Defensive End: Seahawks draft prospects, post combine

Potential Defensive End targets, post combine.

Michael Bennett is officially gone; pass rush just became a major priority for the Seahawks.  When looking at defensive end, the key components are the three cone drill and the 10 yard split.  Three cone drill shows their ability to bend and lean around corners to get to the quarterback.  The 10 yard split is all about initial burst and quickness.  Todd McShay of ESPN.com wrote an excellent piece explaining the numbers to know by drill and what they mean.

For the three cone drill, a good number is anything 7.09 seconds or below.  An excellent number for a pass rusher is anything sub seven seconds.  When looking at the combo guys, pay more attention to the 10 yard split.

After trading Bennett and bringing Ken Norton Jr. back as the defensive coordinator, I think Seattle is going to get back to their Super Bowl days of having four actual pass rushers on the field on obvious passing downs.  That means some hybrid defensive end / tackle guys and speed rushers off the edge.  Here is a look at what the draft has to offer.

Defensive Ends

Harold Landry – 6’3″ – 252 lbs. – 1.59 10 yard split – 6.88 sec. 3 cone – Boston College

Seattle Seahawks

Landry is a guy I really like.  He didn’t have the production this past season, but the year before he had 16 sacks.  He is a little tight in the backpedal, which is fine for me in Seattle.  I want him at defensive end.  Landry has good feet, but looked at the bag each time in the stack and shed.  The Boston College standout really needs to just come forward.  He has the skills for more, but his best skill is rushing the passer. He  looked natural getting around the corner.  Leaned well and exploded his hands and hips through.  Hands were not as violent, however.   Had some pop in his hands in the stack and shed, but didn’t look to stack, was just hitting the bag to thump.  Hips looked nice in the transition to shed, however he put his head down the entire time.  I wanted Landry to look poor in the linebacker drills to limit the amount of teams looking at him, but he showed a nice change of direction.  Really opened his hips well, although still tight in the back pedal, but flipped his hips like a pro.  He could be a rush linebacker in a 3-4 also.

Dorance Armstrong Jr.  – 6’4″ – 257 lbs. – 1.73 10 yard split – 7.12 sec. 3 cone – Kansas

Armstrong is a tweener defensive end / linebacker prospect.  His specialty is getting after the quarterback right now.  He exhibited a great club and bend, but needs to learn the rip. He  demonstrated the swim instead.  Didn’t show the rip either direction in the club and rip drill.  Bent his waist, not his hips in the stack and shed drill, and his hands pushed down, rather than up as you are supposed to. He is a raw talent, needs technique work.  The Kansas product showed nice change of direction in linebacker movement drills.  Needs to learn the drop, but he looked smooth even when he had no clue what he was doing.  He has some talent that just needs to be unlocked.

Ade Aruna – 6’5″ – 262 lbs. –  1.60 10 yard split – 7.53 sec. 3 cone – Tulane

Aruna is a relatively unknown player to most.  He played at Tulane and played out of position as a five technique defensive tackle.  During the drills he displayed powerful hands, but didn’t have good rip or club technique.  Really just beat the bag up with a straight punch then ran around it.  His first time through the stack and shed looked perfect, but he rushed it on the way back and lost the form.  Bent at the waist consistently throughout the day.  Nice change of direction and really was able to unlock his hips.  Raw prospect with definite burst.

Marcus Davenport – 6’5″ – 264 lbs. – 1.63 10 yard split – 7.20 sec. 3 cone – UTSA

Davenport will likely go in the top 10 to 12 picks.  He just keeps flying up the boards since the Senior Bowl.  He is a raw, fluid athlete, but it feels like he has a lot to learn.  Displays a great club, rip and lean.   Needs to club with more authority, but hit the bag well and used it to bring his rip arm through as you are supposed to.  During the stack and shed, he looked down, and didn’t drop his hips at all.  Will definitely need to work on stack and shed.  Looked very comfortable and showed a nice change of direction in each drill.  Looked very capable in the linebacker drills.  Hips opened up well.  His basketball background helped him to catch the ball better than the other prospects too.  Mike Mayock of NFL Network compared this guy to beast defensive end Ziggy Ansah several times throughout the day.