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NFL Draft 2011: Nolan Nawrocki calls Marvin Austin an “excuse-making con artist.”

Nolan Nawrocki pulls no punches. (This guy belongs on a roast.)

In a piece published Monday on players with character concerns (thank you Gregg Rosenthal at PFT for the tip-off), Nawrocki—the Pro Football Weekly scribe who eviscerated Cam Newton—does something similar to Marvin Austin:

Interviewed very poorly at the Combine, very selfishly throwing his college under the bus and refusing to take responsibility for any of the wrongdoings that led to his dismissal from the team. Has earned a reputation in the NFL scouting community as a "finger-pointing, excuse-making con artist" who does not know what it means to lead.

He continues that Austin “coasted way too much on his natural talent throughout college,” and “set back the UNC program by accepting improper gifts and was called ‘the ringleader’ that led to investigations affecting the eligibility of 13 player.”

In closing:

Has clear first-round talent as one-gap penetrator in a 4-3 defense after showing well at the East-West Shrine game and at the Combine, and could fit into the back of the first round, but a number of teams have said they would not consider him until the third round, or would not want him at any price because of the way he will affect a locker room.

On a related note, Austin will potentially be available to the Seahawks with the 25th pick in the draft.

Get excited.

(Check out this week's Seattle Seahawks Draft Blog.)

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Prince Amukamara’s 2011 NFL Draft profile for the Seattle Seahawks

Editor’s note: There’s no way he’s heading to Seattle, but I didn’t want to deprive you of good reading.

Player: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska

Age: 21

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 206

2010 Stats: 59 tackles, 13 pass breakups, 0 interceptions.

Career Stats: 152 tackles, 27 pass breakups, 5 interceptions, 5 sacks.

Strengths: Confident, smart, and while not really a burner (nor a quick-twitch accelerator), his anticipation and route recognition are very good—just a notch below elite.

Quick to diagnose runs and screens.

Fluid for his size and can turn and run with nearly anyone, yet physical in press coverage and does a nice job of disrupting WR release.

Very aware, adept in zone as well.

Good ball skills, is aggressive and shows natural hands when going for the interception. Can catch the ball outside of his frame and thus make plays that he shouldn’t.

Very active, very solid vs. the run. Not an explosive hitter, but a very efficient tackler.

Tremendous durability; played 47 games over four seasons at Nebraska and did not miss any time due to injury.

No character issues. Really, few issues at all.

Weaknesses: As aforementioned, not quite an elite athlete (a la Patrick Peterson), but very, very good.

Doesn’t burst into breaks like say, Deion Sanders, and he can lose momentum when having to make sudden 180-degree turns, but who doesn’t?

Sometimes is a quarter-count late in finding the ball, but for the most part, that’s not an issue.

These are Amukamara’s weaknesses, but he’s not really bad at anything.

Perspectives:

Chad Reuter, CBSSports.com:

Amukamara believes he is an impact cornerback, and treated the scouting combine as a business trip to silence his critics. For those who questioned his straight-line speed? "I think some people don't know what they're talking about," Amukamara said two days before he dropped a 4.38-second 40-yard dash.

Amukamara is a former point guard who sees himself as a leader on the defensive side of the ball. He has talked to former Nebraska teammate Ndamukong Suh, the No. 2 overall pick last year by Detroit, and plans on bringing that confident attitude to the NFL. He's concerned only about making his own impact at the next level, and not trying to compare himself to others.

Rob Rang, nfldraftscout.com:

Overrated: Prince Amukamara, Nebraska: Amukamara has proven throughout his career that he has the size, physicality and athleticism to be a first-round pick. Most teams believe that to warrant consideration as a top-10 pick, a cornerback has to have elite ball skills. This is the area of concern for Amukamara, despite the fact that he was a standout running back in high school. Amukamara intercepted only five of the 27 passes he broke up over his career. Oddly, all five interceptions came during his junior season. -

Why he’s a fit for Seattle:

I’m going to steal some of my Petersonian sentiments here…

Seattle could use a corner and Amukamara is a really, really good one. He’d be the best in most drafts. He’s not the explosive, game-changing athlete that PP is, but he’s more versatile and in many ways more aware as a player.

