So who is the starting Nose Tackle?

[Spohawks]

Of the McFatties we have now, can any of them shed a block, take on a double team and get to the QB? How about even holding their ground and plugging up the middle?
A couple names come to mind but I am not sold on any of them as a season long solution. I think the Hawk's makes an offseason move for a real NT.

Who do you think gets the starting spot?

 

[Smellyman]

Woods all the way right now. Mone may be prototypical NT

 

[Nunya]

I don't think the Seahawks uses a Nose Tackle per se, since they run a 4-3 defense and not a 3-4 defense.

 

[sdog1981]

I don't think the Seahawks uses a Nose Tackle per se, since they run a 4-3 defense and not a 3-4 defense.

They are going 34 and have said as much.

 

[jammerhawk]

I don't think the Seahawks uses a Nose Tackle per se, since they run a 4-3 defense and not a 3-4 defense.

Not anymore and we will see the 3-4/4-3 hybrid this season.

Woods, Mone, are the likely NT candidates.

We will see what the draft brings as well.

 

[TheLegendOfBoom]

Jordan Davis will be when Seattle drafts him!

 

[JayhawkMike]

Heaven forbid we find a Vita Vea out there.

 

[jammerhawk]

Jayhawk, time will tell here.

There are a few other team needs that are possibly more obvious as well.

 

[toffee]

Poona might be the odd man out, he isn't big enough as NT in 3-4, and not sure if he could be DE? lol, may be he could drop 30 lbs or so and play MLB?

 

[jammerhawk]

LOL n the 30 lbs off for Poona, he'll more likely be a rotational NT and heavy package 5 tech. Suspect they have a few draft candidates for ILB and there a re some good 2nd-4th round candidates. Besides they have Jordan Brooks who would likely be a 3-4 ILB. It's very early yet.

 

[toffee]

LOL n the 30 lbs off for Poona, he'll more likely be a rotational NT and heavy package 5 tech. Suspect they have a few draft candidates for ILB and there a re some good 2nd-4th round candidates. Besides they have Jordan Brooks who would likely be a 3-4 ILB. It's very early yet.

Got to wonder if Poona could be traded? He seems to be an odd fit for our coming 3-4?

 

[Frozenropers1]

I expect we’ll see Poona playing the DE position in the 3-4 defense. He has pretty solid get off and disruption/penetration ability. He may not be horrible in the 3-4 DE position.

AS far at the NT in the 3-4…….Al Woods and Bryan Mone. May not be ideal but they fit the bill for now. You think of the Ravens and Patriots great 3-4 defenses, they always had a stud NT. Hgata and Wilfork.

If the Hawks want to build from the trenches out and make that defense great again with a 3-4…..Jordan Davis would make a lot of sense in Round 1.

 

[Jville]

Got to wonder if Poona could be traded? He seems to be an odd fit for our coming 3-4?

I thought Poona Ford fit in well last year. Poona has logged more snap counts than any other interior lineman over the last 3 years. And that is in a defense accustom to rotating its linemen. Poona offers versatility. An attribute the coaching staff values.

 

[nanomoz]

I would love Jordan Davis, but I don't think it'll happen. There aren't many true block eaters that have much ability to get into the backfield. Davis could be that guy. And his length and strength probably make him a capable 5-tech, too. Could you imagine linebackers being able to run around freely behind Woods, Davis, and Q-Jeff?

I just jizzumed.

 

[sutz]

So we're thinking we could do a Red Bryant with Poona? Switch him to a DE role?

At NT, I think Woods and Mone are the basic starting point. We could definitely add some bodies to compete, but I think they could handle it.

 

[AgentDib]

I'd be hesitant to spend the #9 pick on Jordan Davis, but if he was still there after a trade down he could be a good fit.

You don't often see 6'6" players end up being good nose tackles due to the loss of leverage that comes along with height. Vea is 6'4" as was Ngata, but that's on the tall side of the spectrum. Most of the good ones recently have been shorter; Wilfork (6'2"), Clark (6'3"), Hampton (6'1"), Ratliff (6"3"), Pouha (6'3"). If you also consider that he played less than half of Georgia's defensive snaps and didn't show much in the way of pass rush, it's a risky pick to spend the #9 overall on.

 

[JayhawkMike]

Jayhawk, time will tell here.

There are a few other team needs that are possibly more obvious as well.

Just really wanted Vita Vea but we were no where close to him in draft position. Star Latoulila wouldn’t have been bad either. I have a lot of Tongan and Samoan friends and if I were to personally pick a nose tackle that’s where I’d go.

 

[toffee]

I thought Poona Ford fit in well last year. Poona has logged more snap counts than any other interior lineman over the last 3 years. And that is in a defense accustom to rotating its linemen. Poona offers versatility. An attribute the coaching staff values.

Quite true! I thought Poona's 3 tech experiment ended up lacking in sack and QB hit numbers? Or I got it wrong?

 

[Jville]

Quite true! I thought Poona's 3 tech experiment ended up lacking in sack and QB hit numbers? Or I got it wrong?

Versatile players are moved around. Shutting down the run is the often mentioned priority for interior linemen. Also recall that although sacks and hits are recorded, there are no published counts as to double team verses solo blocks that specific defenders face. It is similar to the omission of any published count of double coverage verses single coverage that any specific receiver sees during a season.

The secret sauce lies in player combinations creating opportunities for each other. We have not seen anything close to the Avril - Bennett 1st layer combination in quite some time. I'm anticipating the emergence of something special this year.

 

[toffee]

Versatile players are moved around. Shutting down the run is the often mentioned priority for interior linemen. Also recall that although sacks and hits are recorded, there are no published counts as to double team verses solo blocks that specific defenders face. It is similar to the omission of any published count of double coverage verses single coverage that any specific receiver sees during a season.

The secret sauce lies in player combinations creating opportunities for each other. We have not seen anything close to the Avril - Bennett 1st layer combination in quite some time. I'm anticipating the emergence of something special this year.

Good analysis, and sure am onboard for a more productive Poona. He could be getting double team as he was the only one other team had to account for? If that is the case, Al Wood's breaking out could be result of Poona getting double teamed.