Solid “B”

[Seahawkfan80]

I am going to say this hoping everyone gets it, Schottenheimer uses a proven system, he is old and new school in a fashion but still puts a emphasis on beating you physically and then with speed. Bevell wanted cute and toys, Graham was suppose to open everything up except he didn't use him as the Saints did he tried or he and Cable tried to make him something he wasn't a physical presence, Harvin was another toy, but instead of using him off the line in slants and seam or fly routes where his quickness would be hard to match he had him standing still on the line catching a pass while defenders closed in so he was not in space to make a move. Trickery and gadgetry, Cable could not see the scheme he was using was antiquated because of new rules, he could not see that big body guys move slower and have less agility then smaller guys as well and the crack back, cut and get to a point location to block was not going to happen now. Yet he tried to use the scheme missing those parts.

We have brought power back, with Solari taking the line which has power guys and let them use that to open holes, manning up and beating up will work especially with a FB and TE that can block, we will no longer be telegraphing every play with personnel moves, we will use motion, change sets, etc with the same group in the line up, Wilson will be able to call an audible and use the same guys and have a play that will work.

This will in theory now let the offense spend more time on the field and possibly score more while wearing down the defense as well. The defense being fresh can now play down hill and if we actually get leads before the fourth quarter be able to make a few plays of aggression rather them protection all the time.

We also drafted for the future, Dickson could replace Ryan, but as you all know Punters seem to get cut a lot during pre season and teams want a proven guy, possible trade could happen if they both show good in pre season. Our special team coverage just got a whole lot faster with Flowers and Griffin, we should have better field position then the last couple of years, also return game will be improved as well with Penny and Lockett available, you can't set up for one guy now, different guys have different approaches to how the return kicks and punts, not knowing which one your going to get makes the other team have to think a lot more.

We also drafted future and just in case with Jones on the O line, no guarantee Brown will be back after his contract, this gives us Fant and Jones and possibly another to work in there if we need to. We also got more guys to play at rolls for Edge and interior D line, we typically groom and condition guys a year before cutting them loose anyway so we are not as thin as we may think at times.

We drafted for now and the future guys and all these guys can contribute or possibly set us up better going forward.

Quality post. The future is what the coaching staff is looking toward.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

I'm right there at B for the draft. Took care of a lot of needs. Real happy with it overall.

 

[drcool]

I like what I saw in this draft. I was shaking my head after the Penny pick but after thinking about it, reading more about him, hearing the post-round press conference, etc. I am a fan of the pick. I think there are 3 starters in this draft (Penny, Griffen, and Dickson) and a couple more contributors like Dissley. I am sure one of the other guys or an UDFA will be in the mix there as well.

Overall looking at past drafts the last time I was super excited about an early round draft pick was Aaron Curry. I remember jumping up and down when we picked him and we all saw how that turned out. The following year I wanted Taylor Mays instead of Earl. Looking back at that it made me realize that I really know nothing about the draft and get too wrapped up in mock drafts and what the "experts" say.

 

[original poster]

I like what I saw in this draft. I was shaking my head after the Penny pick but after thinking about it, reading more about him, hearing the post-round press conference, etc. I am a fan of the pick. I think there are 3 starters in this draft (Penny, Griffen, and Dickson) and a couple more contributors like Dissley. I am sure one of the other guys or an UDFA will be in the mix there as well.

Overall looking at past drafts the last time I was super excited about an early round draft pick was Aaron Curry. I remember jumping up and down when we picked him and we all saw how that turned out. The following year I wanted Taylor Mays instead of Earl. Looking back at that it made me realize that I really know nothing about the draft and get too wrapped up in mock drafts and what the "experts" say.

This is so true.

Even the most highly regarded analysts still only have about 10% of the knowledge available to NFL teams.

Analysts and fans can't interview coaches, can't interview friends and family, don't get to sit one on one and chat to these guys.

We're exposed to such a small sample size compared to the teams themselves.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

My favorite part of this draft is that we grabbed three Day 3 guys who are practically guaranteed to get significant playing time: Dissly, Dickson, and Griffin. They are widely recognized as "the best at their positions" or, in the case of Griffin, just so work-ethiced out that he can't NOT get playing time somewhere. This is a vast improvement over the 2013-2016 drafts, in which most of the Day 3 picks didn't even make the roster.

They also continue to add to a now-enormous DL rotation with Green and Martin. I feel kinda "meh" on them, but some feel Green and Jones both were terrific value.

Penny I feel pretty good about. It doesn't matter where you take him. It just matters how he turns out. If you don't want to be accused of reaching, don't lose your second-round pick to expensive midseason trades for old offensive linemen who don't change the offense.

 

[bbsplitter]

I agree, solid B.

I feel like for the first time in a while they drafted to suit the teams situation, instead of force whatever Cable's or Pete's pipe dream of a player was. Have an O-line with holes in it? Drafted arguably the most durable RB who just happens to have the most yards after contact in the backfield. As well as a late round QB who seems to thrive on broken plays with just enough arm and athleticism to be interesting.

 

[olyfan63]

Considering no ET trade to get extra picks in 2 and 3 a fair grade is a solid B. Not having the ammo to get a real road grader LG kept this from having an A attached to my grade. But other than that it met many needs on both sides of the ball and special teams.

Good Job! :irishdrinkers:

Road grader LG... you mean like a James Carpenter?
Sorry, couldn't resist... While the first reactions to the Carpenter pick at the time were "Who?? Really??!!", some said he could be a road grader guard. In hindsight, we did win SB48 with Carp starting at G, so not all bad.

 

[olyfan63]

Solid A. I loved this draft.

We snagged the best blocking TE in the draft, the best punter in the draft, and potentially the best RB in the draft. And we were ahead of the curve on the latter two (Guice's free fall certainly shut me up about Penny, not to mention the call from another team to acquire him). Blockers and punters are positions that can very quietly control the course of a game (see also: three free agents listed as FBs).

No one's talking about how much we bolstered our special teams with Penny, Dickson, and Griffin. Winning field position takes a ton of pressure off both sides of the ball.

The pundits are handing out bad grades because we didn't pick flashy players who can win the game in the final minutes. Instead we bolstered support positions who can slowly put the game out of reach in the second and third quarters by controlling the field, wearing out defenses--the stuff we did when we were winning championships.

The Seahawks got back to thinking outside the box while still thinking clearly. These guys all fit our system and have great attitudes unlike the Harvins and Grahams we've tried to force into the shape of Seahawks. No reclamation projects, no silly talk about "mean, dirtbag" players. No more getting cute or tricky. Just controlling the football.

Remember when The New Coke came out, and then to everyone's relief they brought back Classic Coke? This is classic Pete Carroll.

POST OF THE MONTH!!

That SO nails what has happened here! In particular, the "New Coke" part.
Long Live Classic Pete Carroll!!
Now somebody's gotta make a Coke can graphic of Pete on the New Coke and Classic Coke cans...
On the "New Pete" Coke can would be Pete, Russell, Bevell, Cable, Graham, Harvin, the shitty Ravens CB, Sokoli*, Blair Walsh, and Humble Thug.
On the "Classic Pete" Coke can, among others, goes Pete, Russell, Penny, ShaqL+ShaqM, Dissley, Dickson (P), Schotty and Solari**.

* I don't mean to pick on Sokoli; maybe there are other more deserving OL bust poster children than a converted DL.
** Can't pick out any good "Classic Pete" poster child OL guy(s) just yet. We can hope by midseason?