I pointed this out with Peterson, but here goes again: Had Seattle not won their last game of the season (thereby making the playoffs and sacrificing, I believe, 17 spots in the draft), they would have had a shot at him.

By no means is it a bummer that they won—“you play to win the game”—but it does make you think that Seattle might be under-drafting a bit this year.

(Check out this week's Seattle Seahawks Draft Blog.)

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Patrick Peterson’s 2011 NFL Draft profile for the Seattle Seahawks

Like Von Miller before them, the next two guys are equal-opportunity profiles. There’s no way they’re headed to Seattle, but I didn’t want to deprive you of good reading.

Player: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU

Age: 20

Height: 6’0 1/4“

Weight: 219

2010 Stats: 42 tackles, 6 pass breakups, 4 interceptions. (Plus 32 kickoff returns for 932 yards—29.1 avg.; 26 punt returns for 418 yards—16.1 avg. and 2 TD.)

Career Stats: 131 tackles, 22 pass breakups, 7 interceptions, 1 forced fumble.

(What you are about to read is an almagamation of perspectives from CNNSI.com, ESPN.com, and NFL DraftScout.com. In theory, that should make the resulting scouting report superior to any of those aforementioned.)

Strengths: Unbelievable combination of height, strength, and top-end speed (ran a 4.31 40-yard-dash at the combine).

Plays with a swagger, and can be left on an island. Smooth, athletic, and capable of effectively mirroring receivers in man.

Can turn and locate the ball, takes good angles and does a nice job of being aggressive without drawing a pass interference call. Big frame allows him to hold his own in jump ball situations.

Route recognition and anticipation are both good, but not elite.

Has an appropriate degree of short-term memory loss, won’t let anything linger.

Could be a tad more aggressive, but for the most part very good in run support.

Also, thought this was of note from ESPN:

Comes from good bloodlines: related to Pittsburgh Steelers CB Bryant McFadden, New York Giants WR Sinorice Moss and Washington Redskins WR Santana Moss. Recipient of multiple team awards for his performance during spring of 2010. Very competitive player. Driven to succeed.

Weaknesses: Sometimes overaggressive and undisciplined in zone coverage, and can be late in getting his head around against sideline routes. You’re definitely better off manning him up consistently.

And the following, which actually surprised me a bit (from ESPN as well): “Closing burst is good but not great. Lacks elite extra gear to consistently recover once caught in trail position.”

So take that as you will.

Perspectives:

Rob Rang, CBSSports.com:

Having proven himself to be a shutdown corner and dynamic returner against SEC competition, Peterson rates as one of the elite prospects of the 2011 draft. In fact, some view Peterson as the draft's top player. He's likely to earn a top five selection and could challenge former Ohio State star Shawn Springs (drafted No. 3 overall by Seattle in 1997) as the highest drafted cornerback in modern league history.

Peter King, SI: “The Bills like Von Miller and Patrick Peterson a lot. Not saying they'll take either. Just saying they're high on both, and even though GM Buddy Nix has been at every top quarterback's workout, Buffalo-watchers think it's more likely the team will go defense.”

Why he’s a fit for Seattle:

Seattle could use a corner badly, and they could use a safety even worse.

Patrick Peterson projects well as either.

Had Seattle not won their last game of the season (thereby making the playoffs and sacrificing, I believe, 17 spots in the draft), they would have had a shot at him.

(Check out this week's Seattle Seahawks Draft Blog.)

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

NFL Draft 2011: Seattle Seahawks NFL Draft Profile Directory, Take One.

I did this for the 49ers blog and thought it might be of use for you guys as well. We’ve been doing a lot of player profiles of late, so let’s organize them for easy viewing.

