Tuesday, March 25, 2008

S.A.- NFL DRAFT PREVIEW-Round 4

And the hits just keep on coming! I have completed my round 4 analysis for the Seahawk Addicts draft preview. I must say, round 4 was the toughest. Mainly because the Hawks don't currently have a 5th rounder, so I was conscious of players they might really like who could go in the fifth as well. Picking in the 4th, Ruskell could grab someone he really likes projected for the fifth. At this point, it is about getting good players and good fits, and very little is considered a reach. Especially when you won't be picking again for 65-70 slots.

Anyway, lets get to the projections. As always, these are educated guesses formed around all I have read and learned about Tim Ruskell. To Continue...

If you haven't been following along, here are the previous projections.

Round 1..............Round 2..................Round 3

In both of the first two projections, the reasoning behind how I made my decisions is discussed. Meanwhile.....

SEAHAWK ADDICTS 4TH ROUND PROJECTIONS


JerMichael Finley-TE- Finley probably has one of the bigger upsides of all the TE's. He is big, fast, and has good ball skills. He has ideal height for the position at 6'4" He is also known to be a team guy and has good intangibles. The knock on him is his blocking. He also could use to put on some weight. He is also kind of inexperienced, he would have benefited greatly from staying another year in Texas. Because of that, he is likely to find himself drafted in the 4th. Expect TE's to slide a little further after the teams with a glaring need take the top 4 or 5.

Brian Kehl-LB-BYU- Kehl is a Ruskell guy to a tee. He is a bit undersized, but makes up for it with quickness, effort, and attitude. He is a big hitter despite his lesser attributes. He was a leader of an overachieving BYU defense. He will be an excellent back up and special team with the possibility to be more. The one knock is that he is a little older at 24 because of taking a mission.

Marcus Griffin-S-Texas- Lots of people have been speculating about Texas players that the Hawks may be interested in, but nobody mentions Griffin. The Hawks interviewed him at the senior bowl, and it is just as likely they are looking a little closer at him. He has great bloodlines, and a great attitude. He is a hard worker who clearly understands football. While his measurables aren't off the charts, he has enough to get by with his smarts. Would be an asset on special teams as a rookie.

Carlton Powell-DT-VT- Powell has the ability to be a very good second day pick. Doesn't have the measurables, only weighing 290, but the numbers don't lie. VT was one of the best rush defenses in the country and Powell was a big reason why. He has started to develop pass rush moves too. He only had 2 1/2 sacks as a senior, but had 15 Qb pressures. Often that is a better indication of his actual success in rushing the passer. He would be a valued addition to the Hawks as he earned awards at VT for both leadership and hustle. It didn't show up right in the chart, but teams have gained NEGATIVE 13 yards on their last 106 running plays towards Powell.

Kirk Barton- T- Ohio St- Could be an excellent use of a 4th round pick. He started almost every game of his four year career at OSU, and played well against top competition. Seahawks have had some success getting linemen from OSU later in the draft. Rob Sims at least is a starter, which more than a lot of 4th round picks can say. If the team is serious about eventually moving Lock to the left side, then Barton could be the right tackle of the future. In the short term he could replace Ray Willis if he leaves as a free agent next year, or as the back up tackle if Willis has success at guard.

Chris Harrington-DE- Texas A+M- Harrington's pops was a Los Angeles Ram. He is the kind of try hard overachiever that Tim Ruskell loves. He has top notch leadership and is a tireless worker. Right now he holds up against the run better than rushes the passer, but that is what would make him a good complement to the current rotation. He is said to have football instincts that can't be taught. Could turn out to be anything from a solid end to the next Aaron Kampman.

Ok, there is round 4. No round 5 selection, so I may take a few days before throwing up the late round selections with the specialists. Also, special thanks to Coach B. I had a different DT in the mix who was kind of a reach, but after reading his comment in the Laws thread I discovered someone I hadn't looked at too much. After a second look, I included him.

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