Max Unger at 37
by John Morgan on Apr 14, 2009 3:46 PM PDT
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Max Unger
Birthdate: Today (Happy 23rd, Max)
Height/Weight: 6' 4 5/8"/309
Position: OL
College: Oregon, 51 starts
NFL Combine: 7.39 three cone drill, 22 reps at 225, 4.5 short shuttle
My take: Unger is what you want in a guard in a traditional zone blocking system. He's almost the prototype: strengths and weaknesses. Unger isn't particularly strong, isn't particularly football strong, and the truth is he would not make a very successful tackle, guard or center in most offenses. I particularly worry about his play at center. With much of the league converting to a 3-4, centers are no longer heady support blockers. They are the man opposite the nose tackle, the strongest players in football. The 3-4 system suffers no easy double teams. Protect your center by doubling with a guard and expose a gap. A modern center must be stout at the point of attack and that's not Unger.
Unger is athletic for an interior lineman. He has skilled feet and great technique. He keeps himself low on the move and moves well through traffic. He diagnoses opposing defenses and has ideal football intelligence for a zone blocking scheme. I split time watching Unger and Chung and the two sort of represent opposite ideals. Chung is a talented player that's all over the field, but really raw. I watched Chung and imagined what he could be with professional experience and strong surrounding talent. You always knew where Unger was and his talent matches his production, because he's polished, finished. I watched Unger and saw what Unger is and understood he will fill in the spaces and make the players around him better, but will never be great on his own. I see Unger as a Mark Sclereth type: Functionally undersized and getting most of his movement through double teams, but good sometimes very good and an important part of a dominant unit.
Tim Ruskell errs towards players that can produce right away. Seattle has an underreported hole at left guard. Mike Wahle could fill it, but counting on Mike Wahle is asking for a redo of 2008's wide receiver situation. Seattle could move Ray Willis to left, but he's not a natural fit, or plug in Rob Sims, but Sims is a pass blocker first and doesn't move well through garbage. The best choice is to find a natural fit and that's Unger. In a weak class for guards, a team in need needs an open mind to filling the position. It doesn't take Dadaist leaps to envision Unger at guard, but a defined position can have a surprising inertia in the NFL and Unger is a center. I hope Seattle escapes such stupidity, because to be gravely honest, the Seahawks wish to run ball 500 times next season, and this rushing attack, sewed together offensive line and all, makes that look like 500 stabs at our playoff hopes.
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Vallos is really weak at the point of attack, and doesn't seem to be any better than Spencer at line-calls.
But then again, he is a fringe NFL player who played tackle in college and may become a serviceable backup guard somewhere.
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Apr 14, 2009 4:38 PM PDT up reply actions
Are we sure Unger is here at this point?
A Center hungry team might feel differently about his ability to play center and take him in the 2nd if they miss out on Mack.
by SeaTownBlueDevil on Apr 14, 2009 5:12 PM PDT reply actions
Yeah, it's no guarantee we'll see Unger at #37 overall (or w/e is our second round pick)
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Apr 14, 2009 5:43 PM PDT up reply actions
That's a typo.
Excuse my sloppiness. I meant 37, but I could see Unger falling into the late second/early third.
Eric Wood, Louisville
This guy is an iron man at center, very strong and quick and should be there at #37
Isn't Wood projected to be mid-third/early fourth round pick?
Or was that someone else?
"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."
by Fearless Frog on Apr 14, 2009 8:23 PM PDT up reply actions
If we take Unger, what's the chance we try Spencer at guard?
Since we’re going to lose Spencer as a center (according to John), would it be worth trying him at a new position?
From what I've seen and read of Unger,
and judging by this post John is in a similar mindset, Unger won’t be playing center in the NFL. He’s versatile, and maybe he would fill in if someone got injured, but if he makes it in the NFL, it won’t be as a center. So Spencer probably won’t be moved to guard, because that would leave only Vallos at C.
by SeaTownBlueDevil on Apr 14, 2009 9:22 PM PDT up reply actions
The most important thing I take from John's post is
that with more teams going 3-4, and centers facing stout nose tackles, the center position becomes even more important if you want to run the ball between the tackles. Alex Mack was the one center at the Senior bowl who had the best success against BJ Raji, the only legit nose tackle in this class. I’d like to see us trade up from 37, if necessary, to get Mack. I’ve thought for a while that Center is a weak link in our O-line even when everyone is healthy, and Mack could start immediately. Not just strong and quick, but extremely smart as well. Not much to not like about that guy. NFLDRAFTSCOUT now has Eric Wood slightly above Unger at Center. What I do like about Unger is his versatility in the event the O-line gets ravaged by injuries. He can step in almost anywhere, and while he wouldn’t make a standout right tackle, he could be servicable. So, pick your poison. I think we should be targeting one of those 3.
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