Hump day, you guys.
STS Top-10 Unrestricted Free Agent Tracker – 2013 | Seattle Seahawks Blog
Below is a list of 10 Unrestricted Free Agents who Seattle should inquire about in 2013. These players have been scouted thoroughly throughout the 2012 season, and have been determined to be potential good fits for the offensive and defensive schemes that the Seahawks run, as well as the overall personnel philosophy that the Seahawks’ front office has undertaken. Feel free to suggest other names, and/or request analysis on players who may not be mentioned on this list.
Can Russell Wilson follow in Warren Moon’s Pro Bowl footsteps?
In 1997, Warren Moon was a late addition to the Pro Bowl and ended up being the game’s MVP. This year, Seahawks rookie QB Russell Wilson followed a similar path to Honolulu for Sunday’s game.
Monday’s draft thoughts " Seahawks Draft Blog
Day one started with measurements and a weigh-in. It was disappointing to hear that Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown wouldn’t be attending due to injury. Another linebacker — Rutgers’ Khaseem Greene — impressed during coverage drills. Seattle sent scouts to a few Rutgers games this year (per Chris Steuber) and while many assumed it was to observe giant receiver Brandon Coleman, the main focus could’ve been Greene. I see him as a solid second or third round option. He appears to fit what the Seahawks are looking for at the WILL.
2012 Arizona Cardinals Draft Rewind, How Did They Fare in Their First Season? | Bleacher Report
Given the influx at the quarterback position and the stale nature of the offensive line, the Arizona Cardinals 2012 draft class can't be fully judged as a whole. Yet they can be judged as individual players based on their roles as players on offense, defense and special teams.
Seattle Seahawks Offense in Review - 2013 Stats, Player Analysis, Season recap
Many question marks surrounded the Seattle Seahawks‘ offense heading into the 2012-2013 season. The defense was expected to be elite – as well as the running game – but the passing game hadn’t seen top 20 action in a few years.
Seattle Seahawks Blog - Hawk Blogger: Most Improved Teams 2012
Progress can be judged in a variety of ways. A team's record can improve. They can make the playoffs. They can go farther in the playoffs. Seattle did all of those things in 2012, and also demonstrated statistical improvement that had them, once again, among the most improved teams in the NFL.
Jeremiah: Geno Smith tops list of QB prospects - NFL.com
It's pretty clear we've been spoiled. Last season's outrageous crop of rookie quarterbacks succeeded beyond anyone's imagination, but this year's class of prospects is low on star power. After four quarterbacks went in the first round in 2012, it's anyone's guess where we'll be in April.
Eric Fisher displays top-10 talent; major red flag on Justin Pugh - NFL.com
While Central Michigan offensive tackle Eric Fisher's stock is soaring, scouts discovered a major red flag on Syracuse OT Justin Pugh. Daniel Jeremiah has the latest buzz from the Senior Bowl.
Senior Bowl 2013: WR Quinton Patton impresses - SBNation.com
On the second day of practice for the South team, a wide receiver from Louisiana Tech emerged as the star of the day.
2013 Senior Bowl: UCLA RB Jonathan Franklin separating from North pack - CBSSports
After two practices it appears UCLA's Johnathan Franklin has a leg-up on Oregon's Kenjon Barner and Fresno State's Robbie Rouse for the top rusher on the North team. That was helped in big part by a solid showing in pass protection drills Tuesday.
2013 Senior Bowl: Trufant stands out at North practice... again - CBSSports
Considering the fact that he started 48 games at the University of Washington, it might seem strange that a few days of practice could vault cornerback Desmond Trufant into the first round but after two impressive days at the Senior Bowl, that is precisely where some believe the athletic pass defender could be headed.
Ezekiel Ansah: Next Man Up in the Potential vs Polish Debate | The Rookie Scouting Portfolio
The scouting community and NFL player personnel departments love potential. It’s easy to project a player with elite combination of size and athleticism to future stardom. But the gap between potential and production is not trivial in the NFL. Jene Bramel explores this potential versus polish debate through the lens of defensive end Ezekiel Ansah
What does the combine data mean? Depends on your position - NFL.com
As the coaches, scouts and general managers from all 32 NFL teams converge on Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine, some fans might still question exactly how this event fits into the overall draft picture.
