Seahawks Pro Day Notebook: Minnesota, Oklahoma State, and Oregon State

With NFL Scouting Combine testing cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the significance of pro days has increased dramatically in 2021. Once an event which people looked at skeptically, they are now of great importance. The concern regarding inflated and inaccurate numbers remains valid, but where else can you get the testing numbers of NFL Draft prospects? Nowhere. The months of March and April are going to be busy as each school showcases their eligible stars.

Over the next several weeks, Matty F. Brown and Corbin Smith will take a deep dive into testing numbers for prospects who may be on the Seahawks radar heading towards the 2021 NFL Draft. Continuing the series, the duo examines pro day results for Minnesota, Oklahoma State, and Oregon State from a week ago.

Minnesota

I covered Minnesota Gophers Xs and Os for the 2019-2020 season and Rashod Bateman made that a very enjoyable experience, breaking the school’s single season records for receptions and receiving yards. Bateman was a dominant, unplayable, nailed-on first round talent. He had crafty release plans to get off press and refined route running. NFL teams will understandably fall in love with his route tree which is rare for the majority of receiver coming out of college. At the catch point, Bateman’s body control and concentration to track marries beautifully with soft hands comfortable away from his frame.

Bateman’s numbers arrived on April 1 and his height-weight had people sensing an April Fools joke: He was 6-foot and 3/8 inches and weighed 190-pounds. Bateman has shrunk from his High School height (6-foot-3) and college (6-foot-2). He plays like a 6-foot-3, 230-pounder, true X receiver. This is most apparent when it comes to winning vertically at the catch point, where Bateman is aided by his 33-inch arms.

Bateman’s 40-yard dash time ranged on stopwatches from 4.39-seconds to 4.44-seconds. He jumped 36 inches in the vertical and 10-foot-3 in the broad. Bateman’s agility testing was less impressive, where he ran a 6.95-second 3-cone and 4.35-second short shuttle.

Bateman’s complete profile looks like there is no way he will get out of the Top 50 picks despite this being a deep receiver class with options throughout the draft. It is worth watching how the receiver got on against higher levels of college competition, such as the Gophers’ struggles against Wisconsin. Ultimately, though, Bateman feels like a pipe dream from a Seattle perspective. -Matty F. Brown

The second Gophers player is a more likely Seahawks fit. Benjamin St-Juste is a long cornerback from Quebec, Canada. In off-coverage playing with inside leverage, St-Juste showed impressive twitch to break underneath from his read pedal/skootch. He was subsequently invited to the 2021 Senior Bowl, where he showed length-utilizing press technique similar to the mirror steps that the Seattle coaching staff teaches their more advanced corners.

One slight concern is how St-Juste left Michigan. He missed his sophomore campaign with a hamstring injury and the team doctors were unable to medically clear him to play football, with Michigan asking him to medically retire; he transferred instead.

In Mobile, St-Juste’s arms were 32 inches. At the Gophers Pro Day, they measured 32-and 5/8 inches. Whichever one is accurate, his arms meet the key Seattle cornerback threshold. At 6-foot-3 and 3/8 inches, weighing 202-pounds, St Juste ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash. He absolutely blitzed the agility drills, posting a 6.63-second 3-cone and 4.00-second short shuttle. These are crazy times for a guy his size.

His 34 1/2-inch vertical was just shy of the 35 inches the Seahawks appear to like from their outside corners. He leaped 9-foot-11-inches in the broad. Seattle also prefers for their corners to be physical and put up bench press reps well into the double digits. St Juste had 11 reps and, not trying to be the “do you even lift bro” meme or anything, struggled through them. -Matty F. Brown

Meanwhile, teammate CB Benjamin St. Juste was 6-3 1/4, 202 with 9 3/8 hand, 32 5/8 arm, 78 5/8 wingspan. 9-11 broad jump, 34 1/2 vertical and 11 bench reps. pic.twitter.com/RmlktZfKkE
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 1, 2021

Oklahoma State

I strongly dislike draft comps, but there are elements of Tylan Wallace’s game that remind you of Jermaine Kearse’s skill set and usage. Wallace struggles to separate downfield yet is a contested catch king, putting himself about to win optimal positioning and come free for the grab. He has some legit circus catch highlights and in Seattle could be the kind of jump ball guy Russell Wilson loves. As a final positive, Wallace is tough after the catch. He stepped up to the Senior Bowl competition with his skillset still regularly winning one-on-ones.

Wallace’s injury history is a large concern. He tore his right ACL in the 2019 season, then sprained the same knee in 2020. It’s relevant that his twin brother, Tracin, was forced to medically retire from Oklahoma State after tearing the ACL in his left knee for the third time.

Wallace’s athletic testing was disappointing for both size and athleticism. At 5-foot-11 and 3/8 inches, weighing 194-pounds with 30 3/8-inch arms, he ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash, 6.97-second 3-cone, and 4.25-second short shuttle. Wallace jumped 33 inches in the vertical and 9-foot-4 inches in the broad. He finished with 11 reps on the bench. This profile may push Wallace closer to realistic Seahawks draft range... - Matty F. Brown

While the Seahawks aren't in the immediate market for a starting tackle or guard, Jenkins has the size (6-foot-5, 317 pounds) and positional versatility to warrant consideration in the second round if he remains available. He plays with great tenacity and power at the line of scrimmage, aiming to bury the opposing defender once he latches his hands onto them in the run game. He also has surprising second level blocking skills, though at times his angles can be a bit suspect.

