Friday 16 April 2010

Trading up in round two a real option

By Rob Staton
The Seahawks have accumulated a number of mid/late round picks this off season. As the new regime makes their changes, they now own two fourth round picks (#102 and #127) two fifth round picks (#133 and #139) a sixth round pick (#176) and a seventh (#245). The only pick they're unable to use in a trade is the seventh rounder as it's a compensatory selection. The rest are fair game.

When the Seahawks dropped twenty places in round two via the Whitehurst deal, they didn't do so lightly. They understood that there were prospects they probably liked at #40 that wouldn't be available at #60. Alternatively, they may feel the depth of talent was sufficient this year that a move down was more palatable. However, should a prospect be sitting there in round two that they simply have to get - they have the ammunition to make a move. This has been discussed amongst the front office and is a strong possibility if the right guy is on the board.

Who may we be talking about here? Look no further than the running back position. I'm led to believe the Seahawks are high on California's Jahvid Best. Serious concussions have dropped Best's stock somewhat, but it wouldn't be a total shock if he found a home at the back end of round one. He's explosive enough to justify that, especially on a good team. At the same time - teams may be wary of drafting someone with serious health concerns.

In my last mock draft, I had the Seahawks taking Best at #60. Is it realistic? Possibly, depending on what else happens earlier on. If the New York Giants - a legitimate landing spot for Best - draft C.J. Spiller in the first round, it takes them out of contention. If San Diego drafts Ryan Mathews either at the bottom of round one or with the pick at #40 acquired from Seattle, will the Houston Texans look for a size back like Ben Tate in round two instead of Best (they already have a smaller back in Steve Slaton)? There are possibilities that could see Best fall and there are reasons why he'll go much higher.

If he's there in round two, the Seahawks might not chance him lasting until #60. A move involving one or both fourth round picks is possible. If Seattle is able to deal the #14 pick, they may possibly acquire another 2010 second rounder which would potentially relieve the need to move up. Either way, if the Seahawks keep the #60 pick names to keep an eye on include Geno Atkins (DT, Georgia), Lamarr Houston (DT, Texas) and Mardy Gilyard (WR, Cincinnati). But from what I understand, Best is a potential target and the Seahawks could consider a move up to get him.

34 comments:

Matthew Baldwin said...

It seems we're putting all of our marbles in the one 'well sourced' rumor. Berry, Williams, Best, Gilyard, Atkins etc are the same names mentioned in the rumor.

It would be cool for Rob and the site to get a scoop of that magnitude, but I'm not a big fan of those players other than Berry.

Best already has 2 concusions and the probability of a 3rd is 400% according to a med journal article I read. They didn't give a percentage on the 4th but the risk rises exonentially. Westbrook is all but done after his 5th.

Anonymous said...

Mardy Gilyard doesn't really fit our size preferences at receiver does he?

0verDraft said...

I think we go into the draft using our #60 as a Strong Safety. There are a lot in round 2 and if they start disappearing I think we make a move. #6 should be Morgan and #14 on a Left Tackle. Lots of OTs are moving down boards and we could get Bulaga, Davis, or Brown at least with no problem.
Running back doesn't appear as much of a need as I originally thought when I think about J Forsett. Who I hear Carroll is really liking at mini-camp. Isn't Best a Forsett clone only with head injuries? If we feature Justin and complement with Rankin and Jones, that appears enough to get us by. I doubt we're looking championship this year and this RB class is weak.
Who knows, maybe Hardesty, Tate, or Dixon slip to #104.

Donald Duck said...

I would rather have Ben Tate.

Peace,
Rip

A-R-N-F said...

As much as I like Best, I think we need to target a bigger back. That may not be exclusive to drafting Best, but if we're only picking up one RB in this draft I'd opt for the 220lb guys who will fall to the late second/early fourth.

Unknown said...

Just watched an ESPN segment with D. Morgan. I really liked him. DE has become a need for us. Maybe not as much as OL but I would LOVE if he is there at 14.

Getting to 14 may be difficult tho.

We shall see...

Patrick said...

I would love to get either Jahvid Best or Mardy Gilyard. I've been a huge fan of Best for years, but Gilyard would be great because he could be a returning threat as well. I'm hoping this rumor is accurate. Sadly, I could really see Detroit grabbing Jahvid Best at #34 :(

Rat said...

Jahvid Best will be selected within the first 42 picks, and you can take that to the bank.

And your 'inside sources' are nothing more than chit chat oiled by bloggers like yourself, and fans from a message board. So please, leave the facade behind you as well as your elitist attitude you display throughout your posts.

Listen, you don't know that Spiller is ruled out. You think you do. You don't think Okung is a top 10 selection, but it's been etched in stone for 2 years now. You get the picture. Stop trying so hard to make a name for yourself in the Scouting world, and be humble, brit boy.

