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NFL Draft Update: OLB

by Big Board
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Outside linebacker is a coveted position for teams that play a 3-4 defense because that’s where their pass rush comes from. For 4-3 defense teams like Seattle, it’s not a priority at all. This makes ranking OLBs on a big board to be more difficult that other positions.

This particular draft class is a little light on the top end, but has great depth in the middle rounds.

There’s plenty of outside linebackers in this year’s draft that Fit what the Seahawks like, but I think we should all pay close attention to Florida State’s Brandon Jenkins. I have him being drafted right about where I expect the Seahawks to be drafting in round 2. He’s a big and fast linebacker who’d be an upgrade of KJ Wright on the strong side, and would allow Wright to move inside to MLB where I think he’ll really excel.

Another player I think fits in will for the Seahawks is Tyler Nielsen from Iowa in the 4th round. He’s a very speedy LB with good pass rush skills who will really do well in the Seahawk’s WILL (weak side) linebacker spot.

Rank Player Pos

PRank

School

Ht.

Wt.

Zach Brown

OLB

1

North Carolina

6-2

230

Courtney Upshaw

OLB

2

Alabama

6-2

265
  Brandon Lindsey

OLB

3

Pittsburgh

6-2

250

Brandon Jenkins

OLB

4

Florida State

6-3

265

Ronnell Lewis

OLB

5

Oklahoma

6-2

244

Jarvis Jones

OLB

6

Georgia

6-2

242

Bruce Irvin

OLB

7

West Virginia

6-2

245

Lavonte David

OLB

8

Nebraska

6-1

225

Travis Lewis

OLB

9

Oklahoma

6-2

228

Sean Spence

OLB

10

Miami

5-11

224

Nigel Bradham

OLB

11

Florida State

6-2

240
  Keenan Robinson

OLB

12

Texas

6-3

240

Adrian Robinson

OLB

13

Temple

6-1

250

Tyler Nielsen

OLB

14

Iowa

6-3

235

Tank Carder

OLB

15

TCU

6-2

237

Darius Fleming

OLB

16

Notre Dame

6-2

255

Danny Trevathan

OLB

17

Kentucky

6-0

232

Kyle Wilber

OLB

18

Wake Forest

6-4

240

Tahir Whitehead

OLB

19

Temple

6-1

228

Sammy Brown

OLB

20

Houston

6-2

240

Josh Kaddu

OLB

21

Oregon

6-3

236

Manny Abreu

OLB

22

Rutgers

6-2

260

Jerrell Harris

OLB

23

Alabama

6-2

242

Demario Davis

OLB

24

Arkansas St

6-2

232

Alex Hoffman-Ellis

OLB

25

Washington St

6-1

232

Topics: NFL Draft

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Comments

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  • bomnom

    Why not draft a middle linebacker with a high football IQ and put Hawthorne back at OLB? All I really want in the draft besides offensive linemen is a fast middle linebacker who can chase down running backs when they bounce it to the outside and quarterbacks when they scramble (ugh that was ridiculous with Hanie in the first half). We need someone who can quarterback this defense in the future, I see leaders in our defense, but not ‘A’ leader like Ray Lewis who can make sure we are in the right look.

  • bomnom

    What do you think?

  • Pedrohawk

    Why not draft a middle linebacker with a high football IQ and put Hawthorne back at OLB? All I really want in the draft besides offensive linemen is a fast middle linebacker who can chase down running backs when they bounce it to the outside and quarterbacks when they scramble (ugh that was ridiculous with Hanie in the first half). We need someone who can quarterback this defense in the future, I see leaders in our defense, but not ‘A’ leader like Ray Lewis who can make sure we are in the right look.

  • Pedrohawk

    What do you think?

  • Keith_12thMR

    @bomnom I know i’ll take some flak for saying this, but I’m not a huge fan of Hawthorne. He’s undersized and takes a beating because of it. PC and JS have tried to make the Seahawks bigger and stronger at every position, so moving away from guys like Hawthorne makes sense. Hawthorne also struggles in pass coverage against TEs, which is part of the reason so many TEs have had huge days against the Seahawks this season.

    I’d much prefer the team keep Hill if they keep one of the 2 FA LBs, and draft/sign a big time MLB. That’s just my opinion.

  • Keith_12thMR

    @bomnom I know i’ll take some flak for saying this, but I’m not a huge fan of Hawthorne. He’s undersized and takes a beating because of it. PC and JS have tried to make the Seahawks bigger and stronger at every position, so moving away from guys like Hawthorne makes sense. Hawthorne also struggles in pass coverage against TEs, which is part of the reason so many TEs have had huge days against the Seahawks this season.

    I’d much prefer the team keep Hill if they keep one of the 2 FA LBs, and draft/sign a big time MLB. That’s just my opinion.

  • bomnom

    @Keith_12thMR What about Quintin Cople (I think i’m spelling that right) from North Carolina, ESPN is saying he might be the first defensive player in the draft. He looks like a sick pass rusher, what do you think about taking him first overall. I’m really leaning towards taking a linebacker or defensive end in the first round but then make sure we get an offensive linemen in the second round. How about you? And what do you think if Quintin Cople on the other side of Clemmons, that could be a really sick combination. Just looking at the Lions, a front four like that can just win games for you, period.

  • Keith_12thMR

    @bomnom Coples will be off the board long before the Seahawks pick if i had to guess. The guys is a beast of a pass rusher. Reminds me a lot of Denver’s Von Miller.

  • Keith_12thMR

    @bomnom I should also add that in my mock draft that’ll get posted in a couple days, I have the Seahawks selecting Coples. It’s a bit of whichful thinking

  • bomnom

    @Keith_12thMR I would say Linebacker and Offensive line are my first priorities, however Coples just looks too sick to not take if we had the opportunity. North Carolina looks like they have a couple good linebackers as well as Coples that could be had in day two. What position do you really want us to take first of all in the draft if we can’t get Coples? What about trading down for extra picks? That really worked well in this last draft.

  • Pedrohawk

    @Keith_12thMR What about Quintin Cople (I think i’m spelling that right) from North Carolina, ESPN is saying he might be the first defensive player in the draft. He looks like a sick pass rusher, what do you think about taking him first overall. I’m really leaning towards taking a linebacker or defensive end in the first round but then make sure we get an offensive linemen in the second round. How about you? And what do you think if Quintin Cople on the other side of Clemmons, that could be a really sick combination. Just looking at the Lions, a front four like that can just win games for you, period.

  • Keith_12thMR

    @bomnom Coples will be off the board long before the Seahawks pick if i had to guess. The guys is a beast of a pass rusher. Reminds me a lot of Denver’s Von Miller.

  • Keith_12thMR

    @bomnom I should also add that in my mock draft that’ll get posted in a couple days, I have the Seahawks selecting Coples. It’s a bit of whichful thinking

  • Pedrohawk

    @Keith_12thMR I would say Linebacker and Offensive line are my first priorities, however Coples just looks too sick to not take if we had the opportunity. North Carolina looks like they have a couple good linebackers as well as Coples that could be had in day two. What position do you really want us to take first of all in the draft if we can’t get Coples? What about trading down for extra picks? That really worked well in this last draft.

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