Revisiting the Draft (in Hindsight):
Honestly, in hindsight this draft isn’t as murky or questionably head-scratching as some come to believe. Each draft pick has a chance to make the roster. With every one of them save for, Jared Smith and Ty Powell, a chance to be a legitimate starter 1-3 years down the road.
9 out the 11 players drafted have decent to legitimate chance to become future starters in 1-3 years. 9 out of 11 and yet some Seahawks fans have the audacity to question their motives and logic behind the selections. In my opinion, this was by the far, the Seahawks best draft right after the fact. I really liked 2012 but I felt they were drafting for need throughout, where in this draft, you sensed the pressure was dialed down a bit, and they picked the players they liked the best. So while, some of you may disagree with the picks and the reasoning, I believe without a doubt, the Seahawks Organization believe that they came away with anything but a A+ grade with extra credit from their point of view. Because of Percy Harvin and 9 out 11 in 1-3 years.
RB, Christine Michael, in Hindsight: Best player on Seahawks draft board. Seahawks had a for sure roster spot vacated in Leon Washington’s departure. Lynch, who has one of the most physically running styles in the NFL turns 27 with 6 years in the NFL. If Lynch gets injured, Seahawks look stupid for not being prepared. And in a draft where the Seahawks had no seemingly critical holes, have the luxury to draft the best player they deemed available. They did so by trading down and acquiring two more picks.
Heir apparent, Marshawn Lynch in 2-3 years. For now, Michael will rotate to keep guys fresh, likely be developed as a kick returner, and be utilized as a Goal-Line specialist.
DT Jordan Hill, in Hindsight: I honestly don’t get the hate for this guy. He is basically the same player, Brandon Mebane, was coming out of college… Both players were about 6’1, 295 in college, had thick bases, heavy bottoms, and played with great leverage to anchor the run defense. However, while limited in opportunity both players were also slippery, active, pocket disrupting DTs but it wasn’t something they were consistently asked to be at the collegiate level. In hindsight, while everyone is asking “What are they thinking drafting Hill?”, we’ve come to know 2 things: 1) Hill was one of the 3 players, Seattle was prepared to draft with their 2nd round pick, the other two being Christine Michael and most likely Kyle Long or Justin Pugh. 2) DL Greg Scruggs was injured before the draft and most likely will miss the season making it more of a necessity to draft a pocket disrupting DT. The Brightside is that Hill is an upgrade over Scruggs in Run Defense.
Heir apparent, Brandon Mebane in 2-3 years. For now, he’ll compete for 3T as well as backup NT, and figuring into the Nickel Defense as a pass-rusher.
WR Chris Harper, in Hindsight: Another seemingly luxury pick as the Seahawks had 4 quality WRs w/ 3 interesting developmental prospects in Williams, Kearse, and Bates already on the roster. Keep in mind that the Seahawks, also chose to draft Harper over both Jesse Williams, Tharold Simon, plus fan favorite Quitton Patton. All of whom were considered more highly rated prospects. Reading in between the lines it seems that the Seahawks view Harper more of a valuable commodity than I’ve seen him get credit for.
Heir apparent, possibly Golden Tate in 1 year and Sidney Rice in 1-2 years. For now, I assume Harper will be developed to take over the Ben Obomanu role. Carroll liked Obomanu because of his versatility to be able to play all WR positions, be a decent downfield blocker, and provide excellent Special Teams value. Harper is similar to Obomanu, both coming from a run-heavy collegiate system, however, Harper is the much bigger, stronger, faster, more athletic, more physical and likely a more durable version of Obomanu was on his best day.
DT, Jesse Williams, in Hindsight: A player whom many tagged with a 2nd round grade with 1st round potential. However, raw technique and a knee injury in the BCS championship which limited him in pre-draft workouts all factored into his descent. Yet, when healthy by his Pro Day, he was able to run a 4.8 40 at 6-3, 325 pounds.