Senior Bowl Day Two: South Team Practice Report - Hogs Haven
Earlier on we looked at the North team practice, which you can read here if you missed it. Now it's time to move onto the South team. This was the first South team practice televised on NFL Network, so I was excited to see how things played out.
Senior Bowl Report, South Practice | The Tailgater
Most official Senior Bowl profiles begin with helpful throat-clearing phrases: "two time All-SEC linebacker" or, "was on the watch list for the Mackey Award." John Jenkins’ profile begins with two words: "massive man."
And the Answer Is...Kent State and Maine?! | National Football Post
Tony Villioti of draftmetrics.com reveals some suprising stats about undrafted free agents
2012 NFL All-Value Offensive Team
As the 2012 NFL season nears its end, it's time to take a look back and evaluate the steals of the season. In the era of the team salary cap, finding a diamond in the rough player who can output elite production at a low cost can translate into additional wins, and postseason eligibility. 2011 was a classic example of this, as Victor Cruz was a key component to the Giants Super Bowl run at the league minimum value Our experts have compiled the numbers per major position to determine Spotrac's 2012 All-Value Team. We'll take a look at the offensive roster below.
2013 Senior Bowl: South linebackers still in learning curve - CBSSports
Florida running back Mike Gillislee had a number of outstanding runs Tuesday thanks to his nimble feet and a big offensive line. That made for a challenging day for the South linebackers.
2013 Senior Bowl: Offensive line paving the way - CBSSports
Billboards surrounding Ladd Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala., are advertising Saturday's Senior Bowl as possessing even more talent than the BCS title game.
2013 Senior Bowl: Tuesday risers-fallers - CBSSports
RISERS OT Eric Fisher, Central Michigan (North Team) After two days of practice, it's clear that Eric Fisher has separated himself as the best prospect in Mobile this week. He hasn't been perfect, but he has won more battles than he's lost, displaying the coordination and feet to hold up in space. Although he will get too tall at times, Fisher has shown better base strength than expected to absorb contact and hold his ground to control blockers, flashing a nasty demeanor as well. He has cemented himself as a top-12 pick, and it isn't a stretch to consider him one of this year's top prospects.
2013 Senior Bowl: 15 Thoughts on Day 2 (North Practice) | NEPatriotsDraft.com - 2013 NFL Draft
The second day of Senior Bowl practices saw the pads go on and the competition for NFL roster spots ramped up. With the entire NFL scouting and player personnel departments in attendance players had an opportunity to turn heads. Just like during day one there were some players who stood out and caught my eye, for both good reasons and bad.
2013 Senior Bowl: Video Interviews with Top Draft Prospects | NEPatriotsDraft.com - 2013 NFL Draft
Many 0f the top prospects stopped by the Senior Bowl’s official Google+ setup to be interviewed by Mike Loyko. Among the big names included Denard Robinson, Arthur Brown, Desmond Trufant, Mike Glennon and Khaseem Greene. Hear what these top prospects have to say about their Senior Bowl experience and their future NFL endevours.
Senior Bowl: South Practice - Day 2 | RookieDraft.com
South practice on day two was a much more intense session with pads and pressing, which made for a much more exciting practice. As a whole, the team had a better practice but a few more things came to light and today that were more evident than yesterday.
Senior Bowl: North Practice - Day 2 | RookieDraft.com
Today was my first viewing of the North team at Ladd Peebles Stadium and I came away impressed with a few players that clearly stood out during the scrimmages and one on one drills.
Player Spotlight: WR Quinton Patton, Louisiana Tech | RookieDraft.com
Quinton Patton is one of the top rated wide receivers in this year’s draft class and was a part of one of the nation’s top offenses last season.
Player Spotlight: RB Kenjon Barner, Oregon | RookieDraft.com
Kenjon Barner had an outstanding senior season, producing 2,000+ all-purpose yards and scoring 23 total touchdowns.