Your nothing more than a fan, so lets leave the 'inside sources' that you constantly big up alone. You have a trail of minions following your every word on NetNation12, but for those that can see through your act and voice their own opinions and thoughts without being cruxified, more power to them.

You will all see come Thursday.

Austin said...

Rat-Nothing like a little internet karate.....make a point and leave it at that. You come across as arrogant and therefore no one will even entertain your post. There have been some inside sources in a couple of Seahawks boards that have actually predicted a future event. Regardless who cares. Its a blog that is based on opinion and has never claimed to be anything else. Its also one of the best I've seen. Anyways..........

Best is not a Forsett clone and they have very different skill sets. I think Best compliments Forsett perfectly and adds a homerun type threat that Forsett lacks. I would love to see Seattle trade up for him. I tend to agree that Best will be taken before the 60th pick so Seattle would have to trade up and I think its the right decision. Keep up the great work guys!

0verDraft said...

Gotta be hard to pick a name when you're that bitter. Fits though.
I could see him burrowing in trash looking for things to be pissed off over.

0verDraft said...

Austin,
Would Best be a better option than Safety, Offensive Tackle, or Pass Rusher with one of the first 3 picks?

A-R-N-F said...

Draftnikitis - a condition in which one commits himself fully to draft ideas popularized by the common masses and berates any who do not follow suit. Common symptoms include: inflated ego, baseless rants, making a fool of oneself, and narrowmindedness.

0verDraft said...

Does anyone know anything about James Starks from Buffalo? I've seen some reputable sights mock him to Seattle in the deep rounds as a great fit for our ZBS. Can't say I've ever seen him play.

micah said...

I don't think it's hard to believe that Carroll wants a RB with a 2nd or 3rd gear. He has always had one at USC. In this year's draft, that seems like Spiller, Best or McKnight.

Of course we have a ton of needs, (safety, dline,oline, etc) you could make an argument for every position on our team... I think Rob is just trying to present some different scenarios based on what the team could possibly do. No one said you had to agree with him.

Austin said...

Overdraft:

Thats tough to answer. I would say that if you know you could get a guy like McKnight then it wouldn't be worth it to select Best that early. While I like Best more than McKnight I think both are capable of being really good players at the next level and McKnight especially is underrated in my opinion. I didn't really answer the question but its just hard to say. I think the regime has done their homework though and will draft accordingly. Can't wait to see how it all plays out.

Anonymous said...

0verDraft said...

Gotta be hard to pick a name when you're that bitter. Fits though.
I could see him burrowing in trash looking for things to be pissed off over.

LOL...that's the funniest thing I've ever seen on here..

c-hawker said...

Nobody's talking about Gerhart. No 3rd rounder? Take him at #60. Toby's a beast!

c-hawker said...

Who's that DIRTY WHARF RAT,anyway?

0verDraft said...

Wait doesn't Best have like Multiple concussions? Let's get someone healthy in there.

Akki said...

I looked up Seattle's past trade-ups. It cost a 3rd rounder to move up 17 spots to take Carlson. It cost two 4th rounders to move up 9 spots to take Tatupu. I don't think Best's going to make it beyond #45 or so. I really like him, but I expect getting him to be way too expensive given our other needs.

I know Julius Jones isn't very popular in the fan communities, but I don't see the Jones/Forsett duo as an immediate must-fix problem. I'd rather just see who we can get with a 4th/5th round pick maybe if guys like Hardesty and Anthony Dixon are available. And if they're not, I wouldn't be upset if we just take a late round flier - Stafon Johnson, Toney Baker, and Keiland Williams seem like potential ZBS runners. Main point is, if we're going to trade up, I don't think RB is the best reason to do it since the class seems pretty deep with guys who could contribute,

Kip Earlywine said...

Rat is (I'm assuming) the same Rat who regularly posts at Seahawks.net. He's a pretty cool guy who I like. Not sure where this came weird outburst came from. Drunk posting? Prank?

He's right that the source was broken on a message board, and you can be skeptical if you want, but a 2nd different source broke today that was pretty much completely in compliance with the first. Also, the original source had previously made a post telling us the team was going to sign sign Ruvell Martin- who no one had ever heard of and there had been NOTHING in the press linking Martin to the Seahawks or even acknowledging his existence. Four days later, the Seahawks signed Ruvell Martin, just as he said.

So I believe the source, especially since everything it said passes the logic test. I don't think its a coincidence that Kiper/McShay have Williams/Berry going to Seattle at #6. They have inside sources too, I'm sure.

Kip Earlywine said...

The 2nd source, which is not verified but highly believable can be read here:

http://www.seahawks.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13602

Mentions that Clausen could be an option at #6 if both Berry and Williams are gone (in an attempt to pick-and-trade). The inference is they don't seem to believe Clausen will reach #14.

Also mentions that Schneider is very high on Dan Williams, which is both surprising and concerning because of what means for Mebane.

Says Carroll loves Derrick Morgan, and they loved his interview.

