2012 Late Round DB Gem For Seattle

John Schneider has a knack for finding outstanding outstanding DB late in the draft. 2 years ago it was safety Kam Chancellor, and last year is was CB Richard Sherman. Both were 5th round picks, and both played at a Pro-Bowl level this past season.

Over the past week, while I’ve been preparing my Big Board, I’ve been on the lookout for who this years late round DB gem might be. All season I’ve had my eye on Costal Carolina’s Josh Norman. Most draft site’s had him ranked in the 7th round area because of the school he played for, but I’ve seen him as a potential stud CB since the beginning. It seems the rest of the world is starting to get caught up on Norman. CBS has him rated at a 3rd round pick now, which means he’ll be gone long before the “late rounds” come around.

Instead, take a look at Brandon Hardin from Oregon State. He played CB in college, but his size (6-3, 216), and lack of speed (4.52 in the 40) means that NFL teams see him as a project to convert to FS. The thing is, those numbers are very similar to that of Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner, Seattle’s 2 starting CBs.

Hardin also didn’t play his senior season due to a shoulder injury, and thus wasn’t invited to the combine. All that plus the position change to FS, and Hardin looks to be a 6th to 7th round pick at best. But if the Seahawks see him as a CB, then he’ll have a lot more value to them than he would to another team.

The Seahawks also haven’t shown any reluctance to go out on a limb and draft someone who wasn’t invited to the combine. Last year’s 4th round pick, Kris Durham, was also a combine snub.