3rd Round, Pick #90 C.J. Prosise, RB, Notre Dame

[kearly]

My issues with this pick aside, the value was pretty solid, and as a pure 3rd down back he'll be pretty good. I just have issues with his fit as a 1st and 2nd down back for Seattle's current offense, and there were other RB options on the board that struck me as better fits for the current run game.

 

[IndyHawk]

I watched a couple games of his just now.

I like that he's a lower body weight type of player, similar to Golden Tate and Chris Polk. He has decent balance for his size and spins out of lazy tackles fairly often.

I think the comparison to C-Mike is way off the mark. Michael had a 1.49 ten yard split and it showed on the field. Michael was freakishly explosive in the short area and was almost always running at around 100% speed/intensity. Prosise is much more like a David Johnson or Derrick Henry in that he tends to run at around 70% speed until he's in the clear. Once he's in the clear and squares his shoulders, he hits the jets and shows that he has an extra gear. This is in contrast to Michael who's extremely explosive and intense in short areas but lacks the extra gear at the top end. If anything, Prosise is the anti-C-Mike.

I think he's a very similar player to Dwayne Washington of the Huskies. Both are converted WRs to RBs with heavy legs and a blazing extra gear, and both are very raw as RBs.

Because RB is such an instinctual position, I generally dislike drafting "project" RBs who haven't shown instincts or natural aptitude, and this pick is no exception. Furthermore, I think Prosise is exactly the kind of RB that's only going to be as good as his blocking since he's always waiting for blocks and lacks decisiveness, short area explosiveness and recovery.

Basically, I think this is a good looking prospect on paper but looking at him on video I think that unfortunately he is not any better suited for our running game than Derrick Henry was. Sure, he can hit some home runs if you give him a gaping hole to run through, but he doesn't have much ability to create and he's too patient for Cable's system which requires extreme urgency and instincts.

I get why Seattle made this pick but ultimately I think it will prove to be a mistake. I hope I am wrong and that he develops, or, I hope that the OL gets so good that it won't matter even if I'm right.

Kearly hit the nail perfectly on this guy..I don't understand what JS was thinking on this one

 

[Seafan]

He isn't going to be just a role player. He will be a difference maker or as Carroll says, "Touchdown maker."

There is something about this guy that Pete and JS have been looking for in a back for a while. That could really be interesting for the offense considering all the other weapons at Russ' disposal.

Plus, look at the three road graders the Hawks have added to this team. Rawls 5.5 ypc should just get better.

 

[WindCityHawk]

I don't mind this. The more lottery tickets you have, the better chances you have of hitting the jackpot, right? So why not add another boom or bust back? If Rawls turns out to be injury prone, we'll want two potentially explosive guys behind him battling for the starting spot.

 

[hieroglyphics]

They may want him just to run that play (the one where Lynch scored a TD in the Packers NFC Championship) where Russell goes to the opposite side of the field, and Lynch was free on the opposite sideline, open for the pass. That was our bread and butter play for years, and neither Rawls or Michael are particularly dependable pass catchers.

 

[Overseasfan]

He is an amazing route runner, he's open on nearly every play. He has good hands as he rarely ever drops the ball, he can definitely take a hit and still keep going, he blocks well for his size, he has that second gear similar to Derrick Henry where he's just gone if he gets into the open.

As a 3rd down back I don't think anyone would be a better fit in this draft (not even Dixon as he has better technique but is considerably slower). He's very quick and elusive. Having him and Lockett on the field at the same time is just begging for excitement.

There are some downsides though. While pretty strong he doesn't have the ability to push off defenders like Rawls or Lynch, this seriously limits his chances to ever become our lead back. He also struggles to create his own running lanes so even though Vannett and Ifedi will massively improve our run game I'm not sure how much advantage he can take.

So a great fit as a 3rd down back who could also line up in the slot but not a lead back. I don't think it's an issue though as Rawls and Michaels are both able to carry the load.

 

[Largent80]

A converted WR. With only 1 year at the position and his tape shows up pretty nice.

Tossing him a pass on 3rd down could be a treat.

 

[HawksSoc]

Hell yeah.


http://presnapreads.com/2016/03/29/c-j- ... an-foster/

 

[Grahamhawker]

To summarize, the potential is there; we shall see how Prosise turns out.

 

[Ozzy]

The difference between Prosise and Jackson is huge. This is a huge upgrade for a specific role. I think people are viewing this pick the wrong way and missing what PCJS want him to do.

