Are there any incoming rookies who will motivate you to specifically tune in to watch them in the preseason? Or are you just biding your football time?

Over half of the 1st-Round picks were intriguing to me in some way… I call that a function of the times: there were less elite talents in the 2026 NFL Draft, and more “beauty in the eye of the beholder” prospects. That can be beautiful. It can also lead to a whole lot of comparison.

I did the work to cut it down, but there were a lot of interesting picks that missed the cut this year. I expect, for example, Jordyn Tyson to light it up and help bring viability to New Orleans… if he can stay healthy. There are just even more interesting stories than that!

I love making it the top 8 in each round, tho, because it’s perfectly a quarter of the picks, it represents the number month of the year that returns football to our lives, and it’s a number that feels earned. If you’re of a certain age, you remember how the MySpace top 8 had people trippin’. I could’ve easily made it top ten… but that felt like damn. A third of all picks? Nah, let’s get to what’s ACTUALLY interesting. Rival the drama around ya girl’s favorite contestants on Love Island-type interesting…

And, yes, I did highlight each of the Seattle Seahawks’ draft picks. That’s a Hard Knocks bonus for your ass. You’d be hard-pressed to find another team as hot as them. Some of you didn’t even really appreciate them when the second title came around.

This was a wild draft, in that there weren’t too many high-end, no-doubt talents at the top. This made for some unpredictability that touched a lot of people. The Athletic’s college insider, Bruce Feldman only got two picks right (“based on intel from coaches, scouts and agents”). The man that now heads up the NFL Network’s draft coverage, Daniel Jeremiah got two correct. His colleague, Bucky Brooks scored three. The hallowed Mel Kiper got four right on the head! Todd McShay’s seven was a major outlier among mocks that I saw…

Despite this chaos, 9 teams did at least pick the same position in the 1st that I expected them to. The uncertainty and drama are what makes this sport fun. Even in preseason.

Tons of fun when the rabbit has the gun, or something like that. Let’s talk “why”.

ROUND 1

  • Fernando Mendoza, Raiders QB (Pick #1) – Already filing to trademark the nickname “The Nandolorian”, the freshest #1 overall pick offers accuracy and ball placement as a calling card. He’s also displayed clutch play and resolve in bringing Indiana its first national title! His jersey will go triple-platinum with the Latinos between the Bay, L.A. and Vegas as he simmers under the watchful gaze of the greatest to ever play the sport, Tom Brady. On top of all of that, he has a true professional to learn under in Kirk Cousins and a Super Bowl-winning play caller as a head coach. Does he take a while to reach his ceiling, like Trevor Lawrence, or does he take the league by storm immediately, like Joe Burrow? His supporting cast has me slidin’ and leanin’ towards the former. But FUCK IT son will do it with a damn smile on his face!

