2008 NFL Draft Weekend Team Thread: Seattle Seahawks

[phillybear 366]

I have Jackson as my 5th rated DE in the draft. Only Merling left at that position rated higher than him. With that said, he's a solid kid. But they could have gone in a different direction.

 

So now I guess he starts opposite of Kerney. And now with Tapp moving to a backup position, Seattle will now have solid depth at the ends.

 

I had Merling, Groves, and Campbell rated higher.

 

Awful, awful pick.

[Kopy 570]

I had Merling, Groves, and Campbell rated higher.

 

Awful, awful pick.

All moot now. But I have Campbell at 6. Groves at 7 and Jones at 8 for my next three.

Merling I had at number 3.

 

 

I'm more pissed we lost out on Keller than anything else. We'll still get a good kid. But Keller would have been like another WR on the field.

[phillybear 366]

All moot now. But I have Campbell at 6. Groves at 7 and Jones at 8 for my next three.

Merling I had at number 3.

I'm more pissed we lost out on Keller than anything else. We'll still get a good kid. But Keller would have been like another WR on the field.

 

I just can't understand why they don't take Merling. He's from a major school, so what's the problem. If you want Jackson, trade down again.

 

Yeah, no Keller after the Jet's reach. I guess we wait until the 3rd round or beyond for a TE. Now, I have no gameplan. Our draft can't possibly recover from this disaster. We need a miracle. I need another drink.

 

Why do I do this to myself every year? I get my hopes up, and Ruskell just hates me.

[phillybear 366]

So, Seattle trades up in the 2nd round to pick up the 4th or 5th best TE in the draft as a high 2nd round pick. Swell.

 

Seattle is now 2 for 2 with reaches in their first two picks. They could have grabbed Lawrence Jackson with their 2nd round pick, and Carlson with their third. Congrats, Seattle. We have given away a first round pick, and didn't even get a Super Bowl win as a result. We are the anti-Patriots.

 

Why do I care anymore? They just break my heart every year.

[Kopy 570]

I just can't understand why they don't take Merling. He's from a major school, so what's the problem. If you want Jackson, trade down again.

Yeah, no Keller after the Jet's reach. I guess we wait until the 3rd round or beyond for a TE. Now, I have no gameplan. Our draft can't possibly recover from this disaster. We need a miracle. I need another drink.

 

Why do I do this to myself every year? I get my hopes up, and Ruskell just hates me.

The bold is more or less the problem I have. We got a very good kid. Do some quick research, and I think you'll be happy.

However, we could have gotten him a good 10 picks into round 2 I believe.

 

Although the last time Ruskell went early on a kid it was for Tatupu. Jackson is basically a Tatupu clone in a different position.

So we'll see.

 

I'll reserve my overall judgment on him when I find out who our starting TE is.

[phillybear 366]

The bold is more or less the problem I have. We got a very good kid. Do some quick research, and I think you'll be happy.

However, we could have gotten him a good 10 picks into round 2 I believe.

 

Although the last time Ruskell went early on a kid it was for Tatupu. Jackson is basically a Tatupu clone in a different position.

So we'll see.

 

I'll reserve my overall judgment on him when I find out who our starting TE is.

 

We already reached for one. Kopy, this draft is a disaster. My worst case scenarios didn't factor in such a meltdown.

 

Also, Ruskell goes early all the time. It usually doesn't work. Tatupu is the only feel good story.

[remote controller 143]

Your Lucky phillybear the Pack spent there first pick on some guy named Korky! WTF!

[Kopy 570]

Carlson was my 3rd rated TE. Should be noted he was ahead of Davis and Bennett.

Good all around TE. Doesn't have the recieving upside I would have hoped for. Should be a starter from day 1 though..

 

It's not a disaster, but your right. I do feel alittle empty. There should be something else.

 

I sure hope tomorrow is better.

We still need to address at least the DT and K positions.

Then maybe ILB, FS/SS and o-line.

 

I'm going to finish my beverages, and sleep for the next 10 hours.

[Kopy 570]

Your Lucky phillybear the Pack spent there first pick on some guy named Korky! WTF!

 

Wasn't he that special kid on TV.

[phillybear 366]

Your Lucky phillybear the Pack spent there first pick on some guy named Korky! WTF!