Where the biggest question with Jenkins lies is in pass protection, and it's not necessarily because of his skill level. He's capable of mirroring defenders and when he gets his hands onto them, he's very difficult to disengage from. He also isn't going to be easy to push around with bull rushes and sets a sturdy anchor. However, scouts have concerns about his sub-33-inch arms, which may cause problems at either tackle spot blocking against edge rushers at the next level. For this reason, some are viewing him as a better fit at guard, at least to open his career.

Regardless, Jenkins is a plus-athlete for either position, as he ran a 5.01-second 40-yard dash and posted a 32 1/2-inch vertical jump at close to 320 pounds. His on-field strength also showed up on the bench press, as he repped out 225 pounds an impressive 36 times at Oklahoma State's pro day. If he somehow slips on draft weekend, he may be too good for Seattle to pass up.

Another former Cowboys standout who may pique the Seahawks interest is athletic linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga. Though he wasn't quite as productive as a senior compared to his junior season, he still produced 80 tackles, three forced fumbles, and 2.5 sacks in 2020. The year prior, he showed pass rushing acumen by amassing 5.0 sacks to go along with 15.5 tackles for loss.

On film, Ogbongbemiga's 4.66 40-yard dash speed is evident, as he has the ability to track down and pursue ball carriers sideline-to-sideline. While he wasn't as effective in this regard last season, this athleticism also allowed him to find success at the college level as a blitzer, which adds a bit of intrigue to his game as far as positional fit is concerned. Shedding blocks has been a bit more problematic, however, and he will have to improve in this area to see consistent playing time in the NFL.

Keeping this in mind, given Ogbongbemiga's smaller stature (6-foot, 231 pounds), it's worth wondering which linebacker spot would be the best fit for him. If he can improve working off blocks at the point of attack and sharpen his instincts in coverage, he could be a potential SAM linebacker candidate who also offers the traits to play WILL linebacker off the ball in a pinch, making him a possible day three target for Seattle. -Corbin Smith

Oregon State

If Hamilcar Rashed Jr. would have entered the 2020 NFL Draft, there would have been a strong chance he was selected in the first couple of rounds after off a sensational campaign. He terrorized opponents throughout the 2019 season for Oregon State, racking up 62 tackles, 14.0 sacks, and a ridiculous 22.5 tackles for loss, earning Second-Team All-Pac 12 honors.

But Rashed opted to return for his senior season and few players took a bigger hit to their draft stock playing during the pandemic. He was practically non-existent for the Beavers, producing only 23 tackles, a pair of tackles for loss, and no sacks in seven games. He also struggled at times against top competition in Mobile during the Senior Bowl in January, though his measurables (33 1/2-inch arms, 82 7/8-inch wingspan) were a surprising positive.

Coming off such an unexpectedly disappointing season, Rashed redeemed himself to an extent with a solid, though not great, pro day workout. Weighing in at 251 pounds, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.62 seconds and posted a quality 35 1/2-inch vertical along with 25 reps on the bench press. Those numbers look good for an NFL edge rusher. But an underwhelming 3-cone drill (7.51 seconds) and short shuttle (4.50) only created more questions about positional fit at the next level.

The Seahawks currently have ample depth at defensive end, but if the organization thinks Rashed could still potentially be utilized as a SAM linebacker, his pass rushing upside may make him worth a day three flier.

In the secondary, Oregon State has a pair of cornerbacks who could be selected on day three, including Isaiah Dunn, who entered the pre-draft process under the radar. His overall production for the Beavers wasn't spectacular, as he produced 115 tackles and 18 passes defensed in 33 games. He also failed to record an interception, creating questions about his ball skills.

But Dunn is a fluid athlete, as exhibited by his 4.38-second 40-yard dash and 6.91-second 3-cone drill at Oregon State's pro day. He also posted a respectable 35 1/2-inch vertical and though he measured in at 5-foot-11, 189 pounds, he also has adequate length with 32-inch arms, checking off a key threshold for Seattle at the cornerback position.

Given his athletic traits and surprising length, Dunn could be a player whose pro day performance vaulted him out of undrafted status into the sixth or seventh round. He's a developmental corner who will need time with proper coaching, but the Seahawks have never shied away from such a player and he could be on the radar either in the later rounds or as a priority free agent signee. -Corbin Smith

Cornerback Nahshon Wright had his on-tape height, length, and weight confirmed by Oregon State’s Pro Day. He measured 6-foot-4 and 2/8 inches with 32 and 7/8-inch arms and a weight of 183 pounds. He ran a fast 4.46-second 40-yard-dash. The rest of his day was disappointing: 31-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-6-inch broad, 7.24-second 3-cone, 4.57-second short shuttle, and six bench press reps.

Wright played two seasons at Oregon State after going the JUCO route due to not being academically qualified. He started JUCO ball as a wide receiver before making the switch to corner as a three-star recruit. He led the Beavers in interceptions for both of his Pac-12 seasons, showing legit ball skills and okay transitions from press given his height.

Wright’s spindly numbers, frame, and sushi-raw game likely make him a priority UDFA for the Seahawks at best. As a development project, he remains intriguing for the Seattle defensive back group where the coaching staff will hope to see positive results from an NFL weight room. -Matty F. Brown

Here is the full schedule of upcoming pro days:

Friday, April 9: UAB, Ball State, Houston, Rice

There are also private companies hosting combine‐style events. We've already seen the EXOS Combine on March 3 and the House of Athlete combine March 5.

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