April 27, 2025 • 31 mins
NFL Draft analyst Rob Rang joins John Boyle to recap the weekend. The Seahawks made eleven draft picks, including Senior Bowl standout, guard Grey Zabel. Today’s show: overall thoughts on the Seahawks draft class (1:01), Grey Zabel’s place on the offense (1:52), players drafted on day two had day one potential (5:11), adding Alabama QB Jalen Milroe (8:49), recapping Seahawks' day three trades (11:40), WR Tory Horton (15:23), FB Robbie Ouzts (18:19), G Bryce Cabeldue (20:02), RB Damien Martinez (21:38), G Mason Richman (24:37), WR Ricky White III (26:43) and is this the best Seahawks draft class yet (28:10)?
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to the Seahawks insiders.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
At the coal line.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
At the one, the hand off the walker, he goes
left side and he's gonna get in touchdown.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Shayhawks getting you ready for Seahawks football. Every Sunday Wiz
is coming throw inside, gets picked up.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Leo Williams coming near side. He's running like a RADS horse.
He not midfield. Turn to feel ad blockers. Holy smoker,
you kidding, Leo Williams. It's gonna take it in for
a touchdown.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Shay Hawks presented by Delta, the official airline of the Seahawks.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Now here's your host, Gen Mueller.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Jen Mueller is actually not your host today. You're stuck
with me John Boyle. But the payoff is you get
the one and only Rob Rang the best draft analysts
in the business, for my money. And we are here
today broadcasting from the Seahawks Podcast Studio, presented by Sony,
an official partner partner of the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Rob welcome, Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
John. I appreciate well.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Obviously the NFL Draft big deal for every NFL team,
and I know the Seahawks came out of this one
feeling really good about it. We ran into one of
the scouts in the hallway, Ryan Florence, who was you
could just sense the energy coming off of him as
we walked down here to the podcast studio. Just big
picture wise, what do you take away from what the
Seahawks got done last three days.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
I'm really excited about what they were able to accomplish here.
I thought that this was a draft that's set up
well for them, that they needed to kind of address
the Alliant's scrimmage, and I thought that they did so
in spectacular fashion, got themselves a young, dynamic quarterback. You know,
I think this is my job is to try to
be as you know, as fair as possible, as impartial
(01:43):
as possible with all thirty two NFL teams. But I
can tell you this, I don't think that anybody, any
of the NFL teams out there did better than the
Seahawks in the twenty twenty five drive.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Gray is Abel, obviously their first pick, addressed an obvious
need for this team. They go out, they get, you know,
arguably the best interior guy in this draft, and as
we heard from Josh Eider, he is who they saw
as their top interior guy.
Speaker 5 (02:06):
We were able to land our number one interior offensive
lineman Grey Zabel. I believe it's the highest player we've
picked since interior player we've picked since Hutch, which was cool.
I was able to be part of that with Coach
Homer and Ted Scott mccuan and that crew. So it's
pretty fun. And Hotch loves him. Every loves this guy.
(02:26):
Just he's just buttoned up, tough, smart, reliable, our kind
of guy. And uh, really, you know, our first exposure
was at the Senior Bowl when he.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Had a great week down there and it was like.
Speaker 5 (02:36):
And we felt like eighteen to where we were, you know,
it was like a sweet spot for the interior offensive lineman.
No Booker went twelve.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
But yeah, so just really excited Rob.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Just what's your your big takeaway on Zabel?
Speaker 3 (02:52):
I know he was a guy that by the time
the draft rolled around, a whole lot of people thought
might be coming to Seattle.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
I did think that there was a chance that he
would fit in well with the that he would be
available to the Seahawks and certainly fit well with what
they're looking to do. Of course, then this wide zone
offense where there's a priority on athletic ability that that's
The thing is Grey's Abel was spectacular in workouts at
the Combine and then John Schneier mentioned it. At the
(03:18):
Senior Bowl, Grey's Abel basically was kind of stealing repetitions
and he was he was blocking as a guard, he
was blocking as a center. And then previously at North
Dakota State, of course, he had played an awful lot
of tackle and it didn't regard, it didn't matter who
was up playing opposite him, what position that greys Abel
was lying up at.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
He was just stonewalling people.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
And so I think that he proved himself to be
well worthy of a top twenty selection at the Senior Bowl,
and then follow that up with the Combine. And I
thought that once that the Seattle was on the clock
at number eighteen overall and Zabel was available, then it
was basically a slam dunk selection.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
For these guys coming from the smaller schools, from FCS schools.
How big is that opportunity at the Senior Bowl when
they get to line up against you know, power five
guys and put pads on and show what they can do.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
It's absolutely massive.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
That's the thing is that one of the arguments that
we've had as as far as why the Seahawks would
not take grays Abel, is that in the in the
past fifteen years, John Shining and the Seahawks had never
invested a top one hundred selection in a FCS prospect,
and so you know, that's that's who greys Abel was
competing against. The only time that they had gone up
(04:28):
against Division IE player or Division one team was against Colorado.
So you only had one game in the last four years,
you know, in which he had played against that type
of competition.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
So you were a little worried about that.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
And then you go to the Senior Bowl and you're
you're hoping that he is going to play reasonably well,
just just prove that you can compete at this level. Instead,
grays Abel went there and dominated. He was the best
blocker in my opinion, of anybody there at the Senior Bowl.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
And it wasn't just my opinion.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
He was voted as the best offensive lineman throughout the
week of practice. So again, I think that he we
just kind of slammed home the idea that he was
going to be a first round selection. And that's why
I think that the Seahawks scouts and coaching staff sound
like they're very, very excited about table.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Day two of the drafts started off early for the
Seahawks in the action early move up pick number thirty five,
which is the earliest John Shier's ever traded up in
a draft. He's made some Day two picks up, but
never gone up as high as thirty five. They did
that to get safety Nick emmun Worry from South Carolina.
You know, one of the best athletes in this whole
draft and the guy that they liked so much, as
(05:30):
John Schinder told us they thought about moving up even
late in round one to get him.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
Last night, we were really you know, we had a lot
of conversations about you know, how do we how do
we do this? I mean, you know, we almost traded
back up in to get Nick.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Everyone was extremely passionate about it.
Speaker 5 (05:45):
You know, if we would have come out of the
draft without him, we would have been disappointed. Now, same thing,
I mean, the same thing with Elijah. I mean he
was talking, you know throughout the process, throughout all of
our meetings, there's no way like how do we are
we gonna be okay with this guy?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Like what are we gonna be able to use them?
Speaker 5 (06:02):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Like this guy's like, how do you add that guy?
And Uh, it's all for like the people, the competitors.
Speaker 5 (06:08):
The athletes, they just feel like they just they always
feel special.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I can't describe it any different.
Speaker 5 (06:13):
Than to say they feel special, like they feel different.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
And it's a great thing.
Speaker 5 (06:18):
Like I said last night, respecting the group of players
that's you right now. To add these guys in, it's
gonna be outstanding.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
That's to me is one of the most exciting aspects
of this draft is I felt like the Seahawks basically
checked the major box if they had to by getting
the offensive lineman in the first round, and then they
were able to kind of, you know, just have some fun.
Let the draft kind of you know, take the best
talent that the elite athletes that were available. And if
(06:46):
you didn't weren't sure that a player like a nick
Emmon War was going to fall all the way down
to number.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Fifty, then be aggressive.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
You had built up enough draft picks that you could
actually use some of that draft ammunition to move up.
