Seattle Twice Meets with Connecticut Cornerback Darius Butler
by John Morgan on Feb 22, 2009 1:20 PM PST
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PrintDoug passes along that Seattle has twice met with Darius Butler. Butler is projected to go in the late second, so I think the interest is pretty obvious. Coming off a disappointing senior season that ended with a sprained knee, Butler could slide into the early third. It was his first season without an interception after recording 10 his first three seasons. The knocks on Butler are familiar: size and top-end speed. And as sure as those weaknesses fit Tim Ruskell's drafting modus operandi, so do his strengths: four-year starter, two-year team captain, good quickness, good feet and good ball skills. The sum of the parts is something like a slower, slightly taller Josh Wilson.
I understand continually adding talent, especially at a marquee position like corner that teams need to go six deep at, but Butler doesn't impress me. He's a decent downhill tackler, but side saddles on tackles, and that's going to lead to a lot of yards after catch in the pros. I was pretty happy with how Jordan Babineaux played in dime packages, and the team still has Kevin Hobbs in the wings. Of course, this could be that indication we've watched for that Seattle is beginning to give up on Kelly Jennings. Josh Wilson, for all his perceived upside, is probably best at nickel. Jennings turns 27 this coming season(!), and for a player drafted to contribute right away, looked awfully unpolished last season.
Watch for Butler's vert, he supposedly has tremendous hops.
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Ugh.
If Seattle drops Jennings and then drafts another small corner, you’re going to see a lot of unhappy people. That’s some serious egg on Ruskell’s face.
What, is Jennings completely unsalvagable? The guy played pretty well a year or so ago, and it’s not like the rest of the secondary was lighting it up either.
Well at first I was dissapointed in hearing this.
But I like guys who are undervalued, and if he does have good quickness, hands, and vertical, then he’s ok in my book.
My only problem is if we did draft an OT in the 1st, and Robiskie in the 2nd, and this guy in the 3rd, that means we’d either draft a safety late, or have to sign one in FA. Unless of course Ruskell doesn’t see safety as a problem.
I find it appalling that we still don't have a clear cut #2 corner despite two first picks on them.
Ruskell should stick with what we have and focus on a need, like safety.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
Okay.
But I’m sure there would be a backlash if TR replaced Wilson/Jennings with the same type of player, with a fairly high pick.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Feb 22, 2009 2:05 PM PST up reply actions
Not according to the BCS study.
since only 70% of first rounders become ‘successes’ (1 pro bowl, 3 years as a starter, or 65 games played).
dammit
I’d say it’s pretty abnormal… a 1st rounder and a 2nd rounder, and neither one becomes a starter?
Why's it abnormal?
The chances of a first rounder not becoming a 3 year starter or solid bench player is 30, but since he was a late one, let’s bump it down to 60. The chances of a second rounder becoming a 3 year starter or solid bench player is 46% So the chances of both guys not becoming successes is 14%. So while it’s rare, it’s not abnormal. Also I think when it’s all said and done, both guys will become ‘successes’ since Wilson will probably be a 3 year starter, and Jennings will probably still be in the league a few years from now (not to mention he might already have started for 3 years already).
Maybe he just doesn't want to give away that we're going after Chung.
One can hope..
"It's just one big guy against another big guy, both teams know what's at stake. The one of them comes out on top and it feels good."
-Chris Collinsworth, Madden 09
by Wayward Llama on Feb 22, 2009 7:57 PM PST up reply actions
Not exactly a scout here
But I am a UConn fan and alum. Butler was often UConn’s best receiver the last two years, he would come on for third downs. He looked to be a sure tackler and often was not wasn’t challenged by his ot. Of course, the other WRs weren’t very good and he was a far better corner than anyone else on the team, but he was always impressive when healthy.
by Seattle_Fan_in_NYC on Feb 22, 2009 2:18 PM PST reply actions
He was a reciever too?
Maybe Ruskell’s thinking is if all our receivers go down again, we can put him in in a pinch
by B.B.Finnegan on Feb 22, 2009 4:31 PM PST up reply actions
Well if it isn't abnormal
It should be. And there should be a lesser premium put on CB’s who have a 1st or 2nd round grade if they aren’t able to pan out after multiple years, I mean, how can anyone pretend like it’s disappointing having to potentially use a high pick on this position when we’ve addressed it in recent years.
Let's go.
They were late first and second round picks
The argument would hold true that Ruskell should have done better if the two picks were an early first and an early second round pick. That is also assuming that they both fail, I think Wilson has a future with the team. I think you have to look at a persons whole draft history to see how they are doing, not just say a very late first round pick did not work, so TR now has egg on his face.
I agree that we need to draft a safety, but right now he is just talking to people to figure out his options come draft day. If this guy is around in the third round, and there is no safety that is projected to be close to as good as this guy, then it makes sense to draft the better projected player.
What about Lawyer Milloy?
He’s not being resigned by the Falcons and he wants to play for the hawks (check out my fanshot for the link)
I was a fan of him a few years back.
He simply isn’t that good anymore and is hardly an adequate stopgap. Better off drafting a fine talent like Patrick Chung or William Moore who can anchor the secondary for years to come.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Feb 23, 2009 11:03 AM PST up reply actions
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