2026 New NFL Head Coach Hire Grades

 I did this two years ago, when the Seahawks were in the market for a head coach for the first time in 14 years, so I thought I'd do it again with so many openings this off-season.  I'll go in order of date hired, and grade each from F to A+.  I just went back and re-graded the hirings from two years ago.  Some, like Macdonald and Morris, I was spot on about.  Others, like Canales and Callahan, I was very wrong about.  So it'll be interesting to see what I get right or wrong a few years from now.  

Giants hire John Harbaugh: B+
It's funny, I gave his brother's team an "A" for hiring him two years ago.  I just feel that in this situation, success is not guaranteed.  Harbaugh was treading water in Baltimore, and his players lost faith in him.  Why should we think he can turn around a struggling Giants organization?  Sure, he'll be better than Daboll as a head coach overall, but New York can be a nasty sports city, and any struggles will be harped on early.  But, what else is New York going to do?  This is their best bet.

Falcons hire Kevin Stefanski: B
Stefanski is a solid coach.  He made the most of what he was given in Cleveland.  Unfortunately for him, he goes from one mess of a QB room to another.  Can he get the most out of Michael Penix?  We know he'll be able to get good seasons out of Bijan, Pitts, and Drake London.  Just need to have a solid QB season, and of course, improve the defense.  The NFC South is potentially wide open, so it's anyone's for the taking.

Dolphins hire Jeff Hafley: D+
I feel like D+ might even be too nice.  Hafley is an uninspiring choice, and it's almost guaranteed that the Dolphins' offense is going to struggle in 2026, whoever the QB is.  They might have an above-average defense, but try telling that to the Jets.  I will be very surprised if Hafley lasts more than three seasons, if two.  He may keep them fairly competitive, but with the Patriots having returned to being competitive, the Bills having Josh Allen and a good roster, and the Jets potentially on their way up, the Fins could be in big trouble the next few years.

Titans hire Robert Saleh: C-
I'll give the Titans this: some defensive coaches do well on a second or third stint.  Here are a list of defensive-minded coaches who didn't have success until their second or third team: Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll, and to some extent, Mike Vrabel.  Is Saleh one of those guys, though?  I'd have to say probably not.  Saleh already struggled in New York, and now he is tasked with turning around a bottom-feeder in Tennessee.  How is Cam Ward expected to succeed?  He'll need a great OC to help him, and even if they get one, he may get snatched away in a year or two to become a head coach.  Really needed an offensive coach here.  

Ravens hire Jesse Minter: B-
I guess this shows the Ravens wish they had kept Macdonald and promoted from within, but too late for that.  I'm not entirely sold on Minter being a head coach, because not every up-and-coming coordinator has success; see Saleh, Mike McDaniel, and Aaron Glenn to name a few.  But Minter's going to a stable, well-run organization with good ownership.  I could see this going either way, but considering the Ravens are well-run enough to have only had three head coaches in 30 seasons, I'd say it'll likely work out.

Steelers hire Mike McCarthy: D-
Feels weird to give an extremely stable organization like the Steelers a "D-", but they deserve it for this hire.  On one hand, I am happy for McCarthy, who will be able to coach the team he grew up rooting for.  On the other hand, there is an almost zero chance that this ends in something other than disappointment.  McCarthy won a Super Bowl in Green Bay with a stud, talented QB and a young team around him.  McCarthy benefited from having a great team built by their GM.  Ever since, he's been unable to get a team back to a Super Bowl.  He will almost undoubtedly be the shortest tenured Steelers head coach ever, and not just because he's starting older than the other coaches were when they left.  It's because he's this generation's Jeff Fisher, cashing in on one good year for an entire career.  The worst part of this all is that there was no one else wanting to hire him, and there was zero hurry to make this move, yet they hurried to make it.  They avoid an "F" because McCarthy, like his predecessor before him, will be able to keep the Steelers competitive, but he will also keep them from winning any trophies.

Bills hire Joe Brady: D+
Let me ask this.  When is the last time a team promoted from within, and it worked wonders?  I can't think of one.  This does not feel like a step forward for the Bills.  With the Patriots' resurgence, they needed a coach to offset Mike Vrabel, and they did not get it.  Now, they'll likely compete for wild cards on Josh Allen's talent alone.  Way to go.  This grade is a D+ and not any lower because there is a bit of upside to hiring a younger, offensive mind, as we have seen in recent years.  But man, I will be shocked if Joe Brady ever leads them to a Super Bowl.  He may not even lead them to a playoff win.

Browns hire Todd Monken: C-
I don't absolutely hate this hire, but Monken was marginal at best as an offensive coordinator, despite having Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.  Also, a first-time head coach at 60?  Basically unheard of these days.  There's a chance he can make them slightly competitive, but this is a very uninspiring and unsexy hire.  I do like that he comes from a stable organization, ironically, the one that used to be the Browns.  But how is he an improvement over Kevin Stefanski?  It feels like a downgrade.  Monken has more experience, but I don't think there are many fans that consider him a brighter offensive mind.  Perhaps he'll be better at handling the chaos in Cleveland.

Cardinals hire Mike LaFleur: C
I'm giving this one a 50/50 shot of working, so a C is the right grade.  On one hand, LaFleur could not get a struggling Jets offense to function.  On the other hand, it WAS the Jets, and he made the Rams offense look good under Sean McVay.  But again, he had McVay to guide him, so how will he do without him?  He's going to be tasked to find a way to succeed in the stacked NFC West.  My best bet is that he will have one good season (maybe his first or second) and then be coasting on that for a while.  Think Zac Taylor in Cincinnati, who, coincidentally, is also a McVay protege.  