And that's exactly what they did. And it's like Nicki Mimnwori. Look,
this was a first round selection all day long. And
the fact that he fell out of the first round.
I think is just more of a reflection of the
fact that there were so many linemen, offensive end, defensive
lineman that went in.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
The first round.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
I counted up, there was eight offensive linemen that went
in the first round. I mean, of course, there's only
thirty two first round selections, so for a full quarter
of those selections to be offensive lineman, that is going
to push some really good football players down the board.
Nicki Minwori, I just love the versatility that he offers
to size six, two hundred and twenty pounds, just the
elite athlete that he is. To me, he is that
(07:35):
movable chess piece that Mike McDonald's going to absolutely just
love being able to utilize. And then jumping to the
tight end. Don Schneider mentioned Elijah Arroyo from Miami, and
I guess I should even almost put in air quotes
the idea of tight end with Elijah Arroyo, because he
just moves like a smaller man. He's six foot five,
(07:56):
two hundred and fifty five pounds, and yet he looks
like he could play the wide receiver position, and he
actually lined up against cornerbacks at times at the University
of Miami as well as at the Senior Bowl and
just demonstrate his ability to not only get open, but
to make contested catches and then run away from smaller,
typically quicker defensive backs. I think that again, this is
(08:19):
another player here that is going to just diversify seatles
offense and create that much more of a big play
threat down the stretch.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
It's worth talking about too here that kind of the
ability to do this shows the exciting part of a
draft when you get those extra picks in Day two,
like they were able to do this because of the
trades they made, getting that third round pick for Gino Smith,
getting that second round pick for DK Metcalf, where you
can make a big move up and you're still sitting
there with two second round picks and a third when
you come out of the day to that's some players
they really like.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Rob.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Now we go to one of the more you know,
interesting and exciting picks potentially in this draft for the Seahawks,
a guy that you know, quarterbacks not necessarily need for
this team. But by the time you got to the
third round, Jalen sitting there right at the top of
their board, and they get a really explosive player. I know,
obviously there's you know, maybe some concerns or limitations on
(09:09):
him as a passer right now. But with the arm
talent that he has, and obviously the athleticism, just what
kind of player do you see in him?
Speaker 4 (09:16):
To me, he is the ultimate lottery ticket in this
entire draft class. I just see a guy that is
a developing passer. There's no question about that. But you
of course have a quarterback that is a pro bowler
in Sam Darnold that you brought in, and so you know,
you feel already good at as a starter that you
have the quarterback in place right now. If you are
(09:38):
looking to develop a player, then why not have a
guy that could be special? And Jayla Monroe has that.
This is a guy that his straight line speed, his
agility to make people miss, then just the power. I mean,
this is a guy who is just rocked up six
foot two hundred and twenty pounds and is just is
physically put together as you're ever going to see at
(10:00):
the quarterback position.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
He's there.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
There's some elements of his play that are reminiscent former
Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts, who of course was the MVP
of this last Super Bowl, and so that's exciting. But
he also has the breakaway speed of a guy like
Lamar Jackson, and so again just so exciting about the
potential that he offers. I would not be surprised at
(10:22):
all to see the Seahawks runs some different systems to
try to get Jayle Monroe onto the field.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Early, even as a rookie.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
But I think that the exciting thing about Milroe is
just what he could be a couple of years down
the line.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Yeah, And one thing with Milroe that you know, I
think as worth mentioning is even if he's not the
most polished passer right now, this isn't a guy who like,
oh he doesn't he doesn't have the arm talent to
make this, or like he's got the arm strength. He's shown,
maybe not consistently all the time, but he can make
all the throws. And as he told us on a
conference call, like he's a confident dude that he knows
he can make all the plays.
Speaker 6 (10:57):
There's nothing I can't do in a football too.
Speaker 7 (10:59):
The thing that improve on absolutely, but it's not it's.
Speaker 6 (11:02):
Nothing I can do on the football field. I've thrown
every type of surchon. Now, I stepped up in the pocket,
thrown on the run, I'm going through progressions. I've thrown
a check down on the next score, I've used my legs.
Speaker 7 (11:13):
So, you know, looking at it, you know, taking too
much one on the field, I can do it. So
I'm just I say that humblely, you know, not you.
Speaker 6 (11:22):
Know, not over arrogant.
Speaker 7 (11:24):
It's just more just knowing what I bring to the table.
Speaker 6 (11:26):
And knowing that I just just a different dynamic when
it comes to being on the super ball field that
I know I'm gonna utilize.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
In n F field, and uh yeah, just a really
exciting player, as you mentioned, and that that takes us
into day three now and a wild start today three.
I you know, I'll write about this later on on
c X dot com. But I'm lucky enough to be
in the draft room for parts of the draft and
watch that all unfold for you guys, you know, watching that,
you know, just seeing it all go on TV. Just
(11:54):
what's kind of the reactions Seahawks are. They're moving back,
they're trading a player, they're trading out of another pig,
and just doing a lot of juggling all at once.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
They're to start round five.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
Yeah, it was fascinating because there there was quite the
long wait before the Seahawks were on the on the clock,
and then there was a trade down and then as
you mentioned, you know, the Seahawks wound up trading Sam
Howell at the quarterback position, and then they're taking Riley Mills,
a defensive tackle from from Notre Dame. That, then, again,
I think, just fits in so well to the Seale culture,
(12:25):
to what Mike McDonald's looking to have on the defensive line,
where you have guys that not only can't get to
the quarterback, but also have just the physicality the toughness
to be able to play the run as well.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
You know, this is a guy that reminds me a
little bit.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
Of the player that Seattle traded for a year ago,
a veteran in Roy Robertson Harris. His ability at six
foot five, two hundred and ninety pounds roughly to play
inside as a traditional defensive tackle also.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Slide all the way outside.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Again, I just think that when I when I imagine
Mike McDon defense, not only this past season with the Seahawks,
but previously with the Baltimore Ravens, that pressure came in waves,
and that's one of the things that I feel that
that Riley Mills is going to be able to help
the Seahawks provide. And it is important to note that
he is coming off of a knee injury, but that's
(13:17):
one of the reasons why he was available at picking
number one.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Hundred and forty two overall.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
Win healthy, and the Seahawks expect him to be healthy
at some point this upcoming season.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
When healthy.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
This is a guy who absolutely deserve of a top
one hundred selection, the Seahaws guy at one forty two overall.
They basically got a bargain basement price for a player
that I think is going to wind up being an
NFL starts.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
That's something Shiner point out the Royo as well.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
He said, you know, this may be a top fifteen
talent if he's healthy throughout his career, but he missed
so much time. Where is somebody's been around skying a lot,
Like where is that sort of give and take? How
do you find the balance of, Man, this guy's really talented,
but we got you know, injury history or you know,
coming off of fresh injury.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Things like that.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Just how do teams sort of decide how to make
those decisions.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
Well, that's one of the interesting things is that it
used to be that the fifth round was kind of
used as the round where, okay, you can get a
little bit cute, you can a player who's coming off
of an injury or a player that had some type
of character red flags or something of that nature.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
That wasn't the case.
Speaker 4 (14:18):
At all as far as character red flags of any
of the players that the Seahawks drafted here, but they
did have some players, as we just mentioned with Elijah
Royo and Riley Mills, that are coming off of injuries.
I think that just in today's air, I mean I've
been doing this now for twenty five years. In today's air,
to be coming off of a of a you know,
surgically repaired knee or something of that nature, then it's
(14:40):
just there is a belief that the player is going
to come back as good, or bigger or stronger than ever.
