Why did Pete Carroll overlook his USC boys during the draft, in favor of  talented, yet unfamiliar athletes?

My initial reaction to Carroll overlooking his guys was that “he must not think that highly of his players.” We have heard Carroll sing the praises of players like Taylor Mays for several years, but when Carroll had to put his money where his mouth was, his actions spoke louder than his words ( please excuse my  excessive use of cliche’ phrases in that sentence).

Although I think there may be a grain of truth in there somewhere, there is a more savvy interpretation of Pete’s actions.    As a business with large monetary consequences for selecting certain players, the NFL is different than the NCAA. As an NFL coach, Pete Carroll can only afford to  select players with the best chance of helping his team.  The draft only grants a team approximately 7 picks, whereas the NCAA allows a school to recruit around 25 players per season. Missing on a prospect in college costs the school much less than a missed draft choice in the NFL.

I wholeheartedly believe that Pete Carroll likes his USC players, but many of his USC boys weren’t good values from a need and fit perspective.

Taylor Mays

The Seahawks were desperate for a safety, and they made it a priority to come away with one before the draft was over. USC safety Taylor Mays’ connection to Pete Carroll made a reunion in Seattle a likely possibility. However, Mays’ strong safety style of play, plus his general lack of ball skills would not fill the Seahawks dire need for a playmaking, ball hawking safety like the one they got in Earl Thomas.

Charles Brown

The left tackle prospect had loads of upside, but his ability to step into an NFL starting lineup was questionable at best.  Brown weighs in or around 290 pounds, and would have to get significantly stronger before his body would be ready to handle the stronger and bigger defensive ends in the league.

The Seahawks offensive line has been a sore spot for a sputtering offense. And the ‘Hawks needed to come away with an immediate starter.  From a value standpoint, the team picked an excellent prospect in Russell Okung- a player who should be able to contribute much more quickly than Charles Brown. Both the Earl Thomas pick and the Russell Okung selection were outstanding values. Pete Carroll swept up two of the highest rated players in the draft because they somehow managed to slip a few picks.  Okung was regarded by some as the top tackle prospect of the year, and they go him at #6 overall. Earl Thomas was rumored to go as early as #7 overall, and was arguably the best safety in this draft class.

Everson Griffen

Letting Griffen go to the 4th round was a real head scratcher.  The ‘Hawks could have packaged some trivial draft picks to move up 10 spots in the 4th round to get Everson Griffen. Defensive end is a big need, and Griffen would have brought considerably more athleticism to that front.   The lack of action on Carroll’s part does lead me to believe that he wasn’t too keen on bringing him to Seattle.  The guy has big-time potential. Perhaps Carroll knew him well enough to steer clear of Griffen and his emotional baggage?

Pete Carroll (NFL.com)

Seahawks with a foundation of USC products?

Based on the near-daily reports regarding the Seahawks trade talks for former USC players during free agency (Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart), plus the signings of Lendale White and Mike Williams, I thought it was a slam dunk that Carroll would be eyeing the opportunity to build his program with familiar names.

Every indication led me to believe that Carroll placed added value to players he recruited and coached for years- players he had known intimately.

To some degree that has been the case, but certainly not to the extent that I anticipated.

Often, coaches will recruit players they have priors with because it removes the risk factor that uncertainty brings, especially in the draft process. You see examples of this all the time in the NFL.

In Detroit, new coach Jim Schwartz went after former Titans DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, OL Daniel Loper, and CB Eric King, while OC Scott Linehan insisted on bringing in Nate Burleson from Seattle.

In Denver, HC Josh McDaniels immediately tried to trade for his pupil from New England Matt Cassel. However, former co-worker  Scott Pioli jumped in front and picked up Patriots Mike Vrabel and Matt Cassel.

In the draft process, coaches and front offices will show a similar regard for players coming from coaches with whom they have a connection.

Bill Belichick has a strong bond with Florida head coach Urban Meyer, and this relationship of trust was evident in New England’s draft picks.   Second round picks Jermaine Cunningham and Brandon Spikes, as well as fourth rounder Aaron Hernandez all hail from the Sunshine State.

In essence, coaches and front office personnel place notable value on players with whom they have prior connections.  So why did Pete Carroll overlook his USC boys during the draft, in favor of  unfamiliar athletes?

Check on Monday or Tuesday to hear the answer!

Of the many surprises, several stood out more than the rest.

Ndamukong Suh drafted by Detroit Lions (NFL.com)

First, was the Jaguars selection of Tyson Alualu. Unless I am mistaken, nobody predicted that pick, and many people, including myself, thought he would not be in the first round at all. Perhaps, the Jaguars are looking to transition to a 34 front.  I figured they would go for Earl Thomas, but those Jags seem to beat to their own drum.

