases his effort and is fully motivated, I would expect his focus to increase as well, and a more focused Okung would probably make fewer mistakes.

I expect Okung to be a good, but not elite NFL tackle. He could very well end up one of the best pass blocking tackles in the game, but I don't see him ever reaching that level with his run blocking barring a pretty stunning transformation. That's ok though, because pass blocking is far more valuable than run blocking anyway, at least in my opinion. The mental lapses may never go away, and I implore you all to expect them and have patience. Chris Spencer (or Matt Hasselbeck in his prime, for that matter) has proven that you can make mistakes sometimes and still be a decent (or very good) player.

Weekend links

2010-07-17T16:40:00.003-07:00

By Rob Staton
Pete Carroll appeared on the NFL Network this week and spoke openly about the Seahawks as we edge closer to training camp. Amongst the issues discussed - the 2010 draft and the suggestion that the rookies will be given their chance to start this year. It's worth watching and good to see the Seahawks again featuring in the Network's coverage.

One of my favorite prospects for next year's draft is Iowa senior defensive end Adrian Clayborn. Ben Fawkes takes a look at the guy who stood out in the Orange Bowl against Georgia Tech.

Fawkes: "Clayborn posted such gaudy numbers over the course of last season -- 70 tackles, 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss -- that he earned consensus first-team All-Big Ten honors and was named the 2009 College Football Defensive Performer of the Year at the College Football Performance awards. Some of the players that he beat out for the award? Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy, the second and third picks of the 2010 NFL draft, respectively."

EA Sports' top five for 2010

2010-07-16T12:58:00.000-07:00

Carroll on USC sanctions

2010-07-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

Seahawks show no interest in Unga

2010-07-15T13:30:00.000-07:00

By Rob Staton
The Seahawks opted against adding running back Harvey Unga in today's supplemental draft. The BYU runner was one of just two players taken (the other being Josh Price-Brent, who was selected by Dallas). The Chicago Bears spent a 2011 seventh round pick to take Unga, with the Seahawks deciding against making an offer.

New Look for the blog

2010-07-15T00:01:00.002-07:00

Seahawks Draft Blog has a new look - what do you think? Feel free to post your thoughts in the comments section. However - due to a concerning increase in spam/scam postings I've had to install a message verification system for the time being. Further changes to the blog are forthcoming so stay tuned, but let me know what you think of the current design and layout.

Pete Carroll on PAC 10 QB's

2010-07-14T13:40:00.001-07:00

Seahawks showing interest in Unga?

2010-07-08T14:51:00.005-07:00

By Rob Staton
The supplemental draft takes place on July 15th and one of the prospects I've been asked about is BYU's running back Harvey Unga. My knowledge of him is limited - I had only one opportunity to watch BYU last year in the first week of the season. Jay Drew from the Salt Lake Tribune reports that the Seahawks were one of a number of teams keeping tabs on Unga in a recent work out. He was listed at 6'1" and 244lbs as the scouts looked on and would offer the Seahawks a size option at the position. He ran in the 4.64 range.

Gil Brandt on 2011 prospects

2010-07-07T02:43:00.003-07:00

By Rob Staton
Gil Brandt has begun his early look into the top 2011 senior prospects by breaking down the quarterbacks, running backs and receivers/tight ends. The obvious names are present - no surprises that Brandt ranks Jake Locker (QB, Washington) as a top ten pick. It's perhaps more interesting that he has Christian Ponder (QB, Florida State) as a late first rounder. I've seen Ponder ranked in the third round area, I've seen him as high as the top ten too. He's one to keep an eye on because his stock has such a large margin. It's not surprising that it's not a rich list of seniors at the skill positions due to the tendency for those prospects to declare early. There is some potential amongst the underclassmen though.

Bold predictions

2010-07-03T18:23:00.000-07:00

QB Landry Jones on Oklahoma in 2010

2010-06-28T06:18:00.001-07:00

Russell Okung vs. Oregon (2008)

2010-06-22T16:48:00.003-07:00

By Kip Earlywine
Sorry about taking so long from part I. I haven't talked about my personal life much, but I've been unemployed for a while... but that's changing soon and recently I've started preparing for a new job with a small business. For other reasons as well (including an HTML class and wanting to take a break from football for a little while), I just haven't had the time or energy to finish.

Today I finally looked at the first of my two 2008 OSU games. This one was the final game of the 2008 season for OSU, the Holiday Bowl against Oregon.

(Off-topic notes: (1) Zac Robinson was terrible in the first two games I watched. He simply killed his team's ability to move the ball with terrible decision making. Robinson did have a good 2008 season, and in the first half, he was pretty good here too. Unfortunately, his accuracy completely disappeared in the 4th quarter, he made Mike Teel look like Peyton Manning in comparison, and it cost his team a close game that they led for much of the contest. Through 3 games, I'm pretty happy the Seahawks didn't take a flier on him. (2) Three other Seahawks: Max Unger, Nick Reed, and Walter Thurmond, received a lot of face time in this game. Thurmond in particular had a very interesting game, and I'm excited about his future as a Seahawk. On one hand, he did little to stop Dez Bryant, who was a beast in this game. But Thurmond contributed with big plays throughout and flashed very good athleticism and polish. He made a circus interception on his back to end the 1st half, then opened the 2nd half with a 95 yard kickoff return inside the 5 yard line. He later even shed a down-field block by Russell Okung himself to tackle Zac Robinson and limit the damage of a successful trick play. (3) No .gifs this time :(. My efforts to secure a free gif host server with good bandwidth tolerance were unsuccessful. I actually have access to a host right now, but I don't yet know how to use it. I'm in the process of being trained. I'm hoping that if I contribute to this blog for next year's draft, I'll have figured out how to host gifs by that time, because I think gifs make these reports a lot more fun.)

Areas of strength:

Players tend to be at their most polished state when playing their final game of the season and this was true in this game as well as Okung's game against Ole Miss in 2009. Okung allowed no sacks and no penalties while facing the tenacious and annoying (and productive) Nick Reed on almost every snap. Okung did have 3 mistakes though against Reed, and all of them resulted in hurried throws, two for incompletions, and a couple rough QB hits. I was pretty surprised by Reed's ability to lay a hit. For what its worth, all of these mistakes were mental, including one play in the 2nd quarter where Reed ran unabated as Okung stared off in the distance, thinking about hot dogs or something. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not. Are mental lapses fixable? After watching Seneca Wallace this year, I'm not very sure about that.

Nick Reed is a quick DE with a good inside move and fast edge rush. When Okung wasn't day-dreaming, he was with Reed step for step all game long which is very impressive given the difference in size between these two men. On at least a few plays, Okung actually tossed Reed around like a rag-doll, including a pass play for OSU's 2nd TD of the game. When Reed beat Okung in this game, it was because Okung was caught sleeping. When Okung beat Reed in this game, it was utter domination.

Overall, a few mental lapses aside, I thought Okung showed legitimate top 5 overall pick pass pro ability. He showed excellent footwork and hand use, and expertly picked up stunts and inside/outside moves. He was excellent as usual against the bull-rush and appropriately it was only rarely that an Oregon defender even attempted to bull him.

As a run blocker, this game comes somewhere in between the previous two games I covered. His drive blocking is pretty mediocre especially for his size and build, but his agility allowed him to get outside contain on Nick Reed on several outside sweeps, which is one of the toughest blocks to make for most linemen especially against a DE with Reed's agility.

Okung had very few negatives in this game, and his ability to play well at the end of each season is a positive sign in a few ways. It shows that he is capable of improving week to week and good play late in the year is often the byproduct of excellent physical resilience and durability.

Areas of weakness:

I've scouted three games now, and Okung has shown some pretty head-scratching mental errors in all three. It makes me worry that like Seneca Wallace, he might be hampered by a minor but significant mental disability of some sort. Which isn't to say Okung isn't smart or has serious mental issues, just that some people are born more mistake prone than others and Okung appears to be one of them. So far at least. Okung has a ton of talent and if the mistakes are fixable, he could be an all-pro LT. Okung is either going to blossom under Gibbs... or drive Gibbs utterly insane. There will be no middle ground.

Other than the mental lapses, I can only nitpick really. I don't like how Okung is a minimum effort guy. When he gives 100% effort- you can really tell because he just manhandles the opposition. That happened a few times in this game, and it was awesome, but if only it would happen every snap. Okung is the type that doesn't use maximum effort because he can skate by at 80% and still win. He'll stand and watch plays when he thinks his task is done. He's horrible at 2nd level blocks (just one good 2nd level block all game long), and part of that is a poor straight line speed, but its mostly due to lacking a mean-streak and killer instinct.

Overall, this was a solid performance by Okung which is fairly consistent with his other performances. Okung is a very talented lineman with terrific tools, and because he's so blessed, he rides those tools to easy victories instead of going the extra mile for true greatness. The mental lapses worry me and I think they could hold him back throughout his pro career, and his run blocking overall leaves something to be desired, but his overall pass protection, mental goof-ups and all, is still very good.

Seahawks to hire Scot McLoughan

2010-06-21T17:52:00.002-07:00

By Rob Staton
It's being reported that the Seattle Seahawks are set to hire former 49ers GM Scot McLoughan to an unnamed position. The 39-year old left San Francisco just before the draft citing undisclosed personal matters. He will likely take a senior personnel position with a significant input to college scouting. McLoughan and current Seahawks GM John Schneider are essentially branches from the same tree - both working together under Ron Wolf in Green Bay. McLoughan held a previous position with the Seahawks and as Mike Sando reports, Schneider has credited McLoughan for helping build Seattle's Superbowl XL team.

It was a significant shock when McLoughan left the 49ers and it's still relatively unclear why that happened. However, this is an excellent move for the Seahawks. McLoughan had received widespread praise for helping rebuild San Francisco into a team most expect to be contenders in the NFC West this year. His previous work in Seattle speaks for itself. This could have a healthy impact on Seattle's ability to rebuild going forward.

Meet Kyle Parker

2010-06-20T16:07:00.000-07:00

Pac-10 adds Utah, grows to 12

2010-06-18T11:00:00.000-07:00

Seahawks sign Thurmond & Wilson

2010-06-17T15:24:00.004-07:00

By Rob Staton
The Seahawks today agreed terms with fourth round picks Walter Thurmond and E.J. Wilson. It leaves just Russell Okung, Earl Thomas and Golden Tate as the remaining rookies to sign up. It'll be more difficult to sign three high picks before camp begins - although it's a challenge the new front office will no doubt thrive upon.

A lineman with size, Wilson is expected to back-up Lawrence Jackson and Red Bryant at left end. He could see some time as part of a rotation in year one but could be limited to a role on special teams. Thurmond is still recovering from an injury that hampered his 2009 season with Oregon and led to a subsequent drop on draft day. He may have some special teams value as a rookie, but his priority must be to heal up for the foreseeable future.

How good is Terrelle Pryor?

2010-06-17T00:28:00.000-07:00

Big 12 saved, PAC-10 stays at eleven

2010-06-15T01:48:00.001-07:00

Pac-10 expansion nears

2010-06-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

How good is Mark Ingram?

2010-06-13T11:13:00.001-07:00

Pete responds to USC sanctions

2010-06-11T05:23:00.000-07:00

USC punished, Colorado joins PAC-10

2010-06-10T13:54:00.002-07:00

Seventh-round picks sign up

2010-06-09T15:38:00.003-07:00

By Rob Staton
The Seahawks agreed terms with their two seventh round picks today. Dexter Davis (DE) and Jameson Konz (WR/TE) both signed deals and join Anthony McCoy (TE) and Kam Chancellor (SS) as rookies to complete contracts. Five members of the 2010 draft class are yet to agree terms. Elsewhere, an eventful week for Golden Tate was made even more noticeable when he was drafted to the MLB. The San Francisco Giants selected him in the 50th round, 1518 overall. I guess the drop to the 50th round could've been donut-related.

Pete Carroll unplugged

2010-06-09T04:03:00.002-07:00

How good is Ryan Mallett?

2010-06-07T17:37:00.001-07:00

Mel Kiper's impact rookies

2010-06-04T13:56:00.004-07:00

By Rob Staton
Mel Kiper has posted an article listing the rookies he believes have impact-potential in 2010. You'll need to be an ESPN insider to read the article in full, but there is a Seahawks representative. Kiper names four defensive 'shoe-ins' who he expects will hit the ground running in year one. Aside from Ndamukong Suh, Gerald McCoy and Eric Berry - Earl Thomas is also listed.

"I think Thomas might even have a chance to make a bigger impact early than Eric Berry, just because his pass-coverage skills are so advanced, and his instincts so good that it's hard to imagine that he won't quickly be stepping in front of some passes at the NFL level. Thomas just makes you a better pass-coverage unit, period."
- Mel Kiper, ESPN

My own personal opinion is to only ever be surprised when rookies have a huge impact. Of the top ten picks last year, only Mark Sanchez had a lasting impact. Even still, he was inconsistent and erratic during the regular season. He was helped significantly in the post season by excellent defense and a good running game, but kept things together. Michael Crabtree was excellent considering he missed time early due to an extended hold out, but was too late to help the 49ers make a realistic push for the post season.

Aaron Curry probably would've been listed in a similar 'shoe-in' list last year. Unfortunately, despite a bright start the linebacker saw a decrease in game-time and impact as the Seahawks slumped to 5-11. Both of Seattle's first round picks (and second rounder Golden Tate) will be put on the field quickly. The need for patience is vital though amongst pundits and fans alike. Potential is one thing, execution and consistency is another. A good year for Seattle's top rookie's will be a great understanding of their schemes and the knowledge of what it takes to succeed in the NFL.

If the numbers don't match the quality of experience, it won't necessarily be a negative.

Chancellor the second rookie to sign

2010-06-03T03:51:00.003-07:00

By Rob Staton
Kam Chancellor has agreed terms with the Seahawks on a four year deal, becoming the second rookie to do so. The fifth round draft pick has inked a $2.83m contract. The deal can escalate to a low-end restricted free agent contract in the final year depending on performance. Chancellor is a developmental strong safety who has a chance to have some impact on special teams this year. Although he is a good fit physically to start at SS, don't expect to see two rookies starting at safety for the Seahawks in 2010.

McShay's top programmes

2010-06-02T07:03:00.001-07:00

Anthony McCoy the first to sign-up

2010-06-01T17:28:00.002-07:00

By Rob Staton
Anthony McCoy (TE, USC) became the first member of the Seahawks 2010 draft class to agree terms today. He's signed a four-year deal having been drafted in round six. Although McCoy might not have much impact as a rookie, he's one to keep an eye on. Ultra-talented and with major upside, his off the field issues cost him dearly on draft day. If he wants to be good, he can be. Here's what I wrote about McCoy shortly after the draft.

More info leaks on White release

2010-05-31T13:05:00.003-07:00

Seahawks cut Lendale White

2010-05-28T17:09:00.000-07:00

Wes Bunting on Terrelle Pryor

2010-05-27T15:21:00.004-07:00

By Rob Staton
Some of the better off season material is coming from the NFP's Wes Bunting. He's started to look through potential 2011 prospects and he's worth following if you have a twitter account(@wesbunting). His latest article takes a look at Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor. A junior for the upcoming season, he could choose to declare if he enjoys a productive 2010. However, he has a lot to do this year to put himself in position to take advantage of skipping his senior year. Here's a section from Bunting:

"I came away a little more impressed with Pryor as a “thrower” than I initially thought I would. The guy has a strong enough arm to make all the throws at the next level, but what really stood out to me was his touch down the field on the move. He consistently was able to buy time for himself outside the pocket, and with the flick of a wrist was able to drop bucket throws into receivers’ outstretched arms. Plus, he’s a powerful strider when asked to create for himself as a runner and uses his stiff arm literally as well as any running back in college football. He never looks to be moving fast but consistently is able to outrun angles, break tackles and pick up necessary yards to move the chains." - Wes Bunting, NFP

It's not all positive though, if you check out the full article.

Golden Tate... singing...

2010-05-26T04:33:00.003-07:00

NFL Network review Seahawks draft

2010-05-25T03:17:00.000-07:00

Annual rookie photo shoot

2010-05-24T05:09:00.003-07:00

By Rob Staton
A lot of the high profile rookies drafted in 2010 were in L.A. this past weekend for a photo shoot event. The Seahawks presence was surprisingly light considering they owned three high picks and two first rounders - neither Russell Okung nor Earl Thomas were present. Golden Tate was there however and judging by his twitter updated (@showtimetate) he enjoyed his time in L.A. Don't forget you can also follow Seahawks Draft Blog on twitter by following @robstaton.

Madden '11 video hammers Seahawks

2010-05-22T15:56:00.000-07:00

Ouch!

Kiper and McShay's post draft analysis

2010-05-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

Emory Hunt's Seahawks draft grade

2010-05-20T04:33:00.000-07:00

Wednesday links

2010-05-19T04:48:00.003-07:00

Jason La Canfora speculates when the top rookies will begin to sign their contracts. The Seahawks have the task of signing up to high first round picks - Russell Okung and Earl Thomas. La Canfora also says a lack of a new CBA shouldn't cause any issues.

Wes Bunting looks at the top underclassmen quarterbacks not named Jake Locker. Bunting offers a particularly accurate insight into what Ryan Mallett (QB, Arkansas) needs to do in order to put himself in contention to be a top 2011 pick.

Draft Ace offers an early 2011 mock draft. There's three quarterbacks taken in the top five picks, not an unlikely scenario in what could be a deep draft at the position. The Seahawks pick a generous 21st overall and select Pittsburgh defensive end Greg Romeus.

Steve Doerschuk speaks to Jameson Konz, Seattle's final 2010 draft pick in the seventh round. The former Kent State H-back has great size (6'3", 234lbs) and will be competing for work at tight end and receiver. He could land on the practise squad if he doesn't make the final roster.

Seattle's contenders for rookie of the year?

2010-05-17T15:13:00.009-07:00

By Rob Staton

There tends to be obvious candidates for offensive and defensive rookie of the year each season. Last year's offensive winner was Percy Harvin and it was no real surprise. Drafted in the first round, Harvin was expected to be involved quickly for a contender in the NFC. The former Florida playmaker scored eight total touchdowns including a 101 yard return score and registered 790 receiving yards.

The top two defensive candidates were not as obvious. Many expected Aaron Curry to win it, but instead another linebacker - Brian Cushing - took the award. There was obviously some controversy regarding that decision but after a recent re-vote, the former USC Trojan still came out on top ahead of Buffalo's Jairus Byrd. Cushing recorded 133 tackles, four sacks, four interceptions and a safety. Byrd, a 5'10", 200lbs free safety, came second in the poll after a nine interception rookie season.

Looking ahead to this year, have any of the Seahawks' rookie class got a legitimate shot at winning the 2010 awards?

Since the first winner in 1967 (Detroit running back Mel Farr), the offensive rookie of the year has always been won by a quarterback, running back or receiver. However well Russell Okung plays in 2010, it seems unlikely he'll be a candidate to win the award. The obvious big names will be touted as we approach training camp: C.J. Spiller (RB, Buffalo), Dez Bryant (WR, Dallas), Sam Bradford (QB, St. Louis), Ryan Mathews (RB, San Diego), Demaryius Thomas (WR, Denver) and Jahvid Best (RB, Detroit).