And so I think that you have to you know,
it certainly recognized that every player and their recovery is unique.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
But at the same time that if.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
You had a grade on a player that was, you know,
say a third round pick, then at most you should
probably only be dropping him around anymore.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Otherwise you're you're in danger here to lose them.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
Yeah, exactly, And when you have talents as dynamic as
Elijah Royo, as steady as as Riley Mills, and I
think that again, the Seahawks played this beautifully because if
you were way too much longer, then you're going to
be finding a much less talented player available to.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
And then they had to wait a little bit there
in round five after because they did trade back that
with that one for four, that was a move back
they made. And then with one sixty six they go
Tory Horton, a receiver from Colorado. You know, a guy
that was very productive for a couple of years. As
you mentioned, there was the injury last year, but a
guy put up some big numbers, win healthy.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
What do you like about his game?
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Oh, there's a lot to like about Tory Horton's game.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
He was one of my favorite selections of this entire
draft for the Seahawks. I remember back to watching Tory
Horton at Nevada and then watching him make the He
wound up transferring the Colorado State and was just as
productive at Colorado States as he was in the Flashes.
Early in his in his career at at Nevada, he's
(16:09):
six foot three, he's one hundred and ninety six pounds.
He runs in the four fours.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Uh, just a couple of.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
Weeks after a small procedure on his knee as well.
So again, when you when you are a player that
hasn't had an opportunity to fully recover, to fully get
into you know, sprinting shape, and yet you still just
basically wake up and run a four to four. I
mean it's like Willie Mays Hayes out of you know,
the movie Major League, and I realized that that's a
great reference. He's in a baseball reference here.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Our producer Ashley will not understand a Major League reference
because that was before her time, But well I got.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
You that might be true.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
But still it just it speaks to how explosive an
athlete that Tory Horton is. He was a two time
All Mountain West player as far as being as a
as a pass catch with a wide receiver position over
one thousand receiving yards each of the past couple of seasons.
And then what I like most about I mean, I
think that the Seahawks also are very much going to
appreciate that is that he brings legitimate punt return skills.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
He had a punt return for a touchdown each of the.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Last three seasons, so it's not just one splashy play.
This is a you know, consistent production. Again, he has
the size that you're looking for on the outside. He
also has elite speed. So very excite about what Tory
Horton might be able to provide a Seahawks team. As
you mentioned, John, that they have to replace you know,
Dk Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. I feel confident that they
(17:29):
have them the pass catchers to be able to do so.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
I didn't mention that, but thanks for bringing that up,
because yeah, so you're right. This is you know, they
go out and sign Cooper Cup but they still you know,
have some in Marque style just ganting, but they still
you know, wanted to get deeper at receiver and add
some talent. And you brought up the return thing. I mean,
that's a very unset position for them right now. They
don't have a clear cut returner. So to kind of
check all those boxes and then we'll get to it later,
but add another receiver later on. I think that's really
(17:54):
going to help them feel deep at that position. Before
we move on, we want to remind fans at this season,
you can feel every play, every hit, in every moment
with the Sony one thousand x five noise canceling headphones,
the official headphones of the Seattle Seahawks. With premium noise cancelation,
you're in the zone, no distractions, just pure football. Whether
you're in your living room or on the go, You'll
(18:14):
never miss a beat with Sony headphones. And continuing in
the fifth round, a full back not a pick you
always see in the draft in this day and age,
but from what we've heard from Clint Kubiak, from Mike McDonald,
we knew a fullback is going to be part of
this offense. So what can you tell us about Robbie oots?
Speaker 4 (18:33):
Really exciting player. I mean it's not often that I
say something like that about a full back. You're talking
about a guy who's six foot three, two hundred and
seventy four pounds and yet still was clocked in I
believe that John Schneiers.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
At n nineteen miles an hour on the GPA.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
They just think about that.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
I mean, if you're driving your car, you know, down
the road and you see somebody pass by you at
twenty miles an hour, You're not expecting to be two
hundred seventy four pounds. And so the amount of speed
and power in which that is creating that combination, just
imagine that at the full back.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Position, I mean, he is going to be able to move.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
People at the lion scrimmage, He's going to be able
to knock linebackers. I mean, linebackers are usually some of
the biggest, toughest, nastiest guys on the field. And he
and he's getting out weigh by twenty pounds exactly. And
so that to me is one of the most exciting
things about this. It's the fact that we talked about
the Alabama former Alabama quarterback Jlen Milroe and his ability
as a runner.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Now you have an OO.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
It's a player that is that that knows him well
and is going to be able to the combination of
the two could create some really dynamic packages there, you know,
close to the close to the red zone and area
in which the Seahawks have struggled. And so I think
that whether it be as a lead blocker for Sea
How's talented stable of running backs, or in a possible
(19:52):
wildcat quarterback situation, even a tush push situation, Boots is
going to be able to provide the oomph for the
Seahawks as well.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Boots with the oomph, let's get on T shirt, Rode,
I'm gonna try. Speaking of moving people, the Seahawks went
back to the offensive line in round six, pick one,
Brice Cable Dow out of Kansas, the guy.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
You know, kind of a theme of this draft. They
got a lot of athletic dudes.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Do test really well across the boards athletically.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
What can you tell us about Bryce's game?
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Well, very athletic.
Speaker 4 (20:20):
He was one of the players that I think was
very much moving up in the draft realm.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
As we were getting a little bit closer.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
He had some buzz about him, and typically when you
have a player that has some buzz, then every NFL
team is kind of talking about him. I had some
scouts that that I was kind of checking in with
him about him. Excuse me, and just because North Dakota
State is as crazy as it might sound. In North
Kota State, of course, is where the first round selection
(20:49):
breze Abel went to college. North Dakota State is well
known in among NFL scouts for being kind of a
hotbed for offensive line talent. But Kan's Jayhawks, as crazy
as it might sound, have become a bit of a
hotbed for offensive linemen as well. We've seen a number
of players here in recent years to come from Kansas
and be very successful.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
That's the thing about Cable doing is.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
That he has great agility for a player that was
playing at the left tackle position at Kansas. I think
he's gonna most likely slide inside to guard for the Seahawks.
And again, his lateral agility, his straight line speed is
just very intriguing for the type of offense in which
the Seahawks are going to be implemented.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
And then next up, the Seahawks went back to Miami
and back to running back, getting Damien Martinez. Now I'm
not gonna pretend that I watch a lot of acc football,
So first I didn't really know a lot about Martinez,
and then I thought, you know, that name rings a belle.
That's because what he was doing in Oregon State in particular.
You know, he had a couple of huge games against
(21:54):
the Huskies. So he came on his conference call with
us and he called himself Beastmode two point zero. That's
a big statement for a guy coming in the NFL,
especially to this franchise. But man, the dude does run
with some power. What have you seen watching watching Martinez?
Speaker 4 (22:08):
Yeah, as you said power, just you know, it's it's
not only the power. He plays for a guy who
is six foot two hundred and seventeen pounds John And
a lot of times you see backs of that height
that play too upright. He will lower his shoulder into
defensive players the way that marshau Lynch of course used to.
(22:28):
He would initiate the contact almost like you know, he
would get into that beast smoke kind of mentality, throw
a couple of skittles in and just like transformed himself
into a whole different type of a person. That's the
way that Damian Martinez runs. He runs angry, runs, physically
and violent. And then I think that he also is
a really nice fit in this wide zone system. And
you know the wide zone system. I keep mentioning this,
(22:50):
but it's a system that basically that allows the running
back a little bit more space to make his own decisions.
