Who do we pick at 26

[politicalfootball]

I say we either draft a shut down corner to pair with Sherman or a big ugly for LT to protect Wilson. I got no names on this but will have later. Also needed are a safety for depth and a RB in case we need depth there.

[c_hawkbob]

I got my eye on Ryan Ramczyk out of Wisconsin right now, but that means that he'll probably climb draft boards to wind up unreachable for us by draft time ...

[NorthHawk]

I doubt a starting caliber LT would be available at 26, but there are some Edge rushers, OLB, or CB's that might be available. I think that this year Fant is the equivalent of a 1st round pick. He still has a lot to learn, but considering he was playing alongside Glowinski who only started one game prior to this year he at times did pretty well. I think we don't talk enough about the importance of a veteran player along the OL to settle down a rookie. The left side didn't have that and I would suggest that if Evans had been able to move to LG, Fant would have been much better. As it was, both players were trying to figure out their own game, let alone help the other guy out.

At CB, Rasul Douglas seems to have the measurables that Pete and John look for. He's a Sherman type of player being physical with long arms and is 6-2 204 lbs according to NFLDraftScout.

Writers are discussing Haasan Reddick for OLB and one compared him to Ryan Shazier for speed but he played DE in College as both a standup and hand in the dirt DE. The talk is he's moving up the boards though, but if he does fall he might be able to fill the Bruce Irvin role.

I think we need a big RT with a mean streak. Someone with the mindset of Breno. Maybe someone in FA might be available but there are a few expected at this time to be available in the mid/later rounds.

I doubt we take a RB at 26 as it doesn't seem to be our FO's thing. I think a top Edge rusher might fall, and Avril has said he only intends to play 10 years which is in 2017 and the end of his contract.
If he's told mgmt that he intends to keep to that statement, they might look long and hard at a future replacement.

Safety is interesting because there are a number of them that should go early.
Malik Hooker just might have the range of ET and he's a ball hawk. He could also play CB if given the chance, as he's 6-2, 205. I doubt he lasts until 26, though.

For us, a lot depends on the combine results for speed, explosion, and quickness. That seems to be what they are looking for after the height and length factor.

[RiverDog]

I say we either draft a shut down corner to pair with Sherman or a big ugly for LT to protect Wilson. I got no names on this but will have later. Also needed are a safety for depth and a RB in case we need depth there.

There won't be any consensus "shutdown corners" at #26, although Pete could very well turn a draftee into one, and the top 3 or 4 LT's are likely to be gone by then as well. But those are two high priority positions, along with a DT that can apply some middle pass rush pressure.

I haven't followed college football real closely as I almost always work Saturdays and I don't start paying much attention to possible draft picks until after the SB.

Nice to see you posting again, PF!

[curmudgeon]

More than likely a player selected that makes most folk say "huh?"........

[obiken]

The best LT available.

[Zorn76]

OL if somebody worthy falls, or DB since I think we do need a more effective guy opposite Sherman.

[RiverDog]

The best LT available.

If one drops, sure. But LT's are usually snapped up early.

I fully expect a surprise pick, some guy that's projected to go in the mid to late 2nd round by most of the experts. For good or bad, that seems to be the M.O. of this organization.

[NorthHawk]

More than likely a player selected that makes most folk say "huh?"........

I was thinking that, too.
Someone like Trey Hendrickson, DE from Florida Atlantic, but it depends a lot on the measureables.
Another dark horse is Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE from Villanova. 6-7, 280 DE.
I'm not sure if either is worthy of #26, but this is a deep Defensive draft according to the writers I've read.
One guy who doesn't seem to be talked about much lately is DeMarcus Walker from Florida St. He played both DE and DT and is kind of like Mike Bennett in his versatility.

[c_hawkbob]

Love Garrett Bolles, but I know he won't be around by the time we pick! He's top 10 already.

[Hawktawk]

Without Earl Thomas the Seahawks passing defense went from 5th in yards and 3rd in opposer passer rating to 27th and 31st respectively according to my best recollection of an article I read this morning but cant find to paste. I may be off a little on those numbers but close for sure. With Kam and Earl getting some miles on the tread its a potential killer not to have a guy to plug in. Terrell wasn't cutting it.

Whether finding late round gems or expending serious draft capital its time to shore up the back end of the defense with the best safety available. Budda Baker?

[NorthHawk]

Whether finding late round gems or expending serious draft capital its time to shore up the back end of the defense with the best safety available. Budda Baker?

Baker might turn out to be pretty good, but Malik Hooker is as close to a clone to ET as you're going to find.
The difference is between the ears. It's hard to replace that factor no matter the physical talents.

[NorthHawk]

Here's a guy to keep an eye on. Not at 26, but maybe in the 3rd if he's still on the board.
Montravius Adams, DT Auburn. He had a few sacks and 8 1/2 tackles for loss. He's one of those interior DL disruptors from what I've read.
Someone who is stout against the run inside and could pressure or collapse the pocket is always wanted.

[RiverDog]

Early draft reports seem to indicate that there isn't much available at OT. Ramczyk (sp?) and Bolles from Utah are the only tackles being mentioned for the first round by most of the sites I've seen. That will likely change after the combine, but it is definitely a down year. Some good guards, though.