 

Jordy Nelson, I thought. I had him in the same tier as our first round pick, and about 35 slots above our 2nd round pick.

 

Rejoice!!! Your draft is much better than the Seahawks so far.

[Kopy 570]

Jordy Nelson, I thought. I had him in the same tier as our first round pick, and about 35 slots above our 2nd round pick.

 

Rejoice!!! Your draft is much better than the Seahawks so far.

Nelson is my second favorite WR in the draft. Good kid.

 

 

We traded a 3rd for Carlson. That just plain sux.

 

Not I'm not happy at all.

[phillybear 366]

We traded a 3rd for Carlson. That just plain sux.

 

Not I'm not happy at all.

 

Thank you. I know that you are knowledgable about the draft, and if both of us have issues with this draft, I know that the draft has sucked d!ck.

[Kopy 570]

I can even live with reaching a little. Probably more than most people. But that 3rd really steams me.

 

If you feel the need to reach for players, 10-15 spots ahead of time, then do so. But to trade up to reach, and give away a 3rd. Thats horrible. I'd even live with there 6th or both 7th's. But the 3rd round??????

 

That's a kid that can start right away if he had to.

 

Tomorrow better be a good day tater!

[phillybear 366]

Since we have nothing left today, and as I flipped to the end of an Holmgren interview on NFL Network, it looks like Seattle is done today, willing to retreat and lick their wounds.

 

I hope we have better luck tomorrow.

[BMoney 0]

John Carlson? my hatred for Notre Dame kept me from watching any games...

 

im glad i didnt watch any of this? i need to see if they paased on manningham..if they did..

[Joey Gladstone 33]

I'm not overwhelmed, but it didn't kill me either. I wasn't in love with Jackson, but a lot of "NFL" guys like him. It would be sexier to take a chance on a guy like Balmer or Calais Campbell, but Ruskell likes high character, hard-working guys. Less bust potential I guess. The last couple days I've really been hoping Alberts, Chris Williams, Otah, or the tackle from Boston College with the stupid name would fall to us.

 

I was big on Stewart too, but yesterday a couple guys I work with who went to school in the same area as him say he's a pvssy...they said that he sat out a state championship game with a minor ankle twist. I have no idea how credible that is, but they were pretty adamant about it. Who knows

 

I would have rather taken Davis, but I can live with Carlson. If he can just turn into a reliable short yardage and redzone target I'll be happy (Bubba Franks). Lately I had been getting some uneasy feelings on Keller being a bust, so I'm happy the Jets snuck away with him. I also wouldn't have been heartbroken had they taken a WR in the 2nd and grabbed Cottom tomorrow.

 

All in all I'll just have to trust Ruskell on this one. So are we thinking Jamaal Charles or Kevin Smith next round?

[Kopy 570]

Here's your morning coffee reading material.

 

"Day 1 Recap

By Mike Kahn

Seahawks Insider

 

The concept that they would trade down again drew a chuck from Seahawks president Tim Ruskell and a look that brought to mild indigestion to coach Mike Holmgren.

 

Nonetheless, Saturday’s two rounds of the NFL Draft worked out just as designed for the Hawks, getting versatile Southern California defensive lineman Lawrence Jackson and Notre Dame tight end John Carlson. Both required trades, and they still ended up with one more pick than they began

 

Lacking a fifth round pick from a trade last season for running back Alvin Pearman, Ruskell traded down from 25 to 28, gambling Jackson would still be there – and got a fifth and a seventh from the Dallas Cowboys to do it. A lot of this came as a result of making contact with teams prior to Saturday because the NFL had shortened the time from 15 minutes to 10 in the first round and 10 minutes to 7 in the second.

 

“When we looked at it, and tried to ascertain where he would go, all week we wanted more picks,” Ruskell said. “We didn’t have a 5. We thought maybe Lawrence was going to go bottom of the First, top of the Second, and just left to its own devices. So, we told everybody we were willing to go down, that was not a smokescreen … that was for real.

 

“(Cowboys owner) Jerry Jones called us, and we hashed it out, and to get a 5 and a 7, and to go down to a place where we thought we could still get Jackson, who was one of our targeted guys, we said lets do it, it’s a minimal risk, and it turned out great for us.”

