Mel Kiper mocks Washington OL prospect to Seahawks in first round

A new mock from Mel Kiper at ESPN has Seattle selecting Fautanu at No. 16 overall and playing him at left guard.

The Seahawks haven’t drafted a whole lot of players from Washington, at least not during the Pete Carroll era. That may change this year, as the team has hired former Huskies offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb as their new OC. Grubb’s offense was one of the best in college football in 2023 – and while his playcalling had something to do with it there was a ton of talent on that unit. Fans should expect to see at least one or two Washington players picked when Seattle is on the clock in the 2024 NFL draft.

The highest-ranked prospect for Washington is wide receiver Rome Odunze, who is projected to be a top-10 pick and therefore will be out of Seattle’s range. Next up there’s left tackle Troy Fautanu, who makes a lot of sense to draft given his familiarity with Grubb’s offense and the Seahawks’ desperate need to upgrade every part of their offensive line.

A new mock from Mel Kiper at ESPN has Seattle selecting Fautanu at No. 16 overall and playing him at left guard, replacing soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Damien Lewis.

“OK, so guard might not be the most exciting position for a mock draft, but I can assure you that Seahawks fans should be happy with Fautanu, who could stay near where he went to college. That’s because he’s a fun offensive line prospect to watch on tape. He has excellent feet and plays hard on every snap. Fautanu started 28 games at left tackle for the Huskies, but I see his future on the interior because of his 6-foot-4 frame. With Evan Brown, Damien Lewis and Phil Haynes all free agents, Seattle will have holes to fill along the interior of its line. And Seattle ranked 28th in rushing yards per game (92.9), surely new coordinator Ryan Grubb wants to see upgrades there. Fautanu would give this offense an instant boost.”

Fautanu (6-foot-4, 295 pounds) is the team’s most logical target if they intend to stay at that No. 16 overall spot. However, we’re not crazy about using him at guard. Fautanu may be slightly undersized for a pro tackle but we feel he could succeed on the blindside at the NFL level – better than Charles Cross has thus far, anyway.

While we like Fautanu, there’s also a good case to trade down from No. 16 and recoup the second-round pick the Seahawks lost to the Giants in the Leoanrd Williams trade. It’s unlikely Fautanu will still be available later in the first round, so the target then would most likely be his teammate, Huskies quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

Here’s the highlight reel for Fautanu.

Other Huskies who will be worth watching throughout draft season include Edge Bralen Trice (who they have already met with), running back Dillon Johnson, wide receivers Jalen McMillan and Ja’Lynn Polk, tight ends Devin Culp and Jack Westover and right tackle Roger Rosengarten.

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Brian Baldinger breaks down Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.’s game

The 2024 NFL draft features a deep and talented class of prospects at the quarterback position.

The 2024 NFL draft features a deep and talented class of prospects at the quarterback position. There are a few who are ranked higher than him, but our favorite in the bunch is Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., who just led the nation in passing yards this past season under new Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. Penix also finished second in Heisman voting behind LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.

While there are legitimate concerns about Penix’s knees given his injury history, wherever he winds up going at the next level that team will be getting a polished and poised QB who has all the skills he needs to succeed in the NFL. Watch Brian Baldinger break down some of the things Penix does well on the field.

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Chargers 2024 NFL draft target: Washington WR Rome Odunze

Putting Washington WR Rome Odunze under a microscope to highlight his strengths, weaknesses and fit with the Chargers.

Over the next couple of months, we are going to be taking a look at a handful of draft prospects leading up to the 2024 NFL draft.

With the Chargers having needs at various positions, we will do our best to evaluate the players that we feel fit the team precisely.

Today, I take a look at Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze.

Vitals

Height: 6-3

Weight: 215

College Bio Page

Stats

Elevator pitch

Odunze is a contested-catch fiend who wins with raw athleticism, the ability to run routes effectively, deep ball tracking, body control, projecting as a solid starter in the NFL.

Strengths

Big-body receiver with ideal size and strength…Smooth-gliding athlete…Easy mover with fluid body movements and doesn’t play with tightness…Detailed route-runner and each step has a purpose…Vertical push to eat away at cushions…Has a huge catch radius…Times the ball well on jump balls and highpoints with long arms…Plus play strength to fend off downfield contact…Flashes acceleration and power to be a threat after the catch.

Weaknesses

Not slow, but isn’t the fastest receiver…Routes can be easily altered by press or physical coverage…Untested vs. double coverage.

Awards

Consensus All-American (2023)

First-team All-Pac-12 (2022, 2023)

Red Flags

N/A

Fit Likelihood

High

Grade

1st

Highlights

 

 

 

Seahawks finalize hiring of former Huskies OL coach Scott Huff

Ryan Grubb is the new Seahawks offensive coordinator and he’s bringing at least one friend with him.

Ryan Grubb is the new Seahawks offensive coordinator and he’s bringing at least one friend with him.

According to a report by Tom Pelissero at NFL Network, Seattle has finalized the hiring of former Washington offensive line coach Scott Huff to fill the same position on head coach Mike Macdonald’s staff.

Huff had been Washington’s OL coach since the 2020 season and before that (2017-2019) he was their offensive line/run game coordinator.

Fans who are thrilled by the news should keep in mind that the Huskies had arguably the best offensive line in the country last season. Meanwhile, the Seahawks had one of the worst in the NFL – and it will take time to build that unit up.

