Before I present the beta test for my Mock draft, here's the how a couple marquee offensive linemen's Pro Day's look when translated through the The System.
Ben Grubbs
| Thrust | Burst | Bench | Shuttle |
| 115.70* | 176.70 | 35 | 4.78 |
Joe Staley
| Thrust | Burst | Bench | Shuttle |
| 124.92 | 174.92 | 27* | 4.40 |
*Combine Performance
First I would like to say that Pro Day stats should be slightly discounted because unlike the combine the environment is not standardized. Not surprisingly, those stats are both pretty dang awesome. Grubbs' in line power is by far the best I've recorded, besting Justin Blalock's by as much as Blalock bested Allen Barbre. Grubbs also really improved his bench, moving from MOR to lower elite. A pretty big cause for concern, though, is Grubbs continued poor performance in the shuttle and cone drills. For a guy touted as being an excellent athlete, his agility has yet to show up in any measurable fashion.
Staley's performance was also very impressive, but while his bench was merely good, his absolutely excellent Thrust rating makes me feel confident that he would be able to stand up rushers and effectively hold the pocket. Staley also excelled in the criminally underrated shuttle and cone, putting Joe Thomas to shame. Both of these guys are first round talents, the upshot for the Hawks is that my man Blalock just got a little more attainable in the second round.
Unlike my alpha test, where I was just feeling out some players I have a good feeling about, this time I'm using a specific methodology to determine who I draft. In short, I'll pick players based on the percentage of NFL starters at their position chosen at that round. In other words, 88% of RBs were picked in the first three rounds, so unlike in my alpha test I won't wait until the seventh round for a rusher. Also, the NFL has announced its supplemental picks and Seattle has gained a 6th rounder that I will account for. I got a lot of excellent feedback on my last mock, I would be thrilled to get that kind of community participation again. Thank you.
This time, we send D-Jack along with a fifth round and conditional 2008 pick packing to San Diego for their first round pick.
1. Greg Olsen TE: I love everything about this guy, including the fact that he decided his exceptional Combine performance wasn't quite good enough, adding two inches to his vert at his Pro Day. Agility, check, strength, his 23 reps at the bench were better than offensive tackle Doug Free, and perhaps best of all, his separation speed (20 yard dash minus his 10 yard dash) was a wonderfully round 1 second. 1st round TEs almost never flop and Olsen should be no exception. I have my doubts he will fall this far, but if Green Bay and Cincinnati pass, the Hawks have a shot.
2. Marcus McCauley CB: The Hawks are set for starting cornerbacks, but could really use a developmental DB with good upside. McCauley has the size/speed combination that makes scouts drool and he can offer depth at safety right away. Players who can be starting cornerbacks in the NFL rarely escape the first two rounds and virtually disappear after the fourth. He's certainly a few years away, but could get some time at Dime right away.
3. Chris Henry RB: Need a running back? Don't wait until the second day. 88% of starting running backs in 2006 were picked in the first three rounds. Henry has very little ware on his legs, a huge plus for a grueling position, great initial burst (don't underestimate the force it takes to project 230 pounds 10 yards in 1.54 seconds), but about a thousand question marks. One can't ignore the fact that his college coaches didn't think he was fit to start. May be a late bloomer, may be a complete bust.
4. Allen Barbre OG: Played tackle, but showed the upper body strength to play guard. Real sleeper who was hardly on the radar before his excellent combine performance. It's safe to say, I like this guy a lot. Guards can be acquired throughout the draft, starters were nearly equally as likely to come from any of the first four rounds.
6. Brent Curvey DT: High character pick who fits the system well. Undersized. Good motor, is able to pressure the QB from the tackle position. Seems like a Ruskell guy.
6. Selvin Young RB: When you take a risky pick, it's smart to grab insurance. The world seems to disagree, but I think Young has the makings of a solid NFL running back. Should be able to step in as a 3rd down back immediately.
7. Dallas Sartz OLB: Super reader WAB mentioned Sartz and upon looking into the lanky man from SoCal, I tend to agree. Great initial burst, toughness and instincts. Will take a few years to develop into an NFL regular, but can definitely contribute on special teams right away.
So there you go, lots of small school guys; this time I picked guys I think can definitely fit within Seattle's system and have a chance of getting drafted. What do you think?