NFL Draft

[Anointed One]

No doubt they address the o-line in the draft. I'll take a guess and say they resign sweezy and then go after 1 big FA o-line guy. Have this feeling Okung is no longer in the equation.

I'd rather have Sweezy over Okung... I feel Sweezy has more upside still than Okung does... Sweezy is our leader, tough guy on that OL...

 

[HaroldSeattle]

I'd rather have Sweezy over Okung... I feel Sweezy has more upside still than Okung does... Sweezy is our leader, tough guy on that OL...

I've heard you state that before, but I can't agree with your opinion of Sweezy. Tough guy, sure, but it doesn't make up for his penalties that kill drives or his lack of pass blocking ability. Frankly I think his back up is the better player and Sweezy holds his position because he's a Cable kind of player.

 

[Anointed One]

I've heard you state that before, but I can't agree with your opinion of Sweezy. Tough guy, sure, but it doesn't make up for his penalties that kill drives or his lack of pass blocking ability. Frankly I think his back up is the better player and Sweezy holds his position because he's a Cable kind of player.

Yes, he's had his share of penalties... I give him a little bit more grace than others though as he doesn't have as much experience as the normal guy on the OL... There is a time when the grace is cutoff but I think he's playing very well and has improved a lot each year... IMO, no reason to think he wouldn't improve a lot again this year or the next... Like you said though, his pass blocking does need improvement...

On a side note, interesting that Bennett, Sherman among the top 5 at their position in penalties this year...

Here is a really cool link regarding penalties per player/team/position Data By Penalties For 2015 - NFL Penalty Stats Tracker - List/Statistics/Data of NFL Penalties - 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Yes, he's had his share of penalties... I give him a little bit more grace than others though as he doesn't have as much experience as the normal guy on the OL... There is a time when the grace is cutoff but I think he's playing very well and has improved a lot each year... IMO, no reason to think he wouldn't improve a lot again this year or the next... Like you said though, his pass blocking does need improvement...

On a side note, interesting that Bennett, Sherman among the top 5 at their position in penalties this year...

Here is a really cool link regarding penalties per player/team/position Data By Penalties For 2015 - NFL Penalty Stats Tracker - List/Statistics/Data of NFL Penalties - 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016

Sweezy had 10 penalties last season, the most of any player on the team except one(RW), more then his less experience fellow OL and he's still lousy at pass blocking.

 

[Anointed One]

Sweezy had 10 penalties last season, the most of any player on the team except one(RW), more then his less experience fellow OL and he's still lousy at pass blocking.

I thought it was interesting as well that RW led the league in penalties for QB's...

 

[HaroldSeattle]

I thought it was interesting as well that RW led the league in penalties for QB's...

Interesting is one way to put it

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Looking at various mock draft sites it appears that OT are going to be drafted quickly and often. Pretty much every mock draft has Laremy Tunsil as the first pick and yes he's a OT.

Great Blue North Draft report 4 OT before the 26th pick, they have the Seahawks picking Sheldon Rankins
Football Future 4 OT before the 26th pick, they have the Seahawks picking S. Rankins
Drafttek 3 OT, they have the Seahawks picking Austin Johnson (DT)
Walter Football 3 OT, they have the Seahawks picking Taylor Decker
NFL Draft Geek 2 OT and they have the Seahawks picking Jarran Reed (DL)


NFL.com mocks
Daniel Jeremiah 4 OT, A"Shawn Robinson
Lance Zierlein 3 OT Shelton Rankins
Chad Reuter 4 OT Shelton Rankins
Bucky Brooks 4 OT Andrew Billings

CBS mocks
Rang 2 OT Talyor Decker
Brugler 3 OT Jack Conklin
Prisco 4 OT Sheldon Rankins


Now these mocks mean squat as far as being right about who gets pick when, but I find it a bit surprising to see such a run of OT in these mocks. It does indicate the great need of OT around the NFL in general. Also means picking at 26 the Seahawks may be out of luck for a decent OT prospect, or maybe Decker will slide to them.

 

[Anointed One]

Now these mocks mean squat as far as being right about who gets pick when, but I find it a bit surprising to see such a run of OT in these mocks. It does indicate the great need of OT around the NFL in general. Also means picking at 26 the Seahawks may be out of luck for a decent OT prospect, or maybe Decker will slide to them.

True... A great reason not to reach for a OT in the first...

 

[HaroldSeattle]

True... A great reason not to reach for a OT in the first...

Yes I agree, no reaching because of need. I do think Decker would be a good pick if available. It does leave me wondering just how the Seahawks would replace Okung if they can't or won't resign him.

 

[blstoker]

 

[blstoker]

SHAQ LAWSON, DE
SCHOOL: CLEMSON | CONFERENCE: ACC
COLLEGE EXPERIENCE: JUNIOR | HOMETOWN: CENTRAL, SC
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-3 / 269 LBS.
PROJECTED RANKING
OVERALL POSITION PROJ. RND.
13 3 1

PLAYER OVERVIEW
Lawson entered the 2015 season with more buzz than production, but officially broke out as a junior with an FBS-leading 24.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks and now projects as a top 20 pick.