He's often is running kind of laterally and then he
is looking back to see if they're cut back lanes.
That he can exploit. Think back to the old Denver
Broncos with Terrell Davis and Mike Anderson and guys like that,
Guys that didn't have that lead four point four speed,
(23:13):
they still played fast because they had such great vision,
such great balance through contact. That is Damian Martinez. Now,
I love the fact that you mentioned the Oregon State
production because again, this is a player that played three
years in college football, two in Oregon State, went at Miami.
Everywhere he went, he was the bell cap, he.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Was usher, just and just powering through dudes. Know what
I mean?
Speaker 3 (23:34):
That UWA and like jumps out of me from two
years ago because I didn't you know, I didn't know
a lot about him.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
And I was like, WHOA, who is this guy?
Speaker 3 (23:40):
And so I see it kind of come full circle
and he's back in the Northwest with Seahawks.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
It's very exciting.
Speaker 4 (23:45):
It's funny too, because when I think of Oregon State football,
I think back and again, this may not be a
reference to Seahawks. Fans are going to appreciate his Stephen
Jackson was so good for the Rams, But at the
same time, that's who I think of as far as
great Oregon State backs. Damian Martinez reminds me a little
bit the way Stephen Jackson ran. So again we're talking
about some of the some of the best backs in
recent twenty years of NFL history. I thought that because
(24:09):
this running back class was deep, arguably the deepest positional group,
and we know that the Seahawks have typically drafted at
least one running back just because the attrition of the position,
that they might take one. But I thought, Okay, this
is going to be a guy that might be able
to be a complimentary type of a player. Damian Martinez
can be that. But if there were the unthinkable, you
(24:32):
had multiple injuries at that position, Damien Arantinez can be
that bellcal back if you needed to be so.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
And then back to the offensive line again. Mason Richmond, who,
as he told us, got a surprise phone call. It
was actually Gray's abel that made the draft call from
the draft room because they able happened to get in
on a Saturday afternoon to meet coaches and kind of
get to it around the building. So fun phone call
for another Iowa linman. We've seen a lot of Iowa
alignmen come through the NFL. You know, he's a guy
(25:00):
Seahawks sounds like they're gonna start Matt tackle, but could
maybe move inside as well.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Just what kind of player are they getting in Mason Richmond?
Speaker 4 (25:07):
To me, he is one of the safest players of
this draft class for the Seahawks because he is just
a proven commodity. As you said, there have been an
awful lot of really good Iowa offensive lineman. You know,
they have a head coach there, Kirk Ferentz, who is
a former NFL offensive line coach. He's the longest ten
yured coach in all of college football. I mean, he
(25:28):
is just the epitome of consistency and of all those
players that he has coached over all these years, Mason
Richmond is one of the very few that started five
years fifty two career starts in all of them at
the left tackle position for the Iowa Hawk guys. So again,
this is a program that is known for producing quality
(25:49):
offensive lineman, and the left tackle position of courses, I know,
as celebrated as any position up front. I love the
fact that Seale is going to allow him to prove
that he can't play at the tackle position, give him
the opportunity to do that first. There have been some
concerns about whether or not that he was athletic enough
or has the arm length to remain outside of tackle.
(26:12):
I think that when you've been as productive as you've
been at the college level for a program like Iowa,
then allow him that opportunity first, and then if it
doesn't work out. He's so smart, he's so physical, he's
so tough. It's one of the things that John Schneider
kind of acknowledged in the post draft press conference is
again this toughness that he was willing to play through pain.
(26:32):
Those are the type of attributes I think that suggest
that Mason Richmond is going to weigh outplay his selection
in the seventh round, and.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
Then after getting Troy Horton, the Seahawks go back to
receiver to close out the draft. When you talked about Horton,
you mentioned special teams. I don't think I've ever seen
somebody get four blocked punts in one season like Ricky
White did on his way to Special Teams Player of
the Year honors in his conference. I mean that right
there jumps out at me. But obviously he also did
a lot as a receiver. Just tell us a little
(27:00):
bit about Ricky White.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
The third you know, again, another one of my absolute
favorite players in this draft class, just because of the
fact that, as you mentioned with the special teams document
that the four block punts, those all came just this
past season. Yeah, so it's not like this. I mean
he led the country. Nobody else had more than two. Yeah,
so I mean he's literally doubling up for a un
LV team. Again, kind of we talked about with Kansas.
(27:23):
I mean, these are not those traditional blue blood kind
of college football powerhouse programs. The Seahawks got themselves some
players that helped put their teams on the college football landscape.
And so again with Ricky White the third, you're talking
about a guy that has special teams abiliting, who is
a physical blocker downfield, and then oh, by the way,
(27:46):
he's also a very effective deep ball passer as well.
He got eleven touchdowns this past season. So again, this
is a big play threat, a guy that has some
dynamic athletic ability, and he's highly competitive. I thought that
wide receiver was a position of concern for the Seahawks,
certainly on special teams. You want to have bodies guys
that are fast, are athletic, are tough, and in competitive
(28:10):
Ricky White checks all those boxes.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
All right, we did it.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
We got through all eleven draft picks.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
Just again, really exciting class.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
Any other big takeaways you get out of this as
you've gone over all eleven and these guys that you
you know, just kind of stands out.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
Yeah to me.
Speaker 4 (28:26):
One of the things that's exciting about this is that
there are a number of other NFL teams here that
got themselves into double digit draft selections. I don't know
there's any team that had both quantity and quality to
the level that the Seahawks just had. I've been covering
the NFL draft, as I mentioned before, for an awful
long time. I've watched all of John Schneider's selections over
(28:50):
the years, and I know this sounds crazy to say,
considering some of the historic draft classes that he has
helped bring to Seattle, But in my opinion, this might
just be the very best.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
We're holding you to this Rob.
Speaker 4 (29:02):
I'm just so excited about the dynamic talent they got,
especially in the top end. I think you can make
an argument and because you see flashes with the young
quarterback Jaylen Monroe, that our first round caliber, as we
talked about, you know, have the Miami tight end slash
wide receiver Elijah Royo not been coming off the injury,
(29:24):
he may have been a first round pick. Certainly, Nick
Emmon Morey and Gray's Abel were first round caliber. I
mean you're talking about, you know, four players that are
legitimate first round caliber flashes on tape, and just considering
the the experience of the offensive coaching staff being brought
to Seattle, I just think that this is a group
that has so much potential and now you have the
(29:45):
coaching staff as well to really coax that turn that
potential into production.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Well, Rob, I thank you for joining us. It sounds
to me like you're telling us we need to celebrate.
People can celebrate how they like, do so safely. But
if you need any help with that ideas, we can
toss it to first round pick grays Able with his
celebration tactics.
Speaker 8 (30:05):
Man, I'm probably gonna start diving into these bush lights
and have the twelve hour rule. We get to celebrate
it for twelve hours when we get back. For so uh,
I got an unbelievable crew here, my head coach, my
offensive line coach, if they're all down here, and a
lot of friends and families so high alert for Pierce,
(30:28):
South Dakota. We're gonna we're gonna have some fun and
we're gonna enjoy this tonight.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
We are not in Pierre, South Dakota, but hopefully people
can have a little fun and enjoy this draft.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
Rob. Thank you again. Tell people where they can find
your your excellent work.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
Well, definitely at Fox sports dot com and put it
out putting out some draft grades here in the next
couple of hours. And then if you also are are
interested in some besides the you know, the the Seahawks
podcast that you're listening to here, then I do some
work with Lockdown Seahawks podcast as well.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
All right, thanks again, I appreciate thank you so much.
