Seattle Seahawks Draft: First-Round Options at Defensive End

John Schneider and Pete Carroll have made clear with their comments at their pre-draft press conference: A pass-rusher is a major focus in Round 1 of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Then again, Carroll and Schneider mentioned several times how much they value "offensive playmakers" and "guys that can score touchdowns." They also state a continued dedication to looking for quarterbacks in every stage of the draft, meaning nothing is certain in any round.

Schneider reportedly told nfl.com that there are two players that are "very attractive" to the Seahawks with the 12th pick on Thursday. However, Schneider has shown enough subterfuge in his tenure as the Seahawk general manager that "two" could actually mean one or three or four.

If the players Seattle has targeted at 12th are off the board, Schneider said the team will be ready to respond.

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We have to be prepared for other people to come to us. Either we have to be strong and just sit there and take a really cool player or be able to negotiate in a fast manner with a team trying to get up and just decided whether—say they give you two picks—if those two players' base would be worth the guy we'd be giving up.

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The intriguing question is who are the two players the Seahawks value with their pick? There has been ample speculation that Ryan Tannehill is one of them. He figures to be gone before their pick, though, and there is little reason to believe the Seahawks are willing to give up valued picks to move up.

Quite the opposite, actually. Seattle values their draft picks and Schneider insinuated in the aforementioned press conference that he plans to add more picks in this draft.

There is ample speculation about the second player on Schneider's radar. It could be a wide receiver like Michael Floyd. Some have mentioned David DeCastro, but the Seahawks feel very good about the status of their offensive line. With the free agency signings, using a high pick on a guard doesn't seem to be in the cards.

One player that could be targeted at 12th is Melvin Ingram, a pass-rusher that can work from the edge or interior of the line with the ability to drop back and play all three linebacker positions.

Ingram has a menacing spin move that will serve him well in the NFL. He can put his hand on the turf or play as a stand-up defender and fire past offensive tackles. He can also hold his ground at the line as a run defender, holding off blockers until the play develops. At times I would like to see more push from him, but that was more of a scheme issue than a talent or motivation concern. 

There is a very good chance Ingram will be snatched up before the Seahawks can send Roger Goodell to the podium, though. This would likely direct Seattle to trade mode. There are several quality options worth looking at later in Round 1.

During Monday's press conference, Carroll was asked what he will be looking for in an edge pass-rusher.

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One of the things is speed is really important. Speed is an important issue. We like speed. It begins with speed and from there how slippery is the guy, how uniquely talented is he to avoid and use his body to find the spaces and to adapt. That opens up the spectrum to us. There's guys we may see as linebackers that we like as rushers and there might be guys that are rushing that we might see as linebackers.

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A few top defensive end prospects that don't quite fit that mold are Quinton Coples, Chandler Jones and Vinny Curry. Coples has good size, but effort issues cloud his draft status. Add in an average 4.72 40-yard time with a slow 4.78-second 20-yard shuttle and the odds of him being targeted by the Seahawks seem low.

Curry and Jones both seemed to play slow. Curry also had most of his success against suspect competition, while Jones moved like a much bigger defensive end. Slow 40 times of 4.8+ seconds will likely push them down Seattle's draft board.

There are several tempting options from the middle of Round 1 through Round 2 and beyond.

Nick Perry is a player Carroll is very familiar with. He spoke highly of his play and character at Monday's press conference and his versatility as an edge-rusher and the ability to play linebacker in running situations make him an intriguing prospect.

Andre Branch has similar projections, as does Shea McClellin. There is a chance one of them would be available with the Seahawks second-round pick, but the Seahawks would likely hone in on one of the previous three options if they trade down in the first round.

A full ranking of defensive ends and outside linebackers, including combine performances, expand on these players and other options.

Bruce Irvin is another intriguing first round prospect. He is quick and athleti, but legal issues have followed him since dropping out of high school. It seemed like he finally had his act together, but was arrested between the combine and the draft for destruction of property...on an unsuspecting "Pita Pit" sign. 

Schneider responded to a question on his stance of passing on a top prospect in the 2011 draft because of significant character issues. "There's certain things that we will not put up with, but there's also certain things that are just college stuff that you sift trough. And believe me you sift through it. It's a (big) book like this (using corresponding hand gestures to represent unabridged dictionary-thick)."

It is difficult to project how Schneider and the Seahawks will look at Irvin's arrest history and association with drug dealing and robbery. It could move the best pure pass rusher off of Seattle's board.

Olivier Vernon is a player with second-round talent but a suspect college career. He was mixed up in Miami's pay-for-play scandal and has been available in the sixth-round of some mock drafts. However, he has the look and feel of an almost ideal fit for a Leo defensive end.

His draft status is murky, as is how the Seahawks' front office will look at the character concerns.

One thing is certain, though. The amount of time and preparation Seattle's draft team spends on prospects has paid dividends in the unit's first two ventures. Fans and analysts should expect nothing less from them during the 2012 NFL Draft.