Undoubtedly, the second biggest surprise was the dynamic drop-off of Mel Kiper’s favorite player, Jimmy Clausen.   What was going on there?  I’m sure Todd McShay is gloating to Kiper because McShay had been warning us that this could happen. Perhaps, McShay will get to be on set next year, instead of the too-talkative Steve Young.

By the way, did anyone else who was watching the draft on ESPN think that Young talked too much, and Kiper too little?

Third big surprise was the Eagles trade up to get Brandon Graham.  I am a huge fan of Graham, and he absolutely deserves to go this high. But I didn’t think many teams felt the same way.

Fourth shocking event was the fact that Tim Tebow wound up getting a call from the Broncos at #25.   When the cameras switched to the Tebow party, somehow I thought he was celebrating in a room not unlike a dentist’s office.

The fifth surprise for me was the absence of Taylor Mays.  I guess all teams saw his lack of instincts and were afraid of taking him in the first round.

And the sixth thing that caught me off guard was how far Bryan Bulaga slipped.  Him going to Green Bay makes a lot of sense. But thought he would be scooped up no later than #9.

The final surprise was how aggressive the Detroit Lions have become in the Draft. They came away with two impact players in Suh and Jahvid Best.  If they had waited to see if Best was available at #34, I think they would have been disappointed.

Overall, I was very excited to watch the first round this year.  The new format was an excellent decision because it not only gives the GM’s a breather, but it also makes watching the Draft more palatable for fans. I look forward to more trades tomorrow!

Combine Winners

Ndamukong Suh (NFL.com)

Bruce Campbell

Just a dominant overall performance by Campbell.  He looked fantastic in every drill on Saturday.  Did his workout catch the eye of Al Davis and the offensive tackle-hungry Oakland Raiders?

Ndamukong Suh

Talk about nimble…. Suh was like a dancing bear. It was absolutely evident that he was prepared to compete at the Combine.  32 reps on the bench could be a key factor in separating himself from Gerald McCoy who only had 23 reps.

Taylor Mays

NFL scouts in attendance said that Mays’ actual clocked time in the 40 was closer to the 4.24 than his official time of 4.43.  He was nearly as fast as advertised.

Jerry Hughes

Strength still a concern for Hughes, but there will be no questions about his athleticism and ability to transition to 3-4 OLB at the next level after putting on a display in agility during drills.

Eric Berry

Came in bigger and stronger than expected. His drills were very clean, and he ran a fast 4.47  in the 40, coupled with an amazing 43 inch vertical.

Trent Williams

Superb speed (4.88 sec) and fantastic footwork firmly plants Williams within the top 10 of the Draft.  The doubts concerning his height were squashed, too.  He is a solid 6’4” plus change.

Sam Bradford

Bradford has to be on this list, even though he didn’t work out.  He checked out medically, which means he is again a serious contender for the #1 overall pick.

Jahvid Best

Best ran the fastest 40 time of all the running backs (4.35 sec).  That is always a momentum shifter.

Jacoby Ford

Fastest man at the combine (4.28 sec) will catch the eye of evaluators.  Speed causes teams to overlook a multitude of flaws.

Dorin Dickerson

The Pittsburgh prospect was better than Jared Cook last year. Dickerson was the top tight end performer in the 40-yard dash (4.40 sec), broad jump (10’10”) and vertical leap (43 inch). He also posted great marks in the bench press ( 24 reps), 3-cone drill, and 20-yard shuttle.  Teams will be very intrigued by his athleticism.

Devin McCourty

Of all the defensive backs, McCourty looked the smoothest in drills. His strong suit is fluidity in his transition and breaks on the ball.  He made himself some money on Tuesday.

Ryan Matthews

An very good overall, especially for a big running back (6’0,” 218 lbs.) workout might have been enough to push Matthews into the 1st round.  He ran a fast 4.45 in the 40, and was a top performer in the vertical leap, 20-yard shuttle, and bench press.

Combine Losers

Joe Haden (NFL.com)

Joe Haden

His slow 40 time (somewhere around 4.58-4.62) shocked me.  His tape is fantastic, but he has to answer the speed questions to maintain top corner status.

Rolando McClain

Was the pulled hamstring a ploy?  Probably not, but I wanted to see McClain answer questions I have about his speed.

Carlos Dunlap

This was supposed to be his time to shine. But his workout was very average. He looked clumsy when moving laterally, and his straight line speed wasn’t near what was expected.