You're listening to the Seahawks insiders.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
At the coal line.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
At the one, the hand off the walker, he goes
left side and he's gonna get in touchdown.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Shayhawks getting you ready for Seahawks football. Every Sunday Wiz
is coming throw inside, gets picked up.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Leo Williams coming near side. He's running like a RADS horse.
He not midfield. Turn to feel ad blockers. Holy smoker,
you kidding, Leo Williams. It's gonna take it in for
a touchdown.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Shay Hawks presented by Delta, the official airline of the Seahawks.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Now here's your host, Gen Mueller.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Jen Mueller is actually not your host today. You're stuck
with me John Boyle. But the payoff is you get
the one and only Rob Rang the best draft analysts
in the business, for my money. And we are here
today broadcasting from the Seahawks Podcast Studio, presented by Sony,
an official partner partner of the Seattle Seahawks.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Rob welcome, Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
John. I appreciate well.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Obviously the NFL Draft big deal for every NFL team,
and I know the Seahawks came out of this one
feeling really good about it. We ran into one of
the scouts in the hallway, Ryan Florence, who was you
could just sense the energy coming off of him as
we walked down here to the podcast studio. Just big
picture wise, what do you take away from what the
Seahawks got done last three days.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
I'm really excited about what they were able to accomplish here.
I thought that this was a draft that's set up
well for them, that they needed to kind of address
the Alliant's scrimmage, and I thought that they did so
in spectacular fashion, got themselves a young, dynamic quarterback. You know,
I think this is my job is to try to
be as you know, as fair as possible, as impartial
(01:43):
as possible with all thirty two NFL teams. But I
can tell you this, I don't think that anybody, any
of the NFL teams out there did better than the
Seahawks in the twenty twenty five drive.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Gray is Abel, obviously their first pick, addressed an obvious
need for this team. They go out, they get, you know,
arguably the best interior guy in this draft, and as
we heard from Josh Eider, he is who they saw
as their top interior guy.
Speaker 5 (02:06):
We were able to land our number one interior offensive
lineman Grey Zabel. I believe it's the highest player we've
picked since interior player we've picked since Hutch, which was cool.
I was able to be part of that with Coach
Homer and Ted Scott mccuan and that crew. So it's
pretty fun. And Hotch loves him. Every loves this guy.
(02:26):
Just he's just buttoned up, tough, smart, reliable, our kind
of guy. And uh, really, you know, our first exposure
was at the Senior Bowl when he.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Had a great week down there and it was like.
Speaker 5 (02:36):
And we felt like eighteen to where we were, you know,
it was like a sweet spot for the interior offensive lineman.
No Booker went twelve.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
But yeah, so just really excited Rob.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Just what's your your big takeaway on Zabel?
Speaker 3 (02:52):
I know he was a guy that by the time
the draft rolled around, a whole lot of people thought
might be coming to Seattle.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
I did think that there was a chance that he
would fit in well with the that he would be
available to the Seahawks and certainly fit well with what
they're looking to do. Of course, then this wide zone
offense where there's a priority on athletic ability that that's
The thing is Grey's Abel was spectacular in workouts at
the Combine and then John Schneier mentioned it. At the
(03:18):
Senior Bowl, Grey's Abel basically was kind of stealing repetitions
and he was he was blocking as a guard, he
was blocking as a center. And then previously at North
Dakota State, of course, he had played an awful lot
of tackle and it didn't regard, it didn't matter who
was up playing opposite him, what position that greys Abel
was lying up at.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
He was just stonewalling people.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
And so I think that he proved himself to be
well worthy of a top twenty selection at the Senior Bowl,
and then follow that up with the Combine. And I
thought that once that the Seattle was on the clock
at number eighteen overall and Zabel was available, then it
was basically a slam dunk selection.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
For these guys coming from the smaller schools, from FCS schools.
How big is that opportunity at the Senior Bowl when
they get to line up against you know, power five
guys and put pads on and show what they can do.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
It's absolutely massive.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
That's the thing is that one of the arguments that
we've had as as far as why the Seahawks would
not take grays Abel, is that in the in the
past fifteen years, John Shining and the Seahawks had never
invested a top one hundred selection in a FCS prospect,
and so you know, that's that's who greys Abel was
competing against. The only time that they had gone up
(04:28):
against Division IE player or Division one team was against Colorado.
So you only had one game in the last four years,
you know, in which he had played against that type
of competition.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
So you were a little worried about that.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
And then you go to the Senior Bowl and you're
you're hoping that he is going to play reasonably well,
just just prove that you can compete at this level. Instead,
grays Abel went there and dominated. He was the best
blocker in my opinion, of anybody there at the Senior Bowl.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
And it wasn't just my opinion.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
He was voted as the best offensive lineman throughout the
week of practice. So again, I think that he we
just kind of slammed home the idea that he was
going to be a first round selection. And that's why
I think that the Seahawks scouts and coaching staff sound
like they're very, very excited about table.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Day two of the drafts started off early for the
Seahawks in the action early move up pick number thirty five,
which is the earliest John Shier's ever traded up in
a draft. He's made some Day two picks up, but
never gone up as high as thirty five. They did
that to get safety Nick emmun Worry from South Carolina.
You know, one of the best athletes in this whole
draft and the guy that they liked so much, as
(05:30):
John Schinder told us they thought about moving up even
late in round one to get him.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
Last night, we were really you know, we had a lot
of conversations about you know, how do we how do
we do this? I mean, you know, we almost traded
back up in to get Nick.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Everyone was extremely passionate about it.
Speaker 5 (05:45):
You know, if we would have come out of the
draft without him, we would have been disappointed. Now, same thing,
I mean, the same thing with Elijah. I mean he
was talking, you know throughout the process, throughout all of
our meetings, there's no way like how do we are
we gonna be okay with this guy?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Like what are we gonna be able to use them?
Speaker 5 (06:02):
You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Like this guy's like, how do you add that guy?
And Uh, it's all for like the people, the competitors.
Speaker 5 (06:08):
The athletes, they just feel like they just they always
feel special.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I can't describe it any different.
Speaker 5 (06:13):
Than to say they feel special, like they feel different.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
And it's a great thing.
Speaker 5 (06:18):
Like I said last night, respecting the group of players
that's you right now. To add these guys in, it's
gonna be outstanding.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
That's to me is one of the most exciting aspects
of this draft is I felt like the Seahawks basically
checked the major box if they had to by getting
the offensive lineman in the first round, and then they
were able to kind of, you know, just have some fun.
Let the draft kind of you know, take the best
talent that the elite athletes that were available. And if
(06:46):
you didn't weren't sure that a player like a nick
Emmon War was going to fall all the way down
to number.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Fifty, then be aggressive.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
You had built up enough draft picks that you could
actually use some of that draft ammunition to move up.
And that's exactly what they did. And it's like Nicki Mimnwori. Look,
this was a first round selection all day long. And
the fact that he fell out of the first round.
I think is just more of a reflection of the
fact that there were so many linemen, offensive end, defensive
lineman that went in.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
The first round.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
I counted up, there was eight offensive linemen that went
in the first round. I mean, of course, there's only
thirty two first round selections, so for a full quarter
of those selections to be offensive lineman, that is going
to push some really good football players down the board.
