"Scouting" On WR Brandon Smith

by Danny Kelly on Aug 17, 2011 11:24 AM PDT in Player Scouting

Steven Threet, #14 of the Arizona State Sun Devils, was the guy that could have theoretically thrown to Brandon Smith in college.

Brandon Smith, signed yesterday by the Seahawks, is a prototype of the profile Pete Carroll and John Schneider look for while they tool with the bottom of their depth charts and roster. Injury history. Good measureables. Tools, not production. In a nutshell, low-risk (no-risk) but high (that's generous... "some") potential.

That pretty much sums up Brandon Smith. At Arizona State, he missed his 2007 season, played one game in 2008, and missed 2009. He was granted a sixth year of eligibility in 2010 and appeared in seven games, making one catch for nine yards. So, not much to work with via cringe-worthy production in college.

He does have the tools the Hawks love though, and is no doubt the reason he's here. At his Pro Day, he ran the 40 in 4.39 seconds. He has a 40" vert and stands 6'1, 200 pounds. Put up 225 19 times, so he's not a weakling. 4.01 in the short shuttle, which would have been good for 3rd at the Combine among receivers. 6.71 in the 3-cone, good for a top-15 finish at the Combine for WRs. In other words, he's very fast and very quick. He can jump out of the building and he's strong. Tools, not production.

99% chance he's a camp body, but I get the sense the Seahawks have a method to their roster churn madness and it includes a purposeful and systematic way of finding the most talent at every single roster spot down to the last man. I've said this before but part of that method includes bringing in athletic freaks of nature and hoping they are-- or could develop into-- good players.

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Anybody got a transaction count yet?

I think they can’t help themselves. It’s an addiction.

Like Brando in Apocalypse Now, Lombardi said,,,"The knee, the knee."

by woofu on Aug 17, 2011 11:41 AM PDT reply actions

So does this mean that Schneider and Carrol are sort of the bizarro-Al Davis?

by Kingdomer on Aug 17, 2011 11:48 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

yeah but,

without all the Aricept side effects!

Like Brando in Apocalypse Now, Lombardi said,,,"The knee, the knee."

by woofu on Aug 17, 2011 11:57 AM PDT up reply actions

Over or Under 100 transactions?

I got the over at 106.

Like Brando in Apocalypse Now, Lombardi said,,,"The knee, the knee."

by woofu on Aug 17, 2011 11:58 AM PDT reply actions

Who?

Camp Fodder

by KidDanger on Aug 17, 2011 12:51 PM PDT reply actions

It's a lot more fun this a way.

Before it was like , is Deon Branch healthy and is the first round pick signed yet .

by Richard fg7 on Aug 17, 2011 1:21 PM PDT reply actions

+1

Still have no clue who he is.

by cthunder on Aug 17, 2011 5:06 PM PDT up reply actions

COMPETE!

I think that the FO is just trying to out-do every single NFL team when it come to digging deep for talent. I like it… Even when it passes into the relam of futility, I like it.

Confuscius say- "Baseball wrong. Man with four balls cannot walk."

by Outside Contain on Aug 17, 2011 2:02 PM PDT reply actions

Nice writeup on it

The stats on this guy, coupled with their penchant for low risk / high upside gambles really puts their philosophy in perspective.

Unfortunately, if we have more success at this approach, other teams will start the copy-cat game, and these sorts will be a lot fewer and farther between.

Even if people try to copy it though, their ability to copy it will cover the gamut. In high school I could copy the Fosbury Flop – not anywhere near the same results :)

by Tigloki on Aug 17, 2011 11:22 PM PDT reply actions

In basketball, often players can make an NBA roster if they have one outstanding skill

They could be mediocre to bad at everything else, but if they have one great skill, a team can find a use for them. For example, a great three point shooter can make a roster, even if that is the only thing he can do. Former Sonic Reggie Evans played years in the NBA because he had a knack for rebounding.

How this ties into the Seahawks is that I think Pete and John are looking for great athletes and if that player flashes one great skill Pete can use, they have a chance in Pete’s system to contribute. It is similar to a three point shooter coming in late in a game to jack up 3’s.

by Coug1990 on Aug 18, 2011 12:14 PM PDT reply actions