Onto the fourth round. For the second day picks I'm lumping the guards and tackles together, because starting tackles in the NFL are rarely drafted past round three, so most of these guys are going to either move inside or work as depth/spot starters. This was an important round for Seattle and I discuss how my opinion about Mansfield Wrotto has changed since revamping my ratings. The kid has a chance of being very good--I can't tell you how excited and amazed I was when I finished his burst rating.
Allen Barbre
Body
Height: 6' 3"
Weight: 300
Frame: +
Arm Length: 33 1/2"
Strength
Burst: 368.76
Thrust: 2160.41
225: 28
Misc: 360 Bench
Agility
Shuttle: 4.63
3 Cone: 7.40
Top Speed: 9.85
Technique
Quick off the Snap: ++
Hip/Knee Bend: -
2nd Level: 0
Hand Punch: 0
Footwork: +
Character
Effort: +
Personality: 0
My earlier system was a big fan of Barbre, in no small part because of his excellent top end speed, but unlike Joe Staley, Barbre suffered much less of a correction in the conversion. Barbre still looks like a very good value; quick, strong and agile--Barbre has a chance to stick as that rare second day offensive tackle. Watch out for the Packers, they will win the NFC North this season.
Doug Free
Body
Height: 6' 6.2"
Weight: 324
Frame: ++
Arm Length: 35"
Strength
Burst: 382.74
Thrust: 2050.76
225: 22
Misc: 565 squat, 350 Power Clean
Agility
Shuttle: 4.53
3 Cone: 7.38
Top Speed: 8.97
Technique
Quick off the Snap: 0
Hip/Knee Bend: 0
2nd Level: ++
Hand Punch: - -
Footwork: +
Character
Effort: ++
Personality: +
Doug Free is a bit of a pet prospect for me. His biggest weakness is his upper body strength, but, unfortunately for Free, it might be a critical deficiency. Otherwise, Free is an awesome prospect. He's very quick and agile, has great lower body strength and an elite frame that could carry 340 pounds with ease. He's sort of a poor man's Joe Staley, but not as far from the first rounder as some think--both are going to need some time to realize their full potential.
Mansfield Wrotto
Body
Height: 6' 3"
Weight: 317
Frame: ++
Arm Length:
Strength
Burst: 409.64
Thrust: 1393.35
225: 27
Agility
Shuttle: 4.92
3 Cone: 8.34
Top Speed: 8.77
Technique
Quick off the Snap: +
Hip/Knee Bend: +
2nd Level: +
Hand Punch: +
Footwork: ++
Character
Effort: +
Personality: ++
Man, can I tell you how happy I am to write that? When the Hawks drafted Wrotto he looked like an unpolished player without a ton of potential. That was extremely vexing for me, because it's one thing to draft a player that isn't likely to have a huge impact his first season (especially for a team that needed help at guard, bad) but something entirely more egregious to draft a player that wouldn't make an impact this year or likely have a huge impact in the future. I think I was wrong on both accounts. Wrotto not only has elite fast-twitch strength, but for a player with very, very little experience along the offensive line, his technique is considered pretty darn good. Wrotto is possibly the most likable interview I've ever read, and something about players who are mean as hell on the football field, but sweeter than a kitten off (think Walter Payton or pre-religious/racist harangue Reggie White) have always appealed to me. Wrotto is a real dark horse to break camp as the starting right guard, but it's not impossible. He's proven to be a quick study; it's possible he will prematurely plateau, never fully develop into a great guard, but it's equally, no more, possible that he's just beginning to tap into some pretty huge potential.
Jermon Bushrod
Body
Height: 6' 5"
Weight: 315
Frame: -
Arm Length: 34 1/2
Strength
Burst: 369.01
Thrust: 1993.56
225: 22
Misc: 365-pound bench press, 545-pound squat, 258-pound power clean
Agility
Shuttle: 4.72
3 Cone:
Top Speed: 9.52 YPS
Technique
Quick off the Snap: +
Hip/Knee Bend: 0
2nd Level: -
Hand Punch: 0
Footwork: +
Character
Effort: ++
Personality: +
Bushrod is fast, but he has big concerns about his upper body strength. It's one thing if you're Doug Free and you have a massive frame that could add five to ten pounds of muscle on top, but Bushrod is pretty much stuck at 315. I also think his technique is artificially inflated by inferior competition (Towson isn't exactly a powerhouse and its schedule was pretty weak). Bushrod is a very hard worker and by all reports a quality individual, but I have my doubts about him being a true impact player.
Josh Beekman
Body
Height: 6' 1.5"
Weight: 313
Frame: - -
Arm Length: 31 3/4
Strength
Burst: 378.47
Thrust: 1431.31
225: 24
Misc: 460-pound bench press, 530-pound squat, 300-pound power clean
Agility
Shuttle: 4.81
3 Cone: 8.24
Top Speed: 8.69 YPS
Technique
Quick off the Snap: ++
Hip/Knee Bend: ++
2nd Level: -
Hand Punch: ++
Footwork: 0
Character
Effort: ++
Personality: ++
Beekman probably fell too far and I can almost hear the talking heads rattling off why the combine is meaningless after he's had a few succesful seasons. Beekman's major problem is a lack of projectability. Lofa Tatupu syndrome if you will. Beekman is one of the most NFL ready linemen in this year's draft, but he's small and not terrifically athletic. Like many, I think Beekman might settle in at center, but the ability is there right now to make a decent guard. I think Seattle might have been better off in 2007 with Beekman instead of Wrotto, but Wrotto's potential is leaps and bounds above Beekman's. Call the Wrotto pick a vote of confidence for third year man Ray Willis.