Some may even take a punt on second round fliers such as Ben Tate (RB, Houston), Dexter McCluster (RB/WR, Kansas City), Jimmy Clausen (QB, Carolina) and Montario Hardesty (RB, Cleveland). It seems only fair then to add Golden Tate to that list.

I expect the Seahawks will look to get Tate involved early. Wide receiver is a difficult position to learn early in a career especially for a team that is starting out a new playbook and is rebuilding an under performing unit. What Tate has in his favor though, is the ability to be used in a number of ways similar to last year's winner Harvin. Of course, the Vikings playmaker was taken over a round earlier than Tate in last year's draft and has a rare combination of skills that make him a unique talent. However, it appears likely the Seahawks will use Tate as running back, kick returner and receiver in year one - just like Minnesota used Harvin in his rookie campaign.

If some of the other more likely candidates fail to explode onto the scene (Mathews, Bryant and Spiller appear the most likely contenders at this point), there's no reason why Tate can't put himself into the equation. However, a rebuilding Seahawks may also temper their expectations and therefore usage of Tate. Minnesota could afford to test Harvin early with an assortment of talent on both sides of the ball. Seattle has preached competition though so if Tate can enjoy a good training camp, who knows how his role will progress as a rookie?

The last seven defensive rookies of the year have been linebackers. Rolando McClain (Oakland) and Sean Wetherspoon (Atlanta) will be well aware of that heading into 2010. There's also some other big names who will be hoping to end that streak - namely Ndamukong Suh (DT, Detroit), Gerald McCoy (DT, Tampa Bay) and Eric Berry (S, Kansas City).

However, if Jairus Byrd's second place finish in 2009 proves anything it's that Berry and Seattle's own Earl Thomas can put themselves in contention. Byrd didn't play on a great defense in Buffalo - they lacked a consistent pass rush and lost their best cornerback to injury early in the year. However, Byrd still collected nine picks. He was only denied by a monster season from Cushing that he'll struggle to match too many times during his career, especially now he's under a bigger spotlight amid wild controversy.

Like Byrd, neither Berry nor Thomas will be playing behind an elite defensive line (at least, we don't necessarily expect that, but stranger things have happened). It shouldn't affect their ability to make plays - both are talented ball hawks with great anticipation. They'll also be thrust into starting from week one and be expected to hit the ground running.

Both are big enough names that they'll be followed closely by fans and pundits alike. Attention will be diverted to their performances if the stats column begins to light up. Thomas had eight interceptions for Texas last year in just thirteen games and has proven he has the instinct to play at a high level early in his career. It could help that he'll play in a division that contains a rookie quarterback (Sam Bradford) and two quarterbacks whose starting positions are less than secure (Alex Smith and Matt Leinart). Seattle also faces interception machine Jay Cutler in week six, Jason Campbell and his new gig during week eight and host a Carolina team in week thirteen with currently no definitive answer at quarterback.

Needless to say there will be opportunities there for Thomas. However, he's coming up against a stellar class of defensive talent and will need to do more than normal to put himself firmly in contention. Eighteen defensive prospects went in round one this year. Almost all of them will fancy their chances of winning rookie of the year.

Herm Edwards on Seahawks' picks

2010-05-16T17:19:00.001-07:00

Andrew Luck on Stanford after Gerhart

2010-05-15T04:21:00.000-07:00

Miami vs USC

2010-05-14T11:00:00.000-07:00

Division in focus: ACC is 2011 relevant

2010-05-13T05:53:00.007-07:00

By Rob Staton

As we begin to turn our attentions to the new college season, there's one division in particular I'm looking forward to watching. The ACC hasn't been ultra competitive in recent years and that won't necessarily change in 2010, but there are a number of big name prospects who we're likely to hear about when serious 2011 draft talk begins.

The team to beat in my opinion is Virginia Tech. The main reason being, I'm a big fan of running back Ryan Williams. As a redshirt sophomore going into 2010, you expect another productive season will almost certainly see him declare for next year's draft. Last year he registered 21 touchdowns and 1655 yards in his first year. He has decent size (5'10", 210lbs) and speed for the position and could easily be the first running back drafted in 2011. He's also a potential Heisman candidate, but much of that will be dependant on Tyrod Taylor's continued development as a passer and the Hokies ability to handle a relatively tough schedule - including a week one trip to Boise State.

Another team relying on their quarterback to reach their full potential is North Carolina. They have a big name defense that should perform to a high level in 2010, but they'll be restricted by limited offensive production. Nevertheless, there's the potential for a number of this roster to be called in the first two rounds next year. My favorite prospect is linebacker Bruce Carter, who really stood out when I watched him last year. If he can add a bit more bulk and not lose any of his speed, he's a first round pick and should go higher than Sean Wetherspoon (Atlanta, 19th overall). Robert Quinn is another being tipped to go early in 2011. He notched 11 sacks last year and is an aggressive, full blooded defensive end.

Marvin Austin (DT, UNC), Quan Sturdivant (LB, UNC) and Deunta Williams (S, UNC) are the three other 'big names' on the Tar Heels defense. Austin never really impressed me that much last year, but he has another season to prove he's worthy of a place in the first two rounds. Sturdivant has 249 career tackles in three years and projects as an 4-3 inside linebacker. Williams has the ball-hawk reputation teams are looking for at safety these days and picked off six passes last year. He could be a first round pick - like fellow ACC safety DeAndre McDaniel (Clemson). The Tigers will also be hoping for more from defensive end Da'Quan Bowers.

It doesn't stop there. Anthony Constanza (OT, Boston College) is regarded by some as the top offensive tackle legible for 2011. Miami are becoming relevant again and boast a potential high first rounder in five-technique Allen Bailey. Virginia cornerback Ras-I Dowling is the top rated senior at his position, although he has to prove he's worthy of first round consideration.

But perhaps the most interesting story will be Florida State. It'll be year one of the post-Bowden era and a big one too for quarterback Christian Ponder. He's a prospect I've seen ranked as a potential top five pick, whilst others put him in the third round bracket. Ponder has the potential to position himself firmly in the first round discussions and he improved significantly last year before injury cut short his season. It'll help playing behind one of the better college offensive lines, led by my favorite 2011 prospect - Rodney Hudson. Owning prototype size, smarts and athleticism for the zone blocking scheme, Hudson has to be on Seattle's radar this year. Talked about as a potential first round pick in 2010, Hudson returns for his senior year as one of the top rated prospects despite playing mainly as a guard. We'll have more on Hudson as the year develops, but the Seahawks would be wise to keep a watchful eye on his progress.

Mel Kiper & Todd McShay on 2011 receivers

2010-05-11T14:49:00.000-07:00

McShay and Wiedl talk 2011

2010-05-10T14:45:00.001-07:00

Post your draft grades

2010-05-08T16:19:00.003-07:00

By Rob Staton
NFL.com is conducting a fans ballot to grade how all 32 teams drafted this year. The Seahawks, who earned rave reviews across the board, are sure to score highly. If you want to have your say, click here. Feel free to leave your grades for Seattle, the NFC West or anyone else in the comments section here too.

Highlights: Thurmond, Chanellor & Davis

2010-05-07T09:03:00.001-07:00

Mel Kiper's 2011 big board

2010-05-06T10:16:00.003-07:00

By Rob Staton
It just goes to show how popular the NFL draft has become - there's been so much attention already to 2011. Mel Kiper has this week published his first 'big board' for next year's event. You have to be an ESPN insider to see the full analysis, but here's the list:

#1 Jake Locker (QB, Washington)
#2 Andrew Luck (QB, Stanford)
#3 Robert Quinn (DE, UNC)
#4 A.J. Green (WR, Georgia)
#5 Adrian Clayborn (DE, Iowa)
#6 Ryan Mallett (QB, Arkansas)
#7 Marcel Dareus (DT, Alabama)
#8 Anthony Costanzo (OT, Boston College)
#9 Cameron Heyward (DE, Ohio State)
#10 Patrick Peterson (CB, LSU)
#11 Mark Ingram (RB, Alabama)
#12 Aaron Williams (CB, Texas)
#13 Marvin Austin (DT, UNC)
#14 Jonathan Baldwin (WR, Pittsburgh)
#15 Ryan Williams (RB, Virginia Tech)
#16 Allen Bailey (DE, Miami)
#17 Julio Jones (WR, Alabama)
#18 Bruce Carter (LB, UNC)
#19 Michael Floyd (WR, Notre Dame)
#20 Akeem Ayers (LB, UCLA)
#21 Ras-I Dowling (CB, Virginia)
#22 Jurrell Casey (DT, USC)
#23 Prince Amukamara (CB, Nebraska)
#24 Gabe Carimi (OT, Wisconsin)
#25 Rahim Moore (S, UCLA)

My initial thoughts are that Andrew Luck is too high - he has a lot to prove in only his second year starting to warrant being this high on anyone's big board. Apart from that, it's hard to pick too many faults. A lot of the names here are worth watching next year. I would add Rodney Hudson (OG, Florida State) to any top-25 list because if he performs as expected, he could be a late first round pick.

Scouting Russell Okung: Part I

2010-05-06T00:01:00.005-07:00

By Kip Earlywine
To keep this scouting report from being unreadable, I decided to break it down into 3 parts: 2009 performance, 2008 performance, and overall evaluation. Today I'm going to report on my observations from two 2009 games, the opener against Georgia, and the final game of Russell Okung's college career, a loss in the Cotton Bowl to Ole Miss.

(edit- still working on the gif problem.)

September 5th, 2009. Georgia at Oklahoma State

Areas of strength:

Okung has great tools and he knows how to use them to their full advantage. Particularly his long, long arms (36"). When he correctly delivers an inside punch and gets proper arm position, its game over for pass rushers. His lateral steps are fast and allow him to contain edge rushers or push them outside on runs. Okung used this agility to his advantage to expertly angle block defensive ends out of the running lanes.

Now granted, that's the easiest block in the book- the DE runs himself out of the play by charging upfield and Okung simply acts as a chaperon. Still, in full speed (these gifs are about 3/4 speed), I couldn't help but notice how explosive Okung's lateral footwork looked on plays like this.

Okung has strong hips which allow him to win with second effort in drive blocking. His excellent lateral agility allows him to angle block effectively, and allows him to get both inside and (the hard one) outside DEs on off tackle rush attempts.

Okung left the game with injury in the 2nd quarter, but showed good toughness. He only missed two plays, and actually played better the rest of the game after the injury.

Okung is not that great at reaching LBs, but when he does, he's solid at sticking to his 2nd level blocks.

Okung is solid as a rock in pass pro. His footwork moving straight back is textbook. As mentioned earlier, his arms make his job very easy here and on top of that, Okung is explosive laterally which makes him very hard to beat against edge rushers. If Okung is beaten either outside or with an inside move, its always due to a mental error and not for lack of physical ability.

Other than Geno Atkins, Georgia's pass rush wasn't too challenging, but credit Okung, he allowed no sacks, only 1 pressure and had only 1 penalty, a false start from forgetting the snap count.

Areas of weakness:

Okung played most of this game in a two point stance, which both hurt his drive blocking substantially and often served to telegraph "run" when he did enter a 3 point stance. And that leads me to perhaps Okung's biggest shortcoming, he's a stonewall machine when he drive blocks, at least in this game. Repeatedly, OSU turned to Okung in short yardage situations, and repeatedly he failed to drive his man. Through the benefits of some shady ball placement, OSU lucked out, but unless things change, Okung does not look like the kind of guy you want to be running over on 4th and 2. Okung does have good second effort, but its not like its there every play and his initial "thump" on drive blocking was non-existent here.

Another weakness for Okung is that while he has impressive lateral agility, his inline running ability is poor. He's just too slow to be a good pull blocker or second level blocker. Not only that, but he takes bad angles and lacks instincts. The team only had Okung pull block a couple times, and each of them resulted in a line of scrimmage stuff, precisely because Okung failed to pull effectively. Okung had a handful of LB blocks that were successful, but I would guess 70% of them ended in failure. I'm more forgiving in the LB blocking area- because blocking LBs is tough to do and even the best at it still fail to accomplish it every time. LB's are simply faster than offensive linemen are and can only be reached in certain circumstances. Maybe I'm biased in Okung's favor here because when I played, I sucked at this too. Still, there were plenty of times that Okung missed make-able 2nd level blocks or looked confused as to who he was supposed to go for. Here is one such example.

Okung attempted only one cut block, and it was about as ugly as a (just barely) successful cut block can be. Not enough sample size yet, but considering how rare the team had Okung cut-block, I'd say its an area for Gibbs to work on.

Okung's run blocking leverage was pretty bad, and probably had a lot to do with all the stonewalls in the run game. The constant use of a 2 point stance probably didn't help him much here.

Okung has terrible hand placement, and repeatedly got the superstar treatment with holds. He could have been called for holding 5 times in this game, but was never flagged. Any time an offensive linemen places his hands on a defenders shoulders or back, he's eligible to be flagged. Okung did this constantly, and even got away with one play were he grabbed a defender's back shoulder. Okung won't continue to get the superstar treatment in the pros. We saw what happened with Marcus Trufant when officials stopped giving him the treatment. Obviously, this needs to be fixed. Thankfully, its easy to, and I have full confidence that Gibbs can break this habit in no time. Okung is just as effective if not more so when he has his hands inside where they belong. He just needs a tenacious coach to slap his hands down like a catholic school nun when he uses them improperly in practices.

January 2nd, 2010. Cotton Bowl: Ole Miss vs. Oklahoma State

Before I begin discussing Okung's 2nd game, let me say that he looked vastly improved compared to his first game against Georgia. For one thing, he stuck to a consistent 3 point stance this time, and wow, and yes I actually said "wow," for such a big man he gets extremely low in that stance and stays low when he fires off. The result was dramatically improved leverage and improved drive blocking overall. He still had a few stonewalls, but when the game was on the line, he did his job this time. Sadly, his RBs didn't reward his effort and Zac Robinson continued to be horrible (Robinson looked really bad in both games, especially the 2nd one). Okung was pumped for this game and showed a higher level of intensity not displayed before. Okung was perhaps too jacked and that led to several ugly mental errors, but overall, I was highly impressed. Also, Jevan Snead was amazingly bad. Its not hard to see how he went undrafted after watching this game.

Areas of strength:

Leverage and drive blocking, as mentioned above.

Okung's knee bend, which was already good, was even better than before. At times Okung was coming close to a 90 degree bend.

On third and goal from inside the 2, OSU moved Okung to RT and ran over him. The play failed to score, but Okung did his job. Okung was uncharacteristically firey and yelled at his teammates to get the job done on 4th down.

Okung stayed at left tackle this time, and had his best drive block of the night, pancaking his man (by using extremely good leverage) and briefly collapsing the defensive line. The hole closed extremely quickly though, and the RB arrived just a hair too late. It was another short yardage failure by OSU, but this time, Okung deserves absolutely no blame for it.

Okung's hand use is improved. He does a much better job of getting his hands inside. He still likes to grab, but if you grab inside with long arms to lock the defender in place, and you won't get called for it usually because it looks honest in real time.

Okung displayed more good angle blocking, including a nice block in which he pinched a defensive end inside.

That's not easy to do and requires ridiculous quickness. 4-3 defensive ends have a few crucial responsibilities, and one of the biggest is outside contain. That's why its so easy to give them the outside and sweep them up-field as I showed in a previous .gif. However, being agile enough to jump outside a DE's shoulder and turn them inside is really hard to do, because a DE is almost always trying specifically to prevent that and has a lot of advantages (positioning, quickness) that usually prevent it from happening. Typically on a running play like this, a tackle will directly engage and try to drive the DE back after failing to turn the corner, but in this case, Okung is lightning quick laterally and successfully turns #40 inside. There were a couple of other nice blocks too, and the result was a nice outside rush for 8 yards on 1st and 15.

Areas of weakness:

Okung played a great game, making fewer mistakes overall. However, he actually made more "impact" mistakes in this game than in the Georgia game.

Okung blows an easy blocking assignment on a screen. Once again, Okung shows he's not very instinctive when he has to find someone to block on the fly, and in this case, it was a very easy block to make that he just doesn't see. If he makes this block, its probably a 20-30 yard play. Instead, it goes for a loss.

Okung did not allow a sack, but made 3 mistakes in pass pro. One resulted in a hurry pass for an incompletion, one resulted in a near sack and tipped pass that should have been intercepted, and the third one resulted in Zac Robinson taking a monster hit, forcing a rushed throw (incompletion).

Robinson is clearly in pain after getting up from the hit. The very next play, a visibly shaken Robinson throws an ugly interception. This play was weird and its appears that Okung may have run the wrong play here.

Overall, from what I've seen so far, Okung is a decent run blocker and great pass blocker. He simply isn't beaten in pass pro- but he is fully capable of beating himself as you can see above. Its noteworthy that Greg Hardy played in this game but basically registered no stats. Through two games, I've been impressed with Okung in pass pro, with mental errors being the only thing holding him back. Other than a handful of mental mistakes, Okung was remarkably consistent and dependable as a blindside protector.

Earl Thomas meets Jon Gruden

2010-05-05T14:30:00.000-07:00

Getting to know a little bit more about Russell Okung

2010-05-04T23:22:00.011-07:00

By Kip Earlywine
I've started watching the tape, and so far I'm on pace to have my amateur scouting report done by this weekend. However, I figured it was important to get some basic info out there about Russell Okung before I begin.

For those who haven't read it, there was a pretty interesting piece written in the TNT regarding Okung around the draft. Okung was raised by his mother, a single parent. This isn't that unusual, but what is tragic is that it sounds like he had a great, hard working dad, who wasn't around because he was murdered at the gas station he owned when Okung was only 2. Okung talks about how he had to become the "man of the house." I'd be lying if I said it wasn't touching, and you have to believe it must have been an incredible moment for Okung to be drafted and become a future millionaire.

Okung was only a 3 star recruit coming out of high school. He was recruited by big schools, including Oklahoma and LSU, but he wasn't considered a superstar recruit like say, Anthony Davis was. He ended up choosing Oklahoma State. At the time, he only weighed 250 lbs.

Whatever scouting Okung reveals later on, its worth noting that he was highly decorated in College, earning 1st team all-american honors in both 2008 and 2009. Last year, Okung was listed at #1 on the preseason offensive tackle power ranking at Rivals.com. All eyes were fixed on Okung since the beginning of last year, and Okung responded with a performance that was good enough in the minds of NFL front offices to make him a worthy top 10 pick.

As it turns out, Okung went bowling with Pete Carroll several weeks before the draft. Carroll ended up winning. At the time, Okung was not strongly linked to Seattle and according to our draft source, Okung was only 5th on Seattle's big board at #6, and wasn't expected to reach the pick anyway. I think its pretty cool that Carroll has so much fun connecting with people, even guys he probably didn't expect would ever be playing for him. As it turns out, he had a chance to connect with a guy that would later become his first draft pick in his return to the NFL.

Okung has been compared most often to D'Brickishaw Ferguson, probably because like Ferguson, Okung has ridiculously long and powerful arms. Ferguson is a solid compliment- he's one of the better young left tackles in the game. Its notable that Matt McGuire at walterfootball, who's evaluations I respect, compared Okung to Joe Thomas, the best young left tackle in football.

