Yesterday was Cam Newton’s Pro Day and the rumor is that there were over 150 NFL officials and 100 members of the press to see Cam the Icon and Entertainer perform. So with the draft about 1 month and a half away I’d like to offer my thoughts on the direction the Seahawks should take this year.
Much has been made of their need at QB. All of the press experts, including Tim Hasselbeck, expect Matt to test the open market this offseason. It’s not a doom and gloom scenario because a lot of times that can lead to getting a deal done faster. The problem I have is that a good percentage of them believe that the number 25 pick should be spent on a QB. And of the group (along with a large group of fans) the name that continues to surface is Jake Locker.
I like Jake. He’s a local boy and I think he’s going to have a good career in the NFL. He’s athletic, smart, and plays with more heart than most of the guys in pads on Sunday. He was a winner despite being part of a really crappy football program at the U of W. But I don’t want him in Seattle at the price of a 1st round draft pick.
There are a lot of holes on this team. The O-line and Defensive Secondary are chief among them. Heck, I could make a strong case for letting Lofa and Curry go and drafting at that position in the early rounds. But taking Jake, or any other QB at 25, is a mistake.
So here’s what I recommend.
This is a strong DB class and the Hawks desperately need help in that area. For me it’s a toss-up on which spot is a greater need. But the problem is that at 25 the 2 best Corners will be gone already. If by some miracle Peterson (LSU) or Amukamara (Neb) are still available, let’s all be adult enough to not laugh at the other teams as we run to hand our ticket to the podium. Since it’s a safe bet that they will be gone by then the only other name, talent-wise, that warrants a pick at 25 or better is Jimmy Smith (Col). He is a first round talent, and at 6’ 2”, 210 pounds, his size and speed are huge assets. Off the field issues involving drugs and 2 arrests have me worried. The Hawks don’t need the headache so they should pass on this kid and look towards other needs.
The next big need is the O-line. No team had more starting combinations for their front five than Seattle did and it showed. A 7 – 9 finish, an abysmal running game, and an aging QB that felt as if he was under siege all season were the obvious results of a make-shift line who’s only constant was inconsistency.
So at 25 the pick that makes the most sense is an Offensive Tackle. You can address the need at Guard through Free Agency, but getting another good young tackle has to be the focus at that spot. Either Nate Solder (Col) or Anthony Castonzo (BC) would be good selections but the kid I really like is Gabe Carimi. He’s 6’ 7”, 315 pounds and is starter ready at the Right Tackle position. Some teams may want to put him on the left side but I don’t think he could do that on week 1 of the 2011 season.
I know a lot of fans will think that if Seattle is going to take a Tackle at that spot they should consider taking Tyrone Smith out of Southern Cal. Coach Carrol is familiar with him and would know what he was getting up front. I don’t have anything against Tyrone but I think Tom Cable will want to move towards a bigger bodied line-man and at 280 pounds Tyrone is too small for my tastes.
“But what about a QB?” I hear you asking. This QB class is strong enough that you can draft a QB in round 2. Heck, there’s a small possibility that Jake may even drift that far. Doubtful, but not completely out of the question. There is however a kid worth taking with the 25th pick in round 2. For my money I say take a hard look at Colin Kaepernick (Nev). He’s 6’ 6”, 225 pounds with a canon for an arm. He was a 4 year starter at Nevada and with the exception of a slightly elongated delivery hits every measurable you can imagine. His detractors will say that he has an elongated delivery but if you take a close look at him he may remind you of Josh Freeman out of Tampa.
With Matt at the Helm for 2011 the thought of young Colin competing for the number 2 spot against Clipboard Jesus makes me smile. If Whitehurse is able to win the job that would be fantastic. But I’ve a feeling that Colin can win that spot and by 2012 would be ready to compete for the starting position. At the end of the day we’ll need to turn the page at QB but we’re still at least a year away from doing so.
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