Raiders hire Klint Kubiak: C+
I mostly hate that this forces the Seahawks to go find their fourth coordinator in the past four seasons.  I didn't have 100% faith in Klint the whole season, so it will be interesting to see how he does as a head coach.  He does have it in his blood, as his dad, Gary, was a head coach for the Texans and Broncos.  I think there's a semi-decent chance this works, but like LaFleur with the Cardinals, Kubiak is going to need some other team to take last place.  Will the Chiefs continue falling?  Will the Chargers or Broncos take a huge step back?  I feel like both are unlikely.  If they give Klint some time, this may work.  He will have weapons to work with.  My #1 piece of advice for their front office is to improve their offensive line and get one receiver weapon for their #1 draft pick to throw to.

My Thoughts and Grades on the Seahawks 2025 Draft Class and 54-Man Roster Prediction

 The 2025 Draft has concluded, and I think the Seahawks had a very solid draft.  They addressed positions of need, and I think this team will be very competitive this season.  I'm going to go over each draft pick, my brief thoughts, and give a letter grade, and finish with some final thoughts.  I am going to be a bit on the harsher side with my grading, so be forewarned.

Afterwards, I'll predict a rough idea of the 54-man roster.  Likely going to be very wrong in some spots, but I'll do my best.

Round 1 Pick 18: Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State
Very solid pick.  It's not particularly exciting nor flashy, but it's what we needed.  We can only hope he adjuts to the NFL and doesn't rack up a ton of penalties.  We need to run the ball more, and Grey will help with that.  I think Grey was projected more as a late first-rounder, so we could've maybe traded down and gotten something from it.
Grade: B-

Round 2 Pick 35: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
My favorite pick of the draft.  He was often mocked as a late first-rounder, so this was a steal.  Smart of John to trade up to snag him here while he was still available.  I can't wait to see the backside defense of Love and Emmanwori.
Grade: A

Round 2 Pick 50: Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami
The first real headscratcher for me.  We already have two very solid tight ends in Fant and Barner.  Perhaps Fant will be a cap casualty in training camp since he is paid over $10 million a season.  I didn't think we particularly needed tight end help, but we'll see.  I've heard decent things, but we already have an emerging stud in Barner.  Perhaps we can have what the Patriots had in the early 2010s with Gronk and Hernandez.  
Grade: C

Round 3 Pick 92: Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
It will remain to be seen how good this pick is.  I think it would be foolish of us to think Jalen will match what Russ did in his career, our last QB drafted this high.  Let's hope he can grow and learn from the sidelines and not get pressed into action too early.  I think that's why we got Lock as well.  I'm ok with this pick, but I think the odds are more likely that Jalen doesn't have success with the Hawks than he does.
Grade: C-

Round 5 Pick 142: Rylie Mills, DT, Notre Dame
Don't know too much about him, but I know we always need nose tackle depth.  We'll be hoping Byron Murphy takes a big step in his second year, but Mills is good insurance.  
Grade: C+

Round 5 Pick 166: Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State
One of the two WRs of this draft is going to be a hit and shine in training camp, and I bet it'll be Horton.  WR was definitely a position of need, at least where we needed depth.  
Grade: B

Round 5 Pick 175: Robbie Ouzts, FB/TE, Alabama
Are we going back to old school I formation football?  Perhaps for some plays.  If so, I'm down.  He could also play special teams, so this is a very solid pick.  But the thing is, we already had Brady Russell, who is switching to FB as well.  I think only one can make the roster.
Grade: B-

Round 6 Pick 192: Bryce Cabeldue, G, Kansas
Yes!  More midwestern O-Linemen!  Hey, he might be a steal.  Likely won't outplay Grey, but imagine if they both end up starting.  I will never hate an O-Line pick unless we have too many of them, which will never happen.
Grade: B+

Round 7 Pick 223: Damien Martinez, RB, Miami
This reminds me of another late-round running back, ALSO out of the University of Miami.  That being Travis Homer.  He was a very good special-teams player for a while.  But I think Martinez will be more of a third-string/third-down back.  We'll see.  Can't hate a late running back selection.
Grade: B

Round 7 Pick 234: Mason Richman, OL, Iowa
Our THIRD midwestern offensive lineman!  Love it.  Odds are only one of Cabledue or Richman make the team, unless they maybe push Bradford out (honestly, kinda hope they do).  
Grade: B

Round 7 Pick 238: Ricky White III, WR, UNLV
Like I mentioned with Horton, one of these guys is going to make a splash in training camp, I bet.  It might not be Ricky White, but you never know.  
Grade: B+

Overall Grade/GPA: 2.81 (B- average)

Overall, very solid draft for John Schneider and company.  I didn't hate a single pick.  In all likelihood, maybe 7 or so (out of 11) of them make the team this season, with perhaps 3 or 4 playing multiple significant seasons with the team.  But it's how significant those seasons end up being that will determine how successful this draft truly is.  

Just for funsies, I'll also predict the 54-man roster and possible practice squad:

QB (3): Darnold, Lock, Milroe
RB/FB (6): Walker, Charbonnet, Martinez, McIntosh, Holani, Ouzts
TE (3): Barner, Arroyo, Saubert
WR (5): Kupp, Smith-Njigba, Valdez-Scantling, Horton, Bobo
OL (10): Oluwatimi, Sundell, Cabledue, Richman, Haynes, Laumea, Zabel, Cross, Lucas, Jerrell
26

DL (7): Lawrence, Mills, Williams, Murphy, Reed, Morris, Pili
LB/Edge (7): Hall, Jones, Knight, Mafe, Nwosu, Smith, Sheriff
CB (5): Witherspoon, Woolen, Pritchett, Jobe, Jean-Charles
S (5): Bryant, Love, Emmanwori, Reed, Finley/Bell
24

ST (3): Myers, Dickson, Stoll

Notable cuts: Noah Fant, Dareke Young, Anthony Bradford

Practice Squad candidates: 
Ricky White, WR
Cody White, WR
Hall, CB
Bohanna, DT
Aumavae-Laulu, G
O'Connell, LB
Thomas, LB

I'm probably way off with the numbers regarding positions, but it should be fun for me to see how close I get!  Training camp is still three months away... sigh.  But it should be hear before we know it! :D

NFL Coaching Hirings Grades and Thoughts

It's now the 2026 NFL offseason, so I thought I'd go back and re-grade these and look back and see how close my grades were to what they are now.   Any of these updates will be in this blue font.