Matt Hasselbeck talks 'Hawks

2010-05-04T23:00:00.000-07:00

What would've happened if....

2010-05-04T08:39:00.004-07:00

By Rob Staton
What if Tim Ruskell and Jim Mora were still making the key decisions in Seattle? What if the Eagles had drafted Earl Thomas at #13 instead of Brandon Graham? If Russell Okung had been taken by the Kansas City Chiefs, what would've happened with the 6th overall pick? Here's some suggestions:

What if... Tim Ruskell was still in Seattle?
We all know the Ruskell methodology. He liked to draft seniors in round one from big schools who score high marks for character and production. I think it's likely the Seahawks would've drafted Okung at #6 in a Ruskell regime because he fits every criteria. Seattle probably wouldn't have taken Earl Thomas or Golden Tate - both are underclassmen.

It's hard not to imagine Ruskell falling for someone like Tim Tebow or Colt McCoy. He'd previously said that Seattle were 'in the zone' for a new quarterback. Assuming Charlie Whitehurst wouldn't have moved from San Diego - I think it's fair to assume the Seahawks would've targeted one of the above. Tebow at #14 or after a small trade down? I think a Ruskell regime would've been all over that. A lack of senior pass rushers just increases that likelihood.

Projection: #6 Okung, #14 Tebow, #40 Mays

What if... Earl Thomas was off the board?
A lot of pre-draft talk suggested Philadelphia would make a substantial trade up from #24 to take Earl Thomas. Instead, the Eagles moved up to draft Brandon Graham and settled for Nate Allen (S, USF) in round two. The Seahawks front office have admitted they had a deal in place to move down the board if Thomas hadn't been available.

It's safe to assume Graham could've been a target had he remained on the board and the Seahawks may have felt they could move down a bit and still secure a pass rusher - perhaps even Derrick Morgan. The secondary could've been a general area for target with the likes of Kyle Wilson and Kareem Jackson maybe in contention. If I had to project a likely target though, I think Jared Odrick and Dan Williams would've been very high on Seattle's list.

Projection: Trade down from #14 with Odrick or Williams selected

What if... Kansas City drafted Russell Okung?
In every single one of my mock drafts I had the Chiefs going defense. I never felt they were likely to draft for the offensive line, but a lot of other people thought differently. Had Eric Berry made it to Seattle at #6, I think he would've been the choice regardless of who else was available. This would've forced the Seahawks to look elsewhere at #14.

Seattle's front office clearly felt they needed to get an offensive tackle at some point. At #14, they could've drafted Bryan Bulaga - most likely precluded by a small trade down. They may have avoided the position altogether in round one, knowing as we do now that Charles Brown was available late in the second round.

Projection: #6 Berry, #14 Trade/Williams/Odrick, #60 Brown

My thoughts on Okung, Thomas, etc.

2010-05-04T01:50:00.006-07:00

By Kip Earlywine
... are on the way. In the meantime, John Morgan at Fieldgulls has been posting his observations on Okung, Thomas, and Tate from time to time. They are definitely worth a read if you are looking for information on our newest Seahawks.

To this point, I've covered players (all but 1 drafted by other teams) in the POTD series, but none of those involved actual scouting. Really, the POTD series was pretty much a research paper with pictures and video, and a few quick observations of my own. I wanted to wait until we officially knew who would be a Seahawks before I got tape and broke it down. It might take a week or two, but I'll have reports up for Okung, Thomas, and Tate. Eventually, I'll have reports up for every player Seattle drafted. Of course, this is all just some schmo's opinion and I won't be using coach's tape obviously. But I hope its fun to read and sheds a little bit of light on how the prospects Seattle has added might fit into Carroll's new scheme here in Seattle.

Right now, I'm hoping to have my first report out by the weekend.

Behind the scenes: When Thomas got the call

2010-05-03T07:12:00.002-07:00

Highlights: Okung, Thomas & Tate

2010-05-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

What we said: Anthony McCoy (TE)

2010-05-01T01:00:00.001-07:00

By Rob Staton
When free agency began, the Seahawks quickly set out to acquire a tight end. Ben Watson was a possibility before he signed for Cleveland. The Seahawks eventually added another former New England Patriot - Chris Baker. With the Seahawks expected to use a lot of two-tight end sets in Jeremy Bates' offense, we speculated that targeting another tight end in the draft was something of a possibility.

One name we touted was Anthony McCoy from USC. A very talented tight end with starting potential in the NFL, he'd flashed big time ability during the 2009 season. At one stage he was being discussed as a potential first or second round pick. However, this was a prospect that came with some baggage. Here's what I wrote at the beginning of March:

"One prospect well known to Pete Carroll is USC's Anthony McCoy. He had a breakout year in 2009, putting in some eye catching performances as an all round blocking/receiving threat. He looks the part at 6'5" and 250lbs and recorded 457 receiving yards at an average of 20 yards per-catch. At times in 2009, McCoy was playing like a late first round pick.

"An ankle injury forced him to miss three games and he was suspended for the Emerald Bowl against Boston College due to academic issues. It wasn't the first time this has happened and it remains a pressing concern as McCoy prepares to enter the pro's. However, the talent is there and he would offer a superb complimentary option to Carlson." - 3/12/10

It was revealed just before the draft that McCoy had failed a drugs test for Marijuana at the combine. This added to the previous concerns marked against his name and led to a big drop on draft day. It's not so much the drug taking itself that concerns teams, rather the decision to take drugs knowing you'll be tested at the combine - potentially the biggest interview of your life. You have to question a guys decision making skills, dedication and common sense when stuff like that happens.

On March 11th, Aaron Wilson from the NFP wrote about potential interest from Seattle in the USC tight end:

"Among the NFL teams who have displayed strong interest in McCoy on the scouting trail: the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks and the Cincinnati Bengals.

"Projected as a second-round draft pick, McCoy is regarded as an all-around tight end in terms of blocking skills and pass-catching ability and route running. He's known for having a strong work ethic." - Aaron Wilson, NFP

If reports on his work ethic are correct, he may not be a total lost cause. McCoy himself has admitted he made mistakes and needs to move on. "Really, I just made a mistake, and I regret doing it. Right now, I've moved past that. I'm just focused on helping the Seattle Seahawks organization, help them win football games."

When you put on the tape, you see an all round playmaking tight end. He's as good at blocking as he is getting downfield. You'll see in the highlights video I've posted below that he's capable of making the spectacular catch. Against Ohio State during the 2009 season, he even took an end-around and rushed for a handful. That's shows the kind of athleticism we're talking about here at the tight end position.

Michael Lombardi, speaking on the NFL Network, said this about McCoy: "If he wants to be a great player, he will be." Essentially, that is going to be the key. He has the coach in place that's given him the opportunity on two different levels. He's going into a situation with very little pressure or attention. He has a point to prove. If this guy wants it badly enough, he can be a starting NFL tight end and a good one too. He could be a first or second round pick that Seattle stole in round six. However, the very fact he was available that late emphasises how much needs to happen for that to ring true.

Nonetheless, this was the kind of calculated gamble the previous regime in Seattle were not prepared to make. McCoy, due to off the field concerns, would've been struck from the draft board and not considered. The Seahawks are not being that selective going forward. The relative cost for McCoy not working out is peanuts. The reward is much greater. This tight end was worth rolling the dice on and he's one to watch during training camp.

The good, the bad and the ugly

2010-04-30T09:16:00.009-07:00

By Rob Staton
Universally the Seahawks have received praise for the way they drafted in 2010. But what about the rest? Who made the smart moves to get their franchise moving? Who didn't do enough to arrest a slide? Who's headed in the wrong direction? Here's my take:

You can view each team's draft by clicking their name.

The Good

Oakland Raiders
This was a masterful performance from Oakland who finally snubbed their desire to just draft pure athletes and went with smart moves across the board. Rolando McClain was a wise choice at #8 as a tone setter on defense. Lamarr Houston is a great interior pick up who offered supreme value in round two. It's hard to pick faults with any of their picks and they didn't reach for any of the prototypical Al Davis athletes.

Best pick: Rolando McClain (LB, Alabama)
With the top two offensive tackles off the board, the Raiders didn't draft the flashy running back (Spiller) or reach for the athletic combine star (Campbell). They just went ahead and drafted a guy who will be their defensive leader for years to come.

Worst pick: N/A
Putting a name here would be a token gesture and just unfair. They made the typical Raider picks later on, but they didn't reach for any of them.

Summary
I think the Raiders put themselves back on the road to recovery with this draft. They suddenly have a defense worth talking about and the trade to get Jason Campbell was a master stroke. It wouldn't surprise me if they pushed San Diego this year.

The Bad

Cleveland Browns
I have no issues with the Browns taking Joe Haden at #7, it's a solid choice. After that though, it's a confusing collection of picks. T.J. Ward was a reach at #38. I'm a big fan of Montario Hardesty, but his injury history worries me for a round two selection. They wasted a pick on Colt McCoy in round three and spent their other third rounder on a backup lineman. I just wasn't that impressed with any of these moves.

Best pick: Joe Haden (CB, Florida)
I don't think Haden will ever be a shutdown corner, but he's a very talented football player who fills a big need for Cleveland. A solid choice at an important position.

Worst pick: Colt McCoy (QB, Texas)
It didn't surprise me that McCoy fell into the mid/late third round. What did surprise me is that he didn't slip even further. He has two strings to his bow - short five yard pass and a QB draw. I bet Pittsburgh and Baltimore are quaking in their boots. I have never met McCoy, but he comes across a little petulant (see this video). Future franchise QB? No.

Summary
There's not a great deal of direction here, just a collection of supposed filled needs without much consideration to value. If they truly believe McCoy is the future then they're going nowhere fast.

The Ugly

Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs have a ton of needs on both sides of the ball and I'm not sure any were truly filled in this draft. They have a playmaking safety now, but what about up front at nose tackle? What about finding that big presence at inside linebacker? They filled neither spot. On offense, they aren't going to scare anyone with just Jamaal Charles and Dexter McCluster. They reached on both round two picks and put all their faith in Matt Cassel again.

Best pick: Jon Asamoah (OG, Illinois)
Asamoah could start as a rookie and is the typical good-value interior lineman you can find in most drafts.

Worst pick: Dexter McCluster (WR, Ole Miss)
Ole Miss wanted Percy Harvin, but McCluster made too many mistakes in a multi-purpose role so he went back to running back. Does he have more success in that role in the NFL? I'm not convinced. He's too small to be a pure running back. There were better options available at #36.

Summary
In two drafts, I still don't really understand the direction Scott Pioli is taking this team. The AFC West will be a tougher division this year and KC are a good tip to be picking in the top five again in 2011.

Madden '11 rookie ratings

2010-04-29T14:55:00.004-07:00

By Rob Staton
If you're a Madden NFL fan then it's worth checking out this link. The producers of the video game have made their own judgements on ratings, but you can have your say and influence their final decision. The Seahawks draft picks in rounds 1-2 have been rated very highly. Russell Okung managed a fine 82 overall grade, which was the highest amongst offensive tackles (Trent Williams managed 79). Earl Thomas got an 81 score, which is also amongst the best awarded (Suh & Berry were highest with 85). Golden Tate was given a 77, which is a superb score for someone drafted at #60. As a comparison, Ben Tate (#58) got a 69, Montario Hardesty (#59) got a 70 as did Dexter McCluster (#36).

Locker focusing on Huskies, not draft

2010-04-29T08:48:00.002-07:00

By Rob Staton

Be prepared for the inescapable this year. As much as Tim Tebow's NFL future was an on-going saga throughout last year, Jake Locker is likely to receive the same amount of attention (at least in Seattle). In fairness to the Huskies quarterback, he's been strictly matter of fact with regard to his mind-set - he wants to win with Washington and let the NFL situation play out as it will. Stewart Mandel reviews the situation in this article, which samples Locker's potential as a future #1 pick and looks at his decision not to declare for this year's draft.

Wednesday links: 2011 in focus

2010-04-28T03:20:00.003-07:00

Todd McShay and Kevin Wiedl from Scouts Inc take a look at some of the names to watch out for during the 2011 college season. They speak very highly of Andrew Luck (QB, Stanford). I need to be convinced, he relied a lot on Toby Gerhart last year.

McShay also posts a list of his top defensive prospects. Adrian Clayborn (DE, Iowa) is rightly at the top. Clayborn has a great combination of size and speed and could dominate for the Hawkeye's next year.

Rob Rang posts a full first round mock draft using only senior prospects. He has Jake Locker going first overall to Buffalo. The Seahawks are taking Greg Romeus (DE, Pittsburgh) in the top ten picks.

Matt McGuire also posts a 2011 projection. He has Robert Quinn (DE, UNC) going first overall to St. Louis. The Seahawks select A.J. Green (WR, Georgia) again in the top ten. McGuire: "Seattle needs to get younger and more talented at receiver."

Walter Cherepinsky has Green going first overall, so Seattle are pinned to take Ryan Mallett (QB, Arkansas). Cherepinsky: "The dream scenario for the Seahawks would be for hometown hero Jake Locker to stay in the Pacific Northwest."

Pete Prisco posts his top 32 prospects for 2011. It's interesting to note that Prisco's #1 prospect last year and tip to go first overall was Jevan Snead. The Ole Miss quarterback was an UDFA in this year's draft. It goes to show how inaccurate a lot of premature 2011 talk could be.

Tony Pauline also lists his top prospects to keep an eye on. Unlike a lot of 2011 previews, Pauline says Robert Quinn is #1 at the moment: "Quinn comes from the Julius Peppers mold and is a sensational defender who constantly makes plays behind the line of scrimmage."

2011 Mock Draft

2010-04-27T03:00:00.001-07:00

By Rob Staton
Let's make this clear right away - this isn't a serious attempt to try and predict what will happen in 12 months time. Events during the 2010 college season will almost certainly make most of this redundant by the time we begin to seriously try and guess what will happen in the 2011 draft. In what could be a strong year for quarterbacks, there's about 4-5 prospects who could legitimately make big moves up a draft board by the end of the year. What I've written below is merely for the purpose of being able to look back a year from now and see how just how things changed or if any of this actually came true. I decided the draft order randomly. Without further ado, here's my premature 2011 mock draft:

#1 Buffalo: Ryan Mallett (QB, Arkansas)
If the Bills are picking first overall, they'll almost certainly draft the top ranked quarterback. Mallett has a cannon arm and retains a lot of his weapons in Arkansas. With an extra year's seasoning, he could be #1 material in 12 months time.

#2 Tampa Bay: Gabe Carimi (OT, Wisconsin)
If the Buccs are picking this high, we might see big changes within the organisation. If this is the start of another rebuild, they might invest in the top offensive lineman.

#3 Kansas City: Jake Locker (QB, Washington)
If the Chiefs are picking this high, they could cut Matt Cassel (his contract has an easy get out after 2010). Finding a long term answer at quarterback is a must for Kansas City.

#4 St. Louis: Patrick Peterson (CB, LSU)
Taking a top defensive lineman could be an alternative, but Peterson really impressed me when watching LSU last year. If he can develop into more of a playmaker, he could easily be a high pick next year.

#5 Cleveland: Adrian Clayborn (DE, Iowa)
This guy is fun to watch. Whether Cleveland sticks with a 3-4 or move to a 4-3, he fits either scheme. Off the field issues could push him down the board, but talent is worthy of a top pick.

#6 Detroit: Prince Amukamara (CB, Nebraska)
We'll soon find out just how good Nebraska's existing defensive talent really is now that Ndamukong Suh is in the NFL. Amukamara had five picks last year and looked very good, but how much was down to pressure up front with Suh and Crick?

#7 Seattle: Jonathan Baldwin (WR, Pittsburgh)
Baldwin is big (6'5", 225lbs), he gets downfield, he has strong hands and he can make spectacular catches. For me, this is the #1 receiver prospect to keep an eye on in 2010. He fits what Seattle is looking for in a #1 receiver.

#8 Denver: Allen Bailey (DE, Miami)
The Broncos have moved prime veterans on and drafted potential replacements. It might take a while to come together. Bailey would play as a 3-4 five technique which will probably be a big need area for Denver next year.

#9 Jacksonville: Jerrod Johnson (QB, Texas A&M)
If the Jaguars don't improve upon last year, they're another team who might make big changes. Quarterback would probably be a target area and Johnson has the potential to put himself in a strong position if he continues his development.

#10 Pittsburgh: Mark Ingram (RB, Alabama)
The Steelers could have a bad year. Roethlisberger's suspension and a tough division could lead to a top ten pick. Ingram is a Pittsburgh type of football player, but he might lose some snaps to talented sophomore Trent Richardson next year.

Holes that still need to be filled for Seahawks

2010-04-26T12:39:00.007-07:00

By Rob Staton
The Seahawks filled a lot of needs in the 2010 draft. They have a long term replacement for soon-to-be-retired future HOFer Walter Jones. Earl Thomas provides an exciting and talented playmaker to the secondary. Seattle drafted or traded for weapons on offense and further added competition to their defense. However, let's review the lasting needs as we look towards the future with a premature eye to the 2011 draft:

Quarterback
The 2010 season will have an impact on Seattle's quarterback situation. Matt Hasselbeck is in a contract year, he'll be 35 and has endured a string of injuries in recent seasons. Will we see any Charlie Whitehurst in 2010? Even after his addition from San Diego, the Seahawks can't be sure he will develop into 'the guy'. Until you can rubber stamp a name on this situation long term, it remains a need.

Top 2011 prospects: Jake Locker (Washington), Ryan Mallett (Arkansas), Jerrod Johnson (Texas A&M), Terrell Pryor (Ohio State)

Defensive line
The Seahawks have added a lot of names to increase competition during camp and pre-season. However, you wonder whether this is an area that will be addressed going forward. Aside from Brandon Mebane, there isn't a guy that jumps off the page. Don't rule out Seattle finding production from those currently on the roster, but realistically both defensive tackle and end could be an area targeted in future drafts and free agency.

Top 2011 prospects: Adrian Clayborn (Iowa), Allen Bailey (Miami), Robert Quinn (UNC)

Wide receiver
The Seahawks want big, fast guys at receiver. That's why they targeted Brandon Marshall. Deion Branch and T.J. Houshmandzadeh might end up being focal points on Seattle's 2010 offense, but they aren't long term pieces to this puzzle. Rest assured Pete Carroll knows this team needs touchdown scoring, potent receivers of the #1 variety and this will be a position that receives attention until a solution is found.

Top 2011 prospects: A.J. Green (Georgia), Michael Floyd (Notre Dame), Julio Jones (Alabama), Jonathan Baldwin (Pittsburgh)

Interior offensive line
Seattle will build their line around left tackle Russell Okung going forward. Ben Hamilton is a stop gap at left guard whilst we cannot be sure Chris Spencer and even Max Unger will fit into long term planning (they weren't drafted by this regime). Alex Gibbs has a very specific ideology for his lineman, so you can't rule out this becoming a target area.

