Not going to be its own article, but the Seahawks officially moved Brady Russell to fullback. If the Seahawks keep Russell on the 53-man roster and do it as a fullback, that would seemingly open the door for a tight end. Seattle would still have three TEs right now (Fant, Saubert, Barner) but definitely tons of rooms for an upgrade to fit in there.
Just read that the Broncos get a lot of calls for pick 20. One spot ahead of Steelers. Looks like There is a trade market there for the Seahawks should Sanders fall.
To add to that, Daniel Jeremiah wrote in his latest Mock draft, that he "heard talk about the Seahawks looking to trade out of Round 1". I'm aware that there is always a lot of chatter prior to the draft, but the last years I noticed that DJ's rumours should definitively not be ignored. I even think, should Sanders already been taken, a trade market for Dart could be possible (Giants, Browns, Steelers).
Draft day is finally here! Really looking forward to Saturday morning and reading up on all the new Seahawks. Whoever they pick (as long as it's not McMillan) I'll get behind it. If JS and MM are convinced with all of the info they have access to, then I'll roll with it. Mike MacDonald gives me a lot of comfort, as well as the benefit of having the new offensive staff to wade in on the picks.
I think the approach of 'develop great players' instead of 'pick great players' needs to be the focus, given the state of college football. Not many of them will be day 1 stars. But look what MM did with Tyrice Knight in one season. And that's a 4th round overdraft if you read all of the write-ups about the pick from last year. We need to develop a solid o-line, not just pick great o-linemen. Hopefully we now have the coaches to do that.
Amen to this: "We need to develop a solid o-line, not just pick great o-linemen." It's a 'sum-of-the-parts' thing that our Hawks haven't coached up well. Today's picks will say much to our guys. I wonder at the huge disruption of Covid followed by the even bigger changes to the structure of college ball must have muddied the potentials seen in these young players.
Linebacker has always been a cool tweener position. Kam was really a linebacker who could cover and gave the Legion its biggest dang Boom. If the Hawks go defense on the first pick, I am totally behind it. This is a fun moment, where the information engine just keeps churning and now SSJ is semi-freaking. This is a great sports week, with big news on many fronts. And props to the NFL. It's amazing how the league has designed a product that generates interest 365 days a year. Now the draft at Lambeau. Brilliant.
For what its worth.. Next Gen Stats posted on TV the lists of Top 10 by PRODUCTION and ATHLETICISM. I cross referenced the lists to see if anyone was both Top 10 in both categories. I'm not sure how they rated and ranked players on either Top 10...Here's the list:
QB - Ward, Dart, Milroe, Howard, Rourke
WR- Higgins, Royals, Golden
RB - Jeanty, Hampton, Henderson, Giddens
TE - Warren, Fannin, Loveland, Gadsden III, Taylor, Arroyo
Oh man. Way to remind me of my preferred player at pick 18 and the red flag. That player being Jihaad Campbell. I was not fully aware of his injury keeping him out for pre-season and early season games. We'll since this draft is big on hype and less on potential (i.e. a starter draft but not a star draft), I would ponder trading (if possible) out of pick 18 for a first round pick in 2026. Of course some compensation for both sides. This projected dearth of high potential players makes me think of quality of picks rather than quantity of picks. Perhaps start loading up for 2026 draft.
I know that we do not have depth at OT and no real starter at iOL. This draft is not going to go far in filling all of those positions. Be patient as it most likely will be a 2 year OL build up.
Ken, I wouldn't care if you didn't make a prediction. We don't come here for that stuff. It can be a fun exercise and is neat when you hit it, but I certainly have learned more about this class and the draft by reading your articles up to this point than I ever thought I would. Mission successful! You are constantly making me a better more informed fan without all the annoying disingenuous surface-level BS easily found on other sites.
In theory, if a majority of second tier players beyond the top tier are rated more or less similar, wouldn't that lead us to the ultimate 'draft for need' type of draft? The relative value of players is going to adjust most teams views to the point we could see players seen in 3rd round mocks coming off the board early in the second and visa versa. I can't wait for the madness to start. Let's go!!!