  • David Bailey, Jets EDGE (Pick #2) – Bailey is a transfer from Stanford (after his coach was fired and he had already graduated in three years). Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report had this to say: “Bailey helped build a new powerhouse at Texas Tech. The team won its first-ever Big 12 Championship and ranked fourth overall heading into the College Football Playoff, with Bailey being a driving force behind the nation’s third-ranked defense (second among Power Four conferences).” Much was speculated after New York cancelled his pre-draft facility visit… it’s because they already knew they were taking him. The real question is, did New York make a mistake in passing on the more versatile and dynamic Arvell Reese? Bailey seems like a soft-spoken kid, but brings blazing first-step speed to the table. This should help with the lack of defensive interceptions, but can gang green’s duo of small-ish EDGE players (I know… Will McDonald IV is catching strays here) stand up against the run? The Jets’ newest top pick does understand the work. Here’s what he had to say about his journey on the draft night red carpet: “I laid the groundwork at Stanford and then just kind of took that final step at Tech.” Bailey is the highest-drafted defender in Jets franchise history, so he will be expected to be a major factor. Later in the round, the New York Jets took a guy who has a higher vertical than Vince Carter, at Julio Jones’ height and LeGarrette Blount’s weight. Kenyon Sadiq could be the fastest TE to ever lace ‘em up, to go along with a receiver late in the day (Omar Cooper Jr.) as a 3rd 1st-Rounder, the latter two filling New York’s coffers with some young and talented pass catchers for Geno’s 1-year use. Defense being the highest order of investment made sense here, first.
  • Sunny Styles, Commanders LB (Pick #7) – This guy brings unprecedented explosion off the ball and from the 2nd level. He’s a converted safety who can run, hit and cover. High level football intelligence to succeed another high-level processor in Bobby Wagner. He’ll wear the green dot helmet to relay plays to the defense as a rookie! The guy will probably help to pressure QB’s as well. This could be a further step in Dan Quinn putting his mark on the team and cooling down his seat a little. After Styles was drafted, he talked to Laura Rutledge, telling her that he told Coach Quinn: “hopefully I’ll be back here soon” during a pre-draft visit to the facility. His mama, Laverna Styles, said Alex Styles got the nickname “Sunny” because of his fiery temper as a kid chasing his older brother. I want to see him scorch ballcarriers in DQ’s defense as the new breed of linebackers who can cover, like Fred Warner. New Seahawks backup slot corner, Noah Igbinoghene said of Quinn: “he wants [an] aggressive mindset”. Styles will have to personify that in the heart of this defensive unit. He might be just the dude.
  • Francis Mauigoa, Giants OL (Pick #10) – The second of two top 10 draft picks for Big Blue. Brandon Thorn called him “a stronger Jermaine Eleumenor”… now he heads to the same team as said comparison! J.E. may provide the blueprint for a vision of Mauigoa staying at tackle and holding down the right side in a punishing and physical attack. The young bull will bulldoze at guard for now. Average quickness, but amazing strength and body control. When asked on stage by Ms. Rutledge what he has to say to Jaxson Dart, he responded with: “I’ll die about this shit, man. Man, I’m ready to die for you, man.” The John Harbaugh effect is bringing more toughness to this team. In fact, Harbaugh’s current and former teams both took the two elite Samoan linemen of the draft. Think about this: Arvell Reese could’ve had a chance to have been the #1 draft pick if it weren’t for a 95-yard kick return in the tank bowl at Allegiant Stadium (NYG @ LV) that broke momentum of the Raiders comeback and therefore put a dagger in the Giants’ chances at the top pick. They got him at 5. Mauigoa was getting 2nd overall pick hype for the Cardinals 👀 and they get him here. This team could get very good, very quickly. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was down and everything, fool.
  • Caleb Downs, Cowboys S (Pick #11) – The 4th Buckeye in 8 picks. Instinctive and intelligent… maybe because he literally said he was watching football film as early as 7 y/o 😵‍💫. He said, “my mind is my greatest separator”. Downs can lay the wood, but also can take the ball away (6 INTs across Alabama and Ohio State). The kind of position-less player that solves potential issues at safety, linebacker and slot/corner. The Cowboys have rebuilt this defense (including taking Malachi Lawrence as an EDGE rusher with the speed to stalk his prey, coming from 23 overall). the defense ended the season as the 3rd-worst… sabotaging the 2nd-best offense in the league on the other side of the ball. Some called Downs the best player in the whole draft, so this is great value, even though it is at a position that isn’t normally valued. “Caleb Dowjs” is also the highest rated rookie in the new Madden game. They gave him 93 acceleration! According to an ESPN report from Todd Archer, “he has won over veterans with his work on and off the field.” This is the evolution of Christian Parker having worked with Cooper DeJean in Philly. Oh, and he’ll be involved in defending his older brother when Dallas visits Indy: Josh Downs.