The following is the first installment of our new series—Potential Seahawks:

***

Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas

Jake Locker, QB, Washington

Andy Dalton, QB, TCU

Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State

A.J. Green, WR, Georgia

Julio Jones, WR, Alabama

Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh

Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland

Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina

Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson

Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M

Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU

Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska

***

This list will be a lot longer by draft day.

(Somewhat applicable, though a wee bit dated: Consensus Mock Draft as of 3/20/11.)

(Check out this week's Seattle Seahawks Draft Blog.)

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Christian Ponder’s 2011 NFL Draft profile for the Seattle Seahawks.

Player: Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State

Age: 23

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 229

2010 Stats: 2,044 yards, 20 TD and 8 INT, 61.5 % comp. (Plus 100 carries for 180 yards—1.8 avg.—and 4 TD.)

Career Stats: 6,872 yards, 49 TD and 30 INT, 61.8 % comp. (Plus 296 carries for 833—2.8 avg.—and 10 TD)

Strengths: Ponder is very smart, and “at his best when he can make a pre-snap read, make his 3-5-7 step drop, and get the ball out quickly.” (ESPN.)

Can get the ball out in a hurry and is, for the most part, good with his short-range accuracy—especially when throwing over the middle (“slants, skinny posts, in routes, etc.”). (Again, ESPN.)

NFL-caliber tough (both physically and mentally). A leader who commands the huddle.

Very mobile, very quick feet, and has the burst of a back when he goes to scramble—plus, he’s fast and elusive once he decides to go.

Has improved his game each year in college.

Weaknesses: Still will telegraph too many of his throws, and struggles at times when his primary receiver is covered.

Takes too many chances and will force the ball into inappropriately tight windows, trusting his arm way more than he should.

Strong arm, but not dynamically so—only gets adequate zip on the deep out, and will float a deep ball on occasion.

Durability is a concern. Well built, but his style of play makes him susceptive to injury.

Ponder suffered a season-ending shoulder separation in 2009 that required surgery by famed orthopedist James Andrew. He then battled through a series of injuries and at least one concussion during his senior season that limited his ability to throw deep.

Perspectives:

Andrew Carter, Orlando Sentinal, on Ponder’s recent pro day:

Since Ponder played his final game at Florida State he has attempted to prove that the arm injuries that hampered his senior season are indeed a thing of the past. Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher, for one, was convinced on Wednesday during Florida State’s annual Pro Day at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Ponder threw with confidence and with the kind of velocity that was sometimes missing during the 2010 season, when he played through several nagging arm injuries. Fisher said Ponder’s arm looked “like it was as a junior.”

“Back to full strength and full go,” Fisher said. “And he doesn’t have any pain. And [it’s] just like it was – it’s fully healthy now.”

That’s good news for Ponder, who has steadily improved his NFL Draft stock since his college career ended. ...

Ponder declined to specify which NFL teams have given him the most attention but he said, “I’m getting a lot of interest – getting a lot of love. Which is good.”

Why he’s a fit for Seattle:

Ponder is a leader, he’s athletic, and he’s tough enough to grind out some games. He’s an interesting fit for Seattle, but ultimately I see them going in another direction.

The Seahawks would presumably tailor their WCO to fit Ponder’s ability to move outside the pocket, but I don’t see the type of consistent accuracy from him that’s going to make that system click consistently.

He’s like a poor man’s Jake Locker (about whom I share all the aforementioned qualms).

Considering the Seahawks will have a chance to draft the actual Jake Locker at 25, and considering Ponder is now looking like a late first/early second round prospect, I don’t see how he gets to Seattle.

(Check out this week's Seattle Seahawks Draft Blog.)

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Von Miller’s 2011 NFL Draft profile for the Seattle Seahawks.

This is an equal opportunity profile.

In no way do I think Von Miller is headed to Seattle, but why should that preclude Seattleites from reading about him?

Geographic equality. That’s what I’m all about.

