Expectations for our new LT and RT

[toffee]

We drafted a pair of bookends for our OL, I think these two are very good and foundation pieces for our future. Offense linemen often took time to develop, they might actually be ugly the first couple three years, but we have to play them or they won't learn. 12s may need to support them by being patient.

Our great Duane Brown, All-pro, pro-bowl LT took 3 years to reach stardom, the first two years sucked:
2008: 835 snaps, 6 penalties, 11 sacks, PFF grade 66.8
2009: 1035, 8, 7, 73.3
2010: 825, 5, 5, 76.9
2011: 1056, 3, 0, 81.7 second team all-pro, pro-bowl

It took Duane a good 3 years to become a star in the league, he gave up 11 sacks in his rookie year. it may take Charles Cross, and Abraham Lucas, sometime to reach their destiny too.

I am pumped for our future, go Hawks.

 

[Spin Doctor]

I think Charles Cross is going to come in and be a great LT for us right away. I don't know what Duane Brown's profile was coming into the NFL. Cross on the other hand looks like he could be one of the best LT's in the league right away. I say this as the boards resident pessimist. I'm extremely pleased with this pick.

I've been looking at a lot of the analysis and tape of people going through his game. He's an extremely good pass blocker right off the bat. If anything it is his run blocking that needs a little tweaking. Cross is a technician with good measurables. He's got a lot of tricks in the bag and I've seen him make future NFL players in the SEC look like scrubs. I've seen teams try to throw all sorts of trickery at him, only to have him seamlessly deal with it.

I'm going to say this right now, Charles Cross is going to be the best first round pick we've had since Earl Thomas.

 

[toffee]

I think Charles Cross is going to come in and be a great LT for us right away. I don't know what Duane Brown's profile was coming into the NFL. Cross on the other hand looks like he could be one of the best LT's in the league right away. I say this as the boards resident pessimist. I'm extremely pleased with this pick.

I've been looking at a lot of the analysis and tape of people going through his game. He's an extremely good pass blocker right off the bat. If anything it is his run blocking that needs a little tweaking. Cross is a technician with good measurables. He's got a lot of tricks in the bag and I've seen him make future NFL players in the SEC look like scrubs. I've seen teams try to throw all sorts of trickery at him, only to have him seamlessly deal with it.

I'm going to say this right now, Charles Cross is going to be the best first round pick we've had since Earl Thomas.

I am totally onboard with your prediction, my point was even if he and Lucas struggle some in their first season, 12s must be patient.

 

[Spin Doctor]

this video has some analysis on Cross about halfway through with footage if anyone is interested.

 

[toffee]

this video has some analysis on Cross about halfway through with footage if anyone is interested.

Brown and Cross share some attributes:
Brown 6'5", 300lbs, 34.25" arms, 10" hands
Cross 6'5", 307lbs, 34.5" arms, 10.75" hands

Brown: 5.08 sec 40yards, vertical 27.5"; broad jump 105"; 3 cones 7.58"; 20 Yd Shuttle 4.52sec
Croww: 4.95 sec 40yards, vertical 26"; broad jump 112"; 3 cones 7.88 sec; 20 Yd Shuttle 4.61 sec.

 

[Appyhawk]

Cross will start right out of the gate. Lucas, ONOH, will have to work harder than he's ever worked before to earn the start on the right side. Curhan worked very hard to get to where he was at the end of last year. He won't give that up without a serious fight and his experience will play a big role in how it turns out.

 

[SeahawksBMX]

this video has some analysis on Cross about halfway through with footage if anyone is interested.

Incredible. Watched it twice back-to-back. Thank you.

 

[CallMeADawg]

Incredible. Watched it twice back-to-back. Thank you.

Top Billin' is great content.

 

[Spohawks]

I am Curhan's personal hype man so I was feeling quick to hate on Lucas without knowing him. But I said "Hold up, lets check this Lucas kid out"!

Wow! The last 2 years he only gave up 1 sack, All PAC 10 all 4 years and was projected higher then where the Seahawks grabbed him in almost all articles.

A few teams had him on their radar because he has no weakness. Some may claim his run game is suspect but thats only because WSU was pass heavy. He did fine when given the chance.

So may let the best RT win. However I have ZERO patients for development while starting. Let him get his reps in at practice, when subbing in or in camp...I don't want the 2nd best player "learning" while the QB is running for his life.

 

[JPatera76]

I really want to know if the dynamic of importance changes between Lucas and Cross, when for example they have to protect Levi Lewis in TC/Preseason since he's a lefty QB so obvious his blindside becomes different.

