With the Fourth Pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, Seattle selects...Everette Brown?

by John Morgan on Feb 3, 2009 3:49 PM PST

I'm just starting to look in earnest at college footage. I found myself dismayed at the dearth of top talent -- emphasis on "talent". Great athletes tend to pop off the screen. Michael Crabtree is unmistakable. We can talk about his production and awards, but it's his athleticism that excites. Athleticism is a word thrown around with reckless abandon. Slow players are sometimes dinged for their lack of athleticism, but to me athleticism is not speed, or leaping ability or even production. Athleticism is the ability to control one's body in space. Larry Fitzgerald ran a 4.63 40, but damn does he look fluid, coordinated and controlled in everything he does. And though it's just a starting point, and by no means a definitive endorsement or even accurate portrayal of ability, only three major prospect's athleticism pop from the screen: Crabtree, Malcolm Jenkins and this guy:

Everette Brown. Is he for real? That's where the work begins, but consider him officially on the Field Gulls radar.

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OLB?

What a year for us to be looking at a LB, WR, or CB of all positions. Ugh.

by Justise on Feb 3, 2009 4:00 PM PST reply actions

End

and Seattle will be looking if they decide to ditch Kerney.

by John Morgan on Feb 3, 2009 4:02 PM PST up reply actions

There is good WR depth in this draft.

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

by abender20 on Feb 3, 2009 4:11 PM PST up reply actions

Orakpo isn't in the same league athletically

he’s not UNathletic but is more of a high motor player.

"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin

by dcrockett17 on Feb 3, 2009 7:25 PM PST up reply actions

No cool music like the Chung video?

Everette Brown looks to be the real deal, but I didn’t think he was even considered a top 10 pick.

by LantermanC on Feb 3, 2009 4:15 PM PST reply actions

At this point in the process, neither was Mario Williams

And Charlie Casserley deserves praise for the move and not the axe he got.

sorry for the repeat post

by Built2Spill on Feb 3, 2009 4:25 PM PST up reply actions

At this point in the process, neither was Mario Williams

And Charlie Casserley deserves praise for the move and not the axe he got.

by Built2Spill on Feb 3, 2009 4:25 PM PST reply actions

The VaTech play where he chucks a tackle like a ragdoll took my breath away

Where does he play though? Tapp, LoJack and Brown would make for a crowded rotation wouldn’t it? And one with quite a few growing pains still.

by Nate Dogg on Feb 3, 2009 4:35 PM PST reply actions

+ atkins

i like the potential

by dlinsley on Feb 3, 2009 4:48 PM PST up reply actions

+++ BJ Raji plz

by Nick Andron on Feb 3, 2009 5:01 PM PST reply actions

The spin move is his specialty

He’s got a good bull rush against decent-level talent, but I have seen his spin move make people look very, very silly. In the Champs Sports Bowl, he did a step-right/spin-left combo that had Wisconsin tackle Gabe Carimi absolutely flat-footed on the way to a sack. I have talked to Brown, and the character thing isn’t even a question. If he blows up at the Combine and is hanging around near 4, the pick wouldn’t surprise me at all.

by Doug Farrar on Feb 3, 2009 5:21 PM PST reply actions

John is 'en fuego' since his anniversary and return to health.

Good for us. :)

by Misfit74 on Feb 3, 2009 6:01 PM PST reply actions

Another DE...

I do realize Brown is a fine prospect, but I’m of the mind we’ve invested enough in the defense and need to stop drafting at the same position until someone becomes a clear starter. Tapp, Atkins, and Jackson should all be ready to start or be worked into a rotation. I’d prefer if we just bite the bullet and draft Crabtree. Our defensive woes stemmed as much from our stagnant offense as it did from Brian Russell.

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

by Fearless Frog on Feb 3, 2009 6:36 PM PST reply actions

there are 7 rounds in the draft

Picking Brown and adding fresh talent to the offense are not mutually exclusive

by Will Kier on Feb 3, 2009 7:16 PM PST up reply actions

Past drafts are immaterial, aren't they? Water under the bridge?

Focus must be on greatest need. I’ve heard others argue we can’t draft another CB because that would mean we’d be admitting Jennings is a bust. True enough, but surely that means we can’t be drafting DE because that would mean Jackson is a bust, or Kerney is done. Bottom line is: Our two top needs are FS and WR. We could take Crabtree at #4, assuming he’s available, and then the best available DB at #37, possibly Jairus Byrd, the other Oregon DB (CB) who not only has the measurables but is rated higher on most boards than Chung who is really limited to SS duty. OR, we could take the best DB in the draft, Jenkins, and play him at FS, something Todd McShay has suggested as a likelihood for Jenkins in the NFL, and then take the best available WR at #37, perhaps Nicks, Heyward-Bey or Iglesias. I like either option. IF we let Hill go to free agency, that means we gotta re-sign DD. Lewis and pick up another OLB in round 3, possibly Freeman from OH St. who is evaluated by Scout.com to have excellent pass coverage skills, among other strengths, while being a little short like Lofa. I like that option also. I could go on, but I’m rambling.

by diehard82 on Feb 3, 2009 7:22 PM PST up reply actions

Without the countermoves I wouldn't be impressed

Brown’s athleticism is obvious, but FSU really schemed in these videos to ensure that he plays in space. They split him out really wide (at least in his highlight package), making it really hard for teams to double him with a back or end. What makes me say this kid’s game may still translate is the spin move off his upfield rush, and more to the point his explosion off that spin, as well as the club move.

Without those moves I’d have questions about whether this guy is the new Vernon Gholdston. For instance, nothing in the highlight package came from the Florida game. FSU, if memory serves, didn’t play against many great offensives. (Even Wisconsin, although they couldn’t throw the ball, was able to run it pretty well in the bowl game.) However, the way he was able to use his counters showed a level of coachability and polish that you wouldn’t normally associate with a guy who had that kind of athleticism. He’d be able to get by on athleticism alone—and then on top of it Mickey Andrews schemed to keep him out of traffic.

For my money, Seattle needs to select the best playmaker (and that could be one of the tackles too). My bias going in is that Michael Crabtree is that guy but I could be convinced otherwise.

"Those who fear disorder more than injustice inevitably produce more of both." -- Rev. William Coffin

by dcrockett17 on Feb 3, 2009 8:00 PM PST reply actions

Oher pops when he feels like it, Moreno impresses too

anyways:

Michael Crabtree-Duke Robinson-Derek Pegues

not exactly a futures draft (QB,OT), but they damn well make us better from day 1 and are likely BPA at those points.

that’s my dream and I’m sticking to it.

by puerto on Feb 4, 2009 1:57 AM PST reply actions

Wow

Was at work, unable to watch the video. He sure didn’t look like he struggled against size in any way, although I don’t know how good the blockers he was playing against were.

I want to see more. Too late to go looking tonight, but he either was playing against nuns or he has serious NFL athleticism. I don’t care how many DEs we have, or CBs for that matter, if the best player we can pick at #4 is one of those positions, I’m on board.

by cashless on Feb 4, 2009 2:06 AM PST reply actions