Top 2011 prospects: Rodney Hudson (Florida State)

Cornerback
Marcus Trufant, Earl Thomas and Josh Wilson provide a nice trio in the secondary. However, you can never have too many good cornerbacks. It seems obvious to me that Pete Carroll, a former defensive backs specialist, wants his secondary to be a highlight for his team. If the New York Jets with their secondary can spend another first round pick on a cornerback this year, then this will remain a possibility for the Seahawks too.

Top 2011 prospects: Patrick Peterson (LSU), Curtis Brown (Texas)

New Banner - Welcome to Seattle

2010-04-26T11:07:00.004-07:00

By Rob Staton
What do you think of the new banner? I'll take this opportunity to welcome all the recent additions to the Seahawks roster - we're looking forward to camp already and seeing you guys in Seattle. We'll be taking a closer look at the newest Seahawks over the next few days. Even though the 2010 draft has been completed, stay tuned to the blog because we'll soon be looking ahead to next year and preparing for a new college football season.

Thoughts on Day 3: Mea Culpa, John Schneider

2010-04-25T15:11:00.009-07:00

By Kip Earlywine
I had a pretty exciting list of names staring me in the face when I hit play on my DVR Saturday. Everson Griffen, Bruce Campbell, Mardy Gilyard, Geno Atkins, Reshad Jones among many others. As it turns out, the only name I wanted that was drafted by Seattle was Anthony McCoy in the 6th round (and Jeff Byers in UDFA). I'm kind of used to not getting the players I have my heart set on though. During the entire Tim Ruskell era, the only player selected that I badly wanted was Brandon Mebane. It would be unfair to criticize a draft simply for not picking the players I wanted. I have to look at the value and the logic behind each move. The Seahawks did well.

I don't know if I would have passed on Atkins to take Thurmond in the 4th, although in fairness, the Seahawks had just acquired Vickerson in a trade which eased the need for a DT. Atkins was a high risk high reward pick on the defensive line, and Thurmond is a similar case in the secondary. He's had a ton of injuries, but before he had them, he was considered a 2nd round prospect.

To read the rest of Kip's detailed analsysis, click 'read more'.

I don't like the EJ Wilson pick, but it wasn't horrible and it gave the Seahawks some much needed depth at LDE. Wilson is solid and dependable, but I seriously doubt he will ever be more than depth though. You could argue that for a late 4th, depth at a key position is solid value, but in a deep draft where 2nd round prospects were coming off the board in this area, I would have rather addressed depth for LDE at a later time. I think a draft pick has to be weighed against the opportunity cost. Jason Fox, Ed Wang, Ricky Sapp, Dominique Franks, Perrish Cox, Reshad Jones and Riley Cooper were among the best players available.

Seattle badly needed a strong safety. Reshad Jones was still available, but the team went with Kam Chancellor instead. Chancellor is the exact same size as Taylor Mays, but instead of running a 4.3 forty, he's more like a 4.6-4.7 guy. I have mixed feelings about this pick. Chancellor was productive in college and he fits a need, but I think his speed will give us Kelly Herndon syndrome more than we'd like. I guess I like this pick, but I hope it doesn't prevent us from adding more SS talent next year.

Anthony McCoy was at least arguably the biggest steal of the 6th round, and he fit an area of minor need for Seattle. It was I think a month ago that Rob had McCoy going to Seattle at #60. So obviously, I'm pretty thrilled to get him this late. McCoy is a well rounded TE who, if he cleans up his act, has overall talent not far behind John Carlson's.

Dexter Davis is a long shot to make the team thanks to the insane number of stand-up ends the Seahawks have acquired. That said, he has an exceptional combination of athleticism and college production for a late 7th round pick. The only reason he lasted this long is because of his being 6'1". Nick Reed+ is not an unfair comparison, and like Reed, if Davis has a great preseason, he could make the team. I like his chances.

Jameson Konz is a pure athlete without a position. Its very likely he'll be stashed on the practice squad for a couple years, and never be heard from again.

If I had to grade the 3rd day for the picks alone, I'd probably go with a "B-." "Decent." It was two stunning trades, though, that highlighted the action and significantly raised my appraisal. Without even losing a pick, only draft position, the Seahawks acquired Lendale White, Kevin Vickerson and Leon Washington. If there was ever a draft were moving down a few spots in the late rounds was extra meaningless, its this one. Seattle upgraded the running game in a huge way and added much needed depth at tackle almost for free.

The big acquisition is Leon Washington. Washington is a smallish but thickly built RB with tons of speed and cut making ability. The catch is that he's recovering from an extremely nasty fractured leg bone injury. Broken bones heal, but lets consider this a minor injury related "red flag." Washington turns 28 just before the season starts. In a way, you might think of Washington as being a 28 year old Jahvid Best (similar size, speed, play-making ability, and has injury red flags), and I would have happily traded up in the 2nd for Best if possible. I love this move, and by the end of next season, I think the results of the Leon Washington trade will be a popular storyline in the media. Jets observers tell me that Washington was pretty much the entirety of the offense before he went down in week 7.

So why was Washington available so cheaply? First, the Jets and Washington's agent had been fighting over contract details for sometime, and I think the Jets had reached the point of giving up on getting a long term deal. Washington is currently on a 1 year tender and scheduled to be a 2011 FA. They knew they would lose him, so they figured they might as well get something while they could. Second, the team had just drafted Joe McKnight, and with LT, Shonn Greene, and Joe McKnight on the roster, there was a bit of a logjam that made Washington expendable. This scenario reminds me a lot of the situation that allowed the Cliff Lee deal to fall in place for the Mariners a few months ago. Cliff Lee was a soon to be FA and the Phillies were hot after Halladay and Lee didn't factor into their future. Jack Z had the good sense and good timing to make a phone call, and the rest is history. Similarly, this was a great trade for the Seahawks.

Prior to this, the Seahawks acquired former USC star RB Lendale White and "veteran" DT Kevin Vickerson for, as one disgruntled Tennessee columnist put it- "A sack of socks." The only thing Seattle gave up was 7 spots in the 4th round and 9 spots in the 6th round, and in the deepest draft in years combined with Schneider's patient approach, this probably cost the Seahawks exactly nothing.

First, lets talk about Vickerson. Vickerson is a 27 year old 3 tech DT with good length (6'5") and a decent amount of experience (only 2 starts, but played in 24 games). Vickerson was a RFA by the way- with a 2nd round tender on him. In terms of pure talent, Vickerson isn't really any worse than the DTs available in the late rounds, and is more NFL ready than any of them. For just a throw in player, Vickerson was a pretty solid get that helps Seattle's depth at 3 tech DT... and maybe, maybe, allows Seattle to think about moving Mebane back to the 1 where he belongs.

Lendale White is probably the most famous name added to Seattle in day 3. He was a star at USC and a former 2nd round pick who's had a decently productive pro career, and is still only 25. White has a poor career YPC of only 3.7, and he's not going to be a pro-bowler for us by any means, and there's also the issue of his weight, which can be all over the place. However, I love this move for a few reasons.

Firstly, White can carry the load if need be and is durable. Neither Washington or Forsett is a carry the load type back and both of them should probably have limited carries as they stand to have an above average risk for injury due to size or history. The team could not justifiably rid themselves of Julius Jones until they found a legit 300 carry alternative. Worst case scenario, White can do exactly that, which makes Jones expendable.

Secondly, while White is certainly not a productive back in terms of yards per carry, he's an excellent short yardage back. Before being benched in favor of superstar Chris Johnson, White had a very valuable 2008 season, scoring 15 TDs and racking up an impressive +144 rushing DYAR. He also had a 54% rushing success rate, good for 4th best in the NFL. Similar to the overlooked and forgotten TJ Duckett in 2008, White has a ton of hidden value and will help this team immensely even if it doesn't look like it with a quick glance. Seattle did not have a true short yardage back on the roster, so that also makes White a great fit. If Seattle is smart and uses White/Washington/Forsett as a true trio with a 40/30/30 split to the carries, this is going to be at least an NFL average running game, and could easily be above average, even with mediocre blocking.

I didn't talk about it much here at this blog, but I was a huge critic of Schneider for the Tapp and Charlie Whitehurst trades. The latter in particular really got under my skin, because it was an utter failure at negotiation, and when you are the youngest GM in the league in your first gig, that's a pretty worrisome indication of things to come.

After seeing the draft though, I think I owe John Schneider an apology or at least rethink my initial impression of him. Not only was his handling of the draft itself amazing, but the deals he made for White and Washington were simply brilliant, a case of finding a buy low player who fits and fleecing the other team due to odd or uncommon circumstances. Those deals proved to me that Schneider isn't a total moron with trades, and with trades obviously being such a crucial tool for this administration so far, that is a very welcome sign.

I'll cover the Seahawks draft choices pick by pick over the next several days, and when its all done, I'll give a final grade. I thought Seattle had at least arguably the best first two days getting Okung/Thomas/Tate, and when factoring in those two brilliant trades, I think they had at least arguably the best day 3 as well.

Great job.

Positive reviews continue for Seahawks

2010-04-25T13:19:00.003-07:00

By Rob Staton
Although only so much can be drawn from being crowned 'April Champions', the Seahawks are universally being considered as the team who had the best 2010 draft. Mel Kiper gave Seattle top marks and an 'A' grade. Here's more of the same:

Clark Judge says the 2010 NFL Draft will be remembered fondly for one reason: "When Carroll returned to the NFL he insisted on being his own personnel director, and now we know why. Carroll knows what he wants, and he knows how to get it. Welcome back, Pete. Welcome back, Seattle."

Rob Rang projected the Seahawks would draft Jimmy Clausen sixth overall after 'over spending' on Charlie Whitehurst (can we put that to bed now?). Seattle didn't take Clausen as he predicted, but Rang gave the Seahawks a good review anyway: "In terms of immediate impact, as well as long-term potential, there wasn't a better draft in 2010 than Seattle's."

Steve Wyche says Seattle had the most impressive three days at the draft: "The Seahawks' improvement in 2010 will likely hinge on the play of veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck or recently acquired Charlie Whitehurst, but these other moves show that Carroll is serious about having an immediate impact upon his return to the NFL"

Todd McShay and Scouts Inc have calculated a way to rank how the teams drafted based on value. The Seahawks easily came out on top: "Moves to bolster the offensive backfield with veterans only makes this draft better."

Bucky Brooks awards the Seahawks an A+ grade: "Coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider knocked it out of the park in their first draft."

Don Banks is often critical of the Seahawks, but not today: "How can you not like what Pete Carroll and John Schneider have accomplished so far in their Seahawks makeover? Seahawks fever. I might have just caught it."

Don't forget to check out my own analysis of the Seahawks 2010 draft.

2010 Draft in review: Seahawks make a splash

2010-04-25T06:21:00.008-07:00

By Rob Staton
The 2010 NFL Draft is in the books, so let's have a look at Seattle's moves over the last three days and I'll give my opinion on each pick. Mel Kiper gave the Seahawks top marks for their efforts, ranking them #1 and awarding the coveted 'A' grade. Kiper: "Pete Carroll and the new Seahawks regime came out of the gates with a bang. Impact players early, value later, and some trades thrown in. And they were patient!" Here's my take:

Russell Okung (OT, Oklahoma) - #6 overall
Regular visitors to the blog will know my opinion on Okung wasn't as high as others. When I scouted him during the season, there was one game where you could visibly see Okung bouncing around on the sideline firing up his teammates. That same fire and passion never carried over into the actual game. Okung needs to get nasty. There are also some technical flaws that he needs to work on - he grabs rather than punches, he has footwork issues and he needs to maintain concentration levels. He needs to do a much better job in the running game. However, he has possibly the best coach in Alex Gibbs to aid his development. Okung doesn't own the same upside that we saw from the top 2009 tackles and he's a notch below Trent Williams and Anthony Davis in terms of raw potential. However, this is a position where steady and unspectacular is acceptable. If Okung can become a solid pro who perhaps never reaches the elite level, this investment might be justified.

Earl Thomas (S, Texas) - #14 overall
This pick excites me. For starters, he's the kind of prospect Tim Ruskell probably wouldn't consider as a redshirt sophomore and I never felt you could be that selective. It's good to see this franchise is moving into a more open direction. Secondly, I think Thomas is going to be a fantastic addition to this team. He's a ball hawk with great instincts and adds a playmaking dimension to Seattle's defense that is badly needed. When I watched Thomas and Eric Berry, I preferred Thomas. The reason? People say tackling is an issue for the former Longhorn because of his size. However - he is a willing tackler. Yes - he'll lose out in some cases in a physical miss-match, but he'll get his hands on a guy at least and if he gets overpowered, it's not for the want of trying. Berry missed or whiffed on far too many tackles for my liking. Kansas City will pay a kings ransom to Berry. Seattle gets a better all round prospect for me at a lesser cost.

Golden Tate (WR, Notre Dame) - #60 overall
Nobody can argue against Tate's numbers in 2009: 1496 receiving yards, 15 touchdowns. He also added two further rushing scores and this was off the back of a 1080 yard/10 TD second year performance the previous year. His most recent campaign earned him the Biletnikoff Award. When watching tape, it's clear that the numbers maybe don't tell the whole story. Tate isn't big (5'10", 195lbs) and he's built more like a scat back. In switching to receiver from running back, you can see he's not a polished route runner and he body catches a lot. A lot of his completions came in Jimmy Clausen's simplified throwing attack of screens, slants and dump offs. I can never envisage Tate being a true #1 receiver. However, that's not how Seattle intend to use him. He can be a poor-man's Percy Harvin - working screen's, slants and the occasional deep ball. He can take snaps from the backfield and return kicks. When he gets the ball in space, he's a real threat and nobody can argue against his competitive streak. He's a much needed playmaker at a good price.

Round Four - Walter Thurmond (CB, Oregon) and E.J. Wilson (DE, UNC)
I'll come onto the trades later. The Seahawks rolled the dice a little with Walter Thurmond, but felt comfortable doing so with only a fourth rounder at stake. This is a guy who's had serious injury issues and missed the vast majority of the 2009 season. Whether he'll ever be able to stay healthy and play at his best remains to be seen. However, the talent on offer warranted some to discuss Thurmond in the second round bracket. This could be a steal long term or it could been a chance that never pays off. Either way, it was worth the risk considering the price. E.J. Wilson's name was being talked about a lot leading up to the draft and it's no surprise he crept into round four. He'll back up Lawrence Jackson as a bigger body at defensive end (Wilson is listed around 280lbs). His stats aren't amazing (10 sacks in three years starting) but he has a shot to stick around and develop into a decent role player on the depth chart.

Round Five - Kam Chancellor (S, Virginia Tech)
I have quite a bit of VT tape saved (in preparation for next year because they have a QB and a RB I think could go quite high). I'm going to go back and have a good look at Chancellor. Some teams have considered converting him to linebacker due to his size (230lbs, 6'4") and certainly there are aspects of his game (lack of real speed) which would lead you to think that's a real possibility. However, the Seahawks need some size at the safety position. Chancellor brings that - and his willing physicality could pay immediate dividends on special teams. He could have a situational role to play even as a rookie if Seattle want to stack the box - they'll feel more comfortable doing so knowing Earl Thomas is keeping an eye on things. He had two interceptions in each of his last two years for the Hokies (6 overall in his career).

Round Six - Anthony McCoy (TE, USC)
This is an excellent choice. It's also another pick Tim Ruskell would never make. McCoy has had his problems in SoCal. It was reported after the combine that he'd failed a drugs test for Marijuana. He struggled to make academic eligibility and missed USC's bowl game against Boston College due to this. However, you're talking about a guy that, based purely on tape, could've been a high second round pick. He can block, he can get downfield, he has good hands. He's one of the best all-round tight ends in the 2010 class and due to off the field red flags, he was available for a bargain price. The challenge for McCoy is to get focused and try to make on-the-field production his priority. Pete Carroll and his coaching staff will have to keep a close eye on him. If they can do that - the Seahawks might come away with an absolute steal. It wouldn't surprise me if in 3-4 years time McCoy was an established NFL tight end.

Round Seven - Dexter Davis (DE, Arizona State) and Jameson Konz (WR, Kent State)
My knowledge of these two prospects is limited, but Kip did a nice piece on Davis yesterday. He'll be brought into camp to compete with recently acquired Chris Clemons and the other off-season additions to play 'elephant' for Seattle. Konz is big (6'4", 240lbs) and athletic - just what Seattle is looking for from it's receivers. He's a long shot to make the team, but considering his fit for what the Seahawks want at the position, he's well worth a seventh round flier.

The trades - Lendale White, Kevin Vickerson, and Leon Washington
The package of names listed above essentially cost Seattle a 5th round pick. The reputation and 'big name' status of the two running backs makes that an eye-brow raiser to begin with, but even if none of these deals work out it has to be said - the cost was worth the gamble. Pete Carroll knows Lendale White. This is a guy who scored 22 touchdowns in 2007-08. Even in a support role, with Seattle's running game in severe need of a boost it's worth taking a look. Leon Washington is a home run hitter who is an under rated running back and all round playmaker. Will he ever be the same after a serious injury recently? We'll soon find out. Maybe he won't be, or maybe the Seahawks just paid a late round pick for a guy who averaged 5.9 yards per carry in 2008. Kevin Vickerson will add to Seattle's rotation in the interior defensive line. If only one of these trades works out, the price was a bargain.

Conclusion
The Seahawks never fought their board, stayed patient and maximised value throughout the draft. Any lingering concern that the Seahawks gave up too much in the Charlie Whitehurst trade was banished with the depth of talent still available at #60. Seattle filled some serious holes and added a number of starters to their day one roster for 2010. Going forward it'll take some time for the Seahawks to get to where they want to be long term. Not every question has been answered in this draft - but then that was never going to be possible even with two first round picks. This is a fine start to Seattle's new era.

Dexter Davis is a sleeper

2010-04-25T00:30:00.004-07:00

By Kip Earlywine

The next few days, I'll take a closer look at some of Seattle's draft picks. Kam Chancellor, Walter Thurmond and Anthony McCoy are the "big names" from day 3, but who's the sleeper? My vote goes for Dexter Davis. His production in college was on par with Daniel Te'o Nesheim, and while Davis is limited by only being 6'1" and is extremely unlikely to be an NFL superstar, I think he could stick for a relatively long time as a situational pass rusher.

I may not know much about Davis, but I bet Pete Carroll could write the book on him. Davis was a thorn in Carroll's side for 4 years at Arizona State University.

Jeff Byers got a plane ticket!

2010-04-24T22:13:00.004-07:00

So did 14 other guys.

James Brindley, free safety, Utah State.
Marcus Brown, cornerback, Arkansas State.
Kyle Burkhart, tackle, Southern Mississippi.
Jeff Byers, center/guard, USC.
Reggie Carter, outside linebacker, UCLA.
Patrick Devenny, tight end, Colorado.
Kevin Dixon, inside linebacker, Troy.
Demarcus Granger, defensive tackle, Oklahoma.
Quintin Hancock, receiver, Tennessee.
Will Harris, free safety, USC.
Adrian Martinez, center, Colorado State.
Joe Pawelek, inside linebacker, Baylor.
Jacob Phillips, tackle, Belhaven, Miss.
Josh Pinkard, cornerback, USC.
Rob Rose, defensive end, Ohio State.