 With my Seahawks in the process of hiring a new head coach, I'm more invested in the NFL teams hiring head coaches than ever.  So, I thought I'd react and grade each head coach hiring, including the Seahawks', which I will go more in-depth on than other teams.  In order, chronologically:

Patriots hire Jerod Mayo: B-
NFL Linebackers have done well as NFL coaches in recent history.  Vrabel was good in Tennessee up until his last few seasons.  Demeco Ryans did fantastic in his first year in Houston.  Antonio Pierce did well as an interim coach (see below).  This is what you call a very safe move.  Mayo will keep the team from chaos, futility, and disorder, but I definitely think he may be a bridge coach.  The roster is one of the worst in the NFL and one offseason won't fix it.  Mayo learned from Belichick as a player and a coach, so for the players that remain it will be a fairly easy transition.  Maybe, if they make the right moves in the next couple of offseasons, they can return to contention around 2025-2026, but that is my optimistic view for them.

Wow, this was not a great hire.  I thought Mayo would be like Demeco Ryans, but he was not.  He only lasted one season before the Patriots smartly moved on to Mike Vrabel, who (so far) has them in the AFC Championship game in his first year after two back-to-back 13 loss seasons.

Retrospective Grade: F

Raiders hire Antonio Pierce: B+
Could they have done better?  Maybe.  But you had their best player, Maxx Crosby, publicly state if they didn't stick with Pierce that he'd likely request a trade.  That speaks volumes.  Pierce definitely seems like an excellent motivator, but we haven't seen too much of him as an in-game strategist or decision-maker.  It'll be interesting to see.  I could certainly see the Raiders as a potential wild card next year under Pierce.  He's certainly better than McDaniels, and it's good to see Mark Davis learned his lesson.  

Another one that didn't last long.  Yikes.  Pierce was quickly replaced by Pete Carroll, who was also gone after one full season.  Raiders need to find their long term option at coach!  I think the Raiders failed Pierce more than he failed them.

Retrospective Grade: D-

Titans hire Brian Callahan: B
I'm always lukewarm on coaches who have never been head coaches before unless they have an amazing pedigree, but Brian Callahan has a few things going for him.  One, he is the son of a coach and obviously learned a bit from him.  Two, he coordinated one of the league's best offenses in Cincinnati, and even made Jake Browning look decent.  But again, I am skeptical on new coaches, but as far as new coaches go, Callahan is a pretty darn good one.

And we have our third coach who could not complete a second year with the team.  Yikes.  Brian Callahan may have benefited from some nepotism, as his dad, Bob, led the Raiders to the Super Bowl in 2002.  But I think most people know it was a team Bob inherited from Gruden.  And Brian certainly wasn't up for the task in Tennessee.  But again, would any coach have had success?

Retrospective grade: D

Chargers hire Jim Harbaugh: A
Harbaugh has had success wherever he has gone as a head coach.  He went from bowl success with Stanford, to making the Super Bowl with the 49ers, to winning a national title with Michigan.  Next, Super Bowl win with the Chargers?  Hard to be upset with this hire unless you're a Chiefs, Raiders, or Broncos fan.  I can't give it an A+ because Harbaugh has been away from the NFL for a few years, and it has changed in that time.  We've seen coaches away from the NFL game struggle on a return *cough* Jon Gruden *cough*.  I doubt it'll be Harbaugh, but that is a possibility.  

Harbaugh so far has led the Chargers to the playoffs twice, but two first-round exits.  Very uninspiring.  But it's impressive considering the reign of the Chiefs and the recent resurgence of the Broncos.  He should've chosen a different division.  I don't think this is an "A" hire anymore, but not too far off.

Retrospective grade: B

Panthers hire Dave Canales: C
I don't know why this hire doesn't sit particularly well with me.  You have to give Canales some credit for helping revive the careers of Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield.  Can he do the same for Bryce Young?  We will see.  Here's the thing: The Seahawks' offense in 2022 and the Buccaneers' offense in 2023 weren't exactly lighting up scoreboards, and had great receiver talent already in place that helped, and both teams barely snuck into the playoffs.  Does Canales get this job if one thing goes wrong for the Hawks in 2022 or the Bucs in 2023 to prevent them from reaching the playoffs?  And he was an OC for only 1 season.  This is a boom or bust hire, so either Canales will join the ranks of McVay, Shanahan, and LeFleur, or he will get fired in a few seasons.  Good luck.  

Oops, read this one kind of wrong.  I think this has been a good hire for the Panthers, as Canales has gotten them from bottom-dweller to a playoff team this year, although they did have a losing record.  Next season will be hugely telling for Canales, whether this team keeps rising or takes a step back.

Retrospective grade: B+

Falcons hire Raheem Morris: D+
I can't wrap my mind around this.  This is a guy who was in the Falcons' organization a bit over 3 years ago, and he was even their interim head coach after they fired Dan Quinn, and they easily could've shed the interim tag and made him full-time.  Instead, they went out and got Arthur Smith, which turned out to be a mistake.  Now they've gone full circle and re-hired Morris.  I just don't get it.  I think Arthur Blank, the Falcons' owner, panicked and hired the guy he was most familiar with.  This is an incredibly safe and low-risk hire.  But I can almost guarantee the Falcons won't do any better than a borderline playoff team under Morris, and possibly a weak division winner if the division sucks (like Tampa Bay this year).  There's no way they'll do better than that.  And more realistically, they'll likely hover around 6-8 wins, just like they did with Smith.

I think I nailed this one.  I knew Raheem wasn't the best choice, and I was right.  Sure, he had some bad luck with Penix's injuries, and he also had to deal with the team drafting a first-round QB after signing Kirk Cousins to a large multi-year deal.  And neither was able to be a long-term starter for them, at least not yet.  The new coach has his work cut out for him at that position, but at least they'll have plenty of weapons with London, Pitts, and of course, Bijan.  

