2021 Senior Bowl: Identifying Big Interior Offensive Linemen as Potential Fits for Seahawks
The 2021 Senior Bowl has officially started! The first part of the all-star event that gets widely covered by media is the weigh ins. In a normal year, these take place in a quiet convention room at around 6 AM. Everyone in attendance loads up on coffee, bleary-eyed and shoddy looking.
Each prospect has their name read out before walking onto a stage in their underwear. They step onto some scales, then they are measured by a professional measurer (Yes, that’s a job). The room is then filled with the scribbling of a thousand pencils and pens, each scout and media member slotting these measurements into their Senior Bowl spreadsheet. Occasionally there is a gasp as an athlete stands out among his peers by looking even more chiseled like a marble, renaissance-era statue. It’s weird.
Of course, 2021 is not a typical year. The COVID-19 pandemic has prevented many from making the trip to Mobile, Alabama where the event is held. Thankfully, however, the official Senior Bowl account tweeted out each prospect’s numbers. While there is a morally wrong vibe to the weigh-in event, these measurements are important for each NFL hopeful. Teams have thresholds to determine player fit and future success. An extreme, simple example: there has never been a 5-foot-2 starting NFL quarterback.
Last week, I identified interior offensive linemen as an immediate Seahawks draft need. Russell Wilson must feel more comfortable accessing interior passing lanes. Seattle's run game needs to be less 'capped.' Interior offensive line is an area that the team has drafted somewhat differently in the Pete Carroll-John Schneider era. Allow Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy, a former Seahawks area scout, to explain.
“From my time there, when Tom Cable was the offensive line coach—we were looking for, you know, really athletic guys that could play in a zone scheme, and get out of their stance quick and move laterally and get to the second level. Well, they’ve completely shifted that,” Nagy told Rob Staton of Seahawks Draft Blog.
“They’re looking for big, strong, dudes that can play square inside and not get their edges worked and move people off the ball.”
The Seahawks have been acquiring huge, mauling guards that suit Mike Solari’s power zone system - with a sprinkling of trap. Seattle was an inside running team, even on most of their wide zone runs - more midzone and tite zone. They additionally sprinkled in gap runs mainly designed to hit downhill. Before we found out that Shane Waldron was the Seahawks offensive coordinator, it was safe to assume this style of interior linemen would continue into the 2021 draft cycle.
In 2020, Damien Lewis made the all-rookie team after slotting in as the starter at right guard. Lewis measured 6-foot-2, 327 pounds but it was his physical play-style and strength that revealed the Seahawks’ intent. At left guard Seattle has played bigger guys. The 6-foot-5, 331 pound Mike Iupati was the main player in that spot. Jordan Simmons, at 6-foot-4 339 pounds, filled in for him. The left guard in Seattle’s scheme has been the main trap and gap puller—a legit knockout dealer.
Then the complicating, murky factor arrived. Late on Tuesday, Adam Schefter reported that Waldron was going to be the next Seattle offensive coordinator. We don't know what the exact offense will be with his play calling. If Waldron is going full-Rams, then the scheme will be based off the wide zone action that Sean McVay built dominant game plans off. It's series-based play calling that attempts to follow an "if; then" mindset. This would require a major re-think in front office strategy when it comes to the line. It may also result in Solari's departure, given his aforementioned style.
In Year 1 of Waldron, it's possible Seattle instead attempts an ambitious blend of Solari and Waldron. A ton of Rams success came from mid-zone action. Additionally, the way Seattle ran shotgun inside zone was not unlike the cutback from the Rams' under center midzone stuff, with the OL looking to wash the DL down for the backside cutback.
The great news for the Seahawks is the 2021 Senior Bowl features a lot of offensive line talent.
“It’s a really good group,” assessed Nagy in his interview with Staton.
In the 2019 Senior Bowl, nine of the 10 offensive line prospects on the Jon Gruden-led North roster were taken in the first three rounds of that particular year's draft. Nagy raised this example.
“I really feel like this year’s group is right there with that group,” Nagy stated.
“If there’s a year to need offensive line talent, to add offensive linemen, this is the year.”
The weigh-ins showed there are some sizeable interior lineman for Seattle’s front office to evaluate down in Mobile. Here are the players weighing above 330 pounds. There is, of course, a chance they start looking for more mobile athletes again - in which case the practices and pro day numbers will be more important.
- Deonte Brown, Alabama, measured 6-foot-3 1/4, 364 pounds, 32 3/8-inch arms, 8068 wingspan (American Roster #65)
- Ben Cleveland, Georgia, 6-foot-6 3/8, 354 pounds, 33-inch arms, 7918 wingspan (American Roster #74)
- David Moore, Grambling State, 6ft-foot-1 5/8, 350 pounds, 32 5/8-inch arms, 8258 wingspan (American Roster #60)
- Aaron Banks, Notre Dame, 6-foot-5 3/8, 338 pounds, 33 1/8-inch arms, 8200 wingspan (National Roster #73)
- Trey Smith, Tennessee, 6-foot-5 1/2, 331 pounds, 33 3/4-inch arms, 8318 wingspan (American Roster #73)
Staton asked Nagy about some of the offensive line talent attending the event and their potential fit in Seattle. The Senior Bowl director touched on a few of the listed names in his response.
“Ben Cleveland fits that [big, strong, people-moving Seattle style], he’s a great fit for them [the Seahawks], as is Deonte Brown,” judged Nagy.
“You know, Deonte’s very similar to Damien Lewis was last year; and probably league-wide graded higher than Damien was last year coming into the week,” Nagy continued.
“So, the guys they are looking for: Trey Smith from Tennessee, another guy you [Staton] mentioned, and Aaron Banks from Notre Dame fits them.”
Nagy’s conclusion was exciting: “So, a lot of guys that really fit what they’re trying to get done in Seattle right now.”
The one-on-one drills facing some of the best pass rushers in this class will be a chance for these names to flex their anchor. On a similar note, the skelly drills are an opportunity for lineman to show how they move defenders. Of course, Seattle may also look at centers; the aforementioned prospects all project to play at guard in the NFL.
The Seahawks have revealed the importance of the Senior Bowl in their player evaluations in the past. In addition to Lewis, L.J. Collier and Jordyn Brooks are previous attendees that performed well and ended up in Seattle. The team specifically spoke about the added importance given the pandemic.
The event is a chance for guys to prove themselves against a high level of competition, which is especially important for smaller school prospects. Their adaptability to a new environment is tested in Mobile.
Furthermore, the Senior Bowl is a great opportunity for teams to meet with players and observe their behavior. This is of especially high value to front offices given the NFL combine interviews have turned virtual due to the risk of COVID-19. The 2021 Senior Bowl has become the ultimate job interview.