Also says, don't be shocked if the team drafts Tebow at #60. Maybe I'm crazy, but reading that actually made me a little happy for some warped reason.

Again, take it for what it is, but it matches up perfectly with the 1st source, it sounds pretty believable to me.

Steve in Spain said...

Kip, I'm not so sure those are two different sources. Could be the same guy posting two different places...

My rule of thumb is believe nothing in April. So I take these rumors with a truckload of salt no matter how seemingly trustworthy.

But Rat, dood, switch to decaf.

Alex said...

Interesting.
So it's
#6- Suh, McCoy, Berry or Williams, Clausen (to trade)
#14- Trade for 2010 2nd round+2011 3rd Round and 1st Round. If not Derrick Morgan (love it), Dan Williams (ok... on it. At least the value is correct), and Charles Brown.
#60- potentially Tebow if he falls and I guess other needs.

Austin said...

I told a buddy recently that I thought they would still take Clausen at #6 and defnitely at 14 if he ends up falling. If he does I'm guessing Matt would be gone and Clausen/Whitehurts would compete for the job. I'm a huge Hasselbeck fan but am starting to get excited about Clausen. So is Bryant not on the radar at 14? They must be higher on Branch than most are!

0verDraft said...

I'm with Akki on taking a RB post round 3.

But more importantly... there's a Seahawks.net!!??

0verDraft said...

They have a "politics, war & religion" forum?

Take a quick break from the Draft to discuss the Middle East!

1stHill said...

I'm a big fan of Best, but I'm not too high on the idea of trading up to get him. Good RB's can be had later in the draft. If we trade up in the 2nd round I would rather it be for a offensive or defensive lineman.

Here are a few players I would want to trade up for if they are available at the top of the 2nd round;
- DT Brian Price
- OT Rodger Saffold
- OT Charles Brown
- DE Carlos Dunlap
- OG Jon Asamoah

I'm of the opinion that we need to target offensive lineman in this draft and let them go through their growing pains and gel together as a unit this season. So, by the 2011 season our o-line would have solid year of working together and then we could plug in a stud rookie RB and/or stud rookie QB.

Anonymous said...

First off, this is the best Seahawks site around. Great stuff every week.

My issue with trying to trade up in the 2nd round is the fact they had the pick they wanted and gave it away. I know you mentioned 'they didn't do so lightly', and I have to disagree with that. In SD's own words they said we made the offer that was best for us and they accepted it. They even sounded shocked by that. If they really didn't want to trade picks, they should have countered. I read where CW told Phoenix he had decided on Seattle first. Once he did that, there were no other players in the game. It was up to Seattle & SD to now agree on a deal. They had the bargaining power for the most post. The only thing they were up against was SD just keeping him. I don't think they were all that interested in doing so. I still believe a 4th round pick would have worked for SD. Like one recent article I just read pointed, this deal has been the only deal this year where a restricted free agent has garnered his tagged value.

Playstead said...

Interesting post. I love Best, but the concussion thing is a real issue. I think the chances are high that they trade down with #14 and picking up a high 2nd is definitely a possibility. I like that scenario.

Anonymous said...

"Rat" came across as an a$$hole. It doesn't even matter if your right now. Screw you buddy. I think the writers here, and especially Rob, try to be fair and balanced in everything they post. Nuff said.
When this draft is over I would like to see any off these guys in a Seahawk uniform, not necessarily in this order
Bradford/Suh/McCoy/Bulaga/E Thomas/Berry/Haden/SPILLER!/Morgan/Griffen/Brown/K Wilson/Bryant/CLAUSEN!/Tate/D Thomas/Price/P Cox/D-Karim
If it was me, and there were no trades, I would love
#6- J Clausen- he WILL be a great QB for someone someday soon, and not around at 14
#14- C Brown- ZBS, USC and Carroll
#60?- Deji Karim- get used to hearing his name, he will light up this league.

I am NOT a fan of Best/Williams/Davis and the other QB's at the next leval

Kip Earlywine said...

Steve in Spain-

You never know, its the internet and all, but-

The two sources were linked in different places (Seahawks.net and ESPN).

They had slightly different details (the 2nd quickly mentioned Tebow and Clausen as outside possibilities and the first one didn't at all).

The 2nd one was right from a VMAC employee who said it would be ok to put it out there. The first was eavesdropped.

My hunch is its two different sources.

Anonymous said...

Not sure I'm understanding where your coming from on this one Kip. Are you saying that Rat may have "real" sources and that our beloved Rob may be talking out his ass? Or are you somehow justifying the attack mode that prick was in? What exactly you trying to say?

Anonymous said...

Rat- I don't get something here. You criticize the heck out of Rob saying he is nothing but a fan like the rest of us, yet you are obviously reading his work or you wouldn't know what to criticize?

I guess I am old fashion, but if I don't like someones work I simply don't follow it.

I said in my previous post and I will say it again. This is the best Seahawks site on the web including the clubs own site.