The Athletic just reported from real NFL staff, there is a thought that IOL has a lot of very good potential players in this draft, just not at the top. And wouldn’t be surprised to see teams double dip to improve OLine depth. I noted the word “depth” in the article. Guys that could be long term players, but that need time and coaching. You know like Haynes and Olu and Bradford etc.
Rather than a bad draft class, is this a “flat” draft class?
Rather than Best Player Available, is it Least Average Player Available?
I think it’s a bad draft for journalists, but it might not be bad for teams with many mid-draft picks (wink, wink, nudge, nudge.)
If you don’t have five or six Avenger superheroes to write about, those 1,500 words are a bigger challenge. If a movie has the same plot as the title has had every year for decades, and there is no box office name, how do you attract viewers? “But it has a great and huge cast of supporting characters” doesn’t sell tickets.
If we can fill holes with B+ players - and find a diamond or two in the rough - it’s a fantastic draft.
Having the proven box office star is great. Finding the star of the future is even sweeter.
Agreed! The director and writer (JS & coaching staff) can move the needle, and the cast (current team) can perform well, even if not the biggest names.
Coming late to the party, but...FORGET. ABOUT. THE. RULES.
The NFL has evolved all these specialized rules about draft value and positional value and all the rest, and generally they make sense. Generally. This just isn't that year. Those rules don't fit this situation.
So let's make our own rules, please, Mr. GM.
I typed yesterday, let's think of ourselves as having three R2 picks. My goal is to come out of the first two days with guys who make us better. I don't care if the player we draft at 1.18 is a reach, is 36 on Arif Hassan's consensus board (that'd be Donovan Jackson) or someone who dropped into our lap. I don't care in what order we draft players so long as they make sense as Seahawks and our evaluations are solid. We'll get some hits and some misses, and that's how it goes.
The draft is said to be well-stocked with TE, with IDL, and with RB. There seems also to be an abundance of Safeties. It makes sense to choose wisely from those bundles. The QB class isn't good and I wouldn't bother. The Edge class seems iffy, and I'm only slightly tempted. If we want a CB we have to move fast. IOL, where our greatest need is, seems to offer enough solid choices that we should be able to get one potential starter before R3 ends, and come back on day three for at least one more. I don't know what to make of WR, but am tempted to suggest we wait until day three and prioritize guys who have successful kick return experience. That guy could also be a depth DB.
But folks, this is fun. This is Christmas in...April. I'm not worried. We have the nucleus of a solid team, we have a coaching staff that actually makes sense together and has demonstrated competence and will hopefully be with us for a good long while. If we hit on three of these ten players, and I think we can, that's a great draft. And if "hitting" means only that they become long-term starters? That means we don't have to worry about those three positions for a while and can move our attention elsewhere.
First five picks I want TE, IOL, IDL, DB of some flavor, and probably a WR. I don't much care what order that happens.
But Jihaad Campbell is starting to give me Brian Bosworth flashbacks.
I agree that we should just treat the first three picks as equal and go get the players you want. If we stayed at the picks I wouldn’t mind something like Booker or Zabel, Swinson, and Arroyo.
This is what makes THIS year’s draft do much fun. NO ONE HAS A CLUE ABOUT WHAT’S GONNA HAPPEN!
This is the year to lean on your scouting staff. Maybe there aren’t any game-changing talents at the top. But there are players that will make a team better. It’s just that no one knows who they are. Or no prognosticators “know”.
Look, most fans are gonna GROAN when they see who their teams picked. At least I probably will. But we have no real clues about who will do well and who will suck. Although I’d put my money on a player who watches film and really wants to improve over someone who readily admits to not watching film.
This draft may have less top end talent, but it’ll be damn exciting to watch the reactions.
Not going to be its own article, but the Seahawks officially moved Brady Russell to fullback. If the Seahawks keep Russell on the 53-man roster and do it as a fullback, that would seemingly open the door for a tight end. Seattle would still have three TEs right now (Fant, Saubert, Barner) but definitely tons of rooms for an upgrade to fit in there.
So no Willie Lampkin, huh?
That would be a fun pick to cover.
Can’t is a one year deal too. Barner is still pretty raw. I expect a TE ; absolutely
... ouch.
Just read that the Broncos get a lot of calls for pick 20. One spot ahead of Steelers. Looks like There is a trade market there for the Seahawks should Sanders fall.