Retrospective grade: D+ (No change)

Seahawks hire Mike Macdonald: A+
A young coach being installed in a place with a support system and decent owners?  That usually works out.  The only time it really hasn't was with Brandon Staley and the Chargers, although you could argue the "decent owner" front.  Let's hope we don't have another Brandon Staley, but something tells me we don't.  I love John Schneider's willingness to go young, and I wonder (we will never likely know) who his plan B would've been.  Macdonald had some amazing defenses in Baltimore, and he made stars out of Kyle Hamilton and Marlon Humphrey.  I think he fits in very well in Seattle, and I, as well as many fans, will be willing to give him time.  I'm betting we'll see a quick turnaround on our defense, but the offense might be a work in progress, depending on who he picks for offensive coordinator.  I fully believe he was chosen due to the success his defense had against the NFC West last season, and JS is hoping he replicates that with the Hawks.

Absolutely nailed this one as well.  Macdonald so far has been an A+ hire.  He instantly got this team competitive on his own terms, and in his second year has gotten them the NFC West title, the #1 seed, and to the NFC Championship.  This wasn't a team that needed a ton of help, and in this year's coaching cycle was probably the best spot for a prospective coach.  We had just gotten stale with Carroll's mantra and the same ol' 9-8 type seasons.  Boy was this a great move.

Retrospective grade: A+ (No change)

Commanders hire Dan Quinn: C-
His defenses have done very well in recent years, and I'll say this: we have seen coaches have success when given a 2nd or 3rd shot.  Look at Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick (although, to be fair, DQ is no Carroll or Belichick).  I can see why Commanders' fans would not be too happy.  But hey, they poached him from a division rival, so DQ is certainly familiar with the opposing offenses in the division.  The key to his success will be the OC hire and if they can get a star quarterback.  Sam Howell is a fairly capable starter, but defensive-minded coaches need star QBs, which Howell is not.  This hiring can end up being a success, but so can all of these.  DQ will need to prove he can win without Kyle Shanahan as his OC.

DQ has had mixed results.  He got them all the way to the NFC Championship game in his first year, but had a very disappointing 2025.  I don't really fault him, however.  He was given an aging roster with several holes, and his star QB was hurt for most of the year.  I expect a bit of a bounce back in 2026.  But so far, not too bad.  Commanders fans need to be patient.  He's a good coach.

Retrospective grade: B-

2022 Seattle Mariners Regular Season Grades - Pitchers

The 2022 regular season is almost at a close, and now it's time for me to grade the Mariners pitchers for 2022.  I've already done the hitters, and you can check my previous post to see that.  But how did the pitchers do?  Again, this does factor in expectations for each pitcher.

Starters

Robbie Ray: B-
I can't give Robbie higher than a B.  Has he been good for the most part?  Yes.  But he's had stretches where he gives up a lot of home runs, namely at the beginning and end of the season.  I don't think he's pitched quite well enough to earn his salary, but he has been better than the average #1/2 pitcher.

Luis Castillo: B+
Castillo was a much-needed addition for our playoff push.  He has been mostly great, but he did show a few signs of struggle.  No pitcher is perfect, but I'd have to say Castillo has been about as good as we could hope.  He' just a few bad starts away from a grade in the A's.

Logan Gilbert: A-
Logan had an amazing start, winning pitcher of the month for April.  He cooled off but never had any massive struggles.  He picked it back up late in the season and earned a spot as one of the Top 3 in the rotation for the playoffs.  Logan's first full season in the bigs went about as well as we could've hoped.

Marco Gonzalez: C+
Marco definitely had his ups and downs, which is just a kind way of saying he struggled too much for most people's liking.  Shows how much our rotation has come when Marco, our former #1 starter, is now #5.  I'll give Marco credit: he battled all season and never wavered or caved into pressure.  

George Kirby: A
Kirby's first season went better than we could've even hoped.  He showed impeccable control and went a long stretch without giving up a home run.  George proved he can be a top of the line starter for us, and the future is incredibly bright with him.

Chris Flexen: B-
Flexen pitched as well as a #4 starter could be expected to.  He had his ups and downs, just like Marco.  He handled his "demotion" to the bullpen extremely well and did everything that was asked of him.

Relievers

Diego Castillo: B-
Castillo had an extremely rough start to his season but turned it around.  He still had a hiccup or two after, as almost every reliever does.  But that rough start cannot be ignored.  Hopefully, if he's used in the playoffs, we won't see that side of him again.

Matt Brash: B+
Brash started as the starter instead of George Kirby, which was the wrong choice.  Fortunately, Brash seems to have found his spot in the bullpen.  Brash has some of the nastiest pitches I have ever seen.  And his performance in the 13-inning game was amazing, especially that double play he helped induce.  

Matt Festa: C+
Festa has been pretty good.  We just never know which Festa we'll get daily.  He's either been really good or awful, with no in-between.  I wouldn't want him in a high leverage situation in the playoffs.

Paul Sewald: A-
Sewald has been as good as we could hope, although there have been a few games where he gave up some costly home runs.  But he's still one of Scott's most trusted arms in the pen and rightfully so.

Andres Munoz: A
Munoz has become one of the best relievers in baseball, and that is no exaggeration.  He routinely hits over 100 MPH and has a wicked slider.  He could be an extremely dominant closer in our future.  Munoz's struggles have been few and far between as well.

Penn Murfee: B
Is there a more aptly named reliever in baseball?  Anyway, Murfee wasn't expected to be much this season but has been a very solid reliever.  He has had struggles every now and then, but he's still exceeded expectations.  

Erik Swanson: A-
Swanson, like Brash, is a converted starter that has thrived in the pen.  Swanson's ERA for a large part of the year was UNDER 1.00.  That's insane.  He wasn't perfect and was a bit wild at times, but he did become one of Scott's more trusted relievers.