Player Spotlight: LB Khaseem Greene, Rutgers | RookieDraft.com
Khaseem Greene is one of the best players in the nation and profiles as a weakside linebackers much in the mold of a Lavonte David.
Seahawks could struggle to find trade partner for Matt Flynn | ProFootballTalk
According to Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports, the Seahawks’ attempts to trade Flynn could prove to be troublesome as many around the league expect Flynn to be released.
Pauline's Day 1 Stock Report
The 64th edition of the Senior Bowl got underway this morning as over 100 future NFL players individually stepped onto a stage in Mobile, Alabama to be measured and weighed in front off all 32 franchises. Later in the afternoon it was time for practice as college prospects were run through NFL formations on the field and asked to display their skills. Here's a breakdown of who did well on the first day for the South team, as well as the players who disappointed.
Inside the Jaguars: Senior Bowl Monday
The first day of practice at the Senior Bowl and a closer look at the top defensive ends in the 2013 NFL Draft.
NFL MANNIAC: 2013 NFL Free Agency - Need to improve your pass rush? Why Victor Butler may be the answer.
While everyone is talking Super Bowl right now, I've decided to take a different approach. I'm already thinking ahead to NFL Free Agency (begins March, 12th).
Senior Bowl North Quarterbacks-Monday | The Sideline View
There's nothing like getting a chance to see a quarterback throw live. There's no mistaking it. It's a truly organic experience. Sure, coaching tape is great, but seeing the ball come out of a quarterback's hand 25 feet in front of you can't be duplicated on tape. And during Senior Bowl week, you can get a bird's-eye view right in front of you. Here's an inside look at all three after watching them during Monday's 90-minute practice with the highest ranking of 5 and lowest of 1 in each category:
Senior Bowl Report: Quarterbacks looking to set themselves apart in tightly contested draft class | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo! Sports
While at least one quarterback will be taken in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, there are those who would argue quite convincingly that there really isn't a first-round talent at the position this year -- that it's more the nature of and need at position that will dictate where the quarterbacks will go in this draft. It's a bit of a hodge-podge, and this QB class isn't nearly as defined and dominant as the 2012 class that brought us so many signal-callers who starred and started right away. However, for teams with patience as it applies to developmental prospects, there is some legitimate talent this season -- it's just that there are no Andrew Lucks or Robert Griffins III, and the guys who came up out of the middle rounds last season, like Russell Wilson and Nick Foles, may have been more ready for the pros than this year's first-rounders.
Senior Bowl: Day 1 practice reports - Hogs Haven
Here is a break down of the first day of Senior Bowl practices. UK took the North since they were broadcast on TV, while I covered the South practice. For my full South practice report you can go here. Also here are the North and South weigh-in results.
How Relevant Is the Senior Bowl? - NYTimes.com
Many football fans openly question the value of college all-star games in pre-draft evaluation. Some writers who cover the event every year have similar questions. As it often does, Monday morning’s weigh-in prompted a tangential discussion among those in attendance and those readers following on Twitter. Setting aside the indignity of a process in which over 100 players parade across a stage in their underwear in the football community’s perverse version of Fashion Week, there are valid questions about just how relevant the Senior Bowl is.
Senior Bowl North Squad Practice Report, Day 1 - NYTimes.com
One of the fascinating aspects of practice reports is the range of observations that multiple writers can have of a player. While sometimes frustrating if not spelled out, it can also provide a richer assessment of a prospect. Here is a roundtable style assessment of several players from the North Squad’s initial practice Monday at the Senior Bowl from the Footballguys writers Jene Bramel, Cecil Lammey and Matt Waldman.
2013 Senior Bowl: Interview Notes From the Top Prospects in Mobile
At the Media Night, it was a frenzy talking to players, grabbing who you can, getting a few minutes (if not seconds) before others swarmed to get the next question in.
Pat White plans an NFL comeback | ProFootballTalk
With the rise of mobile quarterback, a mobile quarterback from Mobile is back in Mobile in the hopes of attracting the attention of a coach looking for a mobile quarterback. According to Ben Volin of the Palm Beach Post, White showed up at the Senior Bowl on Monday, hoping for a chance to resume an NFL career that ended during training camp in 2010. It’s fitting that he’d launch his comeback there, given that, four years ago, he was the star of the game.