Dez Bryant

I want to know why he didn’t work out.

Anthony Davis

Concerns about his work ethic were confirmed by his lack of preparation.  Apparently, he looked soft in the middle, and his 23 bench press reps were not impressive for a man of his size.

Donovan Warren

An unofficial 4.58 sec in the 40 isn’t great for a cornerback. Warren wasn’t a top performer in any category.

Brandon Spikes

Another one of those guys who didn’t run for one reason or another.  This raises a red flag regarding his timed speed.  We know he is a great football player, but we wanted to see how good an athlete he is.

Dan LeFevour

No good reason given for not throwing.  Thes4e quarterbacks don’t seem to understand that scouts only want to see their footwork and delivery. Accuracy really doesn’t matter at the combine.

Rich Eisen

Good ol’ Rich…. I thought maybe this would be the year he broke 6.0 in the 40. Guess we will have to wait until next year. Hopefull, he will wear better exercise clothes than a suit next time.

(1) St. Louis Rams

The days of Marc Bulger are numbered, and the franchise needs to add young talent at quarterback if they are serious about winning any time soon. And considering how the Rams have already used top 5 picks on DE and OT, the only justifiable position to take this early is a quarterback.

It is debatable who the best quarterback is, but St. Louis runs a version of the West Coast offense. For this reason, I would give a slight edge to Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford over Washington’s Jake Locker. Bradford is blessed with superior leadership qualities, and supreme accuracy, two things that NFL teams covet out of their signal caller. Additionally, his experience operating out of the shotgun should not hurt him too much, since the Rams often utilize this formation themselves.

(2) Cleveland Browns

It has been widely publicized that Eric Mangini is not keen on quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn. I don’t blame him one bit. The passer ratings of the two QB’s are 36.2 and 70.4 respectively.

Unfortunately, both of these players have contracts that may prevent Cleveland from upgrading the position.However, I do believe that Mangini will find a way to get an able-bodied QB to Cleveland in the form of Washington’s rocket armed Jake Locker. The Huskies signal caller is gifted with all the physical tools necessary to be a great NFL quarterback.

(3) Detroit Lions

Detroit has many needs, including a glaring hole at LT. But if I learned anything last year about how the Lions’ front office drafts, it is this: they draft purely on grade and not based on need. If they have the chance to add perhaps the best player in this class, then it’s a done deal. They sorely need help on the interior of the defense, and there is no better way of doing this than acquiring a dominant DT like Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh.

After seeing the Vikings’ Kevin Williams shred the Lions’ offensive line by blowing up plays in the backfield, it seems that the Lions will be salivating at the ability to obtain such a similar talent in Suh.  His unique blend of athleticism, strength, and technique will make him a fearsome force- exactly the type of  player that Detroit has lacked for so long.

(B) Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

Depending on how Suh grades out, and whether he is still on the board when the Lions make their selection, Detroit’s contingency plan may be to select the other can’t miss defender available: Tennessee safety Eric Berry. His elite skill set could be too much for GM Martin Mayhew to overlook, especially considering

how the safety spot beside rookie Louis Delmas has been a revolving door in recent years. Players like Marquand Manuel and Kalvin Pearson aren’t cutting the mustard. So, a ball hawk roaming the weak Detroit secondary would be exactly what the doctor ordered.

(4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Since Tampa doesn’t need a LT or QB right now, they are in position to take the best player available. Sabby Piscitelli isn’t scaring opponents, and Jermaine Phillips is a free agent after this season. If the Bucs couple a promising young safety with the talent already present at cornerback, they could have a frightening  secondary.

Eric Berry is a game breaking safety prospect that would aid the Bucs in both pass coverage and run support. Tampa hasn’t had an impact player at safety since John Lynch departed for Denver.

(B) Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

Soonersports.com

Tampa would undoubtedly love to add Ndamukong Suh to help fix the league’s worst run defense. But Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy is one heck of a consolation prize if they decide to address the area of greatest need. The interior of the defensive line has been unable to get pressure, and they have been unable to hold their assigned gaps effectively. A gap penetrating tackle like McCoy is what Tampa had in Warren Sapp during their Super Bowl run.

(5) Oakland Raiders

Raiders’ owner Al Davis is a sucker for speed and athleticism. The failure of former 1st rounder Michael Huff can only bolster his interest in the super-freak known as Taylor Mays. His amazing athleticism for a 6′3, 235 lb safety is remarkable. And if he times as expected in the 40 yard dash at the Combine, then he becomes the obvious candidate here.