Ryan Borucki, Matthew Boyd, Drew Steckenrider, Anthony Misiewicz: Incomplete
Not enough from these guys, but Steckenrider and Misiewicz were moved on from due to their struggles.  Boyd has been a solid lefty/long relief out of the pen and Borucki was fairly good out of the pen until his injury.  Borucki's best was definitely pitching multiple innings of relief in an extra inning game against the Blue Jays that resulted in a win.  

That's all I have for grades!  I'll likely do one more post on the Mariners, recapping the season and talking about their performance in the playoffs.  Hopefully it'll be longer than 2 or 3 games in the wild card round.  Go Mariners!

2022 Seattle Mariner Regular Season Grades - Hitters

 The 2022 MLB season is almost finished, and with that, I thought I'd hand out some grades to some Mariner players.  They have clinched a playoff spot for the first time in 21 years.  So for that, I will tend to grade a bit on the kinder side.  However, I must take expectations into account, so if they played great last year but not this year (even if they were on another team), I will have to take that into account.  Here we go:

Starters

Cal Raleigh: A-
Cal has been a godsend for manger Scott Servais.  After his slow start, boy did he pick it up.  Imagine after Raleigh's slow start that someone told you that he would set the record that very year for home runs by a Mariners catcher.  I certainly wouldn't have believed it.  He's also handled the pitching staff like a 10-year vet.  His average still leaves a bit to be desired. So hopefully, that rises next season.

Ty France: B+
Ty had a slightly healthier season and earned his first All-Star nod.  Unfortunately, he battled injuries shortly after the break and his average plummeted.  His defense has been very good, even when he had to play a few games at third with Suarez's injury.  Hopefully, he can stay healthy all of next season.

Adam Frazier: C-
I felt a D+ grade was too harsh, but would it be?  Frazier's average has hovered around .230, .240 for the second half.  He had one small hot spurt for a few weeks, but that's about it.  Not that he was expected to have any power, but that certainly didn't show much.  His defense has been average at best.  Frazier did not do enough to secure 2nd base for the future, leaving the Mariners' front office to possibly look again for a 2nd baseman in the offseason.

JP Crawford: C+
JP's season was quite the mixed bag.  He started out very hot, hitting .300 and even showing power.  He then cooled off considerably, and his defense seems to have regressed.  But I'll give JP this: He works counts and is one of the best "battlers" on the team.  Meaning he fights and works counts as well as anyone on the team.

Eugenio Suarez: A
In the Winker/Suarez trade, Suarez was almost considered an afterthought, a salary dump.  But boy, are Mariners fans glad we got him.  He hasn't hit for the highest average and strikes out a TON, but his home runs have been the most clutch on the team, and he has provided gold glove defense at third base.  The Mariners wouldn't be in the playoffs without him.

Jesse Winker: D
Jesse gets a D for Disappointing.  He hit over .300 last season and was an All-Star.  He's not even close this season (.220 or so).  He avoids a failing grade for his clubhouse leadership and his ability to draw walks.  That's it.  I can't forget to mention his defense, which has been way below average and has definitely cost the Mariners runs.  

Julio Rodriguez: A+
Based on what we expected (or didn't expect) at the start of this season, how can I not give Julio an A+?  A 25-25 season, amazing defense, and likely will lead the team in batting average at the season's end.  I wouldn't have believed it if I had said that to myself in April.  Julio has been everything this team needed and more.  

Carlos Santana: C+
His batting average has been less than ideal, to put it nicely.  But Carlos has hit some extremely clutch home runs and played some surprisingly good defense at first base.  We also cannot forget his clubhouse leadership and his being a role model to young players like Julio.  

Mitch Haniger: D+
It may seem harsh, but I expected a lot from Mitch when he got back.  Unfortunately, he suffered a severe ankle sprain after his first at-bat back and missed several months afterward.  Mitch did hit well immediately after returning but has since cooled off.  His defense has been solid for the most part.  We needed hot Mitch for more of this season.

Bench Players/Role Players

Dylan Moore: B-
I can't give him higher than that, I'm afraid.  Dylan somehow inexplicably leads the Mariners in on-base percentage.  But his average around .210, .220 leaves a lot to be desired.  He strikes out a lot for a speedy contact guy.  However, he has played above-average defense at six positions and has gotten some clutch steals.  

Sam Haggerty: B+
"Swags," or "Swaggerty," as he's called; it's hard to believe that he was a fringe AAA early in the season.  He has played some amazing outfield and was hitting near .300 for a few months.  He's been a player Servais could plug into either corner OF spot, centerfield, or even 2nd base if need be.  

Abraham Toro: D-
Toro could just not get his average above .200.  He did provide some clutch hits, but that's about the only thing keeping him from a failing grade.  His place on the roster is in jeopardy for the future.

Jarred Kelenic: D+
Kelenic also couldn't get his average above .200.  He had three separate stints up, and it wasn't until the 3rd time that he started hitting.  Unfortunately, it was too little too late.  But Kelenic has played some solid outfield and drawn his share of walks.

Luis Torrens: C-
He had some clutch hits, and I do believe his defense has improved.  He could get a lot better at framing pitches, I will say.  But for a guy who is supposedly a "hitting" catcher, he doesn't hit well enough.  We'll see if he'll do enough to earn the job of Raleigh's backup next year.

Everyone else: INCOMPLETE
Guys like Kyle Lewis, Taylor Trammell, Curt Casali, and guys that are no longer in the organization like Jake Lamb, Justin Upton, Steven Souza, and Mike Ford just didn't have enough time for me to grade them.  

That's all for the hitters, look out for grades on the pitchers soon!

Grading each Mariner so far in 2022

The 2022 Mariners season is quickly nearing its halfway point, and this season has been less than ideal.  It seems the Mariners have taken a step back, although there have been a lot of things to not go there way.  One is injuries.  Mitch Haniger has missed time with two injuries, Kyle Lewis came back for about a week only to miss significant time with a concussion, and we have been without two relievers we were counting on, Casey Sadler and Ken Giles.  