Heir apparent, Red Bryant in 1-2 years. For now, Carroll/Quinn plugged him in Alan Branch’s vacancy where he’ll compete to start in the 2-down role. Williams will also backup NT, and be developed to backup Bryant at 5-tech.
CB, Tharold Simon, In Hindsight: Simon is the player Schneider moved up to grab trading the picks we got trading down (before taking Michael), stating that Seahawks were looking to take Williams at the top of the 5th round. Seahawks wanted to come away with both. Simon is a very talented player who possesses all the key ingredients to be a starter in our system. However, he lacks the strength, conditioning, and intelligence to be a consistent one.
Heir apparent, Brandon Browner in 1 year, possibly Richard Sherman in 2 years. For now, Simon will get the chance to compete on the backend of the depth chart and develop his deficiencies while learning a thing or two from a lot of quality to great players that currently reside in the Seahawks secondary.
TE, Luke Willson, in Hindsight: This was Schneider’s must have player of the draft. A player where he absolutely had to come away with like Wilson and Irvin in 2012. Throwing aside recent statistics because he was a player derailed by a high-ankle and back injury then got lost on a solid depth chart on a team whose starting QB threw only 193 times. Seahawks graded the super athletic TE’s workout numbers as 2nd best among all TEs in the draft. Can you say diamond in the rough late round sleeper gem?
Heir apparent, Anthony McCoy in 1 year, Zach Miller in 2-3 years: For now, Seahawks will utilize Willson’s explosive speed to create mismatches as a Joker TE. Properly developed, Willson could be another Aaron Hernadez clone, and keeping Florida in mind, Willson is more athletic than Jordan Reed with the size to be a much more quality blocker. Something that Willson says is a strength of his game.
FB, Spencer Ware, in Hindsight: Seahawks, undoubtedly, dedicated themselves to become the most dominantly overwhelming power running team in the NFL. After the draft, Schneider remarked that Michael and Ware were graded by them as being the top 2 most physical runners in the draft. In Ware’s case his running style reminiscent of not only Marshawn Lynch but Marion Barber. With added weight, he could be more physical than both.
Heir apparent, Michael Robinson in 1 year. For now, consider Spencer Ware… M-Rob lite as they have very similar skills and talent. Like Ware, in 2010, M-Rob weighed in high 220’s, was still transitioning to fullback learning blocking fundamentals but transformed himself into a Pro Bowl FB by the end of 2011. Ware will need the year to develop but provides value, in the now, as a Short Yardage specialist in a swing-back role.
7th Round in Hindsight, I really don’t have to say much because most teams don’t expect to pull players who will contribute let alone become starters. However, Seahawks tend to trend differently than most teams. In 4 picks in the 7th they got:
LEO, Ty Powell, a player most fans wouldn’t have blinked twice over, if he had been drafted in Willson’s spot. I wonder if there could be more than Powell than meets the eye. For one, he’s a raw player but physically gifted and fits the LEO criteria almost perfectly. I often wonder what the exact plans will be for Chris Clemons… and also wonder if Powell shows enough if he could make Clemons expendable with Irvin and Avril in front of him but I like Clemons so I won’t think of that. However, I will say Powell definitely lands on the PS and could be a guy that replaces Clemons next year or possibly Avril in 2 years, if and when Irvin becomes top dog.
OG, Ryan Seymour, smart, quality and well-balanced offensive lineman that currently could play his way into the starting role at Right Guard with enough hard work and determination.
OC, Jared Smith, another project DT convert… if Smith works as hard as Sweezy did, he could challenge Jeanpierre and Moffitt for backup OC behind Unger.
OT, Michael Bowie, how many times can you say that last pick of your draft has a good chance to be the starting right tackle of the future. Or in the very least a quality swing tackle. Seahawks got in their work and their homework in the scouting department. Bowie has an uphill battle and a lot work to put in the weight room but the guy is a physically dominant player on the field. Showcasing the talent to be an NFL starter with solid play at every level he’s been at thus far.