  • Ty Simpson, Rams QB (Pick #13) – There was absolutely a level of subterfuge here, as Simpson and HC, Sean McVay apparently had a secret pre-draft meeting. Mel Kiper (on a show with Field Yates, called Simpson “clutch”, a “good processor” and a “tough, gritty competitor”. That sounds a little like the reigning MVP! Those would obviously be big shoes to fill, but McVay and his offensive system have chosen a potential heir. Yates made the point that you shop for a house when you want one, not when you need one… or else you’ll force it and overpay. Simpson can sit and comfortably learn from an all-time great. This move was genius, as Los Rams capitalized on having a rare pick this high. There is a chance for backlash if they have a major injury in their recording corps, after they bypassed Makai Lemon in an L.A.-hosted Super Bowl year… but this is a long-term play. The 1-year starter could use seasoning but offers up technical proficiency and accuracy. When Los Angeles was on the clock, there was a Toyota commercial. A line in the advert was a man jokingly asking if RAV stands for “rush hour avoidance vehicle”. Here, I ask if RAMS stands for “Reload After Matt’s Swan Song”? Ok, too many S’s. How about “Rodgers and Mahomes Succession”? Both Aaron and Patrick sat and learned in their rookie years. Maybe that’ll give McVay more patience for the lad than what he could provide to Jared Goff (5x Pro Bowler now, btw). They wish it could stand for “Reverse Aging Matt Stafford”, but they did the next best thing, while he’s still at the height of his powers. The OTHER possibility is that McVay has already indicated that he’s leaving whenever Stafford leaves… if that’s the case, Les Snead doesn’t want to be left standing at the altar. In that scenario, he’s taken a next-in-line who can learn from the legendary duo before their exit. Hell, maybe he’ll even end up convincing McVay to take a liking to him. How this plays out will be pure cinema.
  • Max Iheanachor, Steelers OT (Pick #21) – Traits galore, but inexperienced as a basketball and soccer convert who may not even know his full football strength yet. He moved to the USA 🇺🇸 from Nigeria when he was 13 years of age, then played football for the first time in junior college (before transferring to ASU after one season). Iheanachor made positive impressions at the Senior Bowl and could be a big payoff as a developmental guy who has light feet. The 6th OT taken (behind Fano, Mauigoa, Proctor, Miller, Freeling), and they could’ve taken the more highly rated 7th-guy taken later by the Pats (Caleb Lomu). One of the Steelers’ beat writers did not appreciate my perspective (but I stand by it). It was widely covered that Pittsburgh did try to take a wideout that dropped a bit, before Philly swooped in to steal Lemon (while they were on the phone with him)! Head Coach, Mike McCarthy went talking with Rich Eisen about the other Pennsylvania team making that power move: “I think the good lord always works his magic, and Max is with us. I feel great about the way it ended up. Lemon will do great over there in Philadelphia, but we’re right where we need to be for good reason.” They did end up taking another slot WR with their next pick, but this choice spells that Broderick Jones is hurting in more ways than one. Omar Khan knows it. “Sure, it’s a little bit of a concern,” Khan said of Jones’ injury impacting the decision to draft Iheanachor. “… But we have guys on the offensive line that can play different positions … we have options.” Did Iheanachor have a word with that friend/family member who quite literally showed his a$$ on TV when he was selected? 🌖 he and Gennings Dunker (great name, great mane, great frame) in the 3rd help to remake this offensive line is a very promising turn of events.
  • Jadarian Price, Seahawks HB (Pick #32) – With Super Bowl MVP, Kenneth Walker III gone to Kansas City, the Seattle Seahawks took a player with the highest explosive run rate of anyone in the class (21.2%). Price owns standout vision as a ball carrier, especially being utilized as a zone runner. Rob Rang dropped an absolute bar, regarding Price while writing for the Seahawks’ website: “Price deserves kudos, not questions for committing to Notre Dame for the duration of his college career”. New Assistant GM, Matt Berry said this of Price: “J.D. is an absolute stud. So, the tape you see a player that played with a decisiveness, and intelligence, speed, physicality— all the things that we covered in that position. And when you meet him and see how he is as a person, the character, and how serious he takes football, and how passionate he is and what a good fit he was going to be in our building, I think that solidified a lot of it. We were fortunate that he was there at the end of 1st Round.” The kid is a beast, and an elite kick returner (his 36.1 career average is higher than any player over the last 30 years who had a minimum of 30 returns, according to ESPN). He has similar dimensions and testing numbers to Tony Pollard, as a comp—just in a 1st-Round (vs. 4th) package. The unbiased realist in me has mad respect and awe for what the L.A. team in our division has built. It could rival that super team the Eagles built back in the day (Mike Vick with Vince Young as backup). The biased, Lombardi-drunk fan in me says that the fighting McVays could resurrect every Rams legend in their past, and I’d still be rocking with the coach that is floating above everybody else right now. From a purely value-rating standpoint, the Hawks passed on potential elite corners, Jermod McCoy and Colton Hood to replace the departed Riq Woolen. Jeremiyah Love will be fun to watch… but Arizona may not have the supporting cast to really lean into his vast potential yet. Love called Price “a great player” that he saw “grind through injuries” at his opening press conference. JD Price has played in the shadow of a possibly generational back and did not complain or run from the competition. Even at the NFLPA Rookie event, Price is backing up Love. Not for much longer young padawan… just run behind Barn-dawg.