Although the season is not over nor is it a "lost cause", there's still a lot of reason for concern.  However, there's also reason for optimism.  I'm going to give each player that's seen significant time a letter grade, and assess their overall games based on their expectations coming into 2022.  First off, Lewis, Haniger, and Murphy all get an "incomplete" due to being injured for a majority of the season so far.

Hitters

Cal Raleigh: C+
Cal got off to an extremely slow start offensively, causing him to be sent down.  However, his bat woke up, and he's done a very good job of handling our pitching staff.  A lot of Logan Gilbert's success has to be attributed to Cal.

Luis Torrens: D
He's been ok, his bat seems to very slowly be waking up.  His defense does seem to have improved from last season.  But as of mid-June he is still looking for his first home run of 2022.

Ty France: A+
Could we have asked anything more from Ty?  His defense has been great, and his offense has been even better.  He's been drawing comparisons to Edgar Martinez, and for good reason.  His average has dropped while his strikeouts have ticked up in recent weeks, so he's a borderline A/A+, but he's definitely the one lock to be an All-Star on the roster.

Adam Frazier: D+
He was expected to provide a high avg/OBP bat at the top of the lineup, but he has not.  His average has hung around the .230/.240 range, and we were expecting at least 50 points higher.  He's been riddled with awful luck, hitting straight to defensive players.  His defense has been adequate.  

JP Crawford: A-
JP is one of the bright spots on this team, and he easily could be slumping after signing a contract extension at the start of the year, but he really hasn't.  If anything, his defense has taken a hit, causing him to be near the top in errors by an AL shortstop.  But he's still made some great defensive plays.  

Eugenio Suarez: B
Suarez was almost an afterthought in the trade that netted him and Winker, but he has been definitely the better piece so far.  He's leading the M's in home runs currently and likely will the rest of the year, barring injury.  He's shown a propensity to strike out too much, especially in high-leverage situations.  But his defense has been outstanding, hardly a drop-off (if at all) from Seager.

Jesse Winker: D
Winker, along with Frazier, was acquired due to his ability to hit for a high average.  And also like Frazier, he has struggled.  His average is even lower.  Some worry about his lack of power numbers, but he never has hit too many, only hitting 24 last season.  One good thing has been his eye, as he leads the team in walks.  His defense leaves a lot to be desired, as there have been more than a few fly balls to left that a more athletic outfielder could have gotten to while Jesse did not.

Julio Rodriguez: A-
Julio got off to a slow start, which wasn't wholly unexpected, but that was partly due to the awful strike calls he was getting called against him.  But he heated up in May, coinciding with his first Major League home run.  He has relished hitting in the middle of the lineup.  But the best parts of Julio's game has been his baserunning and defense.  He currently leads the majors in stolen bases and has played great defense in center.

Jarred Kelenic: D-
It's a shame Kelenic wasn't able to produce, because come June the team has definitely needed him.  Fortunately, Trammell has done somewhat decently in his place.  But given that Jarred made his debut last year and had a chance to work on things this offseason, his slow start is concerning.

Abraham Toro: F
Just about every Mariners fan is done with Toro at this point, and I'll be shocked if something doesn't happen to him before the All-Star break (unless he miraculously catches fire).  He's provided some late-inning pop, and yes, if it wasn't for him, we lose that game to the Red Sox where he tied it up with 2 outs.  But so often we have asked him to come through and been let down.  I think Scott's getting tired of Toro's inability to come through.

Dylan Moore: C+
Dylan has been about what we expected.  We did not expect to see him start so much in the outfield, but injuries and Kelenic's struggles have necessitated it.  He's been adequate.  He did have a walk-off hit against the Red Sox.  And his defense and base running has been above average.  

Taylor Trammell: C
Taylor's done well in his short stint, but hasn't really quite broken through yet.  He has played solid D.  It's unfortunate that Servais feels the need to pinch-hit Moore or Toro for him every time he's scheduled to face a lefty.  How's a young left-handed hitter supposed to get better if he is never allowed to face lefties?

Sam Haggerty: C-
Not much to say about Sam, and he's really just a body to have on the Major League roster while we wait for guys to heal up.  He's been good defensively, but his bat leaves a lot to be desired.

Pitchers

Robbie Ray: C-
Given his expectations, we were expecting more from Robbie Ray.  He's given the Mariners length, pitching the most innings this far.  But he's also allowed a lot of home runs, 14, which is 3rd most in the AL.  His last start where he went 7 scoreless is promising after he developed a 2-seam fastball and used that effectively.  

Logan Gilbert: A
Logan has taken a big step forward in year 2.  Imagine if Kelenic, who was called up last year at the same time as Gilbert, looked as good as Gilbert does now.  Anyway, Logan has been mostly dominant, winning AL pitcher of the month for April, and for good reason.  His ERA was under 1 for that month!  

Marco Gonzales: B-
Marco's been fairly inconsistent, but when he's on, he's on.  His maturity and poise have shown.  If he can locate his change-up and get calls from the umpire, he's very hard to hit off of.  

Chris Flexen: C+
If there was ever a guy who was 2-8 who was actually pitching well, it's Flexen.  Flexen has gotten some awful run support, forcing him to leave games barely behind or tied, despite many quality starts. 

Matt Brash: D+
Is it fair to count Brash?  Eh, I'd say so.  He started off fairly well, but then hitters started to figure him out while at the same time he was losing a bit of control.  He also failed to reach 6 innings pitched in each of his 5 starts, something that cannot be said for any other pitcher to start a game this year.

George Kirby: B-
George sure had a nice debut, but unfortunately, it did take him a little while to get his first Major League win.  He definitely looks better than Brash, and hopefully, it won't take him that long to get win #2.

Paul Sewald: C+
I've gone from trusting Paul each time out to waiting with baited breath each time he pitches.  I think Servais shouldn't use him in high-leverage situations for a while, not until he gets his control back.  Seawald has definitely cost us a couple games at least.