Grabbing Mays this early is not advisable, but we are talking about the owner who selected a punter in the 1st round way back when. Mays isn’t known for his coverage or ball skills, but he certainly can lay the wood and possesses the elite straight line speed that Davis covets.

(B) Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma St.

NFL.com

Although Mays is perhaps the player Davis “will” choose, the player he “should” choose is someone else entirely. Despite using three top 10 picks on offensive skill players in the last three years, Oakland is ranked last in the league in 1st downs and total yards per game. I am assuming that the Raiders will give JaMarcus Russell one last year to prove himself before letting him go. And the trend thus far has been to add weapons to aid his development. How about selecting an elite LT to protect the quarterback and give him time to throw the ball?

Russell Okung is a tremendous athlete with excellent length and footwork. He is a bit raw but the tools to be good are all there. ]]> http://www.nfldraftblogger.com/2009/12/draft-scenarios-2/feed/ 1 http://www.nfldraftblogger.com/2009/11/draft-scenarios/ http://www.nfldraftblogger.com/2009/11/draft-scenarios/#comments Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:48:37 +0000 David Maziasz http://www.nfldraftblogger.com/?p=3331 1. St. Louis Rams

Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

The days of Marc Bulger are numbered, and the franchise needs to add young talent at quarterback if they are serious about winning any time soon. And considering how the Rams have already used top 5 picks on DE and OT, the only justifiable position to take this early is a quarterback.

It is debatable who the best quarterback is, but St. Louis runs a version of the West Coast offense. For this reason, I would give a slight edge to Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford over Washington’s Jake Locker. Bradford is blessed with superior leadership qualities, and supreme accuracy, two things that NFL teams covet out of their signal caller. Additionally, his experience operating out of the shotgun should not hurt him too much, since the Rams often utilize this formation themselves.

2. Cleveland Browns

Jake Locker, QB, Washington

It has been widely publicized that Eric Mangini is not keen on quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn. I don’t blame him one bit. The passer ratings of the two QB’s are 36.2 and 70.4 respectively. Unfortunately, both of these players have contracts that may prevent Cleveland from upgrading the position.

However, I do believe that Mangini will find a way to get an able-bodied QB to Cleveland in the form of Washington’s rocket armed Jake Locker. The Huskies signal caller is gifted with all the physical tools necessary to be a great NFL quarterback.

3. Detroit Lions

Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

Detroit has many needs, including a glaring hole at LT. But if I learned anything last year about how the Lions’ front office drafts, it is this: they draft purely on grade and not based on need. If they have the chance to add perhaps the best player in this class, then it’s a done deal. They sorely need help on the interior of the defense, and there is no better way of doing this than acquiring a dominant DT like Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh.

After seeing the Vikings’ Kevin Williams shred the Lions’ offensive line by blowing up plays in the backfield, it seems that the Lions will be salivating at the ability to obtain such a similar talent in Suh.  His unique blend of athleticism, strength, and technique will make him a fearsome force- exactly the type of  player that Detroit has lacked for so long.

Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

Depending on how Suh grades out, and whether he is still on the board when the Lions make their selection, Detroit’s contingency plan may be to select the other can’t miss defender available: Tennessee safety Eric Berry. His elite skill set could be too much for GM Martin Mayhew to overlook, especially considering how the safety spot beside rookie Louis Delmas has been a revolving door in recent years. Players like Marquand Manuel and Kalvin Pearson aren’t cutting the mustard. So, a ball hawk roaming the the weak Detroit secondary would be exactly what the doctor ordered.

4. Tampa Bay Bucs

Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

Since Tampa doesn’t need a LT or QB right now, they are in position to take the best player available. Sabby Piscitelli isn’t scaring opponents, and Jermaine Phillips is a free agent after this season. If the Bucs couple a promising young safety with the talent already present at cornerback, they could have a frightening  secondary.

Eric Berry is a game breaking safety prospect that would aid the Bucs in both pass coverage and run support. Tampa hasn’t had an impact player at safety since John Lynch departed for Denver.

Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

Tampa would undoubtedly love to add Ndamukong Suh to help fix  the league’s worst run defense. But Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy is one heck of a consolation prize if they decide to address the area of greatest need. The interior of the defensive line has been unable to get  pressure, and they have been unable to hold their assigned gaps effectively. A gap penetrating tackle like McCoy is what Tampa had in Warren Sapp during their Super Bowl run.

5. Oakland Raiders

Taylor Mays, S, Southern Cal

Raiders’ owner Al Davis is a sucker for speed and athleticism. The failure of former 1st rounder Michael Huff can only bolster his interest in the super-freak known as Taylor Mays. His amazing athleticism for a 6’3, 235 lb safety is remarkable. And if he times as expected in the 40 yard dash at the Combine, then he becomes the obvious candidate here.