Demarcus Granger might be a guy to keep an eye on too. He's a 1 tech for a 4-3 defense. A loooong time ago, he was thought to have 1st round talent, but that has been derailed by tons of injuries, character issues, and perhaps even laziness. A big time long shot, but huge upside for a UDFA if he pans out.

Pete Carroll on Seattle's draft

2010-04-24T14:57:00.004-07:00

Pete Carroll has been speaking to ESPN about Seattle's 2010 NFL Draft, including the thought process behind the two first round picks and the decision to trade for Lendale White and Leon Washington.

Chris Sullivan at Seahawk Addicts posts a transcript from the Russell Okung & Earl Thomas press conference today.

Jon Dove offers his day three grades for each pick.

Rob Rang says Seattle took a risk 'worth taking' on Oregon cornerback Walter Thurmond: "Thurmond had been viewed as a second round pick by most scouts until he tore three ligaments in his knee returning the opening kickoff against Cal in the fourth game of the year. His recovery has been going smoothly enough that he worked out for scouts prior to the draft; though he was unable to perform at the Combine."

NFL.com has a page dedicated to Seattle's 2010 draft. Lots of information on offer and in some cases, highlights and analysis.

Walter Cherepinsky and Matt McGuire offer their draft grades. McGuire gives Seattle an 'A'.

Quick, someone buy these men a plane ticket!

2010-04-24T14:43:00.001-07:00

By Kip Earlywine
Sergio Render, Jeff Byers, Tony Washington, Jevan Snead (ouch), Donovan Warren (!!) and Stefon Johnson. You weren't good enough to be Mr. Irrelevant, but by God, you are probably good enough to be a Seattle Seahawk.

So, to recap...

2010-04-24T14:29:00.007-07:00

By Kip Earlywine
Note: this isn't the offseason in total- this is just the list of players that arrived here either in the draft itself or in exchange for a 2010 draft pick.

Here is what the 2010 draft has brought us in total:

Russell Okung
Earl Thomas
Charlie Whitehurst (-next year's 3rd)
Golden Tate
Lendale White (Titans)
Kevin Vickerson (Titans)
Walter Thurmond III
E.J. Wilson
Leon Washington (Jets)
Kam Chancellor
Anthony McCoy
Dexter Davis
Jameson Konz
Robert Henderson (Lions)

...Wow. Not that I expect all 14 of these players to stick, but if theoretically they did, that would mean Seattle remade over 1/4 of their entire roster in just one draft!

I'm exhausted. So I'm going to take a bit of a break. I might have a post up tomorrow on my reaction to the draft. He's a preview- John Schneider and Pete Carroll just killed this one. Great job guys!

Seahawks busy on dramatic day three

2010-04-24T13:39:00.004-07:00

By Rob Staton
Anyone who thought day three of the 2010 NFL Draft would be a quieter affair was sadly mistaken. After two days of drama as round one-through-three unfolded, there was still plenty that happened today to keep interest levels high. Some of the big names went early - nobody expected Mardy Gilyard and Everson Griffen to be around here and they left the board quickly (landing in St. Louis and Minnesota respectively). Bruce Campbell was drafted by the newly thoughtful Raiders, just three rounds lower than everyone expected. In the end, it actually looks like very good value for Oakland on a raw prospect with upside.

But what about the Seahawks? Nobody was more active than Pete Carroll and the front office in Seattle. First, a move down seven spots in the early fourth round which allowed the team to acquire Lendale White and Kevin Vickerson from the Titans. White set the USC record for rushing touchdowns while playing for new Seahawks coach Pete Carroll (notching 52 scores). He's just turned 25 and comes off a season where his carrier dramatically dropped from 303 in 2008 to just 61 in 2009. Before last year, he recorded 1110 yards and seven touchdowns. The year before, he scored fifteen touchdowns.

When they eventually made a pick in the fourth round (111th overall) the Seahawks selected Walter Thurmond (CB, Oregon). He's 5'11" and 189 pounds. Here's Mike Mayock's thoughts on the pick:

"Seattle continues to impress me. In the fourth round, they get one of my favorite corners, Walter Thurmond. He has a history of injuries, but when he's healthy, I gave him a second-round grade. Thurmond will instandly compete at corner, nickel and on special teams." - Mike Mayock, NFL Network

Seattle was back on the clock late in the fourth and added UNC defensive end E.J. Wilson. He's listed at 6'4" and 286lbs. Here's Mayock's thoughts:

"He's a three-year starter at DE for Butch Davis. He's 6-2 1/2, 286, with a 670 pound squat. That's an impressive number, a North Carolina defensive end record. In Seattle, he'll be a base DE that's stout against the run. He needs to develop as a pass rusher." - Mike Mayock, NFL Network

Things became even more interesting at the top of the fifth. With two picks in the round, Seattle found some great value with big strong safety Kam Chancellor. Might as well bring in Mayock again:

"Chancellor is identically sized free safety as Taylor Mays. They're both 6-3, 231. Interesting that Pete Carroll has taken a Mays clone in the fifth round. Chancellor has better movement skills than people realize. He's tough and well-coached out of Virginia Tech. He's an interesting compliment to Earl Thomas, who the Seahawks picked in the first round." - Mike Mayock, NFL Network

But an offense screaming for some playmaking ability was afforded some, when Seattle traded their second fifth round pick (#139) to the Jets for running back Leon Washington. I have to admit - I'm a big fan of Washington's. I had the chance to watch him live against Kansas City recently and he just stood out by a mile. His value has diminished mainly due to a bad leg break last season. He may never be the same. Then again - it's not cost much to find out. If he doesn't work out, the price was worth the risk. The upside is - Seattle just found a dynamic runner/receiver/returner to add to their offense.

But in a day packed with eye brow raising moves, the next is maybe my favorite. The Seahawks took Anthony McCoy (TE, USC) in the sixth round. I have said on this blog many time - I'm a fan. He has off the field issues, that is why he fell. For me, he has the talent to match a late first or early second round grade. He is an absolute steal here. Now - if he doesn't improve his work ethic or if he doesn't want this badly enough, it won't work out. However, this is again such a low cost to find out. These are the kinds of picks Tim Ruskell would never make. It's not just Ruskell, because clearly a lot of teams dropped McCoy from their boards. However, I love this pick and he's one to keep an eye on going forward.

With their final two picks the Seahawks selected Dexter Davis (DE, Arizona State) and Jameson Konz (WR, Kent State) in round seven.

Whether the overall quality and depth of this draft will lead to on-field pro-production remains to be seen, but the 2010 draft will go down as a highly eventful one to say the least. Not least for the Seattle Seahawks, under the stewardship of Pete Carroll and John Schneider for the first time. Let me know your thoughts on Seattle's 2010 draft in the comments section.

2010 Draft: Day Three

2010-04-24T06:13:00.004-07:00

We'll update the picks as they come in today, let me know your thoughts.

-Seahawks trade back in round four for a package that includes Lendale White.

-Walter Thurmond, corner back from Oregon, taken in round four.

-Seahawks take E.J. Wilson a defensive end from UNC.

-Another big trade, a 5th rounder for Leon washington.

I've been working on an English soccer game today so apologies for lack of analysis. Will have a big review up later on all of today's action. Posting via iPhone hasn't been easy. Love the trades.

Seattle's best and most likely options the rest of the way

2010-04-24T01:14:00.007-07:00

By Kip Earlywine

Post hidden for secrecy! (looking for the key under the doormat? click read more)

Its not a secret at all. The two players Seattle will look at the most intently will be Geno Atkins and Mardy Gilyard. We know this because the source told us they would be looked at in round 2, and if not for such an improbable amount of top talent reaching the 60th pick, they would have been considered. Seattle is catching a ton of breaks, and to be honest, I'm pretty shocked Gilyard is still available. Atkins surprises me less, but he's a fantastic value this late as well.

(WR) Mardy Gilyard: (click name for link). Gilyard becomes a luxury pick of sorts with Tate already taken, but as they say: "you can never have too many wide-receivers" and Gilyard fits Bates scheme even better than Tate does. Gilyard reminds me so much of Deion Branch, and Branch is a strong scheme fit for Bates.

(DT) Geno Atkins: Atkins is a 3 tech DT that shows promise and is one of the most athletic 3's in the entire draft. Seattle still badly needs a DT.

However, I wouldn't consider either of these guys a shoe in at #104. Just like at #60, there are still superior prospects available, and if that doesn't blow your mind, it should.

Among them are two guys that were on my unpublished pre-draft blacklist: Everson Griffen and Bruce Campbell. However, there's a funny thing about blacklists: they have an expiration date. For as much as I would have hated taking them in the 1st round, the 2nd round is a different animal, and by the 4th round, suddenly those aspects I didn't like seem pretty appealing.

(DE) Everson Griffen: Its such an obvious comparison that I hate making it, but seriously, Griffen is Lawrence Jackson 2.0, although Griffin possesses perhaps even more athleticism and pass rush potential. Jackson may have been a reach in the 1st round, but Griffen is a massive steal in the 4th. And really, Griffen is probably a better prospect too. Griffen's pass rush moves need refinement, but at least he shows some faint signs, whereas Jackson was all bull-rush from day 1 (he's since started working in a mini-edge rush with some very minor results). Griffen played a lot of RDE at USC, and that is exactly what Seattle needs. And obviously, Griffen fits Carroll's criteria of having big, super-athletic defensive ends. Do I think he'll be a 10 sack guy? Heck no. But he could very easily become a 5-8 sack guy with a well rounded game who never misses time. And that's a massive bargain with a 4th rounder.

(T) Bruce Campbell: Even in my critique, I couldn't hide my fondness for Bruce Campbell. I did not actually scout Campbell, so I'm sure the persistent chants of "ugly tape" from Mayock to McShay probably ring true, but as it happened, I never saw that ugliness they talked about. It wasn't just highlight packages either, but random samplings from games. Everything I saw impressed me more than it alarmed me. What bothered me about Campbell wasn't his performance on the field, but rather his lack of time on it. He missed just a ton of time from injuries. Campbell has only started 17 games and played in 21, which is a Mark Sanchez-esque number.

Campbell isn't just a combine hero. He has legitimately elite pass pro talent and potential, and his run blocking is solid and trending towards good. He's too risky for any team needing a left tackle starter right away, but for a team willing to sit him for a year or two, he's a potential all-pro tackle waiting to happen. I know we've talked about how Tony Washington could make such an appealing long term project for Seattle in the 4th round, but Bruce Campbell is like Tony Washington on steroids. If Seattle passes on Bruce Campbell, especially with Alex Gibbs' coaching skills on tap, they better have a damn good reason for it. My only complaint about Campbell was the risk factor. But with Seattle already having brought Okung on board to address the tackle issue, and with Campbell having the low risk factor of a 4th round pick and contract, I say: why the hell not? Talk about an insane risk/reward scenario.

Other guys I'm hoping/anticipating the will Seahawks consider (TE, QB, LB, FB and special teams are not being listed, but may possibly be considered):

In the secondary:

(SS) Reshad Jones: Jones is a do-everything safety who was one of the very few bright spots (along with Geno Atkins) on a dreadful Georgia defense. Before the draft, I would have happily taken Jones at #60. He's very complete for a strong safety. In fact, if given the choice, I'd probably take Jones over Taylor Mays. This selection would allow Seattle to play Earl Thomas where he belongs, at FS, and gives the team the depth it needs for the position.

(SS) Larry Asante: A very experienced and highly dependable safety from Nebraska who would be a threat to start immediately alongside Thomas. I probably wouldn't take Asante in the 4th round the way this draft is going, but he could make a ton of sense in round 5.

(SS) Barry Church: Has great size, but painfully lacks speed. Might be drafted very late and given some looks as a coverage LB.

(CB) Akwasi Owusu-Ansah: Owusu-Ansah is a toolsy (6'1", 4.3 forty) CB prospect with the added bonus of some solid return ability. So far Schneider has avoided an Al-Davis type pick, but I'd say Owusu-Ansah could potentially be on the radar at some point.

(CB) Donovan Warren: Warren reminds me a lot of Malcolm Jenkins. He has no business being a 4th or 5th round pick, and yet he will be.

(CB) Perish Cox: I don't know much about him, but he's yet another CB who fits the 6' profile and should be available.

On the defensive line:

(DT) Arthur Jones: Other than Atkins, Jones strikes me as the other best remaining DT option. He's had some injuries, and with so much good talent being pushed back, Jones might find himself still waiting well into the 5th round. If Seattle is out of options, Jones could be a worthwhile gamble.

(DE) Corey Wootton: Wootton is a bit like Atkins in that he's a buy low player who was once considered an exceptional talent. If the FO buys into Atkins because of past success, its possible they might strongly consider Wootton as well.

(DE) Greg Hardy: This time last year, Hardy was a hot tip to be the first DE taken in the draft. Hardy responded by gaining weight, half-assing it through the last 365 days, and taking his diva/drama queen status to new heights. I haven't seen many prospects so emphatically destroy their draft stock like Hardy has. Its almost like he's doing it on purpose. Seattle was hot and heavy for Brandon Marshall and also had internal discussions over Marshawn Lynch, so obviously character comes in pretty low on the priorities totem pole. With the left tackle debacle fixed, Seattle's biggest remaining need by far is DE, and I could potentially see Seattle and Hardy being a likely pairing at some point in the draft. Hardy possesses first round talent, and there's nothing wrong with taking a gamble on a pick with a mid-late rounder.

On the offensive line:

(G) Mitch Petrus: One of the few remaining guards that fits the Gibbs profile to a tee while also having more than 7th round talent. Petrus played RG for a good run blocking line at Arkansas and certainly did his part, making many a pancake block.

(G) Sergio Render: Once a very highly touted guard that played for a zone offensive line, Render has been under the radar all offseason long, and that has led to an unsurprising draft day slide. Render has a build and a reliance on strength that reminds me a bit of Rob Sims. Sims was just traded away for peanuts for not fitting Gibbs preferences. Like Sims, Render is 6'3" so he meets the height requirements. It perhaps helps Render's chances of consideration that he's recently lost a bit of weight. He's now down in the 310 range from about 320 before.

(G/C) Jeff Byers: Byers is a talented interior lineman with zone experience and Pete Carroll ties.

(T) Tony Washington: I'd rather gamble on Bruce Campbell, but Tony Washington would also make for a rock solid developmental pick. He has the tools of a first rounder and meets the Gibbs criteria.

(T) Ed Wang: This pick seems a bit less likely now since the appeal of Wang is that he could start sooner than the other mid rounders, but if the team wants depth at tackle, its hard to go wrong here.

(T) Jason Fox: Similar to Wang, Fox is less likely now that the team is set at tackles and looking for developmental depth.

(T) Selvish Capers: Some think that Capers could be a great RT. I see more of a left tackle skillset, but regardless, Capers is a project with a lot of talent. He fits what the Seahawks and Alex Gibbs will be looking for.

Wide receivers:

(WR) Mike Williams: Williams might be the only player left I still wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole. This is a guy who cheated on his tests, quit on his team (seriously, walked off the team), gained 10-15 lbs in the offseason and then bombed the combine. He's fools gold for whoever takes him. That said, he fits the Bates profile quite well and might be considered in the late rounds.

(WR) Riley Cooper: A big, athletic WR who finally started to produce up to his potential late last season.

(WR) Dezmon Briscoe: A polished looking and productive WR with above average size. Could be a late round steal and as such, might interest the Seahawks. A rich man's Freddie Barnes.

Running backs:

(RB) Anthony Dixon: A bruising inside rusher with a deceptively good top gear. Dixon is probably the best remaining RB option for the Seahawks at this point.

(RB) Joe McKnight: McKnight has all the tools you look for in a Gibbs back. I really like McKnight, but I don't think Carroll feels the same way. McKnight couldn't stay on the field because of injuries, and he fumbled more than he should have when he was on it. Hardly the model of consistency. I would happily select McKnight in the 4th round, but I doubt Carroll even gives him a phone call in the unlikely event McKnight goes undrafted. Stuff like that tends to get on a coach's nerves.

(RB) Jonathan Dwyer: Dwyer is probably the best value of the remaining RBs, but something about him just doesn't seem right in a Gibbs system. It wouldn't shock me at all though if Seattle takes him.

(RB) Deji Karim: Karim is built like a cannon ball and runs like it too. He's 210 lbs. while also being a mere 5'9". He also runs a 4.3 forty. I don't think this guy would have much trouble slipping through creases at the line, to say the least. Karim could make a ton of sense for Seattle in the 6th round.

(RB) Charles Scott: Scott is fairly similar to Anthony Dixon, and may be considered at some point. He's kind of like a mini Jerome Bettis.

(RB) Lagarrette Blount: Blount doesn't impress me much and seems like a better fit in a man scheme, but he could be a desperation option for the Seahawks in the 7th round.

(Not so) Quick thoughts on rounds 2 and 3

2010-04-23T23:16:00.011-07:00

By Kip Earlywine
Wow. This is a deep, deep draft. The looming threat of a 2011 rookie salary cap enticed a lot of talented underclassmen to declare early and man... does it show. The 2nd round this year saw several legit 1st round talents, including a potential top 10 pick QB. Even at #60, a pick we assumed would be table scraps, the Seahawks options were headlined by Golden Tate, Damian Williams, Brandon Lafell, Bruce Campbell (!), Everson Griffen (!!), and Charles Brown (!!!)... all of whom had been mocked in the 1st round at some point by most experts. Going into the 2nd round today, Seattle was hoping to target Gilyard and Atkins, but with such a buffet line of 1st round talent staring them in the face, it was like having a 3rd first round pick... at #60.

Not to begrudge Deion Butler, but if I had a time machine, I'd go back and tell Tim Ruskell NOT to pull the trigger on the trade that brought Butler here. I could explain in great detail why that pick was probably unwise at the time, but I've got a lot to cover tonight so instead I'll just say that losing the 3rd this year caused a lot of problems.

Firstly, it complicated the Charlie Whitehurst trade. AJ Smith put John Schneider over a barrel due to the Seahawks lacking a 3rd round pick. Schneider also failed to negotiate properly, which didn't help- but if we had that 3rd rounder, the most we would have paid would be the 3rd, and given the way RFA trades usually go, it definitely could have been for even less. But since we didn't own that 3rd, and because Schneider was so eager for Whitehurst, the result was a 20 pick drop in the 2nd round in addition to a future 3rd.

It was reported today that the Seahawks very nearly took Jimmy Clausen at #14. The Hawks had Earl Thomas #1 on their board, and Clausen was #2. When Philly traded up, they assumed it was for Thomas, but when Graham was selected instead, the Seahawks celebrated and nabbed the Texas safety. Jimmy Clausen amazingly reached the 40th pick in the draft, meaning if the Whitehurst trade had never happened, or if the Deion Butler trade had never happened, Jimmy Clausen could be wearing Seahawks blue as we speak. I know many of us (myself included) badly want Jake Locker to get that honor, but potentially missing out on Clausen with such great pick value is a bit of a bummer, especially after seeing his arm strength improve recently.

Seattle could have traded up for Clausen, but with the price tag probably being the #60 and both 4th rounders in such an insanely deep draft, I think the Seahawks did absolutely the right thing staying put. And while I'd take Clausen over any of the options that reached #60, Golden Tate is a terrific pick. It wouldn't shock me at all if in 5 years, Tate has the most NFL receiving yards of this draft class.