"this #90 is a difference-maker!," an AFC scout message NFLDraftScout.com's Dane Brugler while watching Lawson work against Notre Dame's highly-touted left tackle Ronnie Stanley in October. Lawson finished the game with seven tackles, including 3.5 of those stops for loss, beating Stanley with quickness and power.

Lawson announced on Dec. 8 that he planned to enter the NFL Draft following the College Football Playoff.

"I'm going to declare for the draft," Lawson said. "I sat down with my family, sat down with the support staff at Clemson. I enjoyed being at Clemson, but it's time. I'm ready for the next level."

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
STRENGTHS: Lawson's compact frame and power make him equally effective against the run and the pass, where he shows surprising initial quickness and agility as well as a terrific motor. He has quick, strong hands to create push with his upper-body strength, showing the fluid lower body to drive his legs and smoothly change directions based on his reads.

Lawson is terrific leveraging blocks off the edge, using an iron shoulder and natural body flexibility to dictate his path and beat single blocks. Does a nice job setting the edge and playing contain, working off his blocks to the outside and finishing in space.

WEAKNESSES: Lawson needs to do a better job with his recoil to reset and react to inside runs.

COMPARES TO: Pernell McPhee, Chicago Bears - Like McPhee, Lawson lacks ideal height and length, but both are well built with violent hands, ball awareness and versatility. Only one season as a starter.

IN OUR VIEW: Lawson's heavy hands allow him to stack and hold his side of the line of scrimmage. He is a power player with the lower body athleticism to be equally dominant against the run and the pass, putting his draft value in the early rounds.

--Dane Brugler/Rob Rang (1/11/16)

PLAYER LOWDOWN
COMBINE RESULTS
40 YD 20 YD 10 YD 225 BENCH VERTICAL JUMP BROAD SHUTTLE 3-CONE DRILL
4.70 - - - - - - -

 

[blstoker]

 

[blstoker]

Being reported that Seattle will be interested in Braxton Miller.

 

[blstoker]

BRAXTON MILLER, WR
SCHOOL: OHIO STATE | CONFERENCE: BIG10
COLLEGE EXPERIENCE: SENIOR | HOMETOWN: HUBER HEIGHTS, OH
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-1 / 201 LBS.
PROJECTED RANKING
OVERALL POSITION PROJ. RND.
46 6 2

PLAYER OVERVIEW
Miller made the switch to wide receiver from quarterback over the 2015 offseason, and his athleticism and versatility paid off for the Buckeyes throughout the year. He finished fourth on the team with 26 catches for 341 yards and three touchdowns, added 260 yards and a touchdown on 42 carries and even completed his only pass - albeit for three yards.

Miller told the Columbus Dispatch in June that he is the "best athlete" in all of college football, and he might be correct with that assessment. While he may not have had the traits to play quarterback at the next level, he is a very interesting prospect as a receiver.

In 2013 as a junior, he passed for 2,094 yards, 63.5 percent completions and a 24-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio, earning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors. Miller showed improvements as a passer throughout the season, compelling scouts to take a "wait-and-see" approach as the Ohio State quarterback entered his senior year. But he missed the 2014 season with another injury to his throwing shoulder and J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones helped lead the Buckeyes to last year's College Football Playoff.

Many thought Miller would transfer to pursue playing quarterback elsewhere, but he chose to stay in Columbus and focus all of his energy on transitioning to wide receiver.

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

STRENGTHS: Athletic body type and solidly-built for the position. Extraordinary athleticism and speed with sudden, explosive cutting ability. Tremendous balance and body control in all of his movements.

Multiple gears to separate in his routes or as a ballcarrier. Understands hesitation in his patterns, setting up defenders before bursting in different directions. Vision to be a home-run threat whenever he touches the ball.

In his one season as a receiver, showed the locating ability to track and keep his focus through the catch. Capable of the acrobatic reception. Strong arm as a passer and spins a pretty ball. Deceiving body strength to squirm out of would-be tackles. Highly productive three-year quarterback and looked natural making the transition to a skill player in 2015 - versatile player who affected the game as a receiver and rusher.

Holds several school records and was a two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. Mature leader and determined individual who wants to be great.

WEAKNESSES: Raw route-runner and lacks experience at the receiver position. Needs work with his footwork, especially at the stem of patterns. Natural hands, but had some drops in 2015, especially with the fastball.

Still learning how to properly adjust to throws and attack at the highest point. Too much east-west and will get himself in trouble looking for the big play. Alligator arms and too concerned with what's going on in the middle of the field - often braced himself for contact or showed tentativeness in space before securing the catch.

Willing blocker, but still very raw and needs technique work. Ball security needs tightened with 30 career fumbles (three fumbles in 2015 as a non-quarterback). Doesn't have any special teams experience.