Senior Bowl: 5 things to watch on the practice field | National Football Post
Tape study is still the No.1 tool to evaluating and grading rookie prospects, but this week we get to see some of the top talent in the country at the Senior Bowl. And after checking out the North squad Monday afternoon, here are five things I will be looking for on the practice field down in Mobile, Alabama.
Chris Ault: Slow quarterbacks can find success in Pistol - NFL.com
"They could run the pistol formation," Ault said Tuesday on 'NFL AM.' "They don't need to run the read part of it. When we first put the pistol in, in 2005 and 2006 (at Nevada), that's all we ran. We ran the power, the gaps, the counters, the zones, the outside stuff. We did not run the read at that time. So, the pistol offense, the most important thing there, is you can run any offense you've been running. And this is how we created it, and then we advanced the pistol run game -- the read part of it -- two years later."
Senior Bowl: Trench Players - All Star Circuit - Rotoworld.com
It’s not often that a fan of the NFL witnesses a schematic evolution. The league, in general, is pretty bland when it comes to scheming but as of late, we’ve seen a shift on the offensive side of the ball. The indoctrination of the zone read-option and further implementation of spread formations has helped teams win games, as most recently witnessed by the Super Bowl bound San Francisco 49ers, and will alter the way defenses will prioritize positions
Senior Bowl 2013: Tyrann Mathieu seeks a second chance - SBNation.com
The former standout LSU defensive back is hoping NFL scouts see a changed man at the Senior Bowl this week.
Senior Bowl 2013: Impressions On FIU Safety Jonathan Cyprien - Cincy Jungle
The Cincinnati Bengals will be looking for help at safety and Jonathan Cyprien is an impressive prospect.
2013 Senior Bowl: North Tuesday Practice Notes
Today was the first day we had two Optimum Scouting members covering an all-star day, which lead to some fantastic notes between myself and Alex Brown (@ABXXV25 on twitter). He covered quarterbacks, receivers, and defensive backs, while I focused on the linemen and watched running backs/linebackers.
Senior Bowl Notes: North Practice- Day 2
Today was the first chance I got to see a full North practice, but I again came away underwhelmed. Glennon looks to be the cream of the North class, he has the strongest arm, and the most consistent ball placement. Ryan Nassib looked decent throwing on the run, but struggled from under center, and had trouble reading from the pocket.
Jeremiah: Trend to mobile quarterbacks will take time - NFL.com
An influx of dual-threat QBs has ushered in change to NFL offenses, with more teams embracing option concepts. Is the drop-back passer a dying breed? NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah gives his take.
Colin Kaepernick Looks Exactly Like Jazz Legend Sonny Rollins
Breaking Super Bowl news arrives today via New York magazine's Eric Benson, who has alerted the world to the striking similarities between San Francisco 49ers quarterback/Big Cheese heir Colin Kaepernick and the younger version of jazz legend Sonny Rollins.
Mike Mayock: Senior Bowlers with something to prove - NFL.com
As I previously wrote, Senior Bowl week is my time to go to school on this class of prospects. That essentially amounts to listening to what NFL Network analysts say and jotting it down. On Tuesday, Mike Mayock broke down four players with something to prove this week in Mobile, Alabama:
2013 Senior Bowl: South Tuesday Practice Notes
Another practice with myself and fellow Optimum Scouting member Alex Brown today, as I broke down QBs, WRs, and DBs for the South squad, while Alex took the pit drills and watch OLvs. DL
Passing fancy: Seahawks’ ground-bound approach not necessarily outdated | Seahawks Blog | Seattle Times
Only one team has passed for more yards than the New England Patriots over the previous eight seasons. No team has made the playoffs more often.
Gus Bradley, John Idzik will be missed
Monday metatarsal musings: Gus Bradley and John Idzik were cogs in the Seahawks growing into the team they have become, and it helped open other doors as Bradley is now head coach of the Jaguars and Idzik is general manager of the Jets.