Top 25 Seahawks Under 25: Part Three (#15-11)
Aug 17, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver/kick returner Jermaine Kearse (15) stiff arms Denver Broncos kicker Matt Prater (5) while running 107 yards for a kickoff return touchdown during the 1st half at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
As we get deeper into our “Top 25 Seahawks Under 25” countdown we start to see guys that are going to be counted on to make big contributions to this team for the first time. In case you missed the previous iterations they are here and here. The guys lower on the list tended to be talented players who provided solid depth or had untapped potential for future contributions but most of the players here will be making more visible contributions to the 2013 Seahawks. We start at #15:
#15: Jermaine Kearse
Height: 6-1
Weight: 209
Age: 23
40 time: 4.50
Years Pro: 2
Career Stats
League |
Games
Games Started
Receptions
Yards
Touchdowns
Yards per Reception
NCAA
50
36
180
2871
29
16.0
NFL
7
1
3
31
0
10.3
Summary: Kearse is not an elite athlete, but he is what people with limited vocabularies would call a “football player”. He had an extraordinarily productive NCAA career and has shown well in camp and the preseason. Receiver is a position of depth on this team so don’t expect him to put up big numbers, but he’s a nice guy to have around. I’m pretty high on Kearse and I think he has a chance to be productive if something were to happen to Doug Baldwin. He also provides special teams coverage value which is more than can be said for many of his fellow receivers. He may not have the highest ceiling but he’s one of the players here that inspires the most confidence regarding his ability make an impact today.
#14: Luke Willson
Height: 6-6
Weight: 251
Age: 23
40 time: 4.51
Years Pro: R
Career Stats
League |
Games
Games Started
Receptions
Yards
Touchdowns
Yards per Reception
NCAA
45
2
78
986
9
12.6
NFL
0
0
0
0
0
0
Summary: Luke Willson is a personal favorite of mine and an absolute monster in terms of pure athleticism. Although he has been billed as a pretty raw player he has made an impact in the preseason and has locked down the 2nd tight end spot on this team. The bad news is that the 2nd tight end role should be familiar to him as that’s largely the one he played in college. Willson has a baseball background so perhaps he’s just something of a late bloomer but his lack of ability to produce at the NCAA level of somewhat concerning. However, this front office knows what they are doing and Willson has a Sistine Chapel-esque ceiling on account of his fantastic measurables. Perhaps more importantly, he also has an opportunity.
#13: Jordan Hill
Height:6-1
Weight: 303
Age:22
40 time: 5.02
Years Pro: R
Career Stats
League |
Games
Games Started
Tackles
Assists
Sacks
Forced Fumbles
Passes Defended
NCAA
26
17
51
72
8.5
2
3
NFL
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Summary: This year’s 3rd round pick, Jordan Hill offers some substantial pass rushing potential and had been having an excellent camp before being sidelined by injury. Had he remained healthy it seems that he likely would have opened the season opposite Brandon Mebane on the starting unit. However, now he is out for a few weeks and will have to earn his way back into the rotation. I suspect he will. Definitely a guy to watch in the years to come.
#12: Jeremy Lane
Height: 6-0
Weight: 190
Age: 23
40 time: 4.48
Years Pro: 2
Career Stats
League |
Games
Games Started
Tackles
Assists
Interceptions
Forced Fumbles
Passes Defended
NCAA
42
14
104
31
4
1
20
NFL
13
3
8
7
0
0
0
Summary: Lane is another one of Carroll’s bigger corners, although he doesn’t compare to Sherman or Browner in the size department. Last year he stepped in from Brandon Browner when he was serving his suspension and acquitted himself quite well, not looking out of place at all. Given Walter Thurmond’s return to health Lane is unlikely to see a lot of time on defense barring injury. Barring injury is the operative term there. Thurmond is made of glass so there’s a good chance we see Lane in a sizable role at some point in 2013. In addition to his defensive responsibilities Lane has also returned kickoffs in Percy Harvin’s absence and plays a role on coverage teams. The type of player that quietly helps teams win.
#11: Malcolm Smith
Height: 6-1
Weight: 225
Age: 24
40 time: 4.44
Years Pro: 3
Career Stats
League |
Games
Games Started
Tackles
Assists
Sacks
Forced Fumbles
Passes Defended
NCAA
46
22
101
73
1
4
6
NFL
28
3
14
14
1
1
2
Summary: This former 7th round pick out of USC may be undersized but he can absolutely fly. The presumptive starter at OLB alongside Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright, Malcolm Smith has definitely come up in the world over the last couple of years. Pete Carroll has had Smith for a number of years now and showed a great deal of faith in him in the offseason by not signing an OLB as a free agent or drafting one in the first couple of rounds. Smith performed admirably in three starts last year and Seattle will be looking for much of the same this year. It will be interesting to see if defensive looks involving Avril or Irvin at OLB will cost Smith playing time as the season goes on.
The player’s listed here are valuable contributors but as these rankings continue we will start to see some of the best players on this team. Tune in tomorrow for #’s 10-6.