Free Agent of Interest: Jovan Haye

by John Morgan on Jan 26, 2009 2:50 PM PST in Analysis Comment 25 comments

Name: Jovan Haye

Birthdate: 6/21/1982

College: Vanderbilt, 3 year starter, 34 Starts, All-SEC (sophomore and junior seasons), Defensive captain

Notable Stats: 10.5 sacks, 17 total tackles for a loss, 4 forced fumbles, 6 deflections

Pros: Buccaneers, 30 starts in two years. Drafted by Carolina in 2005.

Notable Stats: 6 sacks (2007), 9 tackles for a loss.

Pre-draft measurables: 4.74 in the 40-yard dash...2.8 20-yard dash...1.69 10-yard dash...4.35 20-yard shuttle...7.38 three-cone drill...Bench pressed 225 pounds 33 times...34 -inch arm length...11-inch hands...14 Wonderlic score.

20 Word Scouting Report: Drafted as defensive end, lightning first step, great pass rush potential, not a run stuffer, could add weight, one gap.

My Interest: Haye started in Tampa and will expect to start in Seattle. He's likely more expensive and less flexible than Shaun Cody, but there's also reason to think he's more likely to produce and a better pro going forward. His athleticism is laudable, but his size and sturdiness won't keep blockers off Lofa Tatupu and Julian Peterson. Haye represents a pure Tampa 2 style defensive tackle. If Seattle signs him, the upside is intriguing, but an inability to hold up against multiple blockers would hurt Seattle's run defense. And though experienced working in a rotation, he will effectively bury Red Bryant. Haye is both the safer pick from a production standpoint and the riskier pick from an obligation and downside standpoint. Haye could be a better, younger but more expensive Ellis Wyms, but maximizing his value will take creativity from the coaching staff.

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Comments

I'm not good at reading into 10 yard dash times

but that 40 yard dash and bench press combo is a pretty impressive combination of size and speed. The Wonderlic score is kind of low… But I don’t think anyone cares about Wonderlic scores unless it’s a QB, S, or MLB.

Just curious, why do you think he will ‘bury Red Bryant’. We seem to rotate our DT a LOT. With Mebane and Haye getting 80% of the snaps, that still leaves 30% snaps for Bryant and 10% for Terrill and that other guy (Howard Green?)

by LantermanC on Jan 26, 2009 2:55 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I think Bryant has starter potential and could be a good deal better than Haye.

But Haye’s prospective contract would obligate Seattle to start him and minimize the chance Bryant could play his way into starting. Maybe I’m misreading the market, but I think Haye will we be well paid.

by John Morgan on Jan 26, 2009 3:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Seems to me those are all reason not to sign him.

by Dukeshire on Jan 26, 2009 3:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd hate to see Bryant's progress get chop blocked by a guy for financial reasons.

Is there a mid to low round guy that could push Bryant but not cause him to be shoved aside?

I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE!!! I DRINK IT UP!!

by abender20 on Jan 26, 2009 3:52 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Todd McShay, idiot that he is,

said we’d take BJ Raji with the #4 pick. Not exactly mid-to-low round but between him and Bane, Bryant would barely see the field.

by SeaTownBlueDevil on Jan 26, 2009 5:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Will we still be rotating the D-line like we have been?

If so, Bryant would certainly get some playing time, and we wouldn’t be rushing him in.

by djafrot on Jan 26, 2009 4:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Good report, John

Could I politely mention that including height/weight/position would be helpful?

by busplunger on Jan 26, 2009 4:23 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Good call

Will add that to future FEI

by John Morgan on Jan 26, 2009 4:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

(or even FAI)

I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE!!! I DRINK IT UP!!

by abender20 on Jan 26, 2009 6:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

On that note

Telling what round and what overall pick said FAI was drafted would be beneficial too.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Jan 26, 2009 7:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You'd think going to an above-average school like Vandy could get him a better Wonderlic score.

by SeaTownBlueDevil on Jan 26, 2009 5:11 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Above average?

Vandy is sub-elite.

by LantermanC on Jan 26, 2009 6:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think a school can be "above average" and "sub-elite".

Vandy’s a pretty solid, if unspectacular, school.

by SeaTownBlueDevil on Jan 27, 2009 2:57 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't be so sure...

…Skip Bayless went there.

by Doug Farrar on Jan 26, 2009 7:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Wow. I can't tell if that's impressive on Skip's part or disgraceful on Vandy's.

by SeaTownBlueDevil on Jan 27, 2009 3:00 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I Wikipedia'd Skip a long time ago

apparently he won a ton of journalism awards when he was 18-24. Either that or the wikipedia misrepresents him and makes him seem like a child genius for journalism, whatever that means.

by LantermanC on Jan 27, 2009 8:03 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Skip probably edited that himself.

by SeaTownBlueDevil on Jan 27, 2009 10:44 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

“Comes off the ball in an instant, flashing explosion to beat the offensive tackle to the edge and does a good job attacking inside off the snap.” (from the usatoday link)

I like that. He seems light at 285, but it appears he’d be the compliment to ’Bane’s stoutness and disrupt the pocket. 6 sacks to 0 sacks from ‘07 to ’08, so I’m wondering about his playing time. I’d be happy getting 6 sacks from one of our DTs.

by Misfit74 on Jan 26, 2009 7:48 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Trade down

More and more mocks have St Loius snapping up Crabtree at #2. If so, I like the idea of taking BJ Raji or Micheal Oher at 4. We could use another stud DT or OT and even though we drafted Red Bryant last year, additional youth is a good thing. Fresh legs to rotate in makes for a very stout defense and is insurance against injury. What we do in free-agency will speak volumes about where we’re going in the first three rounds of the draft. We can draft WR at 37 and Josh Freeman (KS St. QB) at 68. Two years under Hass and he could be ready for stardom.

by diehard82 on Jan 26, 2009 8:15 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Oher and Raji are both huge reaches at 4.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Jan 26, 2009 10:46 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Not to mention

extremely expensive to grab at #4 just so we can have a little more draft. That’s what 4th+ round picks are for.

by Fear on Jan 26, 2009 11:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

^--I meant depth

I really wish there was an edit option.

by Fear on Jan 26, 2009 11:11 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think the truth is

that while drafting at #4, we have few spots for starters. If Leroy goes, which I think he does, we could draft LB that would start but I would argue Aaron Curry is not that much better than Cushing or Follett. This is a very LB heavy class and kind defeats the whole investing too much in one position. Safety is another position in which we could use a new starter but nobody would be worth the reach. No guard worth top 5. While Alex Mack is considered the closest thing to a sure draft pick, at number 4 is an extreme reach. RB maybe, but i think that is already solved even if you do not like the options. This means whoever we are getting are mainly for depth. WR, QB, LT/RT.

by Built2Spill on Jan 26, 2009 11:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I hear Alex Mack can turn into goo and go under doorways

it’s a neat trick.

by LantermanC on Jan 27, 2009 8:04 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

really unlikely

there hasn’t been a lot of movement out of the top 5 in recent years. every team is terrified of the cap hit, and the difference between players isn’t that great. off the top of my head the last move inside the top 5 was the Eli Manning/Phillip Rivers trade, and that was demanded by Eli rather than negotiated for picks.

i’m hoping beyone hope that we can move down even a couple spots, but i really don’t see it happening.

by cro-mag! on Jan 27, 2009 7:33 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs