Looking at late round, high upside players
One thing Seattle has done a lot of in the past is select high upside, highly athletic players, especially in the later rounds.
You may well have heard of SPARQ before, it is a formula developed by Nike which measures a players athleticism by outputting a single score. Funnily enough, Pete Carroll actually had some involvement in the development of the calculations, so it’s no surprise that Seattle shows an interest in high scoring SPARQ guys.
But who are they?
For this article, I am not going to include guys with early round grades. The purpose of this piece is to highlight some names that only the deepest of draft followers will likely recognize, guys that will be picked up in the 3rd day (round 4-7) as well as priority undrafted free agents. I can absolutely guarantee that several of these names will become Seahawks either via a later round pick of via (undrafted) free agency.
Let’s break it down by positon to keep it simple.
Quarterback
Name SPARQ Likely Round
Peter Pujals 123.7 UDFA
Reggie Bell 116.8 UDFA
Andrew Elffers 104.1 UDFA
Quinton Flowers 103.1 UDFA
Danny Etling 100.9 7th
None of these names really jump out at me as 'Seahawky' types to be honest but they score high regardless.
Running Back
Name SPARQ Likely Round
Trenton Cannon 141.9 7th/UDFA
Mike Boone 140.4 UDFA
Kalen Ballage 136.6 4th
Bo Scarbrough 134.5 5th
Ryan Green 132.5 UDFA
Josh Adams 132.0 4th/5th
Justin Jackson 129.9 5th/6th
Ryan Nall 125.6 UDFA
Chase Edmunds 124.8 UDFA
John Kelly 124.3 4th
Seahawks look for the following from running backs - between 5"10 - 6"1, 215 - 230 pounds, 35"+ vertical, 4.65 or quicker 40 time. Out of those players above Kalen Ballage (Seahawks have met and worked him out), Bo Scarbrough and John Kelly especially jump out. Although all the names will be considered given their draft investment, some are taller or shorter than the typical size but Seattle may want to try different things at RB this year.
Wide Receiver
Name SPARQ Likely Round
Dylan Cantrell 141.1 6th
Jordan Smallwood 136.8 UDFA
Justin Watson 132.6 UDFA
Jacob Sannon 129.5 UDFA
Saeed Blacknail 129.2 UDFA
Teo Redding 128.5 7th/UDFA
Jaelon Acklin 128.4 UDFA
Kahlil Dawson 128.0 UDFA
Caleb Scott 127.8 UDFA
J’Mon Moore 127.7 4th
Michael Gallup 124.4 4th
Allen Lazard 123.8 4th
Seattle is quite varied in the types of receiver they have shown interest in historically but the names that jump out to me from that list are Dylan Cantrell, Kahlil Dawson, Michael Gallup and Allen Lazard.
Tight End
Name SPARQ Likely Round
Tyler Conklin 125.2 5th/6th
Jaylen Samuels 123.5 UDFA
Garrett Hudson 119.8 UDFA
Mark Andrews 115.2 UDFA
Tyler Hoppes 114.7 UDFA
Matt Flanagan 113.9 UDFA
Dalton Schultz 113.4 4th
Nathan Marcus 111.9 UDFA
Marcus Baugh 107.4 UDFA
With Seattle needing depth at tight end a lot of these names make sense.
Offensive Tackle
Name SPARQ Likely Round
Korey Cunningham 133.7 7th
Brian O’Neill 117.0 4th (possibly earlier)
Gerhard de Beer 110.2 7th/UDFA
David Steinmetz 108.3 UDFA
Tyler Howell 108.1 UDFA
Connor Hilland 107.8 UDFA
Christian DiLauro 107.0 UDFA
Tackles typically can do 27 reps, a 31" vertical and a 9" broad. However, with Tom Cable now off the team it's hard to gauge if those parameters were set by him or John & Pete. These names, however, stand out to me - Korey Cunningham, David Steinmetz & Tyler Howell.
Offensive Guard
Name SPARQ Likely Round
Dejon Allen 110.8 7th
Ryan Hunter 110.6 UDFA
Wyatt Teller 109.6 4th
Jashon Robertson 107.6 UDFA
Adam Ploudre 107.5 UDFA
I'm not convinced any of these names would make it out of camp, but would be surprised if none of them are picked up via UDFA.
