Scouting report on Seahawks 2023 second-round pick Derick Hall

With the No. 37 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft the Seattle Seahawks selected Derick Hall, an edge defender from Auburn. After not addressing the position on the first day of the draft, I thought Seattle badly needed to select at least one edge on Day 2, and they wasted little time doing so on Friday. Hall adds some much needed depth to an edge room that includes the likes of Uchenna Nwosu, last year’s second-round pick Boye Mafe and then fourth-year player Darrell Taylor. Down below we are going to review what the Seahawks will be getting in their second round pick this year.

Games watched - 2021 Alabama, 2022 Auburn, Missouri, Ole Miss

Strengths

• Biggest strength - Willingness against the run - Hall is a more than willing run defender. He has a good (6) and bordering on very good (7) motor as he is more than willing to chase running plays down from behind even when he has to make up 10+ yards on the ball carrier.
• Additionally, he has a good understanding of how patient he has to be on the edge on both inside runs and options. Hall also consistently wraps up rather than throwing his shoulder in or diving at the ball carries feet.
• Hall does a good job of using his length in the running game, getting his arms extended at the contact point. This allows him to try and two gap as well as enabling him to keep his eyes in the backfield on the ball carrier.
• Hall has very accurate hands as they almost always go right into the chest plate of the offensive lineman and more often than not, he is able to set the back at the point of contact.
• Hall has a bendy upper body which allows him to maintain some play strength and his balance whilst he is being bent to the side or backwards.

Weaknesses

• Biggest weakness- Lack of a go to pass rush move - Hall does not have a move in his arsenal that he can consistently beat blockers with, let alone go to in a big moment.
• Overall, Hall’s pass rushing arsenal is lacking. His go-to move is a speed move to the outside, but it is not one that he hits with at nearly a high enough rate for it to be his number one. Outside of that he tries to incorporate a bull rush, but he struggles to convert speed into power at this time in his development. He also showed the occasional long arm move but it will likely grade out as sufficient at best down the road.
• When Hall struggles in the running game it is more often than not against a pulling lineman or a more physical offensive tackle. He presents too soft of an inside shoulder, which allows them to get to the inside and seal him off from the running lane in addition to driving him back a yard or two. Against more physical linemen he struggles to disengage and often gets stuck on them throughout the course of the play.

Floor/ceiling - Hall’s combination of a good (6) motor, tackling technique, and willingness in the run game give him the floor of a low-end starter. However, his shallow pass rushing arsenal, inconsistencies against bigger linemen and struggles to gain consistent leverage give him the floor of a low-end backup.

Grade - 5.9 - Top back up first day of second season.

Grade explanation - Personally, I do not see it in Hall’s game. I know a lot of people are a lot higher on him than I am but lacking that go to pass rushing move and struggling against physical linemen/pulling guards for me is damning. Sure, he has a great willingness in the running game, solid edge contain and is a good tackler, but that is not enough to make you a starter in the NFL. It will certainly make him a good backup edge and special teamer early in his career, which is something that every team in the league needs. But until his pass rushing arsenal gets deeper and he gets better at working under the pad level of opposing offensive lineman, I do not see him being a starter at the pro level.

Schematic fit - Hall does not offer much versatility. He occasionally played with his hand in the dirt at Auburn but did not look too great in these situations. He was largely an edge who lined up in a two-point stance and that is what he will be in the NFL. I do not see him reducing down to a 3-tec or anything like that either due to his struggles in certain areas.

Highlights