ROUND 2

  • De’Zhaun Stribling, 49ers WR (Pick #33) – Big, fast, strong and disciplined. A true run blocker from the wideout position and a former WSU Cougar. This is such a San Francisco pick, as they try to get back to being a lethal collection of playmakers that put you in conflict on every snap. Seems like there were many, varying opinions on the wideout. At first, I was glad they did not pick up a highly touted guard, like Pregnon or Bisontis. It feels like the intra-division rivalry may again come down to trench warfare in 2026. Now, it’s clear that (even with the addition of Deebo Samuel) he may get a real chance to contribute.
  • Chase Bisontis, Cardinals OG (Pick #34) – Rob Rang called him “this year’s best zone blocker”. Movement skills as well as being a workout warrior, will serve him well as ‘Zona moves towards a wide zone attack (featuring Jeremiyah Love, the electric running back who went 3rd overall) under new coach, Mike LaFleur. It feels like they are taking their time to build and sustain this thing the right way with this pick. Let a young defense come along and mature naturally. There could be some 12’s who will be tempted to monitor his development to see if he could’ve challenged Anthony Bradford in a significant way… more on that later. I thought Bisontis was under-discussed after looking good in the Hall of Fame Game, then I saw this ball-knower on X.
  • Denzel Boston, Browns WR (Pick #39) – After taking Fano top 10, then KC Concepcion as a jitterbug and possible WR1 out of the slot at 24, Cleveland doubled-down, showing that they are absolutely committed to fixing this offense for a proper evaluation. Boston is a big body pass catcher out of the University of Washington who will give you contested catch and red zone flexibility—very different from KCC. He also told the guys at PFT Live at the Combine that he makes crumble cake muffins at an elite level 🤔 I had to look that up, but maybe his teammates will be the judge of that. The Brownies can have a Denzel face-off every day in practice, with corner, Denzel Ward lining up across from Denzel Boston. This is likely annoying Twitter hyperbole, but at least it’s not negative Twitter hyperbole. You know what I mean? He’ll just need to get used to all the meetings that could’ve been text messages 😉. I also saw Boston coming back to Seattle to give back to the community at the Seattle All-Star Classic.