Health is a concern with his past medical issues - missed two games due a left knee sprain (Sept. 2013); injured his throwing (right) shoulder in the 2013 Orange Bowl that required surgery (Feb. 2014); re-injured the same shoulder that summer (Aug. 2014) and missed the 2014 season after labrum surgery; left game due to concussion symptoms (Nov. 2015).

IN OUR VIEW: After starting three seasons as Ohio State's quarterback, Miller moved to a hybrid H-Back position in 2015 for his final season of eligibility and adapted well. He enters the NFL as a wide receiver or running back, not a quarterback and his 2014 shoulder surgery ended up being a blessing in disguise, allowing Miller to speed up the inevitable transition to a skill position for the next level.



Miller is a gifted and exciting open-field athlete with game-changing speed and the twitched-up ability to be elusive, not slowing down in his cuts. He showed signs of being able to translate his ability to read defenses as a passer to reading coverages in his routes, but is still unpolished in this area and will need time as he continues his development at wide receiver.

The No. 1 concern moving forward for Miller is durability - true competitor, but can he stay healthy? Overall, while still raw, Miller is a special athlete for his size with considerable upside, putting him in the top 50 overall range. He will likely be a gadget player as an NFL rookie before competing for a starting role in year two.

--Dane Brugler (1/25/16)

PLAYER LOWDOWN
COMBINE RESULTS
40 YD 20 YD 10 YD 225 BENCH VERTICAL JUMP BROAD SHUTTLE 3-CONE DRILL
4.50 - - -------------17-------------- 35 ------------10'3" ----4.07------ 6.65

 

[blstoker]

 

[blstoker]

Tony Pauline states that the Seahawks and Broncos are believed to be a few teams targeting Germain Ifedi late in round one.

 

[blstoker]

GERMAIN IFEDI, OT
SCHOOL: TEXAS A&M | CONFERENCE: SEC
COLLEGE EXPERIENCE: JUNIOR | HOMETOWN: HOUSTON, TX
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-6 / 324 LBS.
PROJECTED RANKING
OVERALL POSITION PROJ. RND.
51 7 2

PLAYER OVERVIEW
A three-year starter in College Station, Ifedi started his career at guard before moving outside to right tackle where he started the past two seasons.

He was considered the next in line of Texas A&M left tackles destined for the NFL Draft's first round (2013: Luke Joeckel; 2014: Jake Matthews; 2015: Cedric Ogbuehi), but struggled to make the transition to the left side and showed more flashes than consistency for the Aggies.

Ifedi opted to return to College Station for his junior season after weighing the NFL at the end of his redshirt sophomore season and receiving a second round grade from the advisory committee. He was the team's most experienced offensive player as a redshirt junior (24 starts) and was second-team All-SEC in 2015.

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

STRENGTHS: Built well for the NFL with a wide base and broad shoulders, making it a chore for rushers to get around him. Stout and tough to move, rarely put on his heels.

Light lower body, moving well laterally to cut off speed and seal. Quick feet to set up shop and mirror in space. Nice job with angles to wall of run lanes. Vines for arms, using his reach to absorb rushers and create separation between him and defenders. Aggressive in protection with the upper-body strength to control blocks.

Three-year starter with experience at both tackle and guard (37 career starts).

WEAKNESSES: Wide stance, but allows his base to narrow due to sloppy footwork. Retreats too much off the snap and gets lazy with his feet. Heavy leaner with a bad habit of lunging at the waist in his pass-sets.

Tall pad level and plays with hip tightness, struggling to bend consistently at his knees. Late and wild hands, allowing rushers to attack his body and jolt him. Unreliable mechanics and poor hand placement, hugging defenders.

Needs to improve his focus to eliminate false start penalties. Tends to get complacent, falling asleep at the wheel. Missed two games his sophomore season due to a grade two MCL knee sprain (Nov. 2014).

IN OUR VIEW: Ifedi has first-round quality feet with excellent range in pass protection for his size, but plays too messy from the waist up and needs aggressive coaching in the NFL. Although his chaotic technique leads to balance issues, he can be as good as he wants if his discipline improves and his lower body traits for a blocker his size will get him drafted in the top 100 picks.

--Dane Brugler (1/25/16)

PLAYER LOWDOWN
COMBINE RESULTS
40 YD 20 YD 10 YD 225 BENCH VERTICAL JUMP BROAD SHUTTLE 3-CONE DRILL
5.27 - ------------------ 24 ------------------------- 9'1"------ 4.75 -

 

[blstoker]

 

[MKHawk]

Tony Pauline states that the Seahawks and Broncos are believed to be a few teams targeting Germain Ifedi late in round one.

I mentioned this in the Okung thread, but this struck me as a (possibly pre-emptory) shot across the Okung bow.

 

[blstoker]

I mentioned this in the Okung thread, but this struck me as a (possibly pre-emptory) shot across the Okung bow.

Very possible, but only in the sense that the move would allow Gilliam or Bailey to be the LT, as Ifedi would almost certainly stay at RT in the NFL - if not move back inside as a G. Just no reason to think that this is in any way tied to Okung, except in the a round about way.