First Washington Player Drafted!

by: Chris Sullivan

And I don't mean University of Washington (sorry Juan Garcia), but WSU standout wide receiver Brandon Gibson has been drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. He'll be joining a team with a lot of wide receivers including a number that have been drafted this year, so Gibson could wind up on the practice squad. Nevertheless, he will have an opportunity to prove his worth in the preseason and could make the squad as the #4 or 5 receiver on the team. Andy Reid and McNabb love to spread the ball around (Pete told me so), so Gibson could play a bigger role this year than most 6th round WR draft picks. We shall see. Either way, congrats to Brandon!

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Jennings: The Path Not Taken

sby: Michael Steffes

There seems to be some people upset the team didn't select Rashard Jennings , a RB from Liberty.

What team do you all follow? Was there something that was said or done that would have led you to believe that Tim Ruskell was suddenly going to pick someone from Liberty? Big schools only is how he rolls.

It seems that there may have been some unreal expectations in place. James Davis was a far more likely target. Tim Ruskell shies away from small school players. The only small school player he has drafted since taking over was a LS. Why would he change for a RB, especially when big school guys remain available?

And by the way, neither Davis or Jennings has been taken yet.

UPDATE: Davis was just taken by the Browns midway through the 6th. END Read More!

Seahawks Go QB in the Sixth

by: Michael Steffes


In the sixth round with pick #178, the Seahawks select Mike Teel QB from Rutgers.

This obviously fills the need for the Seahawks as the third QB. They will have a year or two to evaluate him and determine what to do at that position. I am surprised Teel went this high -- from what I read, he was likely not to be drafted. But I guess a developmental QB is in the eye of the beholder.

Don Carey, someone the Seahawks had taken a look at, was picked right in front of the Seahawks. We are left to wonder if he would have been their pick instead. Look for the team to address the CB position with a vet like Ken Lucas, maybe as soon as tomorrow.

As we head to the 7th, the Seahawks could still use players on the interior line, at safety, and at running back. It will be interesting to see what happens from here.

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Nary a Don Carey Remains

by: Chris Sullivan

Don Carey was selected by the Cleveland Browns one pick before the Hawks. Drat. 

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49ers Get Their QB

by: Chris Sullivan

The 49ers just drafted Nate Davis, the quarterback from Ball State whom no one seemed to care about. He was very productive at Ball State and has a very good arm. He makes a lot of bad decisions, but was probably given less credit than deserved by scouts. 

The Seahawks could very well go QB here at 178. Some names to watch for: Mike Reilly, QB from Central Washington; Brian Hoyer, QB from Michigan State (are there any other MSU QBs doing well in the NFL?); and Curtis Painter, QB from Purdue. Some have compared Hoyer to some NFL QBs, even saying he is "the next Matt Hasselbeck." We'll see if Ruskell feels the same way. 

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Top Five Left

by: Chris Sullivan

These are the guys I am liking for the Seahawks in the sixth and seventh:

1. Rashad Jennings - RB - Liberty: Great talent from a small school. He's big, hard to bring down, and patient. Could be excellent value if he's still available at the top of the sixth.
2. Don Carey - CB - Norfolk State: We've done a write-up on Carey previously. He's a small school guy but has prototypical size, great tackling skills, and strength. He is a bit slow for top-end CB speed (4.54).
3. A.Q. Shipley - G/C - Penn State: Tough, athletic, and has decent size. He's very smart and would provide excellent depth at guard and center, important as both Spencer and Sims will be UFAs at the end of the '09 season, and both could be easily improved upon. 
4. Cary Harris - CB - USC: Any USC starter who slips to the sixth round has to be viewed as a good value, right? He has some durability issues and stiff hips, but is tough, aggressive, and great at jamming on the line. Very good on special teams. A three-year starter at a top school. 
5. Derek Pegues - FS - Mississippi State: Could be a free agent at the end of the day, but most likely we'll grab him in the seventh if we like him. He plays a lot faster than he is, but he isn't too fast. Has good range, but somewhat weak and needs to improve on tackles. Very active and aggressive with great ball skills and athleticism, plus he has a lot of experience against top talent. 

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Make the Move: AQ Shipley

by: Michael Steffes

As we get into the range that Seahawks could probably negotiate their way into, one name I am keeping my eye on is . . .

AQ Shipley, C, Penn St.

Shipley is good player with big school, four-year experience. I felt the Hawks needed more than one interior offensive linemen in this draft, and Unger may make as good a guard as he does center. Adding Shipley would, in my mind, give the Hawks three interior linemen who can play well in the zone system who are young and cheap. The third would be Mansfield Wrotto.

Tackle will likely be addressed next year, maybe with one of the team's two first round picks. Getting this line young and strong would go a long way toward securing the future of this offense. Plus, QBs, RBs, and Safeties should all still be available in the 7th.

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Seahawks Benefit from Attention Shown to Small School Players

by: Michael Steffes

One of the factors that seems to be working greatly in the Seahawks' favor is the increased attention being placed on small school players. Tim Ruskell favors players from BCS conferences, but many of his colleagues don't share the same affinity.

As players from places like St.Paul's, Monmouth, Abilene Christian, and even Western Ontario come off the board, good players from programs like Oklahoma, LSU, and USC fall down the board.

Hopefully in the end the Hawks will get a guy or two with the ability to play in this league that maybe got overlooked because they didn't have the upside that a raw player will lesser experience might have.

Of course, small school picks work out too, but since Tim Ruskell doesn't really go there until the draft is over -- right now, everyone that is taken works to our advantage.

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Running Backs, Defensive Backs, and Guards Remain

by: Michael Steffes

It seems as if there are still several positions with significant talent available that could address Seahawks' needs .

There are about 20 picks still to go before the Hawks are again on the clock. Any thoughts on who you would like the Seahawks to pick in the 6th?

Who might slip all the way to the 7th?

The goal in any draft is to find a couple of starters. Curry is as close to sure thing as there is, and Unger appears to be a likely starter sooner rather than later. Finding a couple of gems in the late round would cement this draft as a nice piece of work for the Seahawks War Room.

Who fits the bill?

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NFC West Second Day Picks Through Round 4

by: Chris Sullivan

Arizona Cardinals
3.95 -- Rashad Johnson - Safety - Alabama

Johnson is a great football player but lacks the size and physicality to replace Adrian Wilson and the speed to play cornerback effectively. A tweener, but I'd say good value at the tail end of the third round. 

4.131 -- Greg Toler - Cornerback - St. Paul's

From what I know about this guy (the first St. Paul's player ever drafted), he's fast and athletic, but not very strong and very raw. Might be a stretch at this pick, but they might have known something we didn't. He could be good, but it won't be this year. 

St. Louis Rams
3.66 -- Bradley Fletcher - Defensive Back - Iowa

Fletcher has some off-field issues, but is an athletic defensive back who will likely see most of his playing time on special teams and in Nickel/Dime packages. Not a bad pick, but the Rams probably have more pressing needs.

4.103 -- Dorell Scott - Defensive Tackle - Clemson

Scott had a bad year in 2008 but is fast as any 312 pounder can be, running a sub-4.9 40. I wonder if there wasn't a more impactful DT that would have been available at #66, but none really jump out at me. It's a solid pick, but might not ever have a huge impact on this team that needs high impact players. 

San Francisco 49ers
3.74 -- Glen Coffee - Running Back - Alabama

This is a decent pickup, but not great. He's a hardnosed runner like Frank Gore, which is nice I guess, but does not really fit as a change of pace guy. Decent speed, good size, and an upgrade over DeShaun Foster. There were better guys on the board. 

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