To add to that, Daniel Jeremiah wrote in his latest Mock draft, that he "heard talk about the Seahawks looking to trade out of Round 1". I'm aware that there is always a lot of chatter prior to the draft, but the last years I noticed that DJ's rumours should definitively not be ignored. I even think, should Sanders already been taken, a trade market for Dart could be possible (Giants, Browns, Steelers).
Draft day is finally here! Really looking forward to Saturday morning and reading up on all the new Seahawks. Whoever they pick (as long as it's not McMillan) I'll get behind it. If JS and MM are convinced with all of the info they have access to, then I'll roll with it. Mike MacDonald gives me a lot of comfort, as well as the benefit of having the new offensive staff to wade in on the picks.
I think the approach of 'develop great players' instead of 'pick great players' needs to be the focus, given the state of college football. Not many of them will be day 1 stars. But look what MM did with Tyrice Knight in one season. And that's a 4th round overdraft if you read all of the write-ups about the pick from last year. We need to develop a solid o-line, not just pick great o-linemen. Hopefully we now have the coaches to do that.
Amen to this: "We need to develop a solid o-line, not just pick great o-linemen." It's a 'sum-of-the-parts' thing that our Hawks haven't coached up well. Today's picks will say much to our guys. I wonder at the huge disruption of Covid followed by the even bigger changes to the structure of college ball must have muddied the potentials seen in these young players.
I think whoever they pick is a player who was expected to go higher and not a "reach".
Linebacker has always been a cool tweener position. Kam was really a linebacker who could cover and gave the Legion its biggest dang Boom. If the Hawks go defense on the first pick, I am totally behind it. This is a fun moment, where the information engine just keeps churning and now SSJ is semi-freaking. This is a great sports week, with big news on many fronts. And props to the NFL. It's amazing how the league has designed a product that generates interest 365 days a year. Now the draft at Lambeau. Brilliant.
For what its worth.. Next Gen Stats posted on TV the lists of Top 10 by PRODUCTION and ATHLETICISM. I cross referenced the lists to see if anyone was both Top 10 in both categories. I'm not sure how they rated and ranked players on either Top 10...Here's the list:
QB - Ward, Dart, Milroe, Howard, Rourke
WR- Higgins, Royals, Golden
RB - Jeanty, Hampton, Henderson, Giddens
TE - Warren, Fannin, Loveland, Gadsden III, Taylor, Arroyo
OL - Zabel, Campbell, Membou, Wilson
LB - Campbell, Walker, N. Martin, Monden
DL - Ezeiruaku, Tuimoloau
DB - Emmanwori, W. Johnson, Morrison, Revel
Couple later round possibilities...maybe.
My order of preference at this point (if available at 18)
Shedeur Sanders is available, trade down hopefully for a good haul
Jalon Walker
Other trade down (no Sanders available)
Matthew Golden
Kelvin Banks Jr
Derrick Harmon
Jihaad Campbell
Oh man. Way to remind me of my preferred player at pick 18 and the red flag. That player being Jihaad Campbell. I was not fully aware of his injury keeping him out for pre-season and early season games. We'll since this draft is big on hype and less on potential (i.e. a starter draft but not a star draft), I would ponder trading (if possible) out of pick 18 for a first round pick in 2026. Of course some compensation for both sides. This projected dearth of high potential players makes me think of quality of picks rather than quantity of picks. Perhaps start loading up for 2026 draft.
I know that we do not have depth at OT and no real starter at iOL. This draft is not going to go far in filling all of those positions. Be patient as it most likely will be a 2 year OL build up.
And Tyler is a Titan ;-((.
Ken, I wouldn't care if you didn't make a prediction. We don't come here for that stuff. It can be a fun exercise and is neat when you hit it, but I certainly have learned more about this class and the draft by reading your articles up to this point than I ever thought I would. Mission successful! You are constantly making me a better more informed fan without all the annoying disingenuous surface-level BS easily found on other sites.
Hear hear.
In theory, if a majority of second tier players beyond the top tier are rated more or less similar, wouldn't that lead us to the ultimate 'draft for need' type of draft? The relative value of players is going to adjust most teams views to the point we could see players seen in 3rd round mocks coming off the board early in the second and visa versa. I can't wait for the madness to start. Let's go!!!