My Take On Harvin (WHICH IS EXTREMELY LONG):
Percy Harvin, in Hindsight: Before the draft, John Schneider explained the value of the compensation given up for Harvin admitting to even at least move up about 5 spaces, that it would have cost a 3rd round pick. Seahawks gave up the 25th pick, a 7th rounder (a pick gained by trading away a player acquired via free agency, T-Jack) and the 2014 3rd Rounder (which would have been a 4th rounder in 2013 value).
During the draft, we watch the Rams & Vikings give up half their draft stock to move up to take two players that were considered the most dynamic play-makers available in Tavon Austin (No. 8) and Cordelle Patterson (No. 31), respectively. Both teams gave up more in draft value than what the Seahawks gave up for Harvin, who most likely would have been a top 3, if not the top pick in this draft in hindsight.
While some might not consider Harvin, “part of this draft class” because he’s not playing on a rookie salary and will make 9+ million a year. I know those people will at least acknowledge the facts that Harvin at 24 years old is already an established, proven player with a Pro Bowl under his belt as well as one of the most elite, dynamic play-makers in the league that is not even in his prime or at the apex of his full potential. A player who has worked under Darrell Bevell for two seasons, played with current teammate, Sidney Rice as well as with future HoFers, Adrian Peterson and Brett Favre. A WR who in practice had the opportunity to spar against an elite CB in Antoine Winfield. A rivalry that most likely elevated a young receiver to, and kept an old cornerback at, the top of their games. A rivalry that continues in 2013.
In comparison, while Austin and Patterson are talented as all first round picks are, are still unproven, still a gamble, still have to transition to the NFL, and produce results. Harvin is a sure thing.
Percy Harvin, the Influence: What makes Harvin worth more than his weight in gold isn’t just being an elite young established play-maker with much needed slippery explosive athletic ability or his familiarity within in our offense where his versatile skills will complement and maximize the offensive powerhouse the Seahawks are trying to become. Its Harvin’s influence, his presence not only make our other WRs jobs easier by drawing much of the defensive focus away from them but his influence also makes it harder for them to stack the box against Lynch and our increasingly more powerful running game or allow an opponent to scheme a spy defender on Wilson rendering the read-option less effective. His influence is not only felt on offense either, like I suggested above, perhaps Harvin’s influence helped Winfield stay on top of his game (and vice versa). Harvin represents the smaller, slippery quick, explosive play-maker that gave the Seahawks fits in 2012, a type of player that the Seahawks could not stop and a type of player that shredded one of the best defenses in the NFL on a consistent basis despite having what many considered the best secondary in the NFL. The Seahawks defense will now have an opportunity to compete against Harvin’s elite athleticism and field-tilting ability on a daily basis, and over time an already elite defense will become better with very few holes, if any, to exploit.
So while Percy Harvin did cost 3 draft picks and a 60+ million contract, the Seahawks would have to hit to hit impossible odds or gave up much more draft chips to land a player of Harvin’s caliber with that player still being a crapshoot to produce to those expectations especially coming in as a rookie against our established veterans at WR. Harvin’s ability is respected and his influence will not only make the Seahawks offense better right away with minimal learning curve but his influence over time will strengthen one of the few weaknesses in the Seattle Defense. Harvin was worth it, and how much money he makes, shouldn’t deter the fact that he’s better than any player we could have gotten especially in this draft. And that the Seahawks acquired him for the equivalent of moving up to the 20th pick in this year’s draft.
And probably the biggest consolation prize of all, is that Harvin is not a 49er. Can you imagine that what-if scenario? We’d all feel like we got punched in the gut (like Adrian Peterson), however, followed by a concussion inducing knee to the face, then chained to a trolley and dragged up the largest hill of San Francisco, while 49ers fans celebrate by relieving their bodily fluids on our bruised and tattered bodies.
I’ll repeat it again, Harvin was worth the picks and the money that was given to him because of his established value, he should not only be considered the Seahawks’ first round pick but the best value obtained through the draft, period.
