Once again Rob Staten of Seahawks draft blog and I (and apparently myck14 as well LOL!) are thinking almost exactly the same.
Over the last two days now, he's posted about how Kyler Fackrell, who Myck14 and I are both just super high on, and about how Devon Cajuste would be a perfect fit for Seattle.
I just couldn't agree more, and have been saying so for a while.
I am absolutely convinced Fackrell and Cajuste would be a studs for us at LB and WR/TE, and both could be, should be thought of as players we just cannot leave the draft without.
About Cajuste, he said
Cajuste is attractive for many key reasons. Aside from his athletic profile — he’s a terrific run blocker (important in Seattle), he’s used to working in a run-first offense with a scrambling quarterback, he maxed out his limited targets in college, he’s a red zone threat and he’s very close to Doug Baldwin.
“I feel like I represent Doug in a way because he wore ’89’ at Stanford, so the fact that I got to wear that, I had to keep his legacy going.”
— Devon Cajuste
Everything about his character, his athletic profile, his experience — it screams Seahawks. He’s being projected in rounds 4-5 — and there’s no guarantee he lasts until the late fourth.
If you haven't read his blog about Fackrell's fit in Seattle, give it a read. It's so worth it.
http://seahawksdraftblog.com/guest-post-bob-kaupang-on-kyler-fackrells-fit-in-seattleThe more time you spend figuring out the types of players the Seahawks have drafted in the past and why, and therefore, the types they covet and will be looking for on draft day, the more it's easy to see why the media is always so surprised by the Seahawks drafts on draft day, and then has to backtrack later when so many of Seattle's picks work out compared to the rest of the league.
When Myck14 and I are basically talking the exact same players, for the exact same reasons, you could call that coincidence, but when we're talking about the exact same guys for the exact same reasons as someone like Rob Staten, who has had an amazing track record of prognosticating the Seahawks drafts under John and Pete, it's not coincidence, it is evidence of a pattern that can easily be understood. There is a real method behind John and Pete's success, one that involves several factors, but one that can be easily enough figured out.
Start with Pete's philosophy of "Win Forever", and "Always Compete". Think of them as more than just cute catch phrases, think of them as bedrock principles that Pete and John will not deviate from in any way.
That immediately rules out several candidates that the media keeps trying to say we might target. Nkemdiche for starters, is immediately eliminated by his own words. He will not be a Seahawks draft pick, I can guarantee it. Not even if he slides to the fourth round, DESPITE the fact that he almost PERFECTLY fits their criteria in terms of athleticism.
Then factor in known ideals that Pete John and Tom have in terms of measurables. They have minimum standards for things like height and arm length with corner backs, and arm length with offensive linemen, etc...
Then factor in the numbers from the combine or pro day workouts, private workouts etc..., they have minimum standards for things like broad jump for offensive linemen (because they want explosive run blockers for the ZBS), as an example.
Finally, factor in intangibles that Pete and John look for, leadership, character (which isn't always what we mean by that) grit, which really shows up in players who've overcome adversity, and of course, a competitive nature.
What's left are a much smaller pool of players who the Seahawks would actually be willing to draft. From there you can make your best educated guesses as to who they'll actually take, but you really don't have to guess with some players who you know they absolutely will NOT be targeting or even looking at, because they don't measure up in one area or another.
Someone like Darron Lee for example, if he fell to us at #26 (won't happen but hypothetically speaking), the media would NEVER understand us not taking him there. But we would be far more likely to either draft someone else, or trade down, than take Lee.
"But he's a LB and a good one!", you say, "And he fills a need!".
True on all counts, but he doesn't fit the athletic profile we look for, at least I should say, he doesn't fit it well enough.
Vadal Alexander from LSU and Landon Turner from North Carolina, are both rated much higher at guard in the media than someone like say, Conner McGovern, but Conner McGovern is FAR, FAR more likely to be chosen by the Seahawks, because, even though he's an unfinished product who needs some coaching up at the next level, he PERFECTLY fits what we look for in our ZBS system.
Joshua Garnett from Stanford is a guy who is a local guy, and who considers playing for Seattle, a dream scenario.He too is ranked higher on basically every board than guys like McGovern or Alex Redmond, and yet, while Seattle MIGHT take Garnett if he falls, they would do so more for his high character, and for his grit, than his athleticism. If it came down to him or Redmond, I strongly suspect that Seattle would pass on Garnett, (even though the media would call that stupid) and wait a round or two and take Redmond instead.
If there is any one rule to keep in mind with Seattle's drafts under John and Pete it is that the
Seattle Seahawks draft FOR THEIR TEAM ONLY! They aren't concerned much with "value", they would rather be accused of reaching for a player who fits what they look for, than take a better value player who doesn't. This is exactly why I don't see someone like Bama RB Henry getting drafted to Seattle. I know that they've actually had an official visit with him, but never trust that, those visits are used to confuse other teams, and throw other teams off the scent, as often as they are used to eliminate or confirm potential draft candidates.
Henry fits in many ways with Seattle, he ran mostly behind a ZBS line at Bama, his athleticism is unquestionably outstanding for someone his size, etc...but in the end, his weakness, which is his inability to make people miss or break tackles behind the line of scrimmage, assures us that he will not likely be a draft pick here.
Once you've put all of that together, the picture really becomes pretty clear. There really are only a handful of offensive linemen that they will even consider at all. (Same with every other position for that matter) Corners, safeties, running backs, wide receivers, you name it, there are traits and measurables and character qualities that every candidate MUST reach or they will not be selected. It's really not all that hard to figure out which players are the ones who the Seahawks will REALLY be targeting.