Football Gameplan's 2013 NFL Draft Grades - Seahawks

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Good evening Hawks fans! Here's my draft grades video for you guys

Enjoy!

Em

I think a C+ without factoring in Percy Harvin is fair. I'd go B+ if you factored in Percy. I'm with Em on the RB's selected but i'm sure Pete and John will be making me say "that's why they did it" years from now.

Thanks for the vid, Emory. Question, how would you rate our draft after the inclusion of Percy Harvin's acquisition into the formula?

I understand the head scratching going on with regard to our RB position, but after trading for PH and acquiring some pass rushing talent in free agency, our team was very much in "best player available" mode during the draft, and per some interviews with our GM, Christine Michael was the best guy on their draft board. The running game is paramount to the function of our offense, which is probably why the team had Michael ranked where they did on the draft board. I think we picked up Ware since he was still available, fit the physical mold we have for our running game, and could possibly project to fullback, making him potentially Mike Robinson's heir apparent.

Jordan Hill may have fallen further, but the film on that guy suggests he might be a handful as a gap shooting 3-tech, something this defense has been sorely lacking in recent years. I think they grabbed him because they really like what he has to offer in the aforementioned role, and had their doubts as to whether or not he would be available in the next round.

If anything, our draft practices have caused many to scratch their heads in wonderment. The past few years had a lot of the big media fatheads giving us Cs, Ds, and even the occasional F, as we turned second round players we "reached for" into Pro Bowlers, and fifth rounders into All-Pros. I've given up trying to figure them out, myself. It just seems they are a step ahead of every other front office out there.

Thanks for the vid, Emory, we love you around here. Don't be a stranger.

I think the real value of a draft pick is the cap room it saves. Draft picks give 4-5 years of dirt cheap service time, and that's even more valuable to a complete team like Seattle that doesn't have to worry about filling needs with those picks.

That's basically why I don't view Harvin as our first round pick, because instead of getting a good, cheap player we got something more along the lines of a very expensive 1st + 3rd type RFA signing. It's just semantics, but I compartmentalize Harvin into the free agency portion of the offseason for that reason.

As far as the video, I loved the Christine Michael pick and I even love the Ware pick, yet I basically ended up with the same draft grade. The Seahawks had one of the "murkiest" drafts in the NFL this year, it's very hard to see clearly. It's full of players that won't feature significantly for a couple of years and also full of high risk, high upside guys.

Went back and watched your 2012 draft grade and I must say in retrospect you totally nailed that one. So I'm kinda bummed about this year because I think we didn't need two RB's either and Jordan was a reach. But I'm excited about Jesse Williams and Powell's my adopt a rookie.

Hey Em, since we run the ball so much, and since Lynch had some small injury probs last year, the Michael pick makes perfect sense. Also he is a different style runner than Turbin. I am pretty sure that is why they took him there, as well as having the luxury to pick BPA.

kearly":pdjcg1oi said:

It's full of players that won't feature significantly for a couple of years and also full of high risk, high upside guys.

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I know you won't answer this, but how are any of these picks "high risk."? If they don't make the team, so be it, none of these guys are make or break for the Seahawks. Just silly to consider players who you admit yourself won't have much impact this year, as any true amount of risk. But hey, don't let your dislike of this draft stop you from making hyperbolic statements.

EmDiggy's gots the street cred because of how high he was on last years draft.

SalishHawkFan":2drws1ga said:

So I'm kinda bummed about this year because I think we didn't need two RB's either ...

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This year, yeah, we may not need big contributions from those rookie RBs.

But Carroll and Schneider have developed this team to the point where it's not going to be commonplace for us to be filling major and immediate needs with our drafts. The drafts will be all about building depth and developing guys to take over for current players. Think about it - it's better to get guys you're going to need a year (or even two) before you need them than a year (or two) after. That's the difference in building depth and being able to always apply the "next man up" philosophy versus going into FA and the draft with glaring needs every year.

Lynch is going to continue to age, and Michael will serve a dual purpose - the ability to spell Lynch and keep him fresher throughout the season, and the ability to step in should Lynch's spasms worsen (or in an even worse scenario, Lynch sustains an injury that puts him out for multiple games or for the season). This provides depth at RB for one of the teams in the league most reliant on the run, while allowing Turbin to shift into a change of pace role. Ware, similarly, is insurance for Robinson and his eventual replacement. Robinson's a leader, but his on-field role is not entirely commensurate with his salary.

As for other players, we need to start getting used to the idea that we're going to fall into a pattern of giving big second contracts to the top 1/3 of the roster - guys like Sherman, Wilson, Thomas, etc. Guys who we may be very fond of who are used more as roleplayers and as rotational depth are going to end up leaving in FA and be replaced by younger options, or they're going to stay and beat out those younger options, but on modest deals. That's the pattern that was established in Green Bay while Schneider was learning how to work personnel, and it will result in our team staying young and talented.

I'm surprised we don't see more "C+" type of grades really. Most of the pundits had us from B- to B+.

I understand the Michael pick. We were one of the few teams that really could go BPA, a lot of draft gurus called it before the draft, then when we really do go BPA they're like "hey, we don't get this." Like I said, I understand the pick, but I felt we probably could've gotten better value from a pick that would play more from that draft position.

