What to do with Ndamukong Suh

Let me preface this by saying that I am still in the process of scouting Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh, and that from what I have seen, I really like him as a player.

That said, I'm not sure I really like him as a Seahawk. Suh, who runs 6'5 295 (or so) is a great player for Nebraska, and might be the best defensive player I've scouted in the past three years. He has great upper-body strength, disengages from blocks extraordinarily well, has good athleticism, deflects passes (had four against Virginia Tech), splits double teams, chases down screens... He's very impressive. Rarely do you see defensive tackles throw BCS offensive guards around like rag dolls, but Suh does it multiple times a game. It took about half a game for me to recognize Suh as one of the top players I've scouted, period. He just does so many things well.

Nobody is perfect, though, and there are some concerns. First, let's talk about money. Just for the sake of the argument, let's assume Seattle ends up with the fourth pick of the draft, again, and takes Suh. He would stand to make ~60 million dollars over 5 or 6 years, presumably. Now, that's a big chunk of change, but you're going to pay that to anyone you take, so it doesn't really matter. What does matter is how Seattle uses their DTs. In 2008, Brandon Mebane was pretty much healthy every game and yet only played about 2/3rds of the snaps because Seattle likes to keep their DTs fresh. Assuming a similar number for Suh isn't unreasonable, but it does beg the question: How much better would Suh have to be than your second choice to justify getting paid full price for 2/3rds the snaps?

Even if you can justify this (and since I believe in building a defense from the lines, I probably could stomach that), there is another problem. Suh is, to borrow an overused saying, a bit of a tweener. While he has an exceptionally strong upper body, I have some concerns about his ability to anchor as the "nose" of a 4-3 defense (or 1-technique, if you prefer) on a consistent basis. His lower body strength could improve, but frankly he would likely need at least 20lbs in bulk to have the anchor. He also struggles with leverage a bit, and combined with his being comparatively "light" that creates a problem.

Okay, fine. You move him to the "under" tackle spot (or 3-technique, gap shooter, what have you). That's probably where he is best used anyways, and I could see him having great success there. One small problem, one great one. The small problem is that he isn't a freak athlete. He's very athletic, but his first step is nothing extraordinary. His plays against the run and pass are more likely to be the result of his strength and hands, which take a little longer. He may make twice as many tackles as, say, Oklahoma's Gerald McCoy, but most of Suh's will be at the LOS, not 3 yards in the backfield. Personally, I prefer that style anyways because it is more sound against the run, but it probably means less completely broken pass plays (ala Tommie Harris ruining an offensive game plan).

The bigger problem is Brandon Mebane. We just had Mebane move to the "3-technique" spot, and he looks good there. Would you ask Mebane to gain all the weight he lost this past offseason and change roles? Sounds reasonable, but you might be better off just finding a more effective space-eater than Colin Cole and leaving Mebane where he is. He also should be entering his contract year in 2010, and he (or his agent) may not be thrilled about his being moved to a position with fewer Sportscenter plays and fewer stats. Mebane seems like a team guy and I imagine he'd add weight willingly... but it might make his camp feel like Seattle is trying to undervalue him.

While Suh is a great player, I cannot help but feel like Suh would thrive as a 3-4 end (Nebraska uses him there a fair amount every game). His size, strength, hands, and athleticism would make him a dominant player - far, far, far better than Tyson Jackson, now of the Kansas City Chiefs.

How would you address the problems drafting Suh would bring to Seattle? Would you move guys around, mess with the rotation, or just avoid Suh altogether?