Penn Murfee: A
I remember first seeing Penn, first thinking he had a weird name, then thinking, "Well here's a guy that will probably be sent back to Tacoma pretty soon."  Boy, was I wrong.  He has been magnificent, although his most recent outing against the Twins was not pretty.

Diego Castillo: B-
It's certainly been a tale of two seasons for Castillo.  He was looking so bad at one point that I was surprised he wasn't DFA'ed.  But he righted his ship and is now the most dominant arm in the pen.  

Andres Munoz: C
The velocity has been nice, but the control and the amount of hits off of Munoz leave a lot to be desired.  He's still young, so I can't be too harsh, but he's certainly got potential to be a dominant arm in the pen.

Matt Festa: C
Like Castillo, Festa had his struggles early on, but he has quietly become one of the more reliable arms in the pen.  

Erik Swanson: B+
When you have gone 2+ months into a season and you can't think of a time when a reliever has blown a game, you know he's doing at least somewhat well.  Swanson has been a surprising bright spot in the pen.  Shame we lost him for a bit to injury, but fortunately, he's back now.

Sergio Romo: C-
Romo has been wildly inconsistent, with at times looking like his old self and at other times looking like the old guy that no one wanted.  

Drew Steckenrider/Anthony Misiewicz/Ryan Borucki/Roenis Elias/Anyone else: D
I didn't think it was fair to count each of these guys as individual grades, as none of them have been with the big league club all season.  The rest of the bullpen here has been mostly disappointing. 

So with all those grades, what is the team's GPA?  Well I did the math, and the GPA is...

C+.  Well, if the team has a losing record, why do they have an above average grade?  Remember, this is based on expectations for each player, so players like Julio, Penn Murfee, and Erik Swanson have higher grades than if I were to grade their seasons not considering expectations.  I think this is about right, and if I were to wholly grade everyone without taking expectations into consideration, I'd say their grades drop one spot on average (so a B to a B-, for example).  That would mean the team GPA is a C, which makes sense.  Were the Mariners expected to run away with the division?  No.  But some bad luck and injuries have really hurt them, because otherwise this team has a winning record and is in the hunt for a wild card spot.  

I might grade these guys around the end of the season.  Hopefully, we'll have a GPA a bit higher next time.

Seahawks Position by Position Overview for 2019-2020

The Seahawks season is over, finishing with a 28-23 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.  We can argue about the officiating or the defense's or offense's lack of consistency, but I'm just going to go over each position group for the Hawks and how they did for the 2019 season.  The common theme is that the Hawks were hit heavily with injuries.  The silver lining to that is that it gave the backups and rookies experience, most of them playoff experience, too.  I'll also discuss how much of a need the position is in the offseason on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being a dire need and 1 being something we could basically ignore.  And then finish up with a letter grade.

Quarterback: I think Russell Wilson had his best season.  He carried the team more than ever, especially when injuries hit late in the season and we could no longer run the ball effectively.  For this reason, he deserves MVP, because there is literally no other player that is more valuable to their team.  There's really only one thing about his game I wish he'd improve, and that's throwing the ball away instead of taking sacks.  He took a ton of sacks this year, which largely (but not entirely) can be attributed to the offensive line.  But late in the year, you can see he occasionally held the ball too long and had opportunities to either find a receiver or throw the ball away.  I don't think Geno saw the field at all this year, which is fine with me.
Need: 1
Grade: A

Running Back: Boy it is unfortunate Carson, Penny, and Prosise all went down within a few weeks.  Before they went down, Carson and Penny were really doing well.  The silver lining to them going down is that it gave us an opportunity to see Marshawn Lynch again and Travis Homer.  Homer is a very capable back, and he could very easily be a #2.  I think the Hawks consider trading Penny in the offseason.  They don't have to, however.  Seeing the injury bug hit this position hard will probably make John Schneider want as much depth as possible.  I don't think Marshawn returns.  And I think the Hawks finally part ways with Prosise.  If the Hawks trade Penny, they'll bring in an undrafted rookie to compete for a backup role.
Need: 2
Grade: B

Wide Receiver: Lockett's not a true #1, but he doesn't have to be.  With the emergence of D.K. Metcalf, I think the Hawks finally found a #1 guy.  Boy was he a steal, and he should only get better.  The rest of the group leaves a lot to be desired.  Moore, Turner, and Brown all had just ok seasons.  I think the Hawks only keep one, maybe two of those guys.  I wish John Ursua had gotten more of a shot, but I expect him to in 2020 (Let him work the slot like Doug Baldwin did!).  This unit was one of the healthier all year, which is mainly why Ursua was mostly inactive in 2019.  I think the Hawks draft a mid-late receiver, hoping he can develop into a legit #3 some day.  Overall, this group was criticized for their failure to get open at times, despite Wilson prolonging plays with his scrambling.
Need: 2
Grade: B

Tight Ends: Dissly gets hurt...again.  If he hadn't, I think the Hawks win the NFC West and are still in the playoffs.  He's a legit all-around tight end, but he just has to stay healthy.  Jacob Hollister had his moments, but he also had drops and fumbles.  I think the Hawks need to acquire a tight end for depth in case Dissly gets hurt yet again.  Wilson to Dissly sure was fun to watch while it lasted in 2019.
Need: 3
Grade: C+

Offensive Line: The shakiest position group on the team, and it has been for years.  They weren't as awful as past years, but injuries to Britt, both guards, and Brown really hurt this unit.  The Hawks have to address this group in the offseason and make it a primary concern.  Depth is needed, as well as a new right tackle, with Ifedi probably on his way out.  The Hawks also need more youth at the guard positions and will soon need to find Duane Brown's successor.
Need: 5
Grade: C-