 

[Rat]

The past two seasons Tristan Wirfs and Rashawn Slater have been stars basically from day 1. Both were taken 13th in their draft, four spots later than Cross. I don't know how realistic it is to get in that group this year, but there's precedence now. Granted, both were fortunate to be protecting high-end QBs.

 

[JayhawkMike]

The best thing about us drafting a Right Tackle is my sincere hope they won’t screw around moving our new Left Tackle around.

I hope they throw them both in the fire and have them start all 17 games each.

 

[hoxrox]

I am Curhan's personal hype man so I was feeling quick to hate on Lucas without knowing him. But I said "Hold up, lets check this Lucas kid out"!

Wow! The last 2 years he only gave up 1 sack, All PAC 10 all 4 years and was projected higher then where the Seahawks grabbed him in almost all articles.

A few teams had him on their radar because he has no weakness. Some may claim his run game is suspect but thats only because WSU was pass heavy. He did fine when given the chance.

So may let the best RT win. However I have ZERO patients for development while starting. Let him get his reps in at practice, when subbing in or in camp...I don't want the 2nd best player "learning" while the QB is running for his life.

Curhan played well during Penny's dominate stretch. So it will be interesting to see who wins the tackle competition but it's a nice problem to have.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Cross will start right out of the gate. Lucas, ONOH, will have to work harder than he's ever worked before to earn the start on the right side. Curhan worked very hard to get to where he was at the end of last year. He won't give that up without a serious fight and his experience will play a big role in how it turns out.

This is kind of how I see it.

If Cross doesn't just start, but look the part of a cornerstone LT for the next 8-10 years? Yikes. That's a death blow to this organization.

Lucas? I do expect him to eventually start at RT, but might take into the season. If he does start right away? Then that's a really good sign. But it shouldn't be expected.

 

[Welshers]

My hopes for Cross is that he is our cornerstone blue chip LT for years to come.

 

[jlwaters1]

Brown and Cross share some attributes:
Brown 6'5", 300lbs, 34.25" arms, 10" hands
Cross 6'5", 307lbs, 34.5" arms, 10.75" hands

Brown: 5.08 sec 40yards, vertical 27.5"; broad jump 105"; 3 cones 7.58"; 20 Yd Shuttle 4.52sec
Croww: 4.95 sec 40yards, vertical 26"; broad jump 112"; 3 cones 7.88 sec; 20 Yd Shuttle 4.61 sec.

They are like a carbon copy of each other. What's funny is when Brown was drafted by Houston,
most pundits called the pick a huge reach and were ridiculing them for the pick. Yet it turned out they got the best most long lasting Tackle in the draft. I have confidence that these 2 rookies despite taking their lumps this year will give us a much more consistent pocket. I think we'll see the OL take a leap forward in productivity in 2022.

 

[Spin Doctor]

They are like a carbon copy of each other. What's funny is when Brown was drafted by Houston,
most pundits called the pick a huge reach and were ridiculing them for the pick. Yet it turned out they got the best most long lasting Tackle in the draft. I have confidence that these 2 rookies despite taking their lumps this year will give us a much more consistent pocket. I think we'll see the OL take a leap forward in productivity in 2022.

Based on past scouting reports i'm pulling up on Brown, they are pretty different in how they approach the game. Brown was seen as an athletic offensive lineman that had raw technique. Cross on the other hand has a reputation of having really strong technique in the pass blocking game. He's far more refined as a player than Brown was coming out.

This is actually a good thing, I suspect he's going to hit the ground running from day 1, unlike Brown.

 

[nanomoz]

They both need to get more comfy with their hand in the dirt.

I think Lucas is an instant upgrade over everyone that's started at that spot since . . . Breno, probably? I was dumbfounded that they got him in the third. I'd have been stoked with him in the late-first.

Cross needs to add some weight room strength. He's probably going to have anchor issues early on. But that's okay. Duane Brown did, too. He's a pretty good comp for Cross. Brown was above average by his second year.

It's all cause to be excited.

 

[Seattle Person]

For me personally, I just want the 2 young OTs to learn and take their lumps early in the year. By the end, if they are on the roll then we got ourselves something.

*Knock on wood, they are healthy and get the ball rolling in the off-season programs.

 

[toffee]

Based on past scouting reports i'm pulling up on Brown, they are pretty different in how they approach the game. Brown was seen as an athletic offensive lineman that had raw technique. Cross on the other hand has a reputation of having really strong technique in the pass blocking game. He's far more refined as a player than Brown was coming out.

This is actually a good thing, I suspect he's going to hit the ground running from day 1, unlike Brown.

At this point, I am hoping that for their rookie years, Cross will be a more skilled version of Brown. I would be very happy if that is the case, I do think that Cross's ceiling is not unlike Brown, which is a very good thing.

Go Hawks.