It's about time. Don't worry, I won't indulge in this too often.
2009 Mock Draft
16. Myron Rolle, SS, Florida State University
Rolle is up for a Rhodes Scholarship. Need I say more? He's an Arthur Ashe award winner. He's a really great guy and you could totally set him up with Peggy and she'd die! His contributions on the field are a bit lacking. His last interception was in 2006. He has no sacks. Coaches love Rolle and word is he's assignment correct on almost every play. This guy's a Seahawk. Etched in stone. And when he spends 2009 abroad, Jamar Adams can start and still be ten times better than Brian Russell.
39. B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
Worried Seattle is too small on defense. Well this guy's wicked fat. Actually, Raji is fast and powerful as hell. He has nine sacks over the last two seasons and did this.
That's pretty cool. He's what fanboys want Howard Green to be and his presence will allow Brandon Mebane to move into Rocky Bernard's spot. Raji matched with Mebane will cause blocking havoc for Seattle's opponents and help free up Darryl Tapp and Lawrence Jackson.
44. Chase Daniel, QB, Missouri
Now we get small. I figure Daniel measures about 5'106 at the Combine. That's gonna destroy his draft stock. I figure before the Combine Daniel tears up the Senior Bowl. Which do you think Tim Ruskell considers more important? Daniel has a career 68.5% percentage over 37 starts. He's played an additional 10 games off the bench. Daniel is a tremendous athlete and an academic star. Ruskell doesn't target small players, he targets good players underrated because their size. See Josh Wilson and Brandon Mebane. Next season, I think we add Daniel to that list.
There's some implied trading in there. I think Seattle trades down and then uses those picks to trade up in the second. We'll leave the rest for the long, long offseason.
This was a damn exciting game. It's important to see the significance of playing well, because this season is over. There's good reason to think the Cardinals should have clobbered Seattle and at the start of the game, they did. But Seattle showed a lot of talent.
Josh Wilson is playing out his mind for a second year corner with the experience of a rookie. What really excites is that Wilson is showing unmistakable talent. His coverage skills are still not strong, but don't interpret taking licks from Larry Fitzgerald as an incurable weakness.
It took a half, but Kelly Jennings started to show his former cover ability. Jennings is such a wild card. There's reason to think he's suffering growing pains, but has the potential to be a solid cover corner. There's reason to think today was a fluke and this season represents offensive coordinators figuring out and exploiting Jennings' weaknesses.
Darryl Tapp belongs starting. I hope that's clear. He's not a great end, nor does he really have the potential to be great. But he's solid, young and above average.
At this point, maybe Baraka Atkins should get a start.
And, well, I think Brandon Mebane has a shot at Hawaii. Kid's special.
Seattle isn't a good team. I know, NEWSFLASH! Matt Hasselbeck didn't change that. Deion Branch didn't change that. At full strength, Seattle looks about average. I'm sick of pointing fingers so I won't. It's just the facts. But, for the first time in a long time, it's also young. Not throughout, but at important positions and predominately. Not everyone on roster will stick and youth in of itself isn't good. Lawrence Jackson might suck forever. I doubt it, but you never know. Mansfield Wrotto may never start. Bad teams are often young, but young doesn't equal talented. Seattle is young and talented. It's building something. And I trust Tim Ruskell's methods.
From here on out, we'll can the opponent previews and focus on the team itself and its future.
Game Ball: Brandon Mebane. Wilson deserves consideration for his pick, forced fumble and strong game returning, but was kind of abused in coverage. I want to type Walter Jones, but guy just can't stop the edge rush anymore. No, Mebane gets the nod. His forced fumble put Seattle back into it. I don't think it's any reach to say that right now, not considering position, Mebane is the best player on Seattle's roster.