Mark Sanchez? Really?

by: Michael Steffes

I couldn't help it this morning, but as I sit and drink coffee and get ready for my day, I am a bit bewildered by all this Mark Sanchez talk.

It seems Mark Sanchez is now the hot pick for the Seahawks in April's draft. I know that Tim Ryan and Pat Kirwan on "Movin the Chains" think so. Now Rob Rang and Pete Prisco have jumped on board and everyone is talking. I just don't see it. I have, and continue to believe, that the interest in Sanchez is a noble yet futile effort to let someone else pick at #4.

The more I hear Sanchez linked to the Seahawks, the stronger I believe it. Does anyone remember last year? How many mock drafts did we read that said the Seahawks would take Kentwan Balmer? There was never a chance that the Hawks were taking Balmer -- he was a one year wonder with plenty of question marks. But, this is the Hawks were talking about. Very few outside of those who pay close attention have any clue what is going on Renton. They don't know about Tim Ruskell's affinity for character and four-year production. They just see a perceived need, then plug in the hot prospect. But Rob Rang, he knows the Seahawks. Expect to see plenty following his lead.

I wonder, is he doing the Hawks a favor? Maybe this is how he gets their pick right more years than not? Last year, if I remember correctly, he settled on Lawrence Jackson mere days before the draft. Expect him to switch this pick as we get deeper into April as well. Sanchez at four? Stafford maybe, but choosing Mark Sanchez would be counter to everything this team has done since 2005. Hopefully there is enough hype that someone wants to move up, but I wouldn't count on it. END