Anyway, here's my thoughts on the rest of the 2nd/3rd rounds, bullet point style:

Brian Price needed to go to a 4-3 team, specifically one that rotates DL much like Seattle does. In that sense, it was justifiable for Tampa to select Price in the early 2nd even after taking McCoy 3rd overall. Justifiable, but still odd.

Al Davis must only be a figurehead nowadays. Rolando McClain and Lamarr Houston? Those are not Al Davis picks. It looks like there may finally be a ray of hope in Oakland.

The Broncos have run zone for well over a decade, but on a whim from team dictator Josh McDaniels, the team blew up its existing zone line and will convert to man scheme this offseason. So what does he do to build his new man scheme line? He drafts a classic ZBS guard in Zane Beadles, then drafts a pure ZBS center in JD Walton. I love Walton, but Walton has never played a single snap in a man system. Both weigh 305 lbs; puny by man scheme standards. This combined with the Tebow selection makes Denver the front runner (along with Jacksonville) for the most puzzling 2010 draft to this point.

The steal of the draft, obviously, is Jimmy Clausen to the Panthers. As stupid as any future 1st for a 2nd rounder trade can be (they traded for Everette Brown last year, a pick that became the 17th overall this year), Carolina has to feel like they got off scot free this time. There are going to be a lot of regretful teams 5 years from now. Among them the Vikings, who somehow believed that Toby Gerhart was worth a 2nd round selection, but Jimmy Clausen was not. Unbelievable.

Taylor Mays was apparently led on by Pete Carroll, and he completely expected to be the pick at #14. That's actually pretty understandable- until we were blessed with that FO leak a few weeks back, I thought Mays was as good as a Seahawk at #14. Mays ended up a 49er instead, a calculated move. Mays wasn't just a good value pick for them, but came with the added value of knowing Pete Carroll and Jeremy Bates playbooks at USC. I don't think that's going to be a big deal, but it could be something. He also has a massive chip on his shoulder and has already publicly lashed out against his former coach. I smell a rivalry brewing.

What is it with teams swooping in front of the Seahawks this year? At both #14 and #60, two different teams traded up immediately in front of Seattle to take players at positions Seattle was believed to be pursuing. First it was Ryan Mathews and Brandon Graham at #12 and #13, then it was Ben Tate and Montario Hardesty at #58 and #59. Thank goodness none of those teams read this blog, because none of those players were being seriously considered by the Seahawks. I was a little bummed to see Hardesty go though. I was starting to become optimistic he'd reach the 4th.

Charles Brown was nearly a 3rd rounder. Wow. I know he had a neck/back issue that came up at the last minute, but seriously? The New Orleans Saints won the Superbowl, and without moving picks, they ended up with Patrick Robinson and Charles Brown. Say it with me: this is the deepest draft in years.

I was disappointed to see such a big run on interior linemen today. Jon Asamoah and JD Walton were expected, but Zane Beadles, Mike Johnson and Shawn Lauvao (!) were not. I was really hoping for Lauvao in the 5th or 6th. Seeing him go in the 3rd was pretty surprising. Mitch Petrus is the only guy left that makes perfect sense for Gibbs. Render could be a fuzzy fit, but I don't know if Gibbs will completely sign off on him. Seattle has a tough choice ahead of them, with some incredible value staring them in the face at #104 (Gilyard, Atkins, etc), do they take BPA or do they take a guard before its too late? This may be a deep draft, but its not deep for zone guards, and the well is almost dry.

The Titans have to be thrilled with Derrick Morgan at #16, but nearly as big a coup was getting Damian Williams in the mid-3rd round. Too bad they blew the hat trick by wasting their 3rd pick on Rennie Curran.

I can't help but wonder about what probably would have happened to Daniel T'eo Nesheim or Donald Butler if not for Steve Sarkisian and Nick Holt's impact at UW this year. Both were expected to be future UDFA's last September, and here they are both going in the 3rd round. Butler actually deserves it, and DTN almost does, but still, good for them. And good for you, Sark.

The Seahawks potential options at #104 are almost as loaded as the options at #60. The Seahawks could very well be choosing between the same two players they hoped would reach #60.. at #104. Seattle is catching a lot of breaks in this draft, but credit where credit is due, John Schneider does not miss lay-ups. I'll have a post up later about the Seahawks top options the rest of the way.

Seahawks draft Tate in round two

2010-04-23T19:21:00.004-07:00

By Rob Staton
The Seattle Seahawks drafted Golden Tate in an unpredictable second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. A number of big names failed to leave the board early on - the most noticeable being Jimmy Clausen who eventually landed in Carolina. Seattle sat tight as it became clear there would be great value by the 60th overall pick and chose the Notre Dame playmaker. Interesting to note Houston and Cleveland both jumping ahead of the Seahawks to draft running backs, but it remains to be seen if either Ben Tate or Montario Hardesty were likely options at #60.

So what about Tate? I think this is about par value for him in terms of a grade. He's a coverted running back who's best quality is getting the ball in his hands in space. He's not a polished route runner or a likely deep threat. Physically he's not big but he's a fighter who will make his presence known. I would suggest his role in Seattle will be similar to Percy Harvin's in Minnesota. Tate will likely return kicks and have the occasional rush attempt. He'll take catches out of the slot and run screens and slants. Whether he develops into more remains to be seen.

Tate won the 2009 Biletnikoff Award for college football's top receiver. Michael Crabtree had won it the previous two years, whilst Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald are also former winners. Bobby Engram was the original winner in 1994. I've posted a highlights video of Tate below. You can also find out more about each prospect taken by Seattle on the right hand side bar by clicking each image.

2010 NFL Draft: Day Two

2010-04-23T14:54:00.053-07:00

ROUND 2

#33 St Louis: Roger Saffold (OT, Indiana)
The Rams have book end tackles now, so protecting Sam Bradford is clearly a priority. They have a good offensive line, a good running back and now a franchise quarterback.

#34 Minnesota: Chris Cook (CB, Virginia)
Clausen sees another destination drift away. There was a lot of talk of Cook going to Minnesota leading up to the draft.

#35 Tampa Bay: Brian Price (DT, UCLA)
The Buccs take a partner for Gerald McCoy. That's an expensive interior defensive line and a bad offense, but I like both their picks.

#36 Kansas City: Dexter McCluster (RB, Ole Miss)
I don't like this choice. Ole Miss wanted a Percy Harvin last year, but shut him down as a wide out after a number of poor performances. He excelled as a pure runner late in the year, but I think he's too small to do that in the NFL.

#37 Philadelphia: Nate Allen (S, USF)
The Eagles clearly preferred the combo of Brandon Graham & Nate Allen over Earl Thomas and Everson Griffen.

#38 Cleveland: T.J. Ward (S, Oregon)
Interesting choice and a bit of a surprise. I'm not surprised Colt McCoy didn't go here, or Clausen for that matter. This is good value for Clausen now, but McCoy isn't worth a pick in round two.

#39 Tampa Bay: Arrelious Benn (WR, Illinois)
The Buccs spend a 5th rounder to move up a few spots. They absolutely had to find a weapon for Josh Freeman, they get a big target.

#40 Miami: Koa Misi (OLB, Utah)
Parcells pick #2, very steady scheme fit. The big names keep dropping. This pick previously belonged to Seattle.

#41 Buffalo: Torrell Troup (DT, UCF)
This guy is a nose tackle and the Bills are switching to a 3-4 scheme. Clausen keeps falling, he's running out of options. I never thought he was a Chan Gailey guy.

#42 New England: Rob Gronkowski (TE, Arizona)
The Pats move up to take Gronkowski who fills a need for New England.

#43 Baltimore: Sergio Kindle (OLB, Texas)
Chaos reigns as nobody knows whether New England made the trade in time and a backlog occurs. Baltimore take Sergio Kindle who falls because of injury concerns.

#44 Oakland: Lamarr Houston (DT, Texas)
Two Longhorns go back-to-back. Got to say - very impressed with Oakland's draft so far. Great pick, a potential Seahawks target maybe?

#45 Denver: Zane Beadles (OG, Utah)
Does he play guard? Center? Bit of a surprise this one because Beadles would've possibly been around a bit later. They obviously like him a lot and not J.D. Walton.

#46 New York Giants: Linval Joseph (DT, East Carolina)
I like the value, but surprised it was the Giants who made the move. He's a potential nose tackle. There's still time for this to change, but I anticipated Cody falling out of round two. Will it happen?

#47 Arizona: Daryl Washington (OLB, TCU)
The Cardinals make a big move, paying a third rounder to New England to select Washington.

#48 Carolina: Jimmy Clausen (QB, Notre Dame)
The Panthers take a shot on the guy nobody wanted. This is great value and well worth the risk. If he fails here, the cost is minimal. Definitely worth a go.

#49 San Francisco: Taylor Mays (S, USC)
The run on 'big names' begins. Mays is a Singletary guy and that 49ers team gets another nasty hitter. If only they had a quarterback, they'd be some team.

#50 Kansas City: Javier Arenas (CB, Alabama)
Got to say, I'm not impressed with the way the Chiefs have drafted under Pioli. This is another head scratcher - I like Arenas, but this is very early for a limited corner prospect.

#51 Minnesota: Toby Gerhart (RB, Stanford)
The Vikings trade with the Texans to grab Toby Gerhart. That's a nice compliment to Adrian Peterson. Houston, needing a back, preferred to move down.

#52 Pittsburgh: Jason Worilds (OLB, Virginia Tech)
Scheme fit guy, nice edge rush who was in that late second/early third range.

#53 New England: Jermaine Cunningham (OLB, Florida)
The NFL Network has crashed, just as Seattle are preparing their pick at #60. The Pats take an edge rusher and they needed one.

#54 Cincinnati: Carlos Dunlap (DE, Florida)
The risk here is limited, the reward is high.

#55 Dallas: Sean Lee (LB, Penn State)
The Cowboys trade up from #59 to get Philly's pick and take Sean Lee.

#56 Green Bay: Michael Neal (DT, Purdue)
The Packers continue to build around their 3-4 defense. Seattle on the board soon - keep an eye on Geno Atkins and Mardy Gilyard.

#57 Baltimore: Terrance Cody (DT, Alabama)
Cody offers some depth up front for the Ravens. He needed to land on a team like this where his work load can be managed.

#58 Houston: Ben Tate (RB, Auburn)
The Texans trade back up to select Ben Tate. I'm a big fan of Tate, he could have an immediate impact as a rookie. This was an obvious fit.

#59 Cleveland: Montario Hardesty (RB, Tennessee)
Holmgren trades with Philly to get above Seattle and take Hardesty. Both Houston and Cleveland wanted to get above Seattle to take a running back. I like Hardesty, but his injury history worries me. I got this wrong though, I thought he'd go later.

#60 Seattle: Golden Tate (WR, Notre Dame)
I didn't like Tate in round one. Here - it's less of a gamble. He can be a playmaker and he's a fighter. They'll be creative with Tate and use him as a runner, slot guy, and receiver. The Seahawks needed a spark on offense. The value at #60 overall was immense, so we can put to bed any concerns about the Whitehurst trade.
Watch the Seahawks select Golden Tate in round two here

#61 New York Jets: Vladimir Ducasse (OT, UMass)
The Jets were expected to explore the possibility of adding a lineman.

#62 New England: Brandon Spikes (LB, Florida)
A football player. Forget the physical numbers, he'll just go out there and make tackles. I like this pick for New England.

#63 Indianapolis: Pat Angerer (LB, Iowa)
I thought this would be Charles Brown's home. Obviously there's something we don't know about that is dropping him. He's too good to still be here. Everson Griffen is a big shock too.

#64 New Orleans: Charles Brown (OT, USC)
I'm glad to see Brown off the board. They say a medical (neck) issue led to a fall. He found a good home.

ROUND 3 REVIEW
Carolina are the epitome of how deep this draft is. They don't own a first round pick, don't make any moves and still get Jimmy Clausen and Brandon LaFell. Cleveland have taken Colt McCoy - although in round three I still think it's a reach. I just don't see McCoy ever starting in the NFL. The Bears made their first selection, taking one of my favorite prospects - Florida safety Major Wright. USC's Damian Williams landed in Tennessee, which is a good fit for both parties. The Broncos also found good value in the continuation of their offensive rebuild, taking J.D. Walton. Everson Griffen remains on the board after an unprecedented slump.

LIVE: NFL Draft (Rounds 2-3)

2010-04-23T13:37:00.002-07:00

As with yesterday, we'll have instant analysis on all of the second round picks made today. I'll provide a summary of round three picks. The Seahawks own the 60th overall selection and after that, are not set to pick again until Saturday with two fourth rounders. Will they make a move? It's been speculated that the reason they accumulated picks in rounds 4-7 was to get the ammunition to move up today. This is an immensely talented round two, but there will be a drop off (and potentially a substantial one) in rounds 3-4. Guaranteeing the guy you want today might be wise at the expense of picks later - you could say, quality over quantity.

So what should the Seahawks do? Stay put and see what happens? Trade up with a lot of big name talent on the board? Consider a deal for a current NFL veteran like Marshawn Lynch, as speculated in some quarters (and rejected in others)? Let me know what you think in the comments section and stay tuned to Seahawks Draft Blog for instant live analysis as the picks come in.

What we said... Jimmy Clausen

2010-04-23T08:00:00.003-07:00

Jimmy Clausen is still on the board at the start of round two. Initial thoughts? The Rams own a figurative 'golden egg' right now, with every team in the NFL knowing they can guarantee a big name, big talent at a very reasonable cost by trading for the Rams pick. Dunlap, Mays, Griffen, Kindle, Brown and Clausen - take your pick. The importance of the quarterback position and Clausen's availability in particular could mean a big move to start round two. The worst case scenario for St. Louis will be having to use the pick on the plethora of quality still on the board.

However, it's no surprise to me that Clausen faces this situation. When I watched Clausen, my review wasn't great. On November 16th last year, I severely criticised Clausen's physical and technical qualities:

"Now, it's easy to see why Clausen has put up nice numbers this year. He doesn't make a lot of bad decisions in the short game that lead to interceptions. A lot of his passes are high percentage outside slants and we have to remember that he's throwing to two of the better receivers in college football - Michael Floyd and Golden Tate. But I saw no evidence of a guy who can come into the NFL and put up big numbers quickly. He can't keep throwing the same outside slant every week to the same guys, occasionally floating passes downfield hoping something comes off. He'll be an interception machine throwing downfield like that." - 11/16/09

When I began to project mock drafts, I left Clausen out of round one:

"What about Jimmy Clausen? When I've scouted the Notre Dame quarterback this year, I've not been impressed. He has mechanical issues with a low, side arm throwing motion which often leads to deflected passes. Clausen loses all velocity throwing off his back foot - which can be often. The vast majority of his passes are high percentage outside slants to two of the most productive receivers in college football - he hasn't shown an ability to make a deep range of NFL throws. I think this will be enough to put teams off at the top of the board and he could suffer a substantial fall." - 12/9/09

Whilst other more high profile draft commentators projected a fall due to Clausen's off-field character, I never really took that into much account. For me, the Notre Dame quarterback just didn't have enough to his game physically or technically to warrant a high pick. The evidence from yesterday is - teams in need of a quarterback felt the same way. Although some teams (and I include Seattle in this) seemingly left Clausen out of consideration for unspecified red flags, I'm also not sure anyone felt convinced that this guy would come into the NFL and succeed.

The importance of the position and severe need for quarterbacks (including in Seattle) motivated many (myself included) to perhaps push Clausen into consideration. In hindsight, we should've trusted our initial judgements. Todd McShay had a well publicised battle with Mel Kiper on Clausen, with McShay touting a fall for the quarterback. By the draft, both McShay and myself had Clausen in round one. Here's what I wrote on January 13th:

"We know new regimes often mean new quarterbacks. It's entirely plausible that Pete Carroll and his staff will seriously consider drafting a rookie quarterback for the future. Matt Hasselbeck is approaching the final of year of his contract - he'll be 35 by the time the 2010 season is over. As former GM Tim Ruskell admitted last year (before passing on Mark Sanchez), the Seahawks are "in the zone" with regard to finding a long term answer at the position. If indeed Carrol was enamoured by Clausen's skills in high school he may wish to create a working relationship in the NFL." - 1/13/10

Yet, in the same article, I added:

"Amongst my previous concerns with Clausen has been his lack of range in the passing game. Against Stanford, he registered thirty pass attempts. Of these, thirteen were short slants to the left or right to one of Michael Floyd or Golden Tate. Two were shovel passes and two were check down's through the middle. Clausen threw five screen passes. The remaining eight attempts were a combination of a failed hail mary to end the game, three deep corner routes, a pass thrown away, an end around trick, a fade left and a 20 yard attempt down the middle.

"I've noticed that a lot of throws made by Clausen are outside slants to Floyd or Tate. Nearly 50% of his passes were this high percentage outside slant, quickly thrown off the snap to one of the talented receivers in a lot of space. 73% of his throws were ten yards or shorter. The stats for the year are very good, but when you're throwing a lot of high percentage throws for short yardage in a quick hitting offense - it's no surprise. You're going to complete passes, you're not going to throw interceptions.

But of more concern is that Clausen will become predictable and easy to gameplan if he can't make 'all the throws'. A top ten quarterback needs to be able to get the ball downfield as well as show great short range accuracy." - 1/13/10

In the end, I wasn't surprised that Clausen dropped as far as he has. It might be to do with character concerns, it could be something not known to any of us. However, I have to believe that Clausen's overall game is one of the main reasons why he starts round two without a home.

Some more inside info on the 1st round

2010-04-23T04:41:00.003-07:00

By Kip Earlywine

Just thought I'd pass it along:

"A few minor tidbits that may interest some...
final big board rankings through our first pick:
1.Suh
2.McCoy
3.Bradford
4.Williams
5.Okung
6.Berry

I didn't know how the Hawks rankings on Okung vs Williams until very very recently. Okung has a lower ceiling but higher floor then Williams. Trade value was down this year for moving down, teams were unwilling to deal future ones. Concern was Dallas may trade with San Fran for Earl Thomas, whom the Hawks zeroed in on in the past few days. That didn't happen but there was major concern when Philly moved there apparently, followed by relief when Thomas wasn't the pick. Morgan would have been the pick if Thomas was gone, not a shocker, but Thomas was decidedly the higher ranked prospect. Though everyone says Gibbs makes good OL out of mid level talent, a major selling point on getting him here is the org would use a high pick on a LT if the board fell that way without a reach happening. Though he really wanted Williams, apparently he is fine with Okung. (I haven't had a detailed conversation yet involving Okung.) PC was never going to be blinded by USC products like some suspected. Just the opposite, he knows all their flaws and limitations. I didn't post all this info, some I just messaged to someone here I trusted, but it was pretty accurate now that round one is complete."

The 2010 first round: more awesome than I expected

2010-04-22T21:29:00.021-07:00

By Kip Earlywine
Today was much more exciting than I thought it would be. Maybe its because in a typical draft, I have an intimate understanding of 5-10 players, whereas this year it was about 60. Knowing a player and coming to my own conclusions on them makes for a very different viewing experience. In past years, I'd just look at "Kiper's Best Available" and think "we should get player X because he's high on the list and fits a need!" This year, I had a more personal understanding, not only of the prospects but of the Seahawks specific schemes as well. I can't express how different and amazing that makes the draft feel.