Nicki Minwori, I just love the versatility that he offers
to size six, two hundred and twenty pounds, just the
elite athlete that he is. To me, he is that
(07:35):
movable chess piece that Mike McDonald's going to absolutely just
love being able to utilize. And then jumping to the
tight end. Don Schneider mentioned Elijah Arroyo from Miami, and
I guess I should even almost put in air quotes
the idea of tight end with Elijah Arroyo, because he
just moves like a smaller man. He's six foot five,
(07:56):
two hundred and fifty five pounds, and yet he looks
like he could play the wide receiver position, and he
actually lined up against cornerbacks at times at the University
of Miami as well as at the Senior Bowl and
just demonstrate his ability to not only get open, but
to make contested catches and then run away from smaller,
typically quicker defensive backs. I think that again, this is
(08:19):
another player here that is going to just diversify seatles
offense and create that much more of a big play
threat down the stretch.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
It's worth talking about too here that kind of the
ability to do this shows the exciting part of a
draft when you get those extra picks in Day two,
like they were able to do this because of the
trades they made, getting that third round pick for Gino Smith,
getting that second round pick for DK Metcalf, where you
can make a big move up and you're still sitting
there with two second round picks and a third when
you come out of the day to that's some players
they really like.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Rob.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Now we go to one of the more you know,
interesting and exciting picks potentially in this draft for the Seahawks,
a guy that you know, quarterbacks not necessarily need for
this team. But by the time you got to the
third round, Jalen sitting there right at the top of
their board, and they get a really explosive player. I know,
obviously there's you know, maybe some concerns or limitations on
(09:09):
him as a passer right now. But with the arm
talent that he has, and obviously the athleticism, just what
kind of player do you see in him?
Speaker 4 (09:16):
To me, he is the ultimate lottery ticket in this
entire draft class. I just see a guy that is
a developing passer. There's no question about that. But you
of course have a quarterback that is a pro bowler
in Sam Darnold that you brought in, and so you know,
you feel already good at as a starter that you
have the quarterback in place right now. If you are
(09:38):
looking to develop a player, then why not have a
guy that could be special? And Jayla Monroe has that.
This is a guy that his straight line speed, his
agility to make people miss, then just the power. I mean,
this is a guy who is just rocked up six
foot two hundred and twenty pounds and is just is
physically put together as you're ever going to see at
(10:00):
the quarterback position.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
He's there.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
There's some elements of his play that are reminiscent former
Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts, who of course was the MVP
of this last Super Bowl, and so that's exciting. But
he also has the breakaway speed of a guy like
Lamar Jackson, and so again just so exciting about the
potential that he offers. I would not be surprised at
(10:22):
all to see the Seahawks runs some different systems to
try to get Jayle Monroe onto the field.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Early, even as a rookie.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
But I think that the exciting thing about Milroe is
just what he could be a couple of years down
the line.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Yeah, And one thing with Milroe that you know, I
think as worth mentioning is even if he's not the
most polished passer right now, this isn't a guy who like,
oh he doesn't he doesn't have the arm talent to
make this, or like he's got the arm strength. He's shown,
maybe not consistently all the time, but he can make
all the throws. And as he told us on a
conference call, like he's a confident dude that he knows
he can make all the plays.
Speaker 6 (10:57):
There's nothing I can't do in a football too.
Speaker 7 (10:59):
The thing that improve on absolutely, but it's not it's.
Speaker 6 (11:02):
Nothing I can do on the football field. I've thrown
every type of surchon. Now, I stepped up in the pocket,
thrown on the run, I'm going through progressions. I've thrown
a check down on the next score, I've used my legs.
Speaker 7 (11:13):
So, you know, looking at it, you know, taking too
much one on the field, I can do it. So
I'm just I say that humblely, you know, not you.
Speaker 6 (11:22):
Know, not over arrogant.
Speaker 7 (11:24):
It's just more just knowing what I bring to the table.
Speaker 6 (11:26):
And knowing that I just just a different dynamic when
it comes to being on the super ball field that
I know I'm gonna utilize.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
In n F field, and uh yeah, just a really
exciting player, as you mentioned, and that that takes us
into day three now and a wild start today three.
I you know, I'll write about this later on on
c X dot com. But I'm lucky enough to be
in the draft room for parts of the draft and
watch that all unfold for you guys, you know, watching that,
you know, just seeing it all go on TV. Just
(11:54):
what's kind of the reactions Seahawks are. They're moving back,
they're trading a player, they're trading out of another pig,
and just doing a lot of juggling all at once.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
They're to start round five.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
Yeah, it was fascinating because there there was quite the
long wait before the Seahawks were on the on the clock,
and then there was a trade down and then as
you mentioned, you know, the Seahawks wound up trading Sam
Howell at the quarterback position, and then they're taking Riley Mills,
a defensive tackle from from Notre Dame. That, then, again,
I think, just fits in so well to the Seale culture,
(12:25):
to what Mike McDonald's looking to have on the defensive line,
where you have guys that not only can't get to
the quarterback, but also have just the physicality the toughness
to be able to play the run as well.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
You know, this is a guy that reminds me a
little bit.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
Of the player that Seattle traded for a year ago,
a veteran in Roy Robertson Harris. His ability at six
foot five, two hundred and ninety pounds roughly to play
inside as a traditional defensive tackle also.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Slide all the way outside.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Again, I just think that when I when I imagine
Mike McDon defense, not only this past season with the Seahawks,
but previously with the Baltimore Ravens, that pressure came in waves,
and that's one of the things that I feel that
that Riley Mills is going to be able to help
the Seahawks provide. And it is important to note that
he is coming off of a knee injury, but that's
(13:17):
one of the reasons why he was available at picking
number one.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Hundred and forty two overall.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
Win healthy, and the Seahawks expect him to be healthy
at some point this upcoming season.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
When healthy.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
This is a guy who absolutely deserve of a top
one hundred selection, the Seahaws guy at one forty two overall.
They basically got a bargain basement price for a player
that I think is going to wind up being an
NFL starts.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
That's something Shiner point out the Royo as well.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
He said, you know, this may be a top fifteen
talent if he's healthy throughout his career, but he missed
so much time. Where is somebody's been around skying a lot,
Like where is that sort of give and take? How
do you find the balance of, Man, this guy's really talented,
but we got you know, injury history or you know,
coming off of fresh injury.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Things like that.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Just how do teams sort of decide how to make
those decisions.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
Well, that's one of the interesting things is that it
used to be that the fifth round was kind of
used as the round where, okay, you can get a
little bit cute, you can a player who's coming off
of an injury or a player that had some type
of character red flags or something of that nature.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
That wasn't the case.
Speaker 4 (14:18):
At all as far as character red flags of any
of the players that the Seahawks drafted here, but they
did have some players, as we just mentioned with Elijah
Royo and Riley Mills, that are coming off of injuries.
I think that just in today's air, I mean I've
been doing this now for twenty five years. In today's air,
to be coming off of a of a you know,
surgically repaired knee or something of that nature, then it's
(14:40):
just there is a belief that the player is going
to come back as good, or bigger or stronger than ever.