Grabbing Mays this early is not advisable, but we are talking about the owner who selected a punter in the 1st round way back when. Mays isn’t known for his coverage or ball skills, but he certainly can lay the wood and possesses the elite straight line speed that Davis covets.

Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma St.

Although Mays is perhaps the player Davis “will” choose, the player he “should” choose is someone else entirely. Despite using three top 10 picks on offensive skill players in the last three years, Oakland is ranked last in the league in 1st downs and total yards per game. I am assuming that the Raiders will give JaMarcus Russell one last year to prove himself before letting him go. And the trend thus far has been to add weapons to aid his development. How about selecting an elite LT to protect the quarterback and give him time to throw the ball?

Russell Okung is a tremendous athlete with excellent length and footwork. He is a bit raw but the tools to be good are all there.

Picks 6-10 coming soon!

Have you ever been watching a football game, trying to pay close attention to a specific high profile player, only to find yourself constantly wowed by one of their lesser known teammates? You start thinking, “who is this guy,” and “why haven’t I heard of him before now?”  I had several of those moments during the 2008 college football season.

I sat down to watch DT Peria Jerry, but his peer Greg Hardy kept jumping off the screen and onto my notes. Just like another extremely gifted lineman (Julius Peppers), the Ole Miss defensive end occasionally lines up at receiver, and managed to play basketball for the Rebels in his freshman year.  Despite missing 5 games over the last 2 years, Hardy registered 18.5 sacks and 27 tackles for loss.

Then there are the prospects such as Southern Cal’s Taylor Mays, who has nothing subtle about him. How can you not notice the times he jars helmets off of opponents like bottle rockets blasting into the air. Had he come out early, Mays would have been the first safety selected, easily falling into the top 15 picks of the draft. Instead, the ferocious hitter wisely chose to return for another year of seasoning under coach Pete Carroll.

What’s more, Taylor Mays is one of the most sculpted athletes you will ever see in a football uniform. Already a two-time 1st team All-American, he possesses every physical tool (6’3/230 lbs.) to become truly great. His speed is becoming legendary, reports say he runs the 40 yard dash somewhere in the 4.30-4.47 second range. However, he must use his last year to continue improving his technique and coverage skills to prevent being labeled a “workout warrior.”

On the other side of the country, any fan in the Big Ten Conference has witnessed the disruptive Michigan Wolverines DE Brandon Graham. Under Michigan’s elite strength and conditioning program, led by Mike Barwis, Brandon is reported to run a 4.6-4.7 second 40 yard dash, and as of last off-season he bench pressed 475 lbs twice.

Following in the footsteps of former teammate, Lamarr Woodley (now with the Pittsburgh Steelers), Graham shows a knack for getting into the backfield. His productivity has improved over the last two seasons, having sacked the quarterback 18.5 times, recorded 29.5 tackles for loss, and forced 5 fumbles.  Because of his size (6’2 270 lbs), he is virtually identical to Woodley, making him a prime candidate for 3-4 OLB. In the meantime, there is a very real possibility that Graham will leave U of M as the school’s career and single season sack champion.

Moving South to one of the heartlands of football talent: the great state of Florida (the oranges really are extremely tasty there). One of the nastiest, trash-talking linebackers in the country hails from the University of Florida, MLB Brandon Spikes. The first team All-American had 224 tackles and 4 interceptions in the last two seasons.

If I had to describe his style, one word comes to mind: aggressive.  He is that old-school linebacker that is looking to knock some heads, attacking the ball carrier with reckless abandon. One moment in particular is ingrained in my mind from last season. During the Alabama vs. Florida game, 340 lb. LT Andre Smith locked onto Spikes. What proceeded from there was most unexpected.

In Hulk-esque fashion, the 240 lb. Spikes squared up with Smith and viciously and ruthlessly  threw him to the turf. I turned to my dad and said “did you see what I just saw?”

Later, I checked Youtube to make sure my eyes didn’t deceive me.  Here is the video that I found, Spikes tossing Smith to the ground.

Another player from the state of Florida is garnering a considerable amount of attention, George Selvie. His build (6’4 245 lbs) is reminiscent of Penn State’s Aaron Maybin, who went 11th to the Bills in this year’s draft. Like Maybin, Selvie’s game is based upon speed and quickness, rather than out-muscling his opponent. The South Florida Bulls defensive end had a relatively slow 2008 season, but if he is able to capture some of his 2007 form, where he totaled 14.5 sacks and 31.5 tackles for loss, then there is no telling how high he could go in the draft.