Defensive backs are more numerous and varied, with as many as 4 safeties in the top 16. There are enough good ones that many teams will hold off to a later round. Some opportunity there.

It is also a very good year for defensive linemen both in the middle and on the edges. Some very nice looking pass rushers.

Mostly, the team needs to build depth. That's nothing new for this front office. If a special athlete who can start in year one, regardless of position (within limits), John will probably go that direction.

Anyone else think that one tactic we might consider would be to either bring in a veteran FA guard or pick one up in the draft and slide Ifedi back out to tackle? More so than other areas of the team, they sure seem to move offensive linemen around like chess pieces.

[NorthHawk]

It's always a possibility, but there is value in keeping them together and developing at one position before considering moving him. If they did move Ifedi to RT, it might mean another year of learning and making rookie mistakes.
I would think a FA RT might be in order or draft a RT - maybe both.

[RiverDog]

It's always a possibility, but there is value in keeping them together and developing at one position before considering moving him. If they did move Ifedi to RT, it might mean another year of learning and making rookie mistakes.
I would think a FA RT might be in order or draft a RT - maybe both.

Oh, I agree that keeping them together has its advantages, but so does getting them experience at multiple positions, and you'll have to admit that Cable has mixed and matched ever since he's been with us.

Here's a list of the FA offensive linemen for 2017. Any of those names float anyone's boat?

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/offensive-line/

[NorthHawk]

Vollmer would be a nice addition if he's healthy. It would have to be a short term deal so he can prove he can still play.
This might limit our leverage.
Winston is older, but he could be a calming presence for the young guys to look to when things go bad. Health is a concern at his age but he would only be on a short term deal as well.

[politicalfootball]

I say we draft a RB someone to pair with Rawls who can play football for a whole game. What say you ?

[politicalfootball]

We need to find a CB in this draft. We can pick up a LT in FA.

[obiken]

We need to find a CB in this draft. We can pick up a LT in FA.

No we cant, we need a LT in the Draft. IF we also get one in FA fine but I am tired of having the Fants of world protecting our guy.

[NorthHawk]

I would hope all of our OL would enroll in a camp for Offensive Linemen like the one put on by LeCharles Bentley and others.
I don't know what they do when they send the players away for the Off Season, but I would think a list of what they need to improve upon would be included.
A couple of months of working together on OL techniques, strength, mobility/flexibility, and mindset to name a few could really help them develop quicker than if they went to individual camps or worked out on their own.
With this new CBA, it's up to them to iron out the kinks in their collective game outside of team facilities.

[EmeraldBullet]

I am guessing we trade down as usual. Unless there's a guy there that we really want and can't pass up.

[RiverDog]

I am guessing we trade down as usual. Unless there's a guy there that we really want and can't pass up.

Especially considering that we don't have a 4th round pick (traded to New England last year) or a 5th round pick (as a result of an OTA violation), and that we might lose a pick due to the Sherman injury thing, trading down to accumulate picks is a definite possibility.

Just for the heck of it, I copied and pasted the needs of those teams picking in the top 10 in this year's draft that have a need on the OL based on NFL.com's Lance Zierlien's analysis:

#2 San Francisco: The 49ers have to get better at guard and might need to start looking for another right tackle.

#4 Jacksonville: The Jags needs to improve their talent at both the tackle and guard spots up front. That is a strong necessity.

#7 LA Chargers: The Chargers have serviceable tackles, but they've been going with "serviceable" for too long. It's time to commit.

#8 Carolina: It seems like Carolina has needed an offensive tackle for at least the last three years and that is the case again.

#9 Cincinnati: Cincinnati has to find a way to get its running game going, and that might mean looking for help on the interior offensive line.

#10 Buffalo: The Bills will likely be looking for a bookend right tackle after the season.

So for those of you like obi that are holding out hope for immediate help along the OL, with us picking at #26 and with at least 2 and perhaps 3 less picks in our bag of arrows, it seems pretty unlikely. I'm more inclined to believe in Em's scenario that has us trading down to accumulate picks and make another attempt at finding a diamond in the rough.

[NorthHawk]

We should get a 3rd or 4th for losing Irvin and won't we get something for losing Okung?
Trying to trade down is a bigger possibility this year with us losing picks, for sure.

The combine will change a lot of draft ideas, but I can see teams at the top taking other than OT's early considering their hit and miss factor of late and having some real impact Defensive players available.
OT's are in demand, though so the top 2 will probably be gone for sure but the draft can be difficult to predict and players do fall unexpectedly.

[RiverDog]

...and won't we get something for losing Okung?

Nope. Signing Webb caused us to lose out on that one. We also lost out on getting a pick for losing Mebane. Signing Bradley Sowell canceled it out. Talk about two lose-lose FA signings. No wonder our OL sucks so badly.

The only two compensatory picks we are expected to be awarded are for Irvin and Sweezy.

[NorthHawk]

Wow. Let's hope the Irvin comp pick is a 3rd.
The OLine mess really has far reaching impact. We didn't "reach" in the draft, but we reached in FA and it cost us a draft pick.
Like I said a couple of years ago when it started to slide, our OL is our Achilles heal and now it's really showing.