12th Man Rising
FanSided

Seahawks Draft Target – Nelson Agholor

By Dan Viens

facebooktwitterreddit

Now that you know which WR I least want the Seahawks to take with pick #63, let’s take a look at the guy I think they should wrap their arms around and run with if he’s still there in the 2nd round: USC’s Nelson Agholor.

In fact, I think the Seahawks would be wise to trade up to get him, and they may have to.

More from Seattle Seahawks Draft

Seemingly lost in the shuffle of the wow-this-is-a-really-deep-WR-class group of 2015, Agholor seems to be gaining steam as a “rising prospect.”  It’s a classic draft story; because he’s not the tallest (he’s 6’0″) or the fastest (4.4 in the 40), he slips through a lot of mock draft cracks.  And he also suffers from a negative perception attached to former highly-touted WR’s to come out of USC and fail to live up to lofty expectations.

But what he is could be exactly what the Seahawks want, and need.

Agholor has been called “slightly built” in more than one draft guide, but at 198 lbs he’s almost 20 lbs heavier than Paul Richardson was coming out last year at the same height, and he looks it.  He’s much more developed in his upper body, and his calves don’t look like they’re about to snap with each cut.

And cutting is something he does really well.  Agholor’s change of direction is more subtle and shifty than jock-strap-shaking, but he anticipates well and sets defenders up to miss, both when running after the catch and in the punt return game.  His ability as a returner is close to elite level, and it sets him apart from other average-sized receivers in this class.

He runs good routes, is well schooled in the NFL passing game after playing for both Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian at SC, and is a surprisingly willing blocker.

And then there’s this…..

Yeah, 104 catches!  Ridiculously productive despite the fact he was the featured weapon in the Trojans offense and typically drew the toughest CB assignment in a loaded Pac-12 conference.

And he did all this at the age of 21.  That’s right, he doesn’t turn 22 until after the draft.

I’ve seen Agholor mocked from as high as the late 1st round all the way down to where the Seahawks sit.  But sitting and waiting for him probably means they have to resort to Plan B.  As we get closer to the draft, we’re hearing more of this……

Which leads to the idea that the Hawks would have to move up in the 2nd round if Agholor is truly the guy they want. It would cost them a 4th rounder, most likely the 13th pick in the round they acquired from New Orleans in the Jimmy Graham trade.

It would be worth it.

Never mind that he’s not the big WR you want, or that he looks similar to Richardson on some levels.  He’s not.  And there’s no guarantee P-Rich will ever be a long-term answer after two severe knee injuries in the last couple of years. I think a more likely comp is DeSean Jackson.  Half a step slower and a few inches taller, but just as dynamic in the return game and with the ball in his hands.  He’s a really good football player, one who can develop into a true #1 receiver.  There are bigger WR’s you can get later in this draft to bolster the red zone attack.  Agholor is a guy who can score from anywhere on the field once you get the ball in his hands.

I’ll take a look at what a 7-round mock draft would look like for the Seahawks with a trade up to get Agholor next.

Stay tuned.

Next: Seahawks Eyeing Small School OL?

More from 12th Man Rising

Home/Seattle Seahawks Draft