As Pete Carroll, John Schneider and the rest of the Seahawks scouting department prepare for the senior bowl this Saturday in Mobile Alabama to get a look at some of the top seniors in this draft class I’ve decided to go break down a highly touted junior, corner back Joe Haden.The Seahawks currently have major needs in their entire defensive backfield, mostly at the second corner position and safety.
Marcus Trufant was placed on the PUP list to begin the season which meant that he would miss the first eight weeks of the season, which inevitably wound up hurting his overall play. Trufant was flagged at least eight times for pass interference calls this season, the highest in his career.
However with Trufant being 100 percent healthy now and moving forward the Seahawks don’t really have a stand out corner opposite of Trufant.
Here is the current list of corners’ for the Seahawks.
Marcus Trufant, Josh Wilson, Kelly Jennings, Ken Lucas (UFA) and Roy Lewis
When you look at that list the only real name that jumps out as a great corner would be Trufant. Josh Wilson I see a much better fit as a safety because he can cover and tackle but between Haden and Wilson Haden is a much better shut down corner.
So with that being said, the second player on “my list”(my list of draft prospects for the Seahawks, first started with Russell Okung) Joe Haden and my break down of his game.
Physical stature and Skills:
5-11, 191 lbs, great hips, great shut down cover skills (like Darrell Revis), quick feet (get’s flat footed now and then but Carroll will help with that), great hands and electric speed with a 4.40. Only missed one game in his college career, back in 2007 against Florida State.
Character:
Great leader on and off the field. In 2009 Haden was semifinalist for the Jim Thorp award which is given to the best college defensive back that has great skills as well as great character on and off the field.
NFL comparison:
Well I already gave that one away above, CB Darrell Revis. Still has some work to get up with Revis’ complete shut down corner package but he’s got great intangibles and has the same make up as Revis does. Great cover shut down corner, great hips, great hands and great speed.
The only thing he has a problem with is a little foot work and getting the little things right but one he’s in the NFL, possibly under Pete Carroll should the Seahawks draft Haden at either No. 6 or No. 14 overall he’d be able to work out those small problems with Haden.
ESPN Scouts Inc Todd McShay has Haden as the fourth best player in the draft giving him a 96 overall grade. For the Seahawks they seem like the first team that would get a crack at Joe Haden being sixth overall.
Tampa Won’t take a CB that high and no other team before Seattle makes sense. Now the Seahawks do have a lot of needs (LT,LG,DE,QB-long term, CB and S) so if the Seahawks and Pete Carroll feel that Haden is the best player on the board and they really like him the I believe he could be the pick at six.
However Jimmy Clausen, Sam Bradford, Russell Okung and Suh would have to be off the board for the Seahawks to have Haden as a plan because those four come before Haden.
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