  • Jacob Rodriguez, Dolphins LB (Pick #43) – Instinctual, highly aware ball-magnet type player. Doesn’t have the size, but is a playmaker. From the horse’s mouth (at the Senior Bowl, after an impressive 2nd practice): “We’re not sitting on our heels. … We want to go attack that football and take the ball away.” Miami continues to shirk the WR’s (malpractice in supporting a new and young starting QB?) and picked up a guy that helmed the nation’s top run defense. Can he beat out Tyrel Dodson and Willie Gay Jr. to start next to the newly extended Jordyn Brooks? He’s at least ready to hit. And used his mustache to gain a new (5th-Round) friend.
  • Lee Hunter, Panthers NT (Pick #49) – An elite early-down run defender who led the FBS in tackles for loss over the last three seasons (33.5). The last of Bucky Brooks’ top 5 defensive tackles. They passed on two other potential and consequential prospects: Eli Stowers at tight end and Emmanuel Mcneil-Warren at safety. This seems like one of the many examples of teams choosing to beef the trenches the year after the Seahawks won with its front-7 depth. Well… their decision makers are from Seattle. They’ll appreciate the vibe he brings. Anybody else know that Mike Jackson has been ballin’ like this? That’s the reason Carolina passed on Jermod McCoy (at one time, a possible top 20 pick in the draft at corner) in the 3rd Round to take a wideout. A young and interesting defense was being assembled in the Carolinas, before the heartbreaking ACL injury to up-and-coming pass rusher, Nic Scourton in late July. Brazzell tore his LCL to end his rookie year before it began. NFC South ain’t doing too well in the injury department. We saw Hunter take on a large role early, as the Panthers and Cardinals opened things up in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, OH. Hunter and fellow interesting pick-lister, Chase Bisontis (ARI OG) went at it a couple of times, but I don’t see a ton of splash from Lee… not super shocking for a nose guard. He did muddy the middle well, at times, which is his superpower (however boring that might seem to the average fan).
  • D’Angelo Ponds, Jets CB (Pick #50) – I always have to shout out the dudes who hold it down for short kings. The smallest defensive back in stature that was drafted, measuring in at 5’8”. He may not be as tall, but he’s got ups. Ponds recorded the highest vertical among corners at the combine. He is explosive and unafraid of contact. [work in a reference to the singer (D’Angelo)’s ballad: “How does it feel”]. After he was announced as the pick, Daniel Jeremiah said that “he is short, he is not small.” The Jets’ 4th pick in the top 50 (the first team to four), and a good player. I will say this, though, outside of David Bailey, the rest of the picks feel like they were made at positions of relative depth with the following year’s season in mind 🧐. I mean, with the inability to field more than 11 players at a time, will the Sadiq and Cooper Jr. picks almost cannibalize and cap each other’s production this year? How does it feel, Jets fans? To have a surplus? How does it feel? D’Angelo’s addition means ya’ll also have a lot of young players and options in the secondary surrounding old man Minkah Fitzpatrick. That dubious record broken of no interceptions the whole year must’ve stung for a former defensive back at head coach. He took it personal and went out and got a guy that has the same size and speed as he did!
  • Eli Stowers, Eagles TE (Pick #54) – The Academic Heisman award winner who was playing quarterback up until 2 years ago (losing a competition to Diego Pavia altered his course). His 45.5-inch vertical was the third-highest recorded at the combine since 1999. He’s not known as a blocker but is a true receiving threat. This, after the drama surrounding who got Lemon on the phone… the QB won’t be hurting for weapons, even after breaking up with A.J. Brown. The heir to Dallas Goedert, as the vet enters his age-31 season is here. Philadelphia has done this before. Brent Celek handed off to Zach Ertz, who handed off to Goedert, who will eventually give way to Stowers. That’s a good thing, as Stowers is still learning the position. The City of Brotherly Love also went out and acquired Jonathan Greenard after this pick. Won’t Howie do it?
  • Bud Clark, Seahawks S (Pick #64) – A Louisiana boy that has the skill set to play deep safety or in the slot. He showed off a one-handed interception down in Mobile, AL, and had 15 of them thangs over the last 4 seasons. His instincts and man-coverage ability have been praised by many an analyst that I’ve seen. Daniel Jeremiah called him “a bona-fide ball magnet”. That’s what Coby Bryant was too 🥹. Clark will compete with Ty Okada to fill Bryant’s spot. The Rams keep drafting TE’s and the Seahawks keep drafting safeties to cover them. Pretty soon it’s gonna be Matt Stafford and 10 tight ends lining up against Byron Murphy II and 10 DB’s 😭 Matt Berry, when discussing the Clark pick, cited “his personality, his competitiveness, the juice he brings… just from a presence. He’s extremely Seahawk.” Clark is a moveable piece who should be able to carve out a unique role. He, Julian Love, Nick Emmanwori and Devon Witherspoon can all move around in the secondary. In his draft conference call, Clark said of looking up to Kam Chancellor coming up: “Kam Chancellor, of course, because he’s always about that pop. I feel like he was the hammer, not the nail, and that’s what I try to do all the time I play.” When asked about his feelings about joining Mike Macdonald’s celebrated defense, he went on to say: “Man, I feel like it’s a lot of shoes to fill, but I honestly feel like I could feel those shoes—and make them bigger, so that’s what I’m trying to do. Especially being under Mike Macdonald, I feel like that’s the best defensive coach in the NFL. Why not?” On an appearance on Ultimate Seattle Sports Show, Clark said “I can’t wait to get on the field. To be a part of the 12’s… the 11’s, everybody! I’m trying to kick butt.” ⚰️ Jadarius “Bud” Clark will be a Hard Knocks favorite with his gregariousness. He is B9, And he’s seems like he’s nipping to get on the field. Shiii at this point, they may limit his reps in preseason action.

