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Huskies, Seahawks pre-NFL scouting combine Q&A; w/Dane Brugler
Updated 6:00 am, Thursday, February 23, 2017
Q: Of the 11 players from Washington schools at this year's combine, who has the most to gain?
Brugler: There are several players with something to gain. For John Ross (above), most are expecting a 4.3 40-yard dash and electric results in the other agility tests. But where he has something to gain is in the medical room where his past injuries will be examined and teams will receive updated info. Cooper Kupp has a brilliant collegiate resume with the tape that matches the production. But running in the 4.50-4.56 range in the 40 would go a long way to helping teams who have concerns about his speed.
lessQ: Of the 11 players from Washington schools at this year's combine, who has the most to gain?
Brugler: There are several players with something to gain. For John Ross (above), most are expecting a 4.3 40-yard
... moreQ: Is there a sleeper in the group?
Brugler: I don't think UW fans would necessarily consider Joe Mathis (above) as a sleeper. But on a national level, he might qualify after missing most of his senior season to injury. Mathis is a draftable prospects and better than many of the other edge rush prospects being talked about right now.
lessQ: Is there a sleeper in the group?
Brugler: I don't think UW fans would necessarily consider Joe Mathis (above) as a sleeper. But on a national level, he might qualify after missing most of his senior season to
... moreQ: How much will the upcoming shoulder surgery for Ross affect his draft status?
Brugler: The shoulder surgery itself shouldn't affect his status, but the overall durability questions will be a factor. With his undersized frame and injury history, not all teams will be willing to draft Ross as high as his talent suggests due to worries about him holding up and staying on the field.
lessQ: How much will the upcoming shoulder surgery for Ross affect his draft status?
Brugler: The shoulder surgery itself shouldn't affect his status, but the overall durability questions will be a factor. With his
... moreQ: Does Budda Baker's 5-foot-10, 180-pound frame make him a bit of an NFL tweener, or have players like Arizona Cardinals defensive back Tyrann Mathieu (aka the "Honey Badger") opened up a spot for Baker as a nickel safety?
Brugler: Smart defensive coordinators understand how to use talent. And Baker (above) is the closest to a Honey Badger-like prospect in this draft class. Players like Mathieu do help because it gives NFL teams tangible evidence of how that skill-set can and should be utilized.
lessQ: Does Budda Baker's 5-foot-10, 180-pound frame make him a bit of an NFL tweener, or have players like Arizona Cardinals defensive back Tyrann Mathieu (aka the "Honey Badger") opened up a spot for Baker as a
... moreQ: In what ways is Sidney Jones similar to and different from former UW teammate and 2015 NFL defensive rookie of the year Marcus Peters?
Brugler: Both scheme versatile with a "my ball" mentality. The ball skills and toughness are evident. Peters has the better size and strength with the ball-hawking instincts desired for the position. And Jones (above) has similar awareness to make plays, which is why he's projected as a top-30 draft pick.
lessQ: In what ways is Sidney Jones similar to and different from former UW teammate and 2015 NFL defensive rookie of the year Marcus Peters?
Brugler: Both scheme versatile with a "my ball" mentality. The ball
... moreQ: Is there a chance Gabe Marks, the Pac-12's all-time leading receiver, could be Doug Baldwin 2.0?
Brugler: Baldwin fell through the cracks to become a NFL starter, but it is tough to see Marks (above) doing the same. He has the skill set to be productive at all three levels, but is undersized and can be out-muscled at the catch point. The drops are also an issue that could keep him from sticking in the NFL.
lessQ: Is there a chance Gabe Marks, the Pac-12's all-time leading receiver, could be Doug Baldwin 2.0?
Brugler: Baldwin fell through the cracks to become a NFL starter, but it is tough to see Marks (above) doing
... moreQ: How difficult is it to evaluate Cooper Kupp (above) given his competition level while at Eastern Washington?
Brugler: With four games against Pac-12 competition and Senior Bowl practices, scouts have enough tape to see him vs. top-tier talent. Are the numbers a tad inflated because of the level he played against? Sure, but the talent isn't inflated. His vacuum hands, savvy routes and toughness will translate to the pro game.
lessQ: How difficult is it to evaluate Cooper Kupp (above) given his competition level while at Eastern Washington?
Brugler: With four games against Pac-12 competition and Senior Bowl practices, scouts have enough
... moreQ: The Seahawks have big needs at tackle and cornerback. How does that stack up with the strengths and weaknesses of this year's class?
Brugler: Both sides of the spectrum here. This offensive tackle class is the worst we've seen in a while. There are future NFL starters in this group -- Ryan Ramczyk, Garrett Bolles and Cam Robinson (above) -- but you need to get them quickly. Meanwhile, cornerback is one of the strengths of the 2017 class with outstanding talent top-50, mid-rounds and into day three. It's a loaded class.
lessQ: The Seahawks have big needs at tackle and cornerback. How does that stack up with the strengths and weaknesses of this year's class?
Brugler: Both sides of the spectrum here. This offensive tackle class is
... moreQ: Any players Seattle fans should pay particular attention to at the combine this year, perhaps ones that feel Seahawk-y?
Brugler: The Seahawks obviously value tall, long cornerbacks and this class has several of those types at different points in the draft: Oregon State's Treston Decoud, Michigan's Channing Stribling and Colorado's Ahkello Witherspoon. Also, UW's Kevin King (above, right). A non-combine invite sleeper is Middle Tennessee's Jeremy Cutrer -- he's worth keeping on the radar.
lessQ: Any players Seattle fans should pay particular attention to at the combine this year, perhaps ones that feel Seahawk-y?
Brugler: The Seahawks obviously value tall, long cornerbacks and this class has several
... moreThe NFL's annual scouting combine begins next week with a record 11 players from Washington schools participating, led by seven from a Washington Huskies program coming off a College Football Playoff appearance.
Those seven -- wide receiver John Ross, tight end Darrell Daniels, defensive tackle Elijah Qualls, defensive end/linebacker Joe Mathis and defensive backs Budda Baker, Sidney Jones and Kevin King -- will be joined by Washington State wide receiver Gabe Marks and safety Shalom Luani and Eastern Washington wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Kendrick Bourne in Indianapolis starting on Feb. 28, when the NFL world will descend upon Lucas Oil Stadium to measure, meet with and observe the 330 players invited to what's become a major event on the NFL offseason schedule.
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While there, players will be subjected to medial evaluations and perform generic athletic tests like the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and bench press, as well as run position-specific drills. A good performance at the combine can elevate or solidify a top prospect's draft position, while a disastrous one -- particularly in the medical exam or in one-on-one meetings with teams -- can lead front offices to remove players from consideration entirely.
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It's with that in mind that we checked in with CBS Sports/NFLDraftScout.com analyst Dane Brugler, who has been busy writing up his scouting reports of this year's class. We talked to Brugler about the local prospects as well as the Seahawks' needs. You can check out our questions and his answers in the gallery above. For more draft conversation, you can check out Brugler's "Trust the Tape" podcast as well as his most recent mock draft.
Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle Seahawks news. Contact sports reporter Stephen Cohen at stephencohen@seattlepi.com or @scohenPI.