To read the rest of Kip's analsysis, click 'read more'.

To me there were 4 crucial non-Seahawks teams to watch during picks 1-13. The Chiefs, the Jaguars, the Chargers, and the Eagles. The Chiefs held the keys to one of Eric Berry, Russell Okung, or Trent Williams (if he had lasted that far). The Jaguars were the biggest obstacle for Derrick Morgan reaching the 14th pick. The Chargers and Eagles did not pick ahead of the Seahawks, but they were still critically important because they were the two teams most likely to make a deal at #14. So when the Chargers traded up with Miami and the Eagles swung that deal with the Broncos, that dealt a pretty big blow to the Seahawks, even though none of the players taken were on Seattle's radar.

My mock draft was looking pretty good through 4 picks. Trent Williams was the pick at #4, as Rob Rang revealed yesterday. That meant that KC would choose between Okung and Berry. I expected Berry to be the pick, which meant Okung would be at the top of Carroll's big board at #6, and thus a semi-obvious pick there. That's how things played out and with the 6th pick in the draft...

My mock was perfect through 6. I was pretty excited.

Haden was my first mistake at #7, a totally understandable pick. In retrospect, I probably should have mocked Haden there- it was a pretty obvious selection beforehand.

Then all hell broke loose. Al Davis is famous for being crazy and unpredictable, but no one had the Raiders taking Rolando McClain before the draft. Buffalo's pick was just as shocking. With Clausen, Bulaga, and Davis all still available, they took CJ Spiller. Then came Jacksonville- the most crucial non-Seahawk pick in the draft, in my opinion. The whole time this pick was up, I was chanting "please not Morgan!"

As I've alluded to in the past, I used to play left tackle in high school and briefly for a division II college. Part of being a great lineman is being fast off the snap- and one of the techniques to achieve that is listening for the first sound. In other words, you don't fire off when you hear "HUT!", you fire off at 100 mph when you hear "h....". Jacksonville's card comes in, and I'm standing, leaning over really, in my living room waiting for the first sound, the "D" in Derrick Morgan. Goodell begins to speak. I'm 99% certain I'm going to hear that D, but instead, "T," as in Tyson.... wait who? Tyson Jackson?! I was so breathless I had to rewind my DVR. Tyson Alualu.

Tyson Alualu.

Unreal.

This is, without a doubt, the most inexplicable and surprising top 10 pick I can remember ever seeing, and it had the added bonus of aiding the Seahawks.

What made it all the more incredible is that Jacksonville does not own a 2nd rounder, so in the first two rounds, all they'll have to show for last year's 7-9 team is a projected late 2nd round DT. Tim Tebow would have been less of a reach, and completely understandable at #10 in comparison.

Anyway, Jacksonville- you blew my mind. Thank you. Moving on.

Overall, I really liked how the dominoes fell for Seattle today. Other than Suh and McCoy going in the top 3 as expected, I don't think today could have had the picks fall any better than they did. Okung is not highly regarded here at SDB, but he was the consensus #1 LT in the draft, and LT was the Seahawks #1 need. Earl Thomas is not the pick I would have made, and to be honest, I'm a little surprised that Morgan was snubbed, not once but twice. But when the punishment for passing on Derrick Morgan is Earl Thomas, I think I can live with that. Its the difference between an A+ pick and a B+ pick. For months I was living in terror that the team might select JPP, Griffen or Mays with a 1st rounder. I'd probably give the Seahawks first round an "A" just for avoiding those guys with such high picks.

I really have to give Seattle credit for their effort to trade. They didn't select Okung until a mere 2 minutes remained at #6, and they went to the wire at #14 before selecting Earl Thomas. I wasn't a fan of any of the moves the Seahawks made in free agency really, but I have to say, I love how the Seahawks have handled the draft so far. Dare I say, Carroll/Schneider seem like a savvy drafting duo. Its still early of course, but I was impressed by what I saw today.

Coming in, I assumed that John Schneider was a tools oriented GM ala Al Davis, sans crazy. Instead, he took two relatively moderate tools players, and seriously considered (I'm assuming) a 3rd in Derrick Morgan. Russell Okung is not lacking for tools. He has D'Brickishaw Ferguson-like arms and solid combine measurables. But his ceiling is not as high as Trent Williams, Anthony Davis, or even Bruce Campbell. What makes Okung such a high pick is his combination of good tools and solid polish. He's more NFL ready than the 3 names above, but has better tools than say Bulaga or Brown. I'm rambling here but my point is, Okung is not some raw, all-tools type guy. On the contrary- he's a relatively safe pick with a high floor.

I never previewed Okung, because Kyle had already done a full scouting report early on, and since Kyle and I agree on things 95% of the time, I just moved on and used that energy to cover someone else. In my wholly amateur and half-informed opinion, I really like Okung though, and have from the beginning. There is a smoothness and efficient nature to his movement that really appeals to me. My only real complaint with Okung is that he seems get by with minimum effort. Being efficient and not working harder than you have to is cool and all, but there is simply no such thing as being too scrappy as an offensive lineman. Okung makes a few mental mistakes as well. If someone lights a fire under his ass and beats the mistakes out of him, Okung will very quickly become a near pro-bowl level left tackle. Cue Alex Gibbs. Gibbs is the gift that just keeps giving. All these months later, I'm still stoked that the Seahawks managed to bring him on board.

I've said elsewhere before the draft that Earl Thomas is the draft's safest pick. He has no major flaws in his game. He's a gamer and a leader too. In the preview piece I wrote on Thomas months ago, I compared him to a Tim Ruskell 2nd round pick. That may seem like a slam on a projected mid-1st rounder, but remember that for all his faults, Tim Ruskell was money with his 2nd round picks. Thomas is like that. He's money. He's Lofa Tatupu playing safety. Its fitting then that Earl Thomas would be drafted with a pick gained from Tim Ruskell's final 2nd round pick in Seattle. If Thomas gets any pub at all, I think he's an early front runner to be defensive rookie of the year in 2010.

In the end, I'm happy with these two picks because tackle and safeties with speed tend to age gracefully and enjoy long careers. The Seahawks are many years away from serious contention, so it makes a lot of sense to make the biggest investments in players that have a great chance of contributing over the long haul. Its entirely possible that in 2020, Okung and Thomas may still be contributors for the Seahawks. That's amazing to think about.

What about the rest? Here are some other things of note today (bullet points edition):

Jimmy Clausen goes undrafted through round 1. When I first saw Clausen last year, I figured he'd be a 2nd rounder, but a lot has happened since then and to see him actually land in the 2nd round is stunning. Most shocking of all, is that Minnesota passed on him by trading down. Maybe the Vikings still take him early next round, but if they believe in him enough to take him then, why risk it? When even the Vikings are passing, you know your in trouble. Clausen absolutely made the right decision staying at home. Today would have been agony with the cameras locked on to him after every single selection.

Charles Brown goes undrafted through round 1. Not totally shocking, but I now wish more than ever that the accursed Charlie Whitehurst trade had never been conceived. Seattle would normally be a 4th round toss-in away from either Jimmy Clausen or Charles Brown right now if they still had the #40. Yep, those 20 spots in draft order do matter as it turns out. Hell, if Seattle was offered the #33 for a future 2nd and the #60 so they could move up for one of those guys- I wouldn't bat an eyelid.

Jahvid Best was a bittersweet selection at #30. Best is one of my favorite players in the entire draft, and I was hoping he'd have an improbable slide well into the 2nd round. I never thought he'd reach #60, but I did think he might reach #45 and entice a trade up. On the other hand, I made a bold prediction that Best would be a late 1st round pick (I was only off by 2 spots), so that felt good, and heck- Best deserves first round status. Apparently, concussions didn't bother the Lions at all, just like they didn't bother me. The Lions by the way have a very savvy front office that has made nothing but smart moves since taking over last year. Don't be shocked if the Lions are a force in the near future.

I thought Ryan Mathews was a big reach at #12, but an understandable one. There was no way that Mathews or Spiller would have reached #28, and the opportunity to make a reasonable trade was there. I think the Chargers will be happy with Mathews, but its been a long journey from Mathews from 2nd/3rd round no name to 12th overall pick over the span of 4 months.

Dan Williams fell all the way to Arizona, and Bryan Bulaga fell all the way to Green Bay. Huge bargains. Sometimes picking in the 20's isn't as bad as people think.

San Francisco has to be the favorite to win the division next year. They already have a team loaded with talent on defense and now have by far the most talented offensive line in the division. Joe Staley is a solid left tackle, Mike Iupati is a pro-bowl caliber guard prospect and Anthony Davis is a potential all-pro RT.

Looking ahead to round two, the inside source we've cited (which mentioned Thomas at #14 and hinted at Okung at #6) has the Seahawks looking most seriously at Jahvid Best, Ryan Mathews, Tim Tebow, Mardy Gilyard and Geno Atkins. The first 3 names are already gone. Will Gilyard or Atkins reach #60? Gilyard has probably a 50/50 shot, and Atkins has probably a 60/40 chance I would guess. Since its only a list of two preferred players, and because Seattle has substantial draft ammunition, I think there is a very real chance Seattle trades up once this list of two becomes a list of one. I think either player would make for a nice draft pick, but right now, I'd lean Gilyard. We need WR depth desperately and a quality WR group will help along our next franchise QB, whoever that ends up being. Gilyard is a Deion Branch clone, but at the same time is money on 3rd downs in a manner reminiscent of Bobby Engram.

Instant first round analysis

2010-04-22T20:03:00.006-07:00

By Rob Staton

The Seahawks drafted Russell Okung (OT, Oklahoma State) and Earl Thomas (S, Texas) in round one. We understood that Trent Williams and Eric Berry were big targets, so when they went 4th and 5th overall the Seahawks had to look elsewhere. They still drafted a long term solution at left tackle and a safety. We've voiced some concerns about Okung and Kyle Rota's scouting report is worth a read - but he has a chance to work with Alex Gibbs and that will almost certainly iron out some of the kinks. From the moment I watched Earl Thomas, I felt he showed more potential than Eric Berry and Taylor Mays. That was enhanced upon further review.

Walter Cherepinsky gives Seattle an A grade for the Okung pick and a B for Thomas. Danny O'Neil reports some quotes from line-guru Gibbs on Okung, with the statement essentially that Okung will be 'thrown right in' as a starter. O'Neil also shares some lines from Thomas who says the draft experience was 'surreal'. You can watch the Seahawks select Okung by clicking here, and Thomas by clicking here. For full first round 'as it happened' analysis click here.

There were plenty of shocks and surprises in round one, including plenty of trades. The most surprising for me were undoubtedly the Jaguars taking Tyson Alualu in the top ten, that came from nowhere. Secondly - Denver made a bold move back into round one for Tim Tebow. In 12 months, Josh McDaniels has traded Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall, whilst drafting Demaryius Thomas and Tim Tebow. Interesting times at Mile High.

A number of big names remain on the board. USC's Everson Griffen, Taylor Mays and Charles Brown didn't go in the first round. Sergio Kindle of Texas is available. Offensive lineman Bruce Campbell and Roger Saffold are still there as is Florida's Carlos Dunlap and UCLA's Brian Price. Without doubt though the big storyline is Jimmy Clausen's fall. The question is - where does he land? Kansas City have Charlie Weis - are they an option? Cleveland? Oakland? Buffalo? We asked all these questions in round one and they all passed. Where does he go now? Seahawks Draft Blog was one of the original places to predict a potential Clausen fall out of round one. On December 9th, I posted this mock draft.

The Seahawks could make a move upwards in round two using their two fourth round picks. Defensive line remains an issue and their are good defensive ends available at the top of round two. But there are plenty of options available to Seattle and if they stay put, value remains at #60. Let me know what you thought about the Seahawks taking Okung and Thomas in the comments section and also what Seattle should do in round two.

2010 NFL Draft

2010-04-22T16:09:00.045-07:00

ROUND 1

#1 St Louis: Sam Bradford (QB, Oklahoma)
This pick has been obvious for a long time and is not a surprise. The Rams need a franchise quarterback to build around.

#2 Detroit: Ndamukong Suh (DT, Nebraska)
I never once had Okung picked here, because Suh was the obvious choice. Every move in the off season was geared around taking Suh here.

#3 Tampa Bay: Gerald McCoy (DT, Oklahoma)
With Detroit taking Suh, Tampa Bay were happy to settle for McCoy. He might have the better career.

#4 Washington: Trent Williams (OT, Oklahoma)
Scheme fit and this makes Seattle's choice at #6 a lot easier.

#5 Kansas City: Eric Berry (S, Tennessee)
The new regime in Seattle were dreading this scenario. They wanted Williams or Berry, now both are gone. The Seahawks are on the clock.

#6 Seattle: Russell Okung (OT, Oklahoma State)
Welcome to Seattle, Russell Okung. The Seahawks have a great offensive line coach. Okung has the physical skills, let's hope the two can combine to sufficiently replace the great Walter Jones.
Watch the Seahawks take Russell Okung 6th overall

#7 Cleveland: Joe Haden (CB, Florida)
Haden is a great football player who fills a need in Cleveland's secondary. His best football is to come.

#8 Oakland: Rolando McClain (LB, Alabama)
I had McClain at #5 throughout, this is a much smarter pick than Oakland have made in the past. Coach on the field, can be very good.

#9 Buffalo: C.J. Spiller (RB, Clemson)
I'm higher on Spiller than some. Buffalo clearly don't like Anthony Davis, so their options were limited. They took the best player on their board.

#10 Jacksonville: Tyson Alualu (DT, California)
Nobody expected this - the draft's first major shock. They passed on Derrick Morgan and JPP. Interesting that the Jaguars didn't trade down, they don't own a second round pick.

#11 San Francisco: Anthony Davis (OT, Rutgers)
The Niners make a trade with Denver, swapping #13 for #11 for the price of a fourth rounder. Davis is raw but has major upside. He has the right coach.

#12 San Diego: Ryan Mathews (RB, Fresno State)
The Chargers make a big move, trading #28 for #12. The cost is Seattle's old second rounder at #40 and a fourth rounder. Was this actually to keep Mathews away from Seattle? Why else a trade this big?

#13 Philadelpia: Brandon Graham (DE, Michigan)
Three trades in a row. Again, is this to keep Graham away from Seattle? The cost - two third round picks. Seattle are on the clock.

#14 Seattle: Earl Thomas (S, Texas)
The Seahawks get their corner/safety hybrid. This guy is a playmaker. It seems like Pete Carroll was always sold on a tackle and safety combo. I stand by my opinion on this blog that I preferred Thomas over Berry.
Watch the Seahawks take Earl Thomas 14th overall

#15 New York Giants: Jason Pierre-Paul (DE, USF)
JPP has major upside, it's just whether or not he can match potential with long term production. Unbelievable that Derrick Morgan is still on the board.

#16 Tennessee: Derrick Morgan (DE, Georgia Tech)
This is amazing value for the Titans at their biggest position of need. Tennessee fans should be delighted with this.

#17 San Francisco: Mike Iupati (OG, Idaho)
The Niners, potentially, have an offensive line for the ages. Staley is entrenched, they now have a very good young book end in Davis and a guard with amazing upside.

#18 Pittsburgh: Maurkice Pouncey (C, Florida)
The Steelers finally spend a high pick on their offensive line after years of spoilt mocks. They always find value in Pittsburgh. Falcons pick should be interesting next.

#19 Atlanta: Sean Wetherspoon (LB, Missouri)
I think Wetherspoon is a bit over rated, but he fills a need for the Falcons. There's some big names still on the board. Houston will go cornerback.

#20 Houston: Kareem Jackson (CB, Alabama)
As expected, a cornerback for Houston. They had their pick of the bunch really, with Wilson and McCourty still around too.

#21 Cincinnati: Jermaine Gresham (TE, Oklahoma)
Nobody ever doubted Gresham's talents, it's just those serious knee injuries that worry me. If he was more durable, he'd have gone higher than this even.

#22 Denver: Demaryius Thomas (WR, Georgia Tech)
What a surprise, the Patriots trade down. Interesting choice for Denver, moving Marshall to take a guy with raw talent, but whom worked in a scheme from which we can learn only so much about his talents.

#23 Green Bay: Bryan Bulaga (OT, Iowa)
I projected a fall for Bulaga in my last few mocks. This is par value for a guy who isn't without his faults but will be a solid pro in Green Bay.

#24 Dallas: Dez Bryant (WR, Oklahoma State)
The Cowboys move above Baltimore to get Bryant. This is a great pick by Dallas and a great fit for Bryant.

#25 Denver: Tim Tebow (QB, Florida)
Unbelievable. There was some talk about Denver and Tebow today and it was clearly worth listening to. Denver move back into round one to get the Florida QB. Cutler and Marshall are out, Tebow and Thomas are in. Clausen is still on the board and this has been a drama filled first round.

#26 Arizona: Dan Williams (DT, Tennessee)
Bit of a surprise that Williams lasted this long considering the value of 3-4 nose tackles. Still, this has been a draft full of surprises. Nice value for Arizona who continue their scheme transition. Tebow-mania almost leads ESPN to forget the Cardinals are on the clock.

#27 New England: Devin McCourty (CB, Rutgers)
Interesting choice for the Patriots. They've passed on Odrick and Kindle to add to their secondary.

#28 Miami: Jared Odrick (DE, Penn State)
The Dolphins got a guy they might have considered at #12, they acquired Brandon Marshall and move up in round two. A+.

#29 New York Jets: Kyle Wilson (CB, Boise State)
Rex Ryan loves defensive backs. They continue to add talent to their secondary.

#30 Detroit: Jahvid Best (RB, California)
The Lions trade back into round one to guarantee Jahvid Best. Durability issues aside, Best could be a star - he's a home run hitter. The price wasn't much to move up.

#31 Indianapolis: Jerry Hughes (DE, TCU)
The Colts can't really go wrong with their infrastructure. Hughes is a nice addition who could thrive in that defensive scheme.

#32 New Orleans: Patrick Robinson (CB, Florida State)
He's capable of being very good but makes too many mistakes. Back-to-back first round cornerbacks for the Saints after Malcolm Jenkins in 2008 - does he go to safety now?

LIVE: 2010 NFL Draft

2010-04-22T14:38:00.004-07:00

By Rob Staton
Welcome to the 2010 NFL Draft. Seahawks Draft Blog has live coverage of the event, so why not join us for instant analysis on every pick? As soon as it happens, we'll be talking about it here. Let me know your thoughts on anything that happens today in the comments section. There's still time to make a prediction or ask a question before the draft begins. Hope to hear from you.

Kip's Mock Draft

2010-04-22T12:30:00.007-07:00

By Kip Earlywine
In an uncapped year with so many UFA's becoming RFA's, we've seen a higher than usual amount of trading so far this offseason. Seattle alone has been involved in 5 (!) trades already, and that's not even counting the Brandon Marshall saga. I've never understood why NFL GM's have hesitated to make trades in the past, but because of unique circumstances, teams have awakened to this concept. At least for one offseason. And I think that's awesome... its a useful tool for GMs and fun for fans who are bored during the offseason.