 

With the 55th pick of the second round, they had targeted Carlson, but were nervous because he had made a huge impression during his Pro Day at Notre Dame after missing the Senior Bowl and performing miserably at the Combine due to a parasite he had contracted that caused him to lose 20 pounds and lose all his strength. So they talked to the Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome, dealt him that 55th pick, plus their third round choice and moved up to 38th overall.

 

Within an hour’s span, they had made two trades and drafted the two players they wanted all along.

 

“When we came into the day, we sat down with Mike, and we asked, ‘What was the perfect scenario?’ That was the perfect scenario, to be able to get Jackson and Carlson,” Ruskell said. “When we had been talking to Baltimore all day long, about them moving up from the second round to the first round, the scenario we talked about earlier on; we just kept with them. We talked to Oz, and we said, ‘Ozzie, what about your second pick, what about moving up?’ And he was instantly excited. They wanted to move down for a guy they thought was going to go in the Third.

 

“It was just about communication and having those connections, that that was able to happen. We kept waiting and waiting, because we felt like maybe Atlanta might take them, or that they were interested in him, because he had been to their facility. That was being in the submarine, and waiting for the thought. It worked out to our advantage.”

 

Both players are high character guys, and were targeted from the beginning, the 6-4, 271-pound Jackson was a four-year starter at USC and exactly the kind of player the defensive staff was looking for to help the line. Jackson started 51 of 52 games, with 30.5 sacks and 52 tackles behind the line of scrimmage in his career.

 

“(Defensive line coach) Dwaine Board and (defensive coordinator) John Marshall and (head coach in 2009) Jim Mora and the whole defensive staff worked very hard to prioritize what they felt the needs were,” Holmgren said. “Our scouts have given us so much information, and when you put the two things together, they really felt the defensive end position was something that was maybe more of a pressing thing for us, really, considering everything. We didn’t necessarily want (starting defensive end) Patrick Kerney playing 110 snaps a game, and wearing him out. We had two good players, but we felt that the defensive end was the direction we wanted to go.”

 

The tight end situation was more Holmgren’s cup of tea. He’s spent nine seasons trying to find a tight end that could play three downs instead of specialization and he recognized the skills in him right away. His final two seasons at Notre Dame he caught 87 passes for 1,006 yards and 7 touchdowns.

 

“The tight end situation was an interesting one because it was no secret that we were looking hard at the tight ends,” Holmgren said. “We probably, as an organization, spent as much time on the tight ends as any position in this draft. As you looked at those young guys, they were all probably a little different; they all had their strengths, and all had maybe a little weakness at times.

 

“John Carlson, to me and to Tim, was the most all around solid guy. He’s really a good football player, who can play inside at the tight end position. He’s a big man, 6’5”, 250 … very good hands, good route runner. We love everything about the intangibles - how he plays the game, how he practices, how he conducts his life. I told Tim this early on, I think that he is one of these guys, Lord willing and everyone stays healthy, that he can come in and be a really good football player for you for a long time.”

 

The funny thing is, Ruskell knew there was a chance somebody else would want to trade up to 28, with the possibility of getting more picks and still getting Jackson. But he and Holmgren conceded it really wasn’t worth the gamble.

 

So Sunday, with five minutes between rounds 3-7, and without a third round pick, the Seahawks will have one in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds and two in the seventh. In the past, there were three rounds on the first day, and Sunday began in Round 4, so having landed both players desired, they’ll take it. Now they’ll prepare to add depth and special teams players in on Day 2.

 

“We have some depth needs, and we have some other needs that we want to target, and players that are targeted at each round,” Ruskell said. “We have gone through with the coaches as well, so we’re all on the same page. The second day should start on the fourth round anyway, that’s what we’re used to, so it won’t be that big of a deal. We’re just very happy that we got those extra picks.

 

“All week long, we kept saying, boy, if we just had a Five, we could get this one guy, and now we have one, and an extra Seven. We’re excited about going into the day, and we’ll bring some good players in here. Obviously, go through the filter of special teams, and that will be a big determiner about whether these guys are going to get drafted by us or not.”

 

"

 

Again, my thoughts on day 1. They get a C

 

Both players I like, but I'm still very unhappy about losing the 3rd to do it. Had we kept the 3rd, I would have given them a B grade.

 

I'll reserve my total judgment for today, and see what they do.

Taylor Mehlaff at K is the guy I want.

There's still alot of RB's and DT's I have ranked that would be good for us.