ROUND 3

  • Carson Beck, Cardinals QB (Pick #65) – Quarterbacks have an easy time making this list; we scrutinize the hell out of those guys. Can Beck take meaningful steps while Jacoby Brissett keeps the ship steady (as much as that’s possible in Arizona)? They have similar builds, so at least we know the new Cards kinda have a type so far (Gardner Minshew is just a fling, we all know it). GM, Monti Ossenfort said, “He can drive the ball down the field. Good accuracy, good production. Those are all things that we like.” Yeah, everyone wants a big passer, but both are pocket guys who you want to make sure to protect so they can leverage their processing and arm talent. They might say he looks like Sid, but he has the most passing TD’s against the blitz (35) in the FBS over the last 3 years. With Beck, we’ve seen him play in big games, we’ve seen him play through injury, and we’ve seen some of the drama surrounding his career, so preseason in an NFL environment could be fun. The state of the Cardinals’ defense might necessitate garbage time air raid to get back into games. Ultimately, Beck’s presence alone doesn’t stop AZ from eyeing QB’s in next year’s draft, if he doesn’t pop… but there were some snaps and crackles to his ways during and after the Hall of Fame Game.
  • Drew Allar, Steelers QB (Pick #76) – See, I’ve been letting all the QB’s through so far… I don’t regret it so far. These guys will make the preseason worth taking a lil’ look. A 10-lbs. lighter comparison to Josh Allen. JK, he wishes! Big Josh might be the most famous project quarterback that actually worked out and morphed into an elite passer. He and Lamar Jackson have both passed Cam Newton, probably Mike Vick and definitely Tim Tebow at this point. That said, many of the developmental guys don’t ever put it all together. Allar (a local kid) will be shadowing one of the most gifted passers of the pigskin to ever do it, in Aaron Rodgers’ swan song. That he’ll compete with Will Howard (last year’s 6th-Round pick) is great, because they share some qualities. Let’s see who can learn faster under their psychedelic monk.
  • Zechariah Branch, Falcons WR (Pick #79) – kick returner who is a YAC dude. Mel Kiper said he would scream on set if he lasted until the 3rd, “even worse than the Shedeur thing” ⚰️. Well…? It’s easy to envision Branch playing a similar role to how Miami tried to use Jaylen Waddle to support Tua. Is this evidence that Atlanta wants to go with captain checkdown over skinny Jameis Winston. Can Branch prove that he’s much more than just “screen boi”? Looking forward to seeing if that track speed translates (it doesn’t always). The offense will need to carry the ATL flag this year, as the defense looks vulnerable (Jalon Walker done, James Pearce Jr. facing possible discipline), and all this.
  • Ja’Kobi Lane, Ravens WR (Pick #80) – They finally give Lamar a second wideout! This one has more stature than Zay Flowers, and brings the biggest hands measure at the combine (10.5”). The trash bag comment is wild… but tbh his ingenuity astounded me. Lane is a high-point artist and should have a good spec. catch rating in Madden ‘27. This Gen-Z’er is ready to roll.
  • Kaelon Black, 49ers HB (Pick #90) – I legitimately tried not to include this dude… everyone else seems so intrigued by him, but I was good. Then the electrical substation struck yet again. The hard-charging runner will get his shot to contribute. The Santa Clara team made a move for Black as the 3rd straight year in which they’ve elected to take a mid-round back. This one was called a K9 doppelgänger by Rob Rang. Now I have to hate-watch a bizarro back who everyone loves.