The Athletic just reported from real NFL staff, there is a thought that IOL has a lot of very good potential players in this draft, just not at the top. And wouldn’t be surprised to see teams double dip to improve OLine depth. I noted the word “depth” in the article. Guys that could be long term players, but that need time and coaching. You know like Haynes and Olu and Bradford etc.
Rather than a bad draft class, is this a “flat” draft class?
Rather than Best Player Available, is it Least Average Player Available?
I think it’s a bad draft for journalists, but it might not be bad for teams with many mid-draft picks (wink, wink, nudge, nudge.)
If you don’t have five or six Avenger superheroes to write about, those 1,500 words are a bigger challenge. If a movie has the same plot as the title has had every year for decades, and there is no box office name, how do you attract viewers? “But it has a great and huge cast of supporting characters” doesn’t sell tickets.
If we can fill holes with B+ players - and find a diamond or two in the rough - it’s a fantastic draft.
Having the proven box office star is great. Finding the star of the future is even sweeter.
How do you assess a player who spent 3 years at one college, then spends his senior year at another?
Agreed! The director and writer (JS & coaching staff) can move the needle, and the cast (current team) can perform well, even if not the biggest names.
Coming late to the party, but...FORGET. ABOUT. THE. RULES.
The NFL has evolved all these specialized rules about draft value and positional value and all the rest, and generally they make sense. Generally. This just isn't that year. Those rules don't fit this situation.
So let's make our own rules, please, Mr. GM.
I typed yesterday, let's think of ourselves as having three R2 picks. My goal is to come out of the first two days with guys who make us better. I don't care if the player we draft at 1.18 is a reach, is 36 on Arif Hassan's consensus board (that'd be Donovan Jackson) or someone who dropped into our lap. I don't care in what order we draft players so long as they make sense as Seahawks and our evaluations are solid. We'll get some hits and some misses, and that's how it goes.
The draft is said to be well-stocked with TE, with IDL, and with RB. There seems also to be an abundance of Safeties. It makes sense to choose wisely from those bundles. The QB class isn't good and I wouldn't bother. The Edge class seems iffy, and I'm only slightly tempted. If we want a CB we have to move fast. IOL, where our greatest need is, seems to offer enough solid choices that we should be able to get one potential starter before R3 ends, and come back on day three for at least one more. I don't know what to make of WR, but am tempted to suggest we wait until day three and prioritize guys who have successful kick return experience. That guy could also be a depth DB.
But folks, this is fun. This is Christmas in...April. I'm not worried. We have the nucleus of a solid team, we have a coaching staff that actually makes sense together and has demonstrated competence and will hopefully be with us for a good long while. If we hit on three of these ten players, and I think we can, that's a great draft. And if "hitting" means only that they become long-term starters? That means we don't have to worry about those three positions for a while and can move our attention elsewhere.
First five picks I want TE, IOL, IDL, DB of some flavor, and probably a WR. I don't much care what order that happens.
But Jihaad Campbell is starting to give me Brian Bosworth flashbacks.
I agree that we should just treat the first three picks as equal and go get the players you want. If we stayed at the picks I wouldn’t mind something like Booker or Zabel, Swinson, and Arroyo.
This is what makes THIS year’s draft do much fun. NO ONE HAS A CLUE ABOUT WHAT’S GONNA HAPPEN!
This is the year to lean on your scouting staff. Maybe there aren’t any game-changing talents at the top. But there are players that will make a team better. It’s just that no one knows who they are. Or no prognosticators “know”.
Look, most fans are gonna GROAN when they see who their teams picked. At least I probably will. But we have no real clues about who will do well and who will suck. Although I’d put my money on a player who watches film and really wants to improve over someone who readily admits to not watching film.
This draft may have less top end talent, but it’ll be damn exciting to watch the reactions.
If anyone can pick the fly sht out of the pepper, my money is on JS/MM.
In a draft where everyone is very similar, hard work and heart are great tiebreakers.
Daniel Jeremiah has Zabel going 11th to the 49ers, which tells me that he’s hearing the NFL is higher on him than I would have expected.