In my very first post at SDB, I talked about my hopes and expectations for the new front office. Part of that was a FO that was aggressive and made a lot of trades. I haven't been the biggest fan of some of the deals, but I do appreciate the effort.

The fever pitch of trading around the NFL seems to be carrying over to the draft- the one time of year trades are actually common in the NFL. In my 20 years of following the NFL, I can't remember a time when there were more rumors flying about draft day trades. The latest rumor is the Cowboys moving up with the 49ers for Earl Thomas, and of course earlier this week we heard about the Eagles looking to move up for a top safety as well. Before that it was Marshawn Lynch being shopped by Buffalo. And of course there are now the rumors about Big Ben. Can you imagine Big Ben in a Seahawks uniform? Apparently the Seahawks are one of the 7 teams to make the call to Pittsburgh. And by the way, this could be serious. Something big is happening.

The point I'm making is... expect a lot of trades, maybe even a historic number of trades this weekend. Its completely conceivable that neither the 6th or 14th picks in the 2010 draft will be made by the Seahawks. As such, I don't expect this mock to be even the slightest bit accurate, but I will present what I believe to be the most likely first 32 picks of the draft... in some kind of magical alternate reality where no team trades its pick and all 32 teams pick as planned. Here we go:

#1 St. Louis: Sam Bradford (QB, Oklahoma)

Something fishy is going on in St. Louis. Normally the team that picks first overall makes their choice days before the draft and signs their guy to a contract. Yet here we are, and the Rams haven't said a lick about what they will do. We've been assuming that the Rams will select Bradford for some time now, but their last minute trade of former high first round DT Adam Carriker to the 'Skins certainly raises eyebrows, especially with the team probably wishing they could take Suh/McCoy if not for a need at QB. Suh going #1 is certainly not out of the question at this stage.

My theory is that the Rams are in very serious discussions with some team, perhaps Washington or Cleveland, about trading this pick. I think Bradford will probably go 1st overall, but it may not be the Rams who take him.

#2 Detroit: Ndamukong Suh (DT, Nebraska)
Jeff Backus is a mediocre left tackle who is getting up there in age and nearing the end of his contract. That said, without a trade, I think Detroit goes BPA here. Maybe a trade happens, but for the purposes of this mock, one doesn't, and Suh is the pick.

#3 Tampa Bay: Gerald McCoy (DT, Oklahoma)
This one is slam dunk if McCoy reaches #3.

#4 Washington: Trent Williams (LT, Oklahoma)
Tip of the hat to Rob, because now another Rob, Rob Rang, is saying that Washington has Williams higher on their draft board than Okung.

#5 Kansas City: Eric Berry (S, Tennessee)
I think KC will very seriously consider Okung and Davis here. Brandon Albert is NOT a tackle, and he proved that by giving up a whopping 9 sacks last year. However, there are several teams, most notably the Eagles, that desire to trade up for Eric Berry. I think KC is the one who pulls the trigger. Eric Berry will go here- either to a team that trades up or to Kansas City for themselves.

#6 Seattle: Russell Okung (LT, Oklahoma State)
Our handy source mentioned that Berry and Williams highlight the Seahawks options at #6, but did so under the assumption that both DTs and Okung would be gone. In this scenario, Berry and Williams are off the board, but Okung is surprisingly available. This isn't the pick I'd do (Derrick Morgan), but I think its the most likely pick in a stand pat scenario. Seattle will try like crazy to trade this pick. Don't expect a selection until the last second.

#7 Cleveland: Jimmy Clausen (QB, Notre Dame)
A Mike Holmgren led team has never drafted a 1st round QB before, and Holmgren recently made unflattering remarks about Clausen (possible smokescreen), but its clear that Delhomme and Wallace are not the future in Cleveland. I think Holmgren has his eye fixed on Colt McCoy in round 2, but it wouldn't shock me if he takes Jimmy Clausen, either.

#8 Oakland: Bruce Campbell (LT, Maryland)
Campbell satisfies Al Davis' need for a combine hero while also filling an area of urgent need.

#9 Buffalo: Bryan Bulaga (LT, Iowa)
This pick comes down to Anthony Davis vs. Bryan Bulaga. I chose Bulaga because he's been linked to Buffalo a lot more than Davis has.

#10 Jacksonville: Derrick Morgan (DE, Georgia Tech)
I strongly expect Jacksonville to trade down from this spot, to maneuver in such a way that they can take Tim Tebow later. But if a trade doesn't materialize, I think Derrick Morgan makes the most sense. An incoming 30 year old DE fresh off knee surgery is not going to block the best DE in the draft from coming to the pass-rush-neediest team in the NFL.

#11 Denver: Rolando McClain (ILB, Alabama)
Denver needs help on defense, their entire defense pretty much. This pick comes down to Haden, (Earl) Thomas, McClain, and Williams. I chose McClain because he strikes me as a centerpiece player, a good start for a new defense.

#12 Miami: Dan Williams (DT, Tennessee)
Miami also needs help with their 3-4 defense. A lot of teams need NT help in this draft, and Williams is one of the very few available.

#13 San Francisco: Anthony Davis (LT, Rutgers)
San Francisco is happy with their left tackle, but could use a good right tackle. I think Davis is best in a pure man scheme, but the 49ers zone is hardly a pure one, and Davis has the ability to be a pro-bowl RT.

#14 Seattle: Joe Haden (CB, Florida)
Seattle will try to trade this pick, and since Earl Thomas is still available, that might not be very difficult. However, in the unlikely event that a trade is not made here, Joe Haden has been mentioned by the source as a top option at #14 and he's still here (although sadly, Derrick Morgan is not). CB is a big need for the Seahawks, and while Haden's probably a better fit in man cover, he's still a great value here and a rock solid pick.

#15 New York Giants: Jason Pierre-Paul (DE, U of Southern Florida)
The Giants are looking to add talent to their defensive line. I'm a big critic of JPP, but New York is a relatively good landing spot as their need isn't cripplingly immediate and he'll have a little extra time to develop.

#16 Tennessee: Brandon Graham (DE, Michigan)
(Edit: changed from Everson Griffen to Brandon Graham) Almost every mock I've seen this year has the Titans taking a DE at #16. Graham is arguably the best pure pass rusher in the draft, and won't last much longer than this.

#17 San Francisco: CJ Spiller (RB, Clemson)
Frank Gore's milage is starting to add up, and Spiller is just too good to pass on here. I really expect the 49ers to trade one of their picks, especially this one if Spiller is still around.

#18 Pittsburgh: Taylor Mays (SS, USC)
Pittsburgh needs a strong safety to pair with former Trojan Troy Polamalu.

#19 Atlanta: Kyle Wilson (CB, Boise State)
Atlanta takes the best corner available here. There isn't a clear favorite, so I'll go with Kyle Wilson since he's been on the rise.

#20 Houston: Ryan Matthews (QB, Oklahoma)
This one is a pretty obvious pick. Houston is hurting at RB, and Mathews isn't just a solid RB, but he can carry the load- a rarity in this draft class.

#21 Cincinnati: Patrick Robinson (CB, Florida State)
Cincy could go a few directions here. I read on a Bengals blog that corner is quietly a big need for the Bengals.

#22 New England: Sergio Kindle (OLB, Texas)
Another decently obvious pick, Kindle is a good value here and the Pats badly need pass rush help.

#23 Green Bay: Charles Brown (LT, USC)
Green Bay needs tackle help pretty badly, and they run zone. Some teams rank Saffold higher than Brown, but I'm guessing Brown probably goes before Saffold does.

#24 Philadelphia: Sean Wetherspoon (LB, Missouri)
I seriously doubt Philly stays here. They will almost certainly trade up. But in the event they do not, I think they'll address LB here and Weatherspoon is a good fit that has been linked to Philly fairly often.

#25 Baltimore: Demaryius Thomas (WR, Georgia Tech)
Baltimore just traded for Anquan Boldin, but consider that Boldin is 30, that they only paid a 3rd and 4th rounder for him, and that WR typically require 2+ years of development time. Just like how the Housh signing shouldn't have prevented Seattle from drafting Crabtree, if Baltimore is smart, they will capitalize on the substantial value for WR here with either Dez Bryant or Demaryius Thomas. I lean towards Thomas for two reasons- Bryant has been flat out crossed off many teams big boards and secondly because Thomas is a bit of a project, which fits well into the Boldin window. Baltimore has a bit of a history of drafting toolsy WR, and when Matt McGuire scouted Thomas, one of his comps was Michael Clayton.

#26 Arizona: Rodger Saffold (LT, Indiana)
Arizona could very well consider Dez Bryant here, but I think they address their overarching need instead with the last drop of upper tier LT talent left.

#27 Dallas: Mike Iupati (G, Idaho)
This one has been in the books for a while. Iupati is a great fit for Dallas' scheme and needs. Value is about right too.

#28 San Diego: Jahvid Best (RB, Cal)
This was a tough pick to call, but I'm convinced that San Diego is desperate for RB help. They will definitely be players to trade up and a very likely trading partner for Seattle at #14. In the event they stay put, they will take the best remaining RB, who in this case is Jahvid Best.

#29 New York Jets: Dez Bryant (WR, Oklahoma State)
New York traded for Santonio Holmes, but Holmes is hardly a sure thing. Bryant is one of the biggest bargains in the draft, and the Jets have shown through their acquisitions that "diva" WR do not bother them.

#30 Minnesota: Brian Price (DT, UCLA)
The Williams Wall will soon need to be rebuilt. Price is a productive player with good untapped potential, if he can learn some pass rush moves.

#31 Indianapolis: Maurkice Pouncey (C, Florida)
Jeff Saturday is getting up there in age (35), and Pouncey is arguably BPA here anyway.

#32 New Orleans: Jared Odrick (DT, Penn State)
The Saints had a pretty good pass rush last year, but they could certainly use more help on the defensive line. Sedrick Ellis can't stay healthy, so expect DT to be a position of strong consideration.

The plan of action for tonight

2010-04-22T09:47:00.003-07:00

By Rob Staton
Draft Day is here! Kip Earlywine's mock draft will be on the blog soon so stay tuned for that. You can see my final mock draft by clicking here and Kyle Rota's is also available here. Also, I'll be here all night providing instant analysis on EVERY first round pick. I really hope you'll stop by too and let me know your thoughts in the comments section. It'll be used as an open forum, so you can talk about the Seahawks picks, let me know what you think about the moves made by other teams or ask as many questions as you want.
Hope to speak to you later!

Kyle's Mock Draft

2010-04-21T21:26:00.004-07:00

By Kyle Rota
Let me begin this mock by saying that while I like to think I have some talent at scouting players, that does not extend to mock drafts. In fact, if anything I am hindered by the fact that while Rob and Kip spend lots of time looking at draft stuff around the league and analyzing other teams, I'm sitting in front of my TV scouting players. I have no doubt that Rob and Kip's mocks will be more accurate than mine. Also, I understand and largely agree with Rob's picks for Seattle, but you don't want to read the same mock twice, so I am throwing a few curveballs to provide something different. However, I do believe that every pick I mock (except Oakland's) is justifiable and possible.

#1 St. Louis: Sam Bradford (QB, Oklahoma)
I am torn between Suh and Bradford here. I don't think St. Louis loves Bradford, and I would actually be surprised if he ends up a Ram. I think it will be Cleveland here, but I never project trades in mocks.

#2 Detroit: Ndamukong Suh (DT, Nebraska)
Another pick that could happen at the slot, but not necessarily to the same team. Detroit has started to build something on offense, they need to add to it and a franchise left tackle would do that. However, I don't think they would pick one at #2, Suh is BPA and should go here.

#3 Tampa Bay: Gerald McCoy (DT, Oklahoma)
This one actually makes a lot of sense, I will be surprised if it doesn't happen.

#4 Washington: Trent Williams (OT, Oklahoma)
I've never been a huge fan of Okung, and I can at least understand why a team would take Williams here. He has incredible potential and should fit their system.

#5 Kansas City: Eric Berry (S, Tennessee)
The first (mild) curveball in this mock. I am not sure if it will happen because it is 50/50 if the Chiefs like Berry this much, but after taking a DE #3 last year, it's clear Scott Pioli will take who he wants, no matter the public perception.

#6 Seattle: Derrick Morgan (DE, Georgia Tech)
According to rumors that I am inclined to believe, Seattle wants Berry or Williams. I wouldn't be surprised if the Front Office views this as a worst-case scenario. I would not, however, as I think Morgan will be a very productive LDE for the next decade.

#7 Cleveland: Jimmy Clausen (QB, Notre Dame)
I don't believe the talk that Holmgren is lukewarm towards Clausen. Clausen is nowhere near perfect, but he seems like the kind of quarterback that Holmgren just loves, no matter what he says to the press. I expect Cleveland to move up, but if the draft fell this way, this is who they'd take.

#8 Oakland: Bruce Campbell (OT, Maryland)
This is the first time in 3 years that I have felt doubt projecting Oakland's pick. My usual strategy is to make the dumbest pick possible and give it to Oakland (it almost always works), but in that case there could be two: Campbell and Jason Paul Pierre. Campbell wins out.

#9 Buffalo: Russell Okung (OT, Oklahoma State)
I have major reservations about Okung. I am afraid of what NFL DEs might do to him. That said, people who I trust think he will be a great player, and Buffalo could use a LT. I'd love to give them Rolando McClain, but the one part of their front-7 that I like is ILB.

#10 Jacksonville: Joe Haden (CB, Florida)
Jacksonville needs secondary help, and while I was tempted to make another unusual pick and give them Earl Thomas (which I think could happen), Haden is too athletic and presents too much upside to pass up here.

#11 Denver: Rolando McClain (ILB, Alabama)
Denver has a need at inside linebacker, McClain is a great player, and he interviewed well. With a coach (McDaniels) in charge, I wouldn't be surprised to see Denver grab McClain.

#12 Miami: Brandon Graham (OLB, Michigan)
Graham has some really intriguing positives on film. He definitely had some red flags that I would've liked to examine further, but I think Miami would make this pick and be quite happy with their choice.

#13 San Francisco: Bryan Bulaga (OT, Iowa)
Bulaga makes a ton of sense for San Francisco. The franchise seems confused as to whether they want a physical identity on offense or if they want to pass the ball from the shotgun. Bulaga is a good pass protector for a RT and will provide toughness running the ball.

#14 Seattle: Charles Brown (OT, USC)
I like Charles Brown a lot, and while I know this would be early for Brown, I think he makes the most sense if Seattle is unable to grab Williams. Brown has limited experience as a tackle and made big strides from 2008 to 2009, and is about as pure a fit for Alex Gibbs as you can get.

#15 New York Giants: Jason Pierre-Paul (DE, USF)
I'm not a JPP fan, but for New York this would actually be a good calculated risk. Pierre-Paul has tremendous upside, and New York would not be required to play him extensively his first year while he works on things like being competent against the run, using his hands, and instincts.

#16 Tennessee: Everson Griffen (DE, USC)
I was not terribly impressed by what I saw of Griffen, but Tennessee is in a tough spot here. They should compete for the playoffs next year, and might make a "need" pick in order to increase their chances. Griffen certainly has the talent to go here, but some teams will be put off by his inconsistency in college.

#17 San Francisco: Earl Thomas (DB, Texas)
One of those situations where a player falls more than he should. Thomas is projected by some as a safety and some as a cornerback, and SF could use either.

#18 Pittsburgh: Mike Iupati (OG, Idaho)
Iupati is one of my favorite players in this draft, just not for Seattle. He has the strength and nastiness that Pittsburgh will love, and the need for offensive linesmen... huge. I wanted to give them DeMaryius Thomas, but it was impossible to pass up Iupati here.

#19 Atlanta: CJ Spiller (RB, Clemson)
I kind of doubt Spiller falls this far, but if he does Atlanta will not complain one bit. They are a contending team that needs a spark, which is the right fit for Spiller, who I have serious questions about.

#20 Houston: Ryan Mathews (RB, Fresno State)
I believe that Mathews could be a great back. He has some risk, but he's a great fit in a zone system and can carry the load, important since Slaton seems to have wound up on Kubiak's bad side.

#21 Cincinnati: Taylor Mays (S, USC)
Mays has been miscast his whole collegiate career as a superstar-in-waiting, but he isn't that right now. Mays certainly has all of the physical tools, but has yet to put it together. Cincinnati is not against rolling the dice that Mays blossoms, especially since he should be a good S even if he doesn't improve.

#22 New England: Sergio Kindle (OLB, Texas)
While I may have some success guessing Oakland's picks, I whiff consistently when it comes to New England. Kindle makes a lot of sense here, as he is versatile and talented, but chances are it will be someone I left off this mock completely.

#23 Green Bay: Patrick Robinson (CB, Florida State)
I expect a run on cornerbacks to begin around here. While LT is certainly a big need for Green Bay, their corners are getting old and I don't like any of the remaining tackles for their system.

#24 Phildadelphia: Maurkice Pouncey (C, Florida)
I didn't want to project Pouncey here, but with Jamaal Jackson (who I really like) possibly missing time, I could see it. Pouncey is versatile enough to play guard if/when Jackson returns.

#25 Baltimore: DeMaryius Thomas (WR, Georgia Tech)
While Baltimore has Anquan Boldin, the rest of the WR position is in a state of disarray. Thomas gives Flacco a big, fast, physical target while also fitting in perfectly with the Baltimore emphasis on running the ball.

#26 Arizona: Devin McCourty (CB, Rutgers)
I really think Arizona will consider a TE or a OLB here, but at the same time I really like McCourty and the CB position could use some help too. I think there will be good options at TE and OLB later in this draft, that may not be true for cornerback.

#27 Dallas: Anthony Davis (OT, Rutgers)
Jerry Jones is just the kind of guy to take a risk on Davis. Davis has some serious problems with his technique, but it's hard to be less useful on passing downs than Flozell Adams, who Dallas seemed content with for years.

#28 San Diego: Dan Williams (DT, Tennessee)
I was not terribly impressed by Williams, but his combination of size and quickness would be really appealing to a "quick" 3-4 team like San Deigo.

#29 New York Jets: Ricky Sapp (OLB, Clemson)
New York has addressed their OLB position to a degree with Jason Taylor, but the long-term future of rush linebacker is pretty murky. Sapp needs to improve his strength, but he is a tremendous athlete. Dez Bryant was also considered, but I believe the Jets intend to keep Holmes long-term if he works out well.

#30 Minnesota: Tim Tebow (QB, Florida)
I really believe Tebow will win some team over in his interview and go in the first round, and I could see Minnesota being that team. He wouldn't be forced to start right away, and when he does take the field he has a strong supporting cast.

#31 Indianapolis: Kyle Wilson (CB, Boise State)
I have a hard time seeing Wilson fall out of the first round. Indy is willing to draft short or tall corners, but they almost always take strong corners. Wilson is quite strong for his size, and a good cover-man to boot.

#32 New Orleans: Sean Weatherspoon (LB, Missouri)
I'm not sure what it is, but I think Weatherspoon will be a very solid NFL pro. The Saints are in a good position to take who they want, but LB is probably the biggest need on the team and Weatherspoon should be at least a solid starter.