Player: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M

Age: 22

Height: 6’2 5/8“

Weight: 237

2010 Stats: 59 tackles, 10.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss, 3 forced fumbles, 1 interception.

Career Stats: 172 tackles, 33 sacks, 50.5 tackles for loss, 10 forced fumbles, 1 interception.

(What you are about to read is an almagamation of perspectives from CNNSI.com, ESPN.com, and NFL DraftScout.com. In theory, that should make the resulting scouting report superior to any of those aforementioned.)

Strengths: Incredible speed; can cover a ton of space and cover it quickly. He ran a 4.49 40-yard-dash at his pro day.

Wide array of rush moves, combined with great instincts and good tackling ability. He’s quick to diagnose and disrupt.

Fluid athlete, smooth in coverage and can turn and run with backs/tight ends.

Big time playmaker with a great motor, he’s been extremely productive for two years now.

Pretty solidly established as the top linebacker in the draft, and is a flat out explosive edge rusher.

Weaknesses: Pretty small frame, and can get overwhelmed at the point of attack.

Struggles against the run, and needs to be more consistent in finding the right angles—will over pursue and allow cutbacks.

His weaknesses are essentially all derivative of the same issue: He needs to continue to add strength. How much his frame can hold is up for debate, and the extent to which he can bulk up without losing his quickness will ultimately determine his ceiling as a player.

Perspectives:

Mel Kiper, via ESPN:

"He led the nation in sacks two years ago and would have this year had he not had the ankle injury early on. Then you think about leverage coming off the edge. The kid gets like a motorcycle driver coming around the corner. You wonder how some of those guys can stay on the bike on motocross and this guy is the same way. He comes around that edge and I don't even know how he stays on his feet. He gets this tremendous leverage on those big tackles and they just can't handle him."

Why he’s a fit for Seattle:

You know, if it’s any consolation to those who’ve fallen in love with Von Miller…he’s not the best fit for the Seahawks.

Sure, Seattle could use an edge rusher (who couldn’t?) and they need to find a lineman who can get to the quarterback, but that’s not really Von Miller. He’s an elite sack artist with elite speed, but he’s small to the point that it’s no sure bet he’ll thrive on the weak side in a 4-3.

He’s a 3-4 edge rusher, and that’s not what Seattle needs.

Unless he somehow falls to 25. Then, awesome.

(Check out this week's Seattle Seahawks Draft Blog.)

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Torrey Smith 2011 NFL Draft profile for the Seattle Seahawks.

Player: Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland

Age: 22

Height: 6’0 7/8“

Weight: 204

2010 Stats: 67 rec. for 1,055 yards (15.7 avg.) and 12 TD.

Career Stats: 152 rec. for 2,215 yards (14.6 avg.) and 19 TD.

(What you are about to read is an almagamation of perspectives from CNNSI.com, ESPN.com, and NFL DraftScout.com, which is essentially just CBSSports.com. In theory, that should make the resulting scouting report superior to any of those aforementioned.)

Strengths: A true burner—Smith shows rare acceleration and an NFL-caliber second gear. Will stretch the field from day one.

Decent, but not outstanding hands. (I guess that’s a strength.)

Very good body control to track the deep ball, but as ESPN notes, “a bit inconsistent when having to make elite over the shoulder catch.”

Times his leap well and as a result is a pretty good jump baller for a 6-0 receiver.

Tough, passionate, and will give effort as a run blocker.

Weaknesses: Not especially elusive; Smith won’t dance his way in and out of traffic ala DeSean Jackson. He’ll need a seam.

Still raw in his route running, in his ability to separate. Too much wasted motion often times negates his speed, and can peek too soon when throttling down thereby giving away his route early. He’s learning.

Can struggle getting a clean release against press coverage and needs to do a better job of using his hands in such situations.

Perspectives:

Kevin Weidl, ESPN:

Smith (6-0 7/8, 204) is a flat-out blazer who can take the lid off a defense in a hurry. He also shows the ability to adjust to the deep ball, and when he gets the ball in the flats or on shorter routes, he has the skills to make things happen. Smith also can contribute as a return man, and scouts rave about his character and accountability.

