Lb Crop `Strength Of Draft' -- Evaluating Talent Presents Challenge
This is the third in a series on the NFL draft and expectations of the Seattle Seahawks.
A small army of linebackers might become first-round choices in this year's NFL draft. That would be just fine with the Seattle Seahawks, who are in position to take one of the best.
Sorting them, however, is more difficult because of the addition of four juniors, all ranked among the top 10.
``This is a hard year, with the juniors coming in and getting a late start on evaluating them,'' said Mike Allman, Seattle's director of player personnel. ``It's the most confusing draft in a long time.''
Allman and other scouts agree the crop of linebackers is a vintage one.
``There's no question, they're the strength of the draft,'' Allman said.
With Coach Chuck Knox leaning toward a switch to a four-man defensive line and shifting Tony Woods from linebacker to end, the Seahawks need a lineman and linebacker. Picking in the eighth and 10th spots, there is little question they can grab a quality linebacker. It's just a case of getting the best one who falls to them.
They also could land a top defensive back, namely James Williams of Fresno State, but are unlikely to make that a priority over other defensive needs.
The junior linebackers having an effect on the draft are Keith McCants of Alabama, Junior Seau of Southern Cal, Lamar Lathon of Houston and Ron Cox of Fresno State. All but Cox are rated as
first-rounders and Cox ``would be a first-rounder in a normal year,'' Allman said.
When McCants declared himself eligible for the draft, he immediately jumped to the top, only to slip after putting his conditioning program on cruise control.
Kentucky Coach Jerry Claiborne, who saw McCants from the opposite side of the field, said the 255-pound linebacker ``is a gifted athlete, just one of the best. He's like that 500-pound bear; he can play anywhere he wants.''
But McCants let himself get out of shape and tested poorly at Tuscaloosa, Ala., where he lifted 225 pounds only nine times, ran a poor 40-yard dash and reportedly had a slightly wobbly knee. He also was measured at a little over 6-3, compared with his listed height of 6-5.
But McCants still ranks high because he is such a fine athlete. His best chance of going high now is Tampa Bay, which has the fourth choice, because Buccaneer Coach Ray Perkins recruited him at Alabama.
But Perkins is being pressured to take running back Emmitt Smith of Florida, a choice certain to boost the club's lagging ticket sales. If so, McCants could be available to the Seahawks, a situation that was unthinkable two weeks ago.
Another reason McCants might drop is that some of the junior running backs and quarterbacks will be taken in several of the top spots.
``There's been a very big impact at the skill positions,'' Dick Mansperger, personnel director of the Dallas Cowboys, said. ``And when you talk about those two linebackers, McCants and Seau, you're talking about two exceptional players. There's just going to be a domino effect.''
Even before the juniors were admitted under a revised procedure adopted by Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, the crop of linebackers was considered a good one. The best seniors are Percy Snow of Michigan State, James Francis of Baylor, Terry Wooden of Syracuse, Chris Singleton of Arizona, Tony Bennett of Mississippi and Aaron Wallace of Texas A&M.
Any of them could help the Seahawks, who are down to a skeleton crew. With Brian Bosworth all but out of the picture, Woods moving to the line and
M. L. Johnson and Rod Stephens lost to Green Bay and Denver as Plan B free agents, the remaining linebackers are Dave Wyman, Rufus Porter, Joe Cain, Darren Comeaux, Darrin Miller, Dave Ahrens, who was signed as a Plan B free agent from Miami, and Ricky Andrews, signed as a free agent.
Gary Wichard, Bosworth's agent, said last week that he was not overly optimistic Bosworth will play because of his shoulder problems. Bosworth used to bench press 225 pounds 30 times. Bosworth now struggles to do it even once, Wichard said.
Almost all the junior-eligible linebackers, beginning with McCants, are very talented but are risks because of past injuries or other factors. McCants and Seau played just one full season as starters. Lathon, although unusually gifted, is even more of a question after missing all but one game because of a knee injury.
``You're looking at a guy not only coming out early, but it's been two years since he played,'' Mansperger said of Lathon. ``But anyone who studies Lamar will have trouble finding anything wrong with him other than the knee. And it seems to be fine.''
Allman rates Lathon, 6-3 and almost 250 pounds, as the biggest, fastest linebacker in the draft. Lathon ran the 40 in 4.53 seconds and can play either inside or outside. Houston Coach Jack Pardee called him the best defensive player in the country before his knee injury.
Francis, Seau, Wallace and Cox are excellent in blitz situations. Wallace set a sack record at Texas A&M and Cox had 28 sacks at Fresno State. Francis, 6-4 and 246, was the Southwest Conference defensive player of the year. He blocked four extra points, three punts and a field goal last year. Baylor Coach Grant Teaff, who coached Mike Singletary, Chicago's All-Pro linebacker, called Francis the finest athlete he's ever coached.
Then there is Arizona's Singleton, a 250-pounder who originally was rated the No. 1 outside linebacker by the National scouting combine. Washington State Coach Mike Price rates Singleton only a step behind Seau.
``I'm just real happy they're both going to be drafted,'' Price said.
Because of the depth of talent, there is a strong possibility a quality linebacker will be available when Seattle selects in the second round, the 34th choice overall.
But that choice also could be spent on a strong safety or cornerback. The Seahawks have a problem at safety because Nesby Glasgow, who did a remarkable job for a 185-pounder, will be 33 and Paul Moyer faces retirement because of a damaged disk in his neck.
Seattle's cornerbacks also are a puzzle. Dwayne Harper, Patrick Hunter, James Jefferson and Mel Jenkins are talented but haven't done the job.
``The secondary is our biggest challenge defensively,'' Knox said.
The extent of improvement through the draft depends on how high the Seahawks want to go. The top cornerback, Williams of Fresno State, is a high first-round choice and the next best, Vince Buck of Central (Ohio) State, probably will be selected later in the round.
If the Seahawks rate Williams good enough for the eighth or 10th spot, they would have to sacrifice taking a defensive lineman or linebacker that high.
A quality safety might be available in the second round, although Pat Terrell of Notre Dame and Mark Carrier, a junior from Southern Cal, probably will be gone.
Tomorrow: Quarterbacks and running backs.
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Top draft picks
These lists represent the consensus of the National and Blesto scouting combines and individual scouting sources: ;
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Linebackers ;
1. Keith McCants, Alabama (Jr.) ;
2. Junior Seau, Southern Cal (Jr.) ;
3. Lamar Lathon, Houston (Jr.) ;
4. James Francis, Baylor ;
5. Percy Snow, Michigan St. ;
6. Chris Singleton, Arizona ;
7. Terry Wooden, Syracuse ;
8. Tony Bennett, Mississippi ;
9. Aaron Wallace, Texas A&M ;
10. Ron Cox, Fresno St. (Jr.) ;
11. Andre Collins, Penn St. ;
12. Brad Quast, Iowa ;
13. DeMond Winston, Vanderbilt ;
14. Darion Conner, Jackson St. ;
15. Bobby Houston, N. Carolina St. ;
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Defensive backs ;
1. James Williams, Fresno St. ;
2. Vince Buck, Central (Ohio) St. ;
3. Pat Terrell, Notre Dame ;
4. Mark Carrier, Southern Cal (Jr.) ;
5. Chris Oldham, Oregon ;
6. Alonzo Hampton, Pittsburgh ;
7. LeRoy Butler, Florida ;
8. Robert Blackmon, Baylor ;
9. Derrick Kelson, Purdue ;
10. Ben Smith, Georgia