2013 Draft - Seahawks Sign 9 Undrafted Free Agents

Written by Matthew Heuett on .

The post-draft rush to sign undrafted free seems to have died down for the night, so here are the nine UFAs the Seahawks have picked up so far:

G Jordon Roussous, Bowling Green

OT Alvin Bailey, Arkansas

RB Dominique Whaley, Oklahoma

WR Matt Austin, Utah State

DE Kenneth Boatright, Illinois

LB Ramon Buchanan, Miami

LB John Lotulelei, UNLV

LB Craig Wilkins, Old Dominion

SS Ray Polk, Colorado

It's been a long day, so I'll leave these names as just a list for now, but I will be sure to put something up tomorrow once I've had a chance to dig up some info on each of these guys.

All right, I couldn't resist looking up just one little thing before I hit the sack.  If you've never heard of Old Dominion University before, you aren't alone -- neither had I.  Apparently, the university started a football program in 1930, the same year the school was first established (back then it was the Norfolk Division of William & Mary College), then shut it down in 1941.  Amazingly enough, the football program wasn't mothballed because of World War II, but because the program had amassed a $10,000 debt and the conference had ruled that ODU couldn't play freshmen (or something like that -- this newsletter is pretty short on details).  As far as I can tell, no NFL team has ever drafted a player from ODU no matter which side of WWII you care to look on.

Okay, just one last thing, I promise: adjusting for inflation, $10,000 in 1941 would be $162,837.59 today.  Maybe they forgot to charge admission?

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2013 Draft - Seattle's Picks in the Last Two Rounds

Written by Matthew Heuett on .

I had to go run some errands during the sixth and seventh rounds, so here's the guys the Seahawks picked up while I was out and about:

Round Six, 16th Pick (194th Overall): RB Spencer Ware, LSU

Another high school QB who converted to another position in college, Ware had a pretty good career at LSU despite being stuck in a backup or RB-by-committee role for much of his time there.  He isn't very fast (4.62 forty time), but he's a strong, punishing runner who doesn't go down on first contact and could develop into a strong short-yardage back.  He also excels as a receiving threat.

Round Seven, 14th Pick (220th Overall): G Ryan Seymour, Vanderbilt (6'5, 300 lbs)

The Seahawks didn't pick a single offensive lineman until the seventh round, but regardless Seymour is a promising choice.  He started 35 games at Vanderbilt and took snaps at every position on the o-line last season.  His natural position is guard, but he served as the backup center and held up reasonably well when he was asked to play both tackle positions. 

Round Seven, 25th Pick (231st Overall): DE Ty Powell, Harding (6'2", 249 lbs)

Powell entered the draft with a fifth round grade, but Seattle was able to wait until the seventh round to snap him up.  Yes, he played Division II ball, but he's an intriguingly athletic and versatile prospect.  He played three different positions at Harding: defensive end, linebacker, and safety.  Sure, he probably didn't play all those positions equally well, but how often do you hear about a DE who can play a little safety, too?

With his size, quick burst off the line, and 4.6 forty speed, Powell will likely be competing for a spot as a backup Leo DE and/or situational pass rusher in the nickel package.

Round Seven, 35th Pick (241st Overall): DT Jared Smith, New Hampshire (6'3", 302 lbs)

Smith is this year's J.R. Sweezy, a high-motor defensive lineman whom Tom Cable plans to convert into an offensive lineman for the Seahawks.  Smith isn't terribly huge or fast, but he appears to have enough drive and athleticism to be a potentially strong fit in Cable's zone blocking scheme.  Given Sweezy's rapid development last year, it'll be interesting to see how Cable's new pet project fares this offseason (and how Sweezy progresses this year, for that matter).

Round Seven, 36th Pick (242nd Overall): OT Michael Bowie, Northeastern State (6'5", 330 lbs)

Bowie started his college career at Oklahoma State who won the starting job at left tackle late in his junior year and was projected to return to start at the same position his senior year, but was cut from the program after violating unspecified team rules.  Whatever the reason for his dismissal, there's no denying that Bowie has definite potential.  He didn't allow a single sack of Brandon Weeden in 2011 (anyone who watched the Browns last year knows how difficult that is), but regardless he doesn't project as much more than a developmental prospect at this point.

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2013 Draft - With the 194th pick, the Seahawks select...

Written by Daniel Luu on .

...runningback Spencer Ware from LSU. At 5'10" and 228lbs, Ware is your definition of a "thumper". What he lacks in speed and quickness, he makes up in size and strength. He is different from Christine Michael and Robert Turbin in that he openly looks to make contact with defenders, racking up his yards after contact via broken arm tackles and hitting his defenders hard. It leads me to believe that he could be competing for a spot on the team as a short-yardage back or fullback. But unless he finds a way to oust Turbin, Michael, or Michael Robinson from their spots, I would expect for Ware to be at best as a practice-squad player for this team in 2013.

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2013 Draft - With the 158th pick, the Seahawks select...

Written by Matthew Heuett on .

...tight end Luke Willson from Rice University.  Willson didn't attend the combine and ended his last college season with an injured ankle, but in what has become a common refrain Schneider and Carroll-run drafts he has great size (6'5", 251 lbs) and speed (~4.5 second forty).  He excels as both a receiver and a blocker, and many considered him to be one of the most promising talents at the NFLPA collegiate game this year.