ESPN:

Overcame a tough upbringing. Oldest of seven siblings to a single mother (Monica) and took on the role of a father figure at the age of seven. Humble, respectful and a person of great integrity. Coaches rave about his character and approach to life. Very mature individual who had to grow up early in life. NFL stage will not be too big for him and should have no problems making the transition.

Why he’s a fit for Seattle:

Like Jonathan Baldwin (profiled here), Smith figures to be available to Seattle, and quite possibly in the second-round.

The Seahawks need to address the receiver position, and provided they snag a quarterback or DE somewhere in the draft, Torrey Smith would be a wise investment.

He is well built, improving, and blazingly fast—the latter of which makes him an ideal complement to Mike Williams.

If a quarterback is going to succeed in Seattle, he’ll need weapons.

Torrey Smith would be a good one to add.

(Check out this week's Seattle Seahawks Draft Blog.)

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Jonathan Baldwin 2011 NFL Draft profile for the Seattle Seahawks

Player: Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh

Age: 21

Height: 6’4 3/8”

Weight: 228

2010 Stats: 53 rec. for 822 yards (15.5 avg.) and 5 TD.

Career Stats: 128 rec. for 2,337 yards (18.3 avg.) and 16 TD.

(What you are about to read is an almagamation of perspectives from CNNSI.com, ESPN.com, and NFL DraftScout.com, which is essentially just CBSSports.com. In theory, that should make the resulting scouting report superior to any of those aforementioned.)

Strengths: Tremendous hands, catches the ball naturally and away from his frame. Can pluck balls out and away from his body that few others can.

Knows how to use his size to shield defenders, and is a really tough tackle.

While he it takes him some time to get rolling (we’ll touch on that in a second), he actually has some pretty impressive deep speed for a 6-5, 230-pounder.

When he’s focused, can be a tremendous run blocker.

Very, very good jumping ability, but doesn’t always get the ball at its highest point thereby not always making use of his most notable advantage.

He’s never really had a reliable quarterback throwing him the ball, and yet he’s still remained productive.

Weaknesses: Not a quick-twitch guy; doesn’t really have the accelerative burst to separate consistently from NFL corners.

Could get a little tighter with his routes.

For a guy with Baldwin’s physical ability, he’s had some inexplicable lapses in play throughout his career and that’s now leading some to question his effort.

You wouldn’t expect this from a receiver of his stature, but Baldwin can struggle to get off the line at times. As aforementioned, he’s a little slow in his acceleration, and he has even more trouble when jammed.

Perspectives:

Kevin Weidl, ESPN:

Baldwin is one of the toughest evaluations in this year's class. At 6-foot-4 3/8 and 228 pounds, he runs a sub-4.5 second 40-yard dash and is perhaps the best in the 2011 class in terms of tracking and playing the deep ball. He also has strong hands and rarely drops a pass, and his ability to make plays vertically means Baldwin almost always demands safety help over the top.

However, he struggles to drop his weight in breaks and runs a limited route tree as a result, and he shows inconsistent effort, especially when he is not the primary option. Scouts are also investigating some off-field character concerns, and although some feel he is a potential Pro Bowler, others say there are signs of bust potential.

We put Baldwin in the mid-to-late second round, where he could be a fit for a team such as the St. Louis Rams, who pick 47th overall. The Rams would love to see Jones fall to them at No. 14 in the first round, but if that doesn't happen, Baldwin could bring some size to a receiving corps that has plenty of smaller bodies.

Why he’s a fit for Seattle:

If quarterback wasn’t so much of a need, the Seahawks WR situation would be getting a lot more attention.

Per NFLSoup.com:

“Big” Mike Williams doesn’t have the speed or explosiveness to consistency beat top corners, and Golden Tate very likely won’t evolve into a top threat, either. The team needs an elite receiver that can really do some damage against good defenses.

Seattle needs speed and play-making ability.