My list of LB's and secondary has slimmed down some. But still alot of them out there.

 

I'll drink coffee from 7:30 to 10:00 Then it's beer fest once again.

[phillybear 366]

Grade F-.

 

That article sickens me. High character guys, instead of talented guys. I've read up on both players, to make sure I didn't miss something.

 

John Carlson is very slow, has trouble getting open, cannot run patterns in the seam and drops the ball a lot. Basically we drafted the exact opposite of the TE we needed. This is a blocking TE. And we gave up a third round pick to reach for this donkey.

 

Lawrence Jackson plays better against the run, simply is helpless vs double teams, and gets stood up at the line a lot. I wanted a DE to get to the QB, but Seattle wanted a run stuffing DE instead. The reason he is good against the run is because he tends to get stuck at the line of scrimmage.

 

Both of these guys have major flaws, and there is a reason they would not have been considered as options when Seattle decided to reach for them.

[FlaHawker 24]

I'll reserve judgement until these guys slap on the pads and actually play. But I was quite satisfied with day 1. The team should be improved.

[phillybear 366]

I'll reserve judgement until these guys slap on the pads and actually play. But I was quite satisfied with day 1. The team should be improved.

 

I guess we will disagree. Seems to me we added two players that do not fit any needs, had low value, and we gave away a 3rd round pick for the hell of it. The incompetence of Ruskell's staff makes me want to vomit blood. This team is probably worse than when yesterday started.

 

No worries. Enjoy the rest of the draft.

 

I've already crumpled up my cheat sheet and chewed on it for awhile. But there is no point in referring to it since Ruskell isn't. I hope he takes a guy in the 4th round that wasn't expected to be drafted at all. Because Ruskell wants to prove what a genius he is by drafting guys nobody else wants.

[phillybear 366]

All in all I'll just have to trust Ruskell on this one. So are we thinking Jamaal Charles or Kevin Smith next round?

 

There is no next round. Ruskell gave away our 3rd round pick to take Carlson in the 2nd. Another 50+ guys will be drafted before we pick again.

[phillybear 366]

With Jamaal Charles gone, there are zero RBs left. I'm not sticking around since we won't be picking for a long time. I'll be back to see the next disaster.

 

Have a nice day everybody. I won't.

 

The 3 guys I took for Seattle in the Homer mock draft:

Philip Merling

Dustin Keller

Jamaal Charles.

 

I wish it would have broken this way in real life.

[Joey Gladstone 33]

Damn! There goes Anthony Collins.

 

Players I want next pick:

 

Ryan Schuening

Dre Moore

Red Bryant

Frank Okam

Carl Nicks

 

I'm Soooooooo glad we didn't have a 3rd round pick. No decent WR's or RB's left. motherfocker

[Kopy 570]

Damn! There goes Anthony Collins.

 

Players I want next pick:

 

Ryan Schuening

Dre Moore

Red Bryant

Frank Okam

Carl Nicks

 

I'm Soooooooo glad we didn't have a 3rd round pick. No decent WR's or RB's left. motherfocker

Moore's gone. I have Bryant ranked above him though. So that would be nice.

[Kopy 570]

Damn, Steltz taken too.

 

This pick should be very interesting. I'm either going to get excited, or start shot gunning beers.

[Kopy 570]

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Kopy 570]

Finally a guy I like. I think he's the best DT left. I liked him 1 spot above Moore. Interesting, did have Ahtyba Rubin higher than both. But this kid seems to be falling like a led brick. So there must be something on him I missed.

 

Bryant a great pick. Will be in the mix immediatly with Mebane,Bernard,Terrell and Tubbs.

And now with Bernards questionable acts and Tubbs health. This was a huge need pick that I think we nailed.

[UncleHulka 0]

Congrats. You just took the best nose tackle in the draft. But I thought the Seahawks played a 4-3.

[Kopy 570]

Congrats. You just took the best nose tackle in the draft. But I thought the Seahawks played a 4-3.

Mebane is more of a 1 gap DT, even though he played as the 2 gapper last and this year, next to Bernard.

 

They needed the wide body to replace Tubbs. Next year I believe we'll see Mebane and Bryant as our starting DT's. With Bryant's sole purpose being to take on and contain 2 lineman and free up both ends and Mebane and create the 1 on 1 matchup for them. It'll be their job to get into the backfield.

