Missing_Clink":2yoj9jdl said:
I have a really hard time believing that anyone was taking this guy before the 7th if at all. This is the one pick this year I just don't understand
Maybe this helps a little as to why the Seahawks were high on him:
Prior to the 2012 season, Willson was considered one of the top TEs is the country as he was on the John Mackey award watch list but an unfortunately high ankle sprain derailed his 2012 season and he was buried by a strong depth chart at TE. Yet, he was still voted to Honorable Mention at his position by his conference’s coaches despite a weak stat line. He was the 2nd Rice TE taken behind 49er’s Vance McDonald and both players are comparable:
Vance McDonald: 112 catches, 1504 yards, 15 TDs
Luke Willson: 78 catches, 986 yards, 9 TDs.
LW stats adjusted to VM catch line: 112 catches, 1416 yards, 13 TDs
Measurables:
VM: 6'4, 267 / 31 bench reps/ 33 ½ Vert/ 9’11 Broad Jump
LW: 6'5, 250/ 23 bench reps/ 38 Vert/ 10’02 Broad Jump
VM: 4.60 40-yd dash/ 2.78 20-yd dash/ 1.68 10-yd dash
LW: 4.51 40-yd dash/ 2.57 20-yd dash/ 1.53 10-yd dash
VM: 4.53 20 Yard Shuttle/ 7.08 3-Cone Drill/
2nd Round pick
LW: 4.29 20 Yard Shuttle/ 7.08 3-Cone Drill/
5th round pick
Willson, while not as big or strong as McDonald, is faster, slighty more explosive, and likely more fluid as an athlete. Willson's measures would rank in the top 10 in most categories among fellow TEs had he participated in the Combine. The Seahawks will utilized his extraordinary speed to take the top off of defenses as well as figure him into their offense as a big WR and Red-Zone threat to create mismatches. Behind Miller and McCoy, he’ll have a year or so to develop his core strength and blocking fundamentals which are already solid but more or less a necessary and demanding attribute in the Seahawks run heavy system before he becomes a legit contributor.