To start with, Seattle might consider targeting Huskies left tackle Troy Fautanu in the first round of the draft. Charles Cross had a promising rookie season but regressed in a bad way in 2023, especially in pass protection. Difficult as it is to swallow, finding potential replacements for Cross and right tackle Abe Lucas – who has a long-term knee injury – should be on the menu this offseason.

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Seahawks considering Ryan Grubb for offensive coordinator

Seahawks considering Ryan Grubb for offensive coordinator

The Seahawks have their new head coach. Now it’s time for Mike Macdonald to fill out the rest of his staff for the 2024 season.

The most important hire that Macdonald will make in the coming days is offensive coordinator. On that note we may already have a candidate.

According to 247Sports, Seattle is considering Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb for their own OC position.

Grubb actually just left the Seattle area, following former Huskies head coach Kaelin DeBoer over to Alabama when he replaced Nick Saban as their head coach. DeBoer has gotten much of the hype and credit, but Grubb was calling plays and Washington had one of the top offenses in the nation this year. For the conspiracy-minded, hiring Grubb could be an indication of interest in drafting quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who’s coming off two magnificent seasons at Washington.

In related news, at least one defensive coordinator candidate is off the table for Macdonald. Former Baltimore linebacker Zachary Orr is sticking with the Ravens, replacing Macdonald as their defensive coordinator.

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College Football: Joel Klatt reveals new top 10 rankings

The right No. 1?

Another week of college football has come and gone, and it was certainly an entertaining Saturday.

The game of the day wound up being Washington beating Oregon in a thriller while Notre Dame dismantling USC brought an end to the Trojans hopes of making the College Football Playoff.

So what should the rankings look like following this weekend?

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt announced the Michigan win over Indiana on Saturday and released his new top 10, along with a couple near-misses, on Saturday night.

Here’s how Klatt rated the top 10 immediately following Week 7 of the 2023 college football season.

Way-too-early 2024 mock draft projects Saints to pick Washington DE Bralen Trice

This way-too-early 2024 mock draft from USA Today projects the New Orleans Saints to (eventually) pick big Washington Huskies defensive end Bralen Trice:

The ink is still drying on the 2023 NFL draft and we’re already seeing mock drafts for the 2024 cycle. What are we doing? More importantly, who are the New Orleans Saints being linked to?

One projection comes from USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, who likes the Saints to end up with Washington Huskies defensive end Bralen Trice. Here’s what he wrote of the player, using the current Super Bowl odds to determine draft order (putting the Saints at No. 19):

Despite using a second-rounder on Notre Dame defensive end Isaiah Foskey, the Saints should keep mulling their pass-rush plans, especially with Cameron Jordan turning 34 in July. The 6-4, 267-pound Trice led all Power Five edge rushers last season with 70 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, while notching nine sacks.

Trice is one of the top pass rushers eligible for next year’s draft, and if he builds on his momentum he’ll have no problem securing a spot in the first round of selections. The Saints have a clear long-term need at defensive end with only Foskey (once he formally signs), Tanoh Kpassagnon, and Payton Turner under contract through 2024, so they’ll likely be replacing either Jordan or Carl Granderson in the near future. Trice fits the athletic prototype they value with a big frame and real power off the edge, so he’s someone to watch when the college football season kicks off in the fall.

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Notre Dame bowl projections following win over Navy

Is there a Mayo dumping in Marcus Freeman’s future?

Where will Notre Dame be headed this postseason?  It seems like the answer to that question is one of two places.  Either out west to take on a Pac-12 opponent in a bowl game the Irish have never participated in before, or to Jacksonville to take on an SEC foe in a game Notre Dame hasn’t played in since the conclusion of Tyrone Willingham’s first season as head coach.

However, there are a couple of others to put into the mix and one or two that we’ll file under the category of “I’ll have what he’s having”.  Check out the latest bowl projections for Notre Dame from the national prognosticators below.

USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll: Top 25 scores for CRAZY Week 4

Nearly a quarter of the teams (6) ranked in the top 25 lost on Saturday and a couple more barely held on.

The opening month of college football for the 2022 season has come and gone, and although there appear to be three absolute powerhouses compared to the rest nationally, this has been an incredible start to the fall.

This weekend may have been the craziest. A pair of top-10 teams fell while another escaped in dramatic fashion. If you missed any of the action Saturday or simply just want to relive how crazy of day it was in this already crazy season, scroll below to see the results of all 25 teams ranked in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll this week.

Seahawks cornerback Sidney Jones will be staying in Seattle

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Sidney Jones will be staying in the Emerald City on a one-year deal with incentives up to $4.4 million in 2022.

The Seattle Seahawks have been busy Monday morning, the first day of the legal tampering period ahead of the official start of free agency. After agreeing to terms with safety Quandre Diggs, the Seahawks are also locking up another member of their secondary.

Per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, cornerback Sidney Jones will be staying in the Emerald City.

The Seahawks are bringing back CB Sidney Jones, source says,” Garafolo tweeted. “Last season was by far his most productive for him, with a career-high 16 games played.”

The deal is reportedly for one year, worth $3.6 million with incentives that could earn Jones up to $4.4 million.

Jones was selected by the Eagles in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft out of Washington and spent three seasons in Philadelphia before he was eventually cut. After one year in Jacksonville, he was traded to the Seahawks last August for a sixth-round draft pick.

For the latest free agency moves in Seattle, follow our tracker here.

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