I like the "murky" draft moniker. We were without a 1st round pick (and the 1st round really didn't have much more, if any, value than the 2nd round), and the consensus was we weren't going to get huge value from our draft position. So we were looking at DL depth/role players, and filling out depth and player development. None of that is very sexy and not many of the draft will contribute right away.

It's also tough when you compare this draft to last year's. We killed last year's draft, so it's hard to compare this one to last year's. Also, people actually ripped us for last year, lots of "D's" and "C" grades, and we made them all look foolish. The knee jerk reaction is to grade us a bit higher so pundits don't look stupid.

Hey great video! Thanks for putting that together. I was especially impressed with the professional intro, standing in front of Radio City Music Hall in your suit. And might I add, you have great fashion sense - making sure to offset the purple tie with a strong gray suit. Very professional.

I agree on Alven Bailey, and think he's going to be good. He's my adopted rookie this season. I have a feeling he'll be a starter by mid-season. Was also shocked to see him go undrafted and was stoked when I saw that Seattle picked him up as an undrafted free agent. I'm interested to see how Seattle uses him, since he has shown an ability to play both guard positions, sometimes during the same game.

I love the Christine Michael pick. I think that Marshawn needs to have his carries reduced. In fact, I kinda didn't like Leon coming in at running back for us, so it was kind of like we went with two backs last year.

When you have as many picks as the Hawks did, you can afford to take a peak at Spencer Ware, if you really like him. It sounds like they felt he was just too good to pass on at that point.

I don't know about Jordan Hill (sorry those that adopted him). I like him more after watching some tape on him. In fact, I am very optimistic about him, but I am afraid that I am looking through biased eyes at this point.

I really, really wanted Armonty Bryant. He may bust, but I would have liked to have seen us select him.

EmDiggy nailed it last year, so as Pehawk said, he has the cred. However, the Hawks front office nailed the selections, so I guess they have some cred, too.

Thanks Gang!! I appreciate that feedback! You guys are starting to have that 'good problem' of already having solid depth on the 2-Deep to where there aren't enough spots to fit guys in..so that's why there's some reaches. Just like the 49ers draft from rounds 5-7. I still think you guys need a RT

Liked the analysis and can understand the questions surrounding the multiple RB picks, but IMO, you can't just leave out Harvin as our 1st round pick, because the draft is not always about selecting rookies, but it's about how you use your picks, and therefor, I think you really need to include that as a part of any overall grades for the draft. In similar fashion, The Vikings draft should be graded partially on how they had to give up a player like Harvin for one of their picks. Other than that the actual player analysis seemed pretty spot on and as always good work

peachesenregalia":2ni14zix said:

HawksFTW":2ni14zix said:

kearly":2ni14zix said:

It's full of players that won't feature significantly for a couple of years and also full of high risk, high upside guys.

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I know you won't answer this, but how are any of these picks "high risk."? If they don't make the team, so be it, none of these guys are make or break for the Seahawks. Just silly to consider players who you admit yourself won't have much impact this year, as any true amount of risk. But hey, don't let your dislike of this draft stop you from making hyperbolic statements.

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Is there really any need for this? It's ok to disagree, but you're a cheeky bastard sometimes. Not necessary and certainly not in the main forum.

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A need for what? It is an honest question, I believe that it truly is a hyperbolic statement to call these guys high risk high reward, when the poster acknowledges that these guys probably aren't immediate starters. The risk is very minimal, all things considered.

If you are referring to the statement "I know you won't answer this", I said that because kearly has me on ignore; has for several weeks now. So, my question was more rhetorical, directed at someone of kearly's mindest/viewpoint, because there is no hope for an honest discourse with him, from my position. My question is a valid one: because you can't have it both ways. None of these picks are being asked to step in right away, none of them are absolute must have draft picks. Obviously, the more picks we hit on the better, but high risk? Not in the slightest. If honest discourse has no place in the main forum, forgive me.

Well Emory did not remember that Washington left and that ML has back problems. I don't know why some folks refuse to understand that when you are a running team depth at running back is essential.

Nice job putting together the video. I was going to point out that Jared Smith is going to be converted to Center from DT. Sweezy 2.0. Tough going from the hunter to the hunted but we will see if Tom can get it done. Jury is still out on Sweezy

Jared Smith, a 6-4, 302-pound defensive tackle from New Hampshire who is being moved to center – “This is going to be the research project, if you will (just as Sweezy made the move from D-line to O-line after being drafted in the seventh round last year). John and Pete, they allowed it to happen last year. As we went through the draft, John Schneider said, ‘Hey, I think there’s another guy for a possible transition.’ And sure enough, I looked at him, went and worked him out and it was like, ‘Yeah.’ This is a very similar guy to J.R. that way. So we’ll put him at center and see where he can take it.”

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http://www.seahawks.com/news/articl...-smiling/5984b688-2ad8-47c6-a5f7-f41c9a93d47a

Thanks, Em! As usual, great production values and solid reasoning for your comments.

:th2thumbs:

OP doesn't understand that we didn't take 2 RBs. We took 1 RB and 1 FB.

HawksFTW":1yc25bu0 said:

kearly":1yc25bu0 said:

It's full of players that won't feature significantly for a couple of years and also full of high risk, high upside guys.

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I know you won't answer this, but how are any of these picks "high risk."? If they don't make the team, so be it, none of these guys are make or break for the Seahawks. Just silly to consider players who you admit yourself won't have much impact this year, as any true amount of risk. But hey, don't let your dislike of this draft stop you from making hyperbolic statements.

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