And hey, if it doesn't work out in the NFL, he can always go to Canada -- he's already been drafted by the Toronto Argonauts.

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2013 Draft - Seahawks Trade Up to Take DT

Written by Matthew Heuett on .

Just prior to taking Simon at 138, the Seahawks traded off some of their war chest of draft picks to acquire the 137th pick from the Lions.  In exchange for a fifth (165th) and a sixth round pick (199th), Seattle received the opportunity to acquire defensive tackle Jesse Williams from Alabama.

Williams is a big, powerful lineman who has the strength, size (6'3", 323 lbs), and ultra-low center of gravity to be a very solid 1-tech DT, but fell down draft boards because of a lack of technique and some medical questions.  Assuming he recovers fully from a late-season knee injury, he should be a good rotational player and potential understudy for Brandon Mebane.

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2013 Draft - With the 138th pick, the Seahawks select...

Written by Matthew Heuett on .

...cornerback Tharold Simon from LSU.  Aside from helping me prove my theory that parents don't know what a real human name looks like anymore (maybe it's just because I live in Eugene, but my kids have classmates with names like Badger, Cessna, etc.), Simon is the sort of big-bodied defensive back Carroll loves to stock up on: 6'2", 202 lbs, 4.5 second forty, and 35" vertical.

The guy had 4 interceptions and 13 pass defenses his last year in college, but he also tends to grab on to receivers downfield and he needs a lot of work on his press and man coverage techniques.  Oh, and he got arrested on the first day of the draft, so there's that, too.  That said, Jeremy Lane was a complete knucklehead at the beginning of last season, and by the end of it he was the most promising young CB on the team not named Richard Sherman.  It'll be interesting to see if Simon can follow suit.

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2013 Draft - With the 123rd overall pick, the Seahawks select...

Written by Matthew Heuett on .

...wide receiver Chris Harper from Kansas State.  Harper is a high school QB who converted to WR in college and didn't put up big numbers in Kansas State's run-heavy attack, but nevertheless was the team's leading receiver in his junior and senior years.  He's got the size (6'1", 229 lbs) and enough speed (4.5 second forty) to potentially be the big, physical receiver that Carroll has been looking for since Mike Williams was released after the 2011 season. 

Harper isn't likely to outrun many defensive backs, but if he can put his QB's understanding of the game to work at the pro level he has the potential to become a reliable possession receiver in the mold of Anquan Boldin and T.J. Houshmandzadeh (preferably minus the negative headlines).

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2013 Draft - Fourth Through Seventh Rounds

Written by Matthew Heuett on .

During Carroll and Schneider's tenure, the last four rounds have been a goldmine for the Seahawks, and today will likely be no exception.  Headed into day three, the team has no less than ten picks remaining -- one in the fourth round, three in the fifth, two in the sixth, and four in the eventh, which break down as follows:

Round Four: 26th (123rd overall)

Round Five: 5th (138th), 25th (158th), 32nd (165th)

Round Six: 26th (194th), 31st (199th)

Round Seven: 14th (220th), 25th (231st), 35th (241st), 36th (242nd)

Each round has a five minute time limit from hereon out, and teams rarely stretch out their time much in the later rounds, so things should cruise right along today.

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And with the 87th Pick, the Seahawks Take...

Written by Mike Parker on .

....Jordan Hill, defensive tackle, Penn State. 

Hold your Sandusky jokes. This guy looks like Brandon Mebane, and plays like him, too - Hill stands at 6'1", weighs 303 pounds, has 33 1/2-inch arms, and is only 22 years old. 

Talk about upside? This guy has it. Taken from the Penn State Athletics' website: 

Jordan Hill has a non-stop motor and has set a sterling example for his teammates on the time and dedicated efforts required to maximize ability and potential. The senior is consistent and passionate in his quest to improve and help the Penn State defense remain among the nation's elite units. Hill's motor never stops, not in the weight room, at practice, during off-season conditioning or in games. The former Steelton-Highspire High School All-American has emerged as a leader for the defense and is a probable post-season honors candidate. He started every game last season and has 17 career starts, most among players on the defense.

Hill's addition addresses one of the only "needs" the Seahawks have left - depth at the interior defensive line. With Alan Branch and Jason Jones departing in free agency, DT Tony McDaniel was a decent signing from the Dolphins, but the line needed more depth. Hill brings that, and shoud fill in nicely as a reserve alongside Jaye Howard. (Remember him?) 

 

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2013 Draft - With the 62nd overall pick, the Seahawks select...

Written by Matthew Heuett on .

...running back Christine Michael from Texas A&M.  Michael had some injury problems his last two seasons in college, but he's a strong, bruising runner who makes defenders pay every time they try to take him on.  He pushes hard for extra yards (important, since he isn't shifty enough to make many tacklers miss), he's strong in pass protection, and he has some chops as a lead blocker, too.  As long as his health holds up, he looks to be a solid, versatile addition to the roster who can give Lynch and Turbin a breather here and there and sub in for Robinson at fullback if need be, too.

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