He'll be the guy that gets no stats or credit, but is the most needed guy on the line.

 

I think he'll be able to make the switch from 3-4 to 4-3 because he's not the guy trying to beat a lineman 1 on 1.

[phillybear 366]

I have no issue with Red Bryant. This was a decent value pick, a guy I had going late in the third round.

 

Red Bryant is 6'5", and 329 lbs, easily the biggest DT of the top ten prospects at the position. Huge body to clog the middle. Probably won't play in passing downs. Certainly, this fits an area of great need.

 

Unexpectedly, Ruskell didn't completely fock this pick up. Kudos to assface.

[phillybear 366]

5th round, #163

Owen Schmitt, FB

 

I really like this pick. Easily, the best FB in the draft, a guy that was slotted to go around #100 overall. Loved this guy on West Virginia, can run the ball very well, great blocker. I saw this guy play maybe 2 to 3 dozen times over the last few years. Perfect guy to take over the Mack Strong role for the next 10 years.

 

Ruskell must have received my various death threats last night and pulled his head out of his ass today. Doesn't make up for yesterday's disaster, but a better effort to salvage this draft. The 4th and 5th round picks have raised this draft to a "D"

[Kopy 570]

5th round, #163

Owen Schmitt, FB

 

I really like this pick. Easily, the best FB in the draft, a guy that was slotted to go around #100 overall. Loved this guy on West Virginia, can run the ball very well, great blocker. I saw this guy play maybe 2 to 3 dozen times over the last few years. Perfect guy to take over the Mack Strong role for the next 10 years.

 

Ruskell must have received by various death threats last night and pulled his head out of his ass today. Doesn't make up for yesterday's disaster, but a better effort to salvage this draft. The 4th and 5th round picks have raised this draft to a "D"

 

I was also going to say the same thing about Schmidt. The best FB in the draft bar none. We can say goodbye to the failed Kirtman experiment. And also Weaver is a FA next year. So he either preforms or he's gone. Even if he does do well, he could go elsewhere anyways. This was a great pick.

[remote controller 143]

I was also going to say the same thing about Schmidt. The best FB in the draft bar none. We can say goodbye to the failed Kirtman experiment. And also Weaver is a FA next year. So he either preforms or he's gone. Even if he does do well, he could go elsewhere anyways. This was a great pick.

Great pick! I wanted the Pack to grab him as he is the best at the p[osition, I also wanted them to grab Bennett, who I felt was the best TE. They both play hard, block like crazy, and live the game! Great pick!

[Groundhog 24]

So far I'm giving this draft a C; great picks in rds 4-5, terrible value in rds 1-2, and no value in rd 3. I would love to interview all the GMs who chose either DEs or TEs in rds 2-3 and ask them whether they were really strongly considering Jackson and Carlson that early. Somehow I doubt it.

 

I think they were expecting Keller to fall to them at the end of rd 2, panicked, resulting in that trade with Baltimore.

 

For rd 6 I'm hoping we get one of these two guys:

 

Xavier Omon, RB, Northwestern Missouri

Corey Clark, OT, Texas A&M

 

But seeing as how Ruskell has never drafted anyone from outside the big 6 conferences, it's probably safe to say it won't be Omon.

[Kopy 570]

Saints took the best kicker in the draft boys.

I guess we're off to #2.

[phillybear 366]

At this point, I regret setting some of my cheat sheet on fire yesteday. Some of it is hard to read.

[Groundhog 24]

well now it definitely won't be Omon, seeing as how the Bills took him. Aargh.

 

My new next best choice, after Corey Clark, would be Chris Horton, S, UCLA.

[Vikings4ever 550]

Seahawks got a 5 and 7th for moving down to 28

What the hell? Is that worth ANYTHING?????????? I'd rather get a coupon to McDonalds for a free Kids Meal than that friggin value. Great. We can draft a long snapper and a 3rd string punter with those picks. If we trade up, we might improve our towel boy depth.

You got your long snapper with a 6th rounder.

[Kopy 570]

OK, I don't know who that was.

[Groundhog 24]

Fock. Fockity fockity fock. We spend a 6th round pick on a long-snapper - and, at least according to the Sportsline site, a guy who can't play any other position on the field? Hey, while we're at it, let's use one of the 7th rounders on a new towel boy.