The Seahawks would probably be best served with one of the speedier wideouts (Torrey Smith, Titus Young bring more of what Mike Williams doesn’t), but Jonathan Baldwin will be on their radar as early as the first-round.

 (Check out this week's Seattle Seahawks Draft Blog.)

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NFL Draft 2011: Julio Jones says stress fracture is healing fine.

This is of note.

Julio Jones was in Indianapolis last Saturday for a medical recheck of his injured left foot, and according to Julio’s subsequent tweets, things are looking up.

His exact words, via Rotoworld (as JJ protects his tweets and has not yet accepted my invitation):

"Everything went great in indianapolis with the recheck."

Jones ran a 4.34 at the combine with the stress fracture, and few and far between are the worries now that this thing lingers even into training camp.

How exactly to take this news as a Seahawk?

On the downside, Julio Jones (and his feet) are about as close to non-applicable as can be for Seattle. They won’t get anywhere near him (or his feet).

On the plus side, the healthier Julio Jones appears to be the less likely he finds his way to St. Louis at 14, the more likely he is to land outside the division.

God bless modern medicine—since 2010, pushing receivers up in the draft and away from the NFC West thereby buying the Seahawks time to get their defensive backfield situated.

(Check out this week's Seattle Seahawks Draft Blog.)

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2011 NFL Draft: Da’Quan Bowers’ knee officially a serious issue.

We’re fifteen days from the NFL Draft, and Da’Quan Bowers just got some bad news.

According to Steve Wyche, NFL.com:

The medical recheck of Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers last weekend showed signs of potential long-term arthritis and some weakness in his surgically repaired right knee, a source with knowledge of the situation said Tuesday.

Nolan Nawrocki, the now infamous Pro Football Weekly scribe, corroborates.

Nawrocki reports that Bowers received “low grades” on the tests, and continuies on that Bowers “already had what three team doctors deemed to be microfracture surgery, and his knee condition is considered to be degenerative.”

Nawrocki then cites another executive—one whose team picks in “the middle third of the first round”—who said that his team would not pick Bowers any earlier than the second, and even then they would only “discuss it.”

The fear now is of Bowers’ inability to hold up for more than a few seasons. As Evan Silva of Pro Football Talk points out: “Degenerative arthritis can be a career-shortening condition,” and no team wants to invest a first-round pick in a short career.

It’s also important to note that cited reports—as are those above—aren’t usually of the smokescreen variety, which is too bad for Bowers. Had the draft happened a month ago, he may have been a top-three pick. Now, he’s a borderline first-rounder.

Joe Flanagan, Bowers’ agent, is now attempting some last minute damage control.

Again, via NFL.com:

"All 32 NFL clubs have had full access to Da'Quan's records since January and have had the opportunity to physically examine him at least twice," Flanagan said in a statement released later Tuesday. "With this knowledge, top-10 teams brought him in all last week and continue to bring Da'Quan in for visits this week. All of these clubs are strongly considering selecting him with their first pick, not based upon a potential medical downside, but because of Da'Quan's film, smarts, character and tremendous physical upside."

Flanagan also explained in the statement that Bowers' procedure, performed by Dr. Larry Bowman, included some elements of microfracture surgery but was "very minor." Flanagan said Bowers "was off crutches and bearing weight only three days after surgery" and received an endorsement from noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews, a member of the medical team overseeing the player's rehabilitation.

Flanagan said Andrews' "comfort level was such that he said Da'Quan should 'be able to resume his professional football career without any problems' and that he has a 'good prognosis for his career.' " Flanagan also denied any signs of arthritis in Bowers' knee.

For Bower’s sake, I hope he’s right.

For the Seahawks’ sake…I don’t know.

We’re now facing a scenario where Bowers, formerly considered a top-three prospect in the draft, reaches Seattle at 25.

He’s too much of a risk in the top-10, but is he too much of a risk at that point?

If he’s on the board, does the need at quarterback outweigh the need at DE?

(Check out this week's Seattle Seahawks Draft Blog.)