  • Keagen Trost, Rams OT (Pick #93) – This could be the right tackle of the future if he pans out… and four of the five starting OL are in contract years. That’s why I was SO enamored by the possibility that they’d prioritize it more and take one early! The fact that he has flex feels like a big reason why it was him over Tiernan (the highest remaining OT left on Daniel Jeremiah’s big board at the time). From Sean McVay: “to be able to solidify behind Warren and Alaric — and being able to get David Quessenberry back was big — but this guy can play right, he can play left, he can play inside, he can really play all five.” He’s a 7th-year senior, so the plan might be a takeover in either 2026 or 2027.
  • Jakobe Thomas, Vikings S (Pick #98) – A rangy, ballhawking safety with instincts who was acquired with the pick that the Vikings got in exchange for Jonathan Greenard. We were all WAITING on this, since we all thought they were taking Dillon Thienemann in Round 1. The only things is… they let divisional rival Chicago get Thieneman. Can this guy make Minnesotans forget about D.T.? Those initials hold charged meaning in the twin cities, so maybe this felt like the right course of action 😋. Thomas carries a reputation for being a physical presence and an adept blitz-artist. Brian Flores will appreciate that, in the face of potential for divisional tyranny from Caleb, Ben and the Indiana Bears. They took three other defenders before this (DE, Caleb Banks, NT, Dominique “Big Citrus” Orange, and LB, Jake Golday). The franchise that ended up hiring former Seahawks assistant general manager, Nolan Teasley as GM decided to (fittingly) invest in the defense.
  • Julian Neal, Seahawks CB (Pick #99) – A taller and heavier corner than any other that were present on the Seattle roster before (Witherspoon, Jobe, Igbinoghene or Pritchett). He was Moss’d by Ted Hurst (later taken by TB) on Day 1 of Senior Bowl practice, allowing the one-handed highlight of the day in the end zone. That will be an interesting contact point, as both will be in the NFC. One play does not make a player… we saw Sherman get beat here and there, but he always made up for it. Neal’s poor footwork and inconsistencies were cited by Bleacher Report after the week of Senior Bowl practices… can he take any of Riq Woolen’s workload? Or will the lion’s share go to Josh Jobe? Nehemiah Pritchett will likely be his most direct competition for the role. Tariq Woolen was tall as well (and much faster), but nowhere near as willing or physical as a tackler. Seahawks assistant GM, Matt Berry on the player: “everybody talks about, like, your typical Seahawks corner. He actually fits it. You know, his length, his speed, his physicality at the line of scrimmage. He has a really good ability to play the ball down the field and finish late.” On S3 E3 of Before the Noise (the Seattle Seahawks’ annual offseason documentary) Leslie Frazier (assistant head coach, former HC of the Bills and former cornerback for the legendary ‘85 Bears defense) can be seen dapping up Neal, saying “looking forward to working with you man, it’s gonna be good.” Neal, himself, proclaimed in his draft conference call that he’s “the most physical corner in this draft class”, and later said that, “I’m locking dudes up at the line.” Neal talks about the state of cornernack play these days, saying that, “I want to bring back being physical. I want to bring back being active in the run game.” Later adding, “I’m going to get down and dirty with it.” Aight, mans was obviously hyped by the moment, but let’s see what he’s got!