And so I think that you have to you know,
it certainly recognized that every player and their recovery is unique.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
But at the same time that if.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
You had a grade on a player that was, you know,
say a third round pick, then at most you should
probably only be dropping him around anymore.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Otherwise you're you're in danger here to lose them.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
Yeah, exactly, And when you have talents as dynamic as
Elijah Royo, as steady as as Riley Mills, and I
think that again, the Seahawks played this beautifully because if
you were way too much longer, then you're going to
be finding a much less talented player available to.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
And then they had to wait a little bit there
in round five after because they did trade back that
with that one for four, that was a move back
they made. And then with one sixty six they go
Tory Horton, a receiver from Colorado. You know, a guy
that was very productive for a couple of years. As
you mentioned, there was the injury last year, but a
guy put up some big numbers, win healthy.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
What do you like about his game?
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Oh, there's a lot to like about Tory Horton's game.
Speaker 4 (15:46):
He was one of my favorite selections of this entire
draft for the Seahawks. I remember back to watching Tory
Horton at Nevada and then watching him make the He
wound up transferring the Colorado State and was just as
productive at Colorado States as he was in the Flashes.
Early in his in his career at at Nevada, he's
(16:09):
six foot three, he's one hundred and ninety six pounds.
He runs in the four fours.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Uh, just a couple of.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
Weeks after a small procedure on his knee as well.
So again, when you when you are a player that
hasn't had an opportunity to fully recover, to fully get
into you know, sprinting shape, and yet you still just
basically wake up and run a four to four. I
mean it's like Willie Mays Hayes out of you know,
the movie Major League, and I realized that that's a
great reference. He's in a baseball reference here.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Our producer Ashley will not understand a Major League reference
because that was before her time, But well I got.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
You that might be true.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
But still it just it speaks to how explosive an
athlete that Tory Horton is. He was a two time
All Mountain West player as far as being as a
as a pass catch with a wide receiver position over
one thousand receiving yards each of the past couple of seasons.
And then what I like most about I mean, I
think that the Seahawks also are very much going to
appreciate that is that he brings legitimate punt return skills.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
He had a punt return for a touchdown each of the.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Last three seasons, so it's not just one splashy play.
This is a you know, consistent production. Again, he has
the size that you're looking for on the outside. He
also has elite speed. So very excite about what Tory
Horton might be able to provide a Seahawks team. As
you mentioned, John, that they have to replace you know,
Dk Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. I feel confident that they
(17:29):
have them the pass catchers to be able to do so.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
I didn't mention that, but thanks for bringing that up,
because yeah, so you're right. This is you know, they
go out and sign Cooper Cup but they still you know,
have some in Marque style just ganting, but they still
you know, wanted to get deeper at receiver and add
some talent. And you brought up the return thing. I mean,
that's a very unset position for them right now. They
don't have a clear cut returner. So to kind of
check all those boxes and then we'll get to it later,
but add another receiver later on. I think that's really
(17:54):
going to help them feel deep at that position. Before
we move on, we want to remind fans at this season,
you can feel every play, every hit, in every moment
with the Sony one thousand x five noise canceling headphones,
the official headphones of the Seattle Seahawks. With premium noise cancelation,
you're in the zone, no distractions, just pure football. Whether
you're in your living room or on the go, You'll
(18:14):
never miss a beat with Sony headphones. And continuing in
the fifth round, a full back not a pick you
always see in the draft in this day and age,
but from what we've heard from Clint Kubiak, from Mike McDonald,
we knew a fullback is going to be part of
this offense. So what can you tell us about Robbie oots?
Speaker 4 (18:33):
Really exciting player. I mean it's not often that I
say something like that about a full back. You're talking
about a guy who's six foot three, two hundred and
seventy four pounds and yet still was clocked in I
believe that John Schneiers.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
At n nineteen miles an hour on the GPA.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
They just think about that.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
I mean, if you're driving your car, you know, down
the road and you see somebody pass by you at
twenty miles an hour, You're not expecting to be two
hundred seventy four pounds. And so the amount of speed
and power in which that is creating that combination, just
imagine that at the full back.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Position, I mean, he is going to be able to move.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
People at the lion scrimmage, He's going to be able
to knock linebackers. I mean, linebackers are usually some of
the biggest, toughest, nastiest guys on the field. And he
and he's getting out weigh by twenty pounds exactly. And
so that to me is one of the most exciting
things about this. It's the fact that we talked about
the Alabama former Alabama quarterback Jlen Milroe and his ability
as a runner.
Speaker 2 (19:30):
Now you have an OO.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
It's a player that is that that knows him well
and is going to be able to the combination of
the two could create some really dynamic packages there, you know,
close to the close to the red zone and area
in which the Seahawks have struggled. And so I think
that whether it be as a lead blocker for Sea
How's talented stable of running backs, or in a possible
(19:52):
wildcat quarterback situation, even a tush push situation, Boots is
going to be able to provide the oomph for the
Seahawks as well.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Boots with the oomph, let's get on T shirt, Rode,
I'm gonna try. Speaking of moving people, the Seahawks went
back to the offensive line in round six, pick one,
Brice Cable Dow out of Kansas, the guy.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
You know, kind of a theme of this draft. They
got a lot of athletic dudes.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Do test really well across the boards athletically.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
What can you tell us about Bryce's game?
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Well, very athletic.
Speaker 4 (20:20):
He was one of the players that I think was
very much moving up in the draft realm.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
As we were getting a little bit closer.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
He had some buzz about him, and typically when you
have a player that has some buzz, then every NFL
team is kind of talking about him. I had some
scouts that that I was kind of checking in with
him about him. Excuse me, and just because North Dakota
State is as crazy as it might sound. In North
Kota State, of course, is where the first round selection
(20:49):
breze Abel went to college. North Dakota State is well
known in among NFL scouts for being kind of a
hotbed for offensive line talent. But Kan's Jayhawks, as crazy
as it might sound, have become a bit of a
hotbed for offensive linemen as well. We've seen a number
of players here in recent years to come from Kansas
and be very successful.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
That's the thing about Cable doing is.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
That he has great agility for a player that was
playing at the left tackle position at Kansas. I think
he's gonna most likely slide inside to guard for the Seahawks.
And again, his lateral agility, his straight line speed is
just very intriguing for the type of offense in which
the Seahawks are going to be implemented.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
And then next up, the Seahawks went back to Miami
and back to running back, getting Damien Martinez. Now I'm
not gonna pretend that I watch a lot of acc football,
So first I didn't really know a lot about Martinez,
and then I thought, you know, that name rings a belle.
That's because what he was doing in Oregon State in particular.
You know, he had a couple of huge games against
(21:54):
the Huskies. So he came on his conference call with
us and he called himself Beastmode two point zero. That's
a big statement for a guy coming in the NFL,
especially to this franchise. But man, the dude does run
with some power. What have you seen watching watching Martinez?
Speaker 4 (22:08):
Yeah, as you said power, just you know, it's it's
not only the power. He plays for a guy who
is six foot two hundred and seventeen pounds John And
a lot of times you see backs of that height
that play too upright. He will lower his shoulder into
defensive players the way that marshau Lynch of course used to.
(22:28):
He would initiate the contact almost like you know, he
would get into that beast smoke kind of mentality, throw
a couple of skittles in and just like transformed himself
into a whole different type of a person. That's the
way that Damian Martinez runs. He runs angry, runs, physically
and violent. And then I think that he also is
a really nice fit in this wide zone system. And
you know the wide zone system. I keep mentioning this,
(22:50):
but it's a system that basically that allows the running
back a little bit more space to make his own decisions.
He's often is running kind of laterally and then he
is looking back to see if they're cut back lanes.