 

[SeahawksBMX]

Hell yeah.


http://presnapreads.com/2016/03/29/c-j- ... an-foster/

Great article. Based on what I've heard/read/watched so far, I'm loving this pick. I'm sure others also listened to his interview on KJR last night, but I came out of that being an instant C.J. fan. He was humble, but confident. Gracious. Eager. Fully acknowledged how raw he is and that he has a lot to learn.
I know that Hugh Millen is far from everyone's favorite analyst, but he was absolutely giddy about this kid and even the late Prince's mother is satisfied more often than Hugh.

Tony Softli asked C.J. straight up about how he exclusively carries the ball in his left hand, but said that it wasn't necessarily a bad thing and that Napoleon Kaufman (who Tony used to coach) pretty much did the same thing.
I was on the road while listening to it and first thing I did when I got home was watched some highlight vids. That burst though! Seeing him constantly pulling away from DBs when he got into the open field has me very excited about his potential; not just as a runner, but especially as a receiver out of the backfield. I'm sure he'll be used very sparingly this season and will likely be used on Special Teams more than anything else, but this kid should eventually be an incredible asset to throw into our arsenal. Baldwin, Lockett, Graham/Vannett, #3, and then put this dude in to be covered one-on-one by a linebacker? Yes, please.

I'm starting to see why JS has been so stoked about this draft and he/they appear to be killing it so far.

 

[bigskydoc]

I kind of like this pick, even though it seems like a reach at this position.

What really stands out to me is the way he modulates his speed. He doesn't have three gears like most running backs (Full throttle, stop, slow to pick your way through the traffic). It's more like he has a continuous variable transmission plus afterburners. It looks like it will be hard for defenders to judge what angle to take to bring him down. Like Percy Harvin, but with patience and with more control of that top end. I can see him frustrating defenses like Lynch did, only with different technique. Instead of looking to get into, then evade, a scrum, or just carry the scrum 15 yards, it looks like he will be avoiding them entirely. (although he did go a little Beast Mode against Georgia Tech)

Very upright running style with good downfield vision. Always looking for where the lanes are opening up and where the blocks are coming from. Good patience to let the blocks develop. Decent though not great blocker. Footwork is almost the complete opposite of Lynch. He doesn't plant to cut.

I do worry about his narrow stance. He runs like a receiver and really reminds me of Golden Tate. Maybe it is just the contrast to that wide, low base that Lynch had, but this guy just looks like he runs narrow and tall. Seems like he will need some wider holes because it seems he would be easy to tip off balance.

I also worry about how he will fit into Cable's scheme. Lynch and even Rawls had great success with hitting the hole that was supposed to be there, and trusting it would open by the time they got there. To me it looks like Prosise wants to see the hole before he hits it. That won't work in the NFL

Runs the jet sweep with about the same success as Harvin. ukeface:

That being said, I get the feeling that Cable and Carrol feel that this is the year that our line (with the help of our passing game) finally comes into its own and starts producing producing actual holes to run through. We saw it at the end of last season when Rawls had actual lanes to run through, and Lynch's ability to break through a line with no gaps became less of a necessity.

While he has a definite propensity for one hand, I did see him carry in both in college, although I can't say I ever saw him switch hands mid-run.

 

[IndyHawk]

People forget at ND he got break due to Folstons injury.The ND OL was very good and the spread they run makes it even easier on RB's.Take a look at how Josh Adams did when CJ got hurt.I think CJ can be a good pick up but only as role.He was a Wr/Safety as well and no telling if the Hawks might want him in one of those spots.

 

[pehawk]

3rd in explosive runs in his first 11 games at the position. If Cable's line clicks, this dudes Forte.

 

[bigskydoc]

I like the Forte comparison. Struck me that way too

 

[pehawk]

I like the Forte comparison. Struck me that way too

I just like everything you write. Unfortunately in searching your posts this is the only Seahawks pick you've analyzed. Damn it.

I need more BSD analysis.

 

[bigskydoc]

Nature of the beast. Evaluating line play in the NFL with the all-22 is hard enough. Evaluating it from broadcast angles and YouTube clips of NCAA games is folly IMHO. I'm not sure you can make a valid evaluation. My evaluation would be pretty boring, along the lines of, "you can do a lot worse than taking a offensive tackle from A&M given their recent success at placing tackles into NFL lines"

Evaluating RB and QB positions from broadcast angles is actually a reasonable proposition

 

[ImTheScientist]

Kind of reminds me of a larger Reggie Bush or Arian Foster

 

[Rat]

http://www.seahawks.com/video/2016/04/30/john-schneider-and-pete-carroll-call-cj-prosise

CJ getting the call from Schneider. I love these things!

 

[crosfam]

Perfect compliment to Rawls. I called it in yesterday's Rd2 thread. Seems like a reverse version of Golden Tate. At worse, a youth upgrade for the 3rd down back. But I think our offense is changing post-Lynch. RW's development, Lockett, resigning Kearse, adding a blocking TE.