NFL Draft 2012 Prospect Visit Tracker: Seahawks To Workout LB Danny Trevathan, DL Matt Conrath

We did this last year a bit and we'll try to keep that tradition going again this year by keeping track of all the visits and workouts the Seahawks coordinate with potential Draft picks in the run-up to the big show on April 26th-28th. According to the twitters and the internets, the Seahawks have already lined up at least two visits, with countless more on the books I'm sure. The two I've seen are with LB Danny Trevathan and DL Matt Conrath.

Danny Trevathan is an undersized linebacker out of Kentucky that was 2nd-Team All-SEC after leading that conference in tackles last year. He's 6'0, 237 with long 32 1/2" arms - was a Combine invite, and put up 18 reps of 225, had a broad jump of 9'3", a vert of 31.5" and sat out the rest of the drills.

NFL Draft Scout.com has him currently projected in the 6th or 7th rounds and I would guess the Seahawks like him because he brings an element of pass rushing ability to the position. He was a standout in a tough conference, producing 143 tackles with 11.5 tackles for a loss, four interceptions, five forced fumbles, five pass breakups and three sacks in 2011 and 144 tackles with 16 tackles for a loss, three sacks, four forced fumbles and three passes broken up in 2010. He's a three-year starter and projects as a weakside linebacker in a 4-3. He's a thumper, from the scouting reports I've seen, and had a lot of success blitzing.

Here are a couple of scouting vids of Trevathan courtesy of DraftBreakdown. As usual, thanks for the excellent scouting videos should go to JMPasq, MARI0clp, Aaron Aloysius, and the whole DraftBreakdown crew.

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Matt Conrath is a 6'8, 290 pound DT out of Virginia that was All-ACC in 2011 with 64 tackles, and interestingly, three blocked field goals. He's projected to go in the 7th round or fall into rookie free agency and with the way this team approaches special teams I wouldn't be surprised those blocked field goals piqued their interest.

More than that though, I think Conrath sort of fits the versatility bill that the Seahawks like in their defensive linemen. After starting his college career as a DE in 3-4 looks, he switched to a 4-3 3-tech defensive tackle in 2011 and had three sacks.

From this story in the Washington Post, NFL Draft Scout.com's Rob Rang had some interesting comments on the defensive lineman.

"Because [Conrath] is being successful in a position where I don't think he necessarily projects very well at, I think it's all the more impressive about his work ethic, his commitment and his natural physical talents," NFLDraftScout.com senior analyst Rob Rang said Thursday in a telephone interview. "And then the experience that he got in both schemes, you know, there are so few teams anymore that go just 4-3 or just 3-4 in the NFL. It's a lot of hybrid [defenses]. That's the new thing is that depending on the down and distances, teams are mixing up their coverages and how many people they have on the line. I think that versatility is only going to help his cause."

"We currently have him as a seventh round-to-undrafted free agent, and I thought he was significantly better than that," Rang said. "With that height, it's pretty rare to see his explosiveness off the snap. I mean, he's got some legitimate burst to him."

Though Rang projects that Conrath will probably transition best to a 3-4 defensive end, where he might sneak up some draft boards, he doesn't think it's out of the realm of possibility to see him go to a 4-3 team.

"As a 4-3 defensive tackle he's obviously been very effective at the collegiate level," Rang said. "I worry that he may not be as effective [at that position] in the NFL because generally when you're 6-7, that tall, then those shorter guards and centers, they can get their hands into a guy's chest and belly area just because they have the natural leverage advantage.

"When you're as tall as he is, those interior linemen are usually able to get into him. So it's pretty impressive that he's been as successful as he has been as a three technique defensive tackle."

When you're talking about 3-4 defensive ends, whose job it is to 'eat up blockers,' as Rang says Conrath may do well at the next level, you always have to consider the idea that the Seahawks could see him as a 5-tech DE in their defense as well.

Anyway - two interesting prospects with visits lined up with the Seahawks. I'll try and keep this list updated as we go along this month.