Offensive Center
Name SPARQ Likely Round
Scott Quessenberry 117.0 4th
Austin Golson 100.9 UDFA
Casey Dunn 100.5 UDFA
I don't think Joey Hunt makes it to the 53 man roster, one of these 3 could potentially replace him.
Defensive Tackle
Name SPARQ Likely Round
Jullian Taylor 132.9 UDFA
Sebastian Joseph 131.9 UDFA
James Looney 131.8 6th
Lord Hyeamang 129.7 UDFA
Bilal Nichols 119.2 5th
Foley Fatukasi 118.4 4th/5th
Andrew Brown 118.0 5th/6th
Breeland Speaks 117.4 UDFA
Every single one of these guys intrigues me somewhat, especially Julian Taylor and Sebastian Joseph, both are very athletic and may well be bought into camp.
Defensive End
Name SPARQ Likely Round
Tyquan Lewis 140.8 4th
Ade Aruna 133.8 4th/5th
Kylie Fitts 131.9 4th
Leon Jacobs 130.1 4th/5th
Joe Ostman 129.0 7th
Antonio Simmons 128.9 7th/UDFA
Peter Kalambayi 127.6 6th/7th
Jacob Martin 125.8 UDFA
Marcell Frazier 123.4 7th/UDFA
With the depth at EDGE looking pretty thin, again, a lot of these names intrigue me. I wouldn't be shocked with an early pick, a late pick and one or two UDFA's being bought in to compete this summer.
Linebacker
Name SPARQ Likely Round
Matthew Thomas 149.8 7th/UDFA
Oren Burks 143.1 6th/7th
Zaire Franklin 138.9 UDFA
Genard Avery 134.2 4th/5th
Fred Warner 132.3 4th
Marcus Newby 127.7 UDFA
Emmanuel Smith 127.4 UDFA
Micah Kiser 126.2 4th
Another area the Seahawks are thin with depth, I'd be surprised if one or two of these guys aren't in Seahawks camp uniform this summer.
Cornerback
Name SPARQ Likely Round
Christian Campbell 139.8 7th/UDFA
Keion Crossen 137.5 UDFA
Emmanuel Moseley 134.6 UDFA
Avonte Maddox 132.9 4th
Jordan Thomas 132.5 6th/7th
Tafon Mainsah 132.2 UDFA
Cameron Roane 132.2 UDFA
Andre Chachere 129.5 7th
Dane Cruikshank 129.2 UDFA
Trevon Mathis 126.6 UDFA
Grant Haley 123.4 5th
Tony Brown 123.4 4th
Tre Herndon 123.3 UDFA
Darious Williams 123.2 7th
Tarvarus McFadden 121.8 4th/5th
Seahawks typically look for 32"+ arms, however they've proven a couple of times it's not an absolute necessity, especially for nickel corners. Dontae Johnson who was signed last week only has 31 1/2 inch arms for example.
Names that really jump out at me, though, are Christian Campbell (33 1/2), Jordan Thomas (32), Andre Chachere (31 3/8) and Tarvarus McFadden (32 1/2) all really jump out at me. I'm confident at least one of those 4 will be picked up.
Strong Safety
Name SPARQ Likely Round
Troy Apke 147.0 5th
Terrell Edmunds 138.9 4th
Warren Long 135.1 UDFA
Trayvon Henderson 132.0 6th
Foyesade Oluokun 128.6 7th
Asantay Brown 126.9 UDFA
Trey Marshall 125.1 UDFA
Steven Parker 124.9 UDFA
Siran Neal 122.5 6th
Tray Matthews 121.5 7th/UDFA
Any of these guys could be bought in to compete in training camp, Troy Apke is a name to watch with one of the many 5th round picks the team currently holds.
Free Safety
Name SPARQ Likely Round
Joshua Kalu 134.2 7th
Godwin Igwebuike 133.4 4th/5th
Jordan Martin 133.0 UDFA
Jamar Summers 126.6 UDFA
Natrell Jamerson 123.3 7th
Ryan Neal 122.4 UDFA
Robert Taylor 121.5 UDFA
Anthony Sherrils 119.6 UDFA
Tray Mitchell 119.4 UDFA
Tyree Robinson 119.0 UDFA
If Earl is moved, expect to see one or two of these names on the 90 man roster. Natrell Jamerson is picking up a lot of attention at the moment across the league and I suspect he goes earlier than he is currently projected here.
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