That he can exploit. Think back to the old Denver
Broncos with Terrell Davis and Mike Anderson and guys like that,
Guys that didn't have that lead four point four speed,
(23:13):
they still played fast because they had such great vision,
such great balance through contact. That is Damian Martinez. Now,
I love the fact that you mentioned the Oregon State
production because again, this is a player that played three
years in college football, two in Oregon State, went at Miami.
Everywhere he went, he was the bell cap, he.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Was usher, just and just powering through dudes. Know what
I mean?
Speaker 3 (23:34):
That UWA and like jumps out of me from two
years ago because I didn't you know, I didn't know
a lot about him.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
And I was like, WHOA, who is this guy?
Speaker 3 (23:40):
And so I see it kind of come full circle
and he's back in the Northwest with Seahawks.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
It's very exciting.
Speaker 4 (23:45):
It's funny too, because when I think of Oregon State football,
I think back and again, this may not be a
reference to Seahawks. Fans are going to appreciate his Stephen
Jackson was so good for the Rams, But at the
same time, that's who I think of as far as
great Oregon State backs. Damian Martinez reminds me a little
bit the way Stephen Jackson ran. So again we're talking
about some of the some of the best backs in
recent twenty years of NFL history. I thought that because
(24:09):
this running back class was deep, arguably the deepest positional group,
and we know that the Seahawks have typically drafted at
least one running back just because the attrition of the position,
that they might take one. But I thought, Okay, this
is going to be a guy that might be able
to be a complimentary type of a player. Damian Martinez
can be that. But if there were the unthinkable, you
(24:32):
had multiple injuries at that position, Damien Arantinez can be
that bellcal back if you needed to be so.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
And then back to the offensive line again. Mason Richmond, who,
as he told us, got a surprise phone call. It
was actually Gray's abel that made the draft call from
the draft room because they able happened to get in
on a Saturday afternoon to meet coaches and kind of
get to it around the building. So fun phone call
for another Iowa linman. We've seen a lot of Iowa
alignmen come through the NFL. You know, he's a guy
(25:00):
Seahawks sounds like they're gonna start Matt tackle, but could
maybe move inside as well.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Just what kind of player are they getting in Mason Richmond?
Speaker 4 (25:07):
To me, he is one of the safest players of
this draft class for the Seahawks because he is just
a proven commodity. As you said, there have been an
awful lot of really good Iowa offensive lineman. You know,
they have a head coach there, Kirk Ferentz, who is
a former NFL offensive line coach. He's the longest ten
yured coach in all of college football. I mean, he
(25:28):
is just the epitome of consistency and of all those
players that he has coached over all these years, Mason
Richmond is one of the very few that started five
years fifty two career starts in all of them at
the left tackle position for the Iowa Hawk guys. So again,
this is a program that is known for producing quality
(25:49):
offensive lineman, and the left tackle position of courses, I know,
as celebrated as any position up front. I love the
fact that Seale is going to allow him to prove
that he can't play at the tackle position, give him
the opportunity to do that first. There have been some
concerns about whether or not that he was athletic enough
or has the arm length to remain outside of tackle.
(26:12):
I think that when you've been as productive as you've
been at the college level for a program like Iowa,
then allow him that opportunity first, and then if it
doesn't work out. He's so smart, he's so physical, he's
so tough. It's one of the things that John Schneider
kind of acknowledged in the post draft press conference is
again this toughness that he was willing to play through pain.
(26:32):
Those are the type of attributes I think that suggest
that Mason Richmond is going to weigh outplay his selection
in the seventh round, and.
Speaker 3 (26:39):
Then after getting Troy Horton, the Seahawks go back to
receiver to close out the draft. When you talked about Horton,
you mentioned special teams. I don't think I've ever seen
somebody get four blocked punts in one season like Ricky
White did on his way to Special Teams Player of
the Year honors in his conference. I mean that right
there jumps out at me. But obviously he also did
a lot as a receiver. Just tell us a little
(27:00):
bit about Ricky White.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
The third you know, again, another one of my absolute
favorite players in this draft class, just because of the
fact that, as you mentioned with the special teams document
that the four block punts, those all came just this
past season. Yeah, so it's not like this. I mean
he led the country. Nobody else had more than two. Yeah,
so I mean he's literally doubling up for a un
LV team. Again, kind of we talked about with Kansas.
(27:23):
I mean, these are not those traditional blue blood kind
of college football powerhouse programs. The Seahawks got themselves some
players that helped put their teams on the college football landscape.
And so again with Ricky White the third, you're talking
about a guy that has special teams abiliting, who is
a physical blocker downfield, and then oh, by the way,
(27:46):
he's also a very effective deep ball passer as well.
He got eleven touchdowns this past season. So again, this
is a big play threat, a guy that has some
dynamic athletic ability, and he's highly competitive. I thought that
wide receiver was a position of concern for the Seahawks,
certainly on special teams. You want to have bodies guys
that are fast, are athletic, are tough, and in competitive
(28:10):
Ricky White checks all those boxes.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
All right, we did it.
Speaker 3 (28:13):
We got through all eleven draft picks.
Speaker 1 (28:16):
Just again, really exciting class.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
Any other big takeaways you get out of this as
you've gone over all eleven and these guys that you
you know, just kind of stands out.
Speaker 2 (28:25):
Yeah to me.
Speaker 4 (28:26):
One of the things that's exciting about this is that
there are a number of other NFL teams here that
got themselves into double digit draft selections. I don't know
there's any team that had both quantity and quality to
the level that the Seahawks just had. I've been covering
the NFL draft, as I mentioned before, for an awful
long time. I've watched all of John Schneider's selections over
(28:50):
the years, and I know this sounds crazy to say,
considering some of the historic draft classes that he has
helped bring to Seattle, But in my opinion, this might
just be the very best.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
We're holding you to this Rob.
Speaker 4 (29:02):
I'm just so excited about the dynamic talent they got,
especially in the top end. I think you can make
an argument and because you see flashes with the young
quarterback Jaylen Monroe, that our first round caliber, as we
talked about, you know, have the Miami tight end slash
wide receiver Elijah Royo not been coming off the injury,
(29:24):
he may have been a first round pick. Certainly, Nick
Emmon Morey and Gray's Abel were first round caliber. I
mean you're talking about, you know, four players that are
legitimate first round caliber flashes on tape, and just considering
the the experience of the offensive coaching staff being brought
to Seattle, I just think that this is a group
that has so much potential and now you have the
(29:45):
coaching staff as well to really coax that turn that
potential into production.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
Well, Rob, I thank you for joining us. It sounds
to me like you're telling us we need to celebrate.
People can celebrate how they like, do so safely. But
if you need any help with that ideas, we can
toss it to first round pick grays Able with his
celebration tactics.
Speaker 8 (30:05):
Man, I'm probably gonna start diving into these bush lights
and have the twelve hour rule. We get to celebrate
it for twelve hours when we get back. For so uh,
I got an unbelievable crew here, my head coach, my
offensive line coach, if they're all down here, and a
lot of friends and families so high alert for Pierce,
(30:28):
South Dakota. We're gonna we're gonna have some fun and
we're gonna enjoy this tonight.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
We are not in Pierre, South Dakota, but hopefully people
can have a little fun and enjoy this draft.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
Rob. Thank you again. Tell people where they can find
your your excellent work.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
Well, definitely at Fox sports dot com and put it
out putting out some draft grades here in the next
couple of hours. And then if you also are are
interested in some besides the you know, the the Seahawks
podcast that you're listening to here, then I do some
work with Lockdown Seahawks podcast as well.
Speaker 1 (30:59):
All right, thanks again, I appreciate thank you so much.
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