Defensive Line: I have to start out by saying boy LJ Collier has been a disappointment so far.  He was mostly inactive all year, and I don't think he made any big plays.  Acquiring Jadeveon Clowney was huge, but will he remain a Hawk?  I like the rest of the guys in Green, Jefferson, and Reed.  Ziggy Ansah was largely a disappointment.  This unit did not get enough pressure on opposing quarterbacks in 2019, and it will have to improve somehow in 2020.  Unless they expect Collier to live up to his first round status, they need to address this position in the offseason with a fairly significant addition.
Need: 4
Grade: C

Linebackers: Bobby was All-Pro and KJ was pretty solid himself.  Kendricks was doing ok, but Carroll/Norton asked him to cover routes more than anything, which included covering wide receivers.  Cody Barton had a very solid rookie campaign, and he could be given a starting role in 2020.  Ben Burr-Kirven was only seen on special teams but did well.  Shaquem Griffin was used in pass rush situations to some effectiveness.  This is a group I'm not concerned about going into 2020, but they'll need better coaching next year.
Need: 2
Grade: B

Defensive Backs: Shaquill Griffin had his best season in 2020.  He only got flagged once in the regular season, a remarkable achievement for a starting cornerback.  Tre Flowers, however, got burned multiple times, got flagged a lot more, and missed more tackles.  Most Hawks fans don't think he should be starting in 2020.  Quandre Diggs was an excellent addition, and he reminded me of an Earl Thomas/Kam Chancellor hybrid.  Bradley McDougald did well, especially with tackling.  We'll see what role Tedric Thompson has next year after being hurt for most of the season.  I expect more out of this unit as it is Coach Carroll's specialty, and I grade them harshly as a result.
Need: 4
Grade: D+

Special Teams: Myers was certainly shaky at times, but with kicking the way it is in today's NFL, that's honestly about average and the Hawks would be foolish to move on from him.  Dickson had a decent season, although not quite as good as his rookie campaign.  The coverage was mostly good all season, except for perhaps the Saints game.  The return game left a ton to be desired, as I don't think we had an electrifying return all season.  I think the Hawks have sorely lacked a return specialist for a while, and with Lockett getting older, he cannot be relied on anymore.  The Hawks need to draft some kind of return specialist, maybe KJ Hamler out of Penn State.  But otherwise, they are set on ST.
Need: 2
Grade: C-

Coaching: This was both a great and terrible coaching job by the Seahawks coaching staff this season.  Being able to get to the divisional round despite a ton of injuries is at least partly indicative of a good coaching job.  However, Ken Norton Jr's schemes were largely exposed and he was often left adjusting and trying to fix things, rather than being the aggressor and making offenses adjust to him.  Schottenheimer had an up and down season as coordinator, and he did fairly well late in the year given the circumstances.  Carroll had some questionable coaching decisions, most notably not going for certain fourth down attempts.  I really think this defense needs a different leader, but I can see Carroll wanting to stick with KNJ, unfortunately.
Need: 3
Grade: D+

Overall GPA: 2.33 (C+)

Overall, this team did better than most people expected, and most position groups did a good job.  If certain areas are addressed, mainly the lines and secondary, and we can stay relatively healthy next season, I can see this team doing really well.  Coordinators aside, if you have good enough players, they will succeed.  I think a certain strength and conditioning coach should be fired (Ivan Lewis), even though he was hired less than a year ago.  There's a reason they call him "Ivan the Terrible".  Let's hope Pete and John address the right needs in the offseason, and there are far less injuries in 2020.

Rating the Seahawks Drafts, 2013-2018

The Seahawks have drafted fairly well in the Pete Carroll/John Schneider era, but that’s mostly counting the early part of this decade.  But how have they been since then?  I’m going to look at the six drafts from 2013-2018 and see how they have done.  It’s too soon on 2019, but I can go over the previous six drafts.  I’ll give each a letter grade, and a forewarning, I am not going to be easy on them.

2013: Something you’ll be hearing quite often: The Seahawks traded their first-round pick.  This time, it was for Percy Harvin.  I don’t think he was worth a first-round pick, especially since with that pick the Vikings selected future Pro Bowl cornerback Xavier Rhodes.  Yikes.  The Seahawks first selection, Christine Michael, was expected to succeed Marshawn Lynch but never could.  Guys like Jordan Hill, Chris Harper, Jesse Williams, and Tharold Simon are no longer in the league.  Luke Willson and Spencer Ware were drafted, but Ware has had most of his success with the Chiefs.  This was not a particularly good draft to follow 2012.
Grade: D+

2014: Again, the first-round pick was traded, this time for more picks.  The notable names taken in this class were Paul Richardson, Justin Britt, Cassius Marsh, and Kevin Pierre-Louis.  A very meh draft if there ever was one.  Britt is the only one still on the team.  He has developed into a borderline Pro Bowl center, so there is that.  But the rest have not really lived up to expectations, although KPL is doing well… in Chicago. 
Grade: C-

2015: Yet again the first-round pick was traded, this time it was included in the Unger/Graham deal.  I’d say that trade was not a particularly good one.  The Saints took Stephone Anthony with the pick, and he’s bounced around the league a bit and he’s back with the Saints.  Meanwhile, the Hawks took Frank Clark and Tyler Lockett with their first two picks, and also Mark Glowinski in the 4^th round.  Everyone else is out of the league or on another team.  Glowinski has had more success in Indianapolis than he did here.  Good first two picks, but the trade hurt the Hawks and no one else contributed.
Grade: C+

2016: Hey the Hawks used a first-round pick!  On… Germain Ifedi.  He sure took a long time to develop, but he’s finally starting to limit the penalties and missed blocks.  He’s about average for a right tackle right now, I’d say.  But the Hawks also took Jarran Reed, CJ Prosise, Quinton Jefferson, and Joey Hunt, all who are still with the team.  Alex Collins did well… with Baltimore.  Rees Odhiambo struggled.  Not a bad draft, but the only real legit player taken was Reed.
Grade: C

2017: Ah yes, the Malik McDowell draft.  He wasn’t a first round-pick, but he was the Hawks’ first pick.  The Hawks traded their first-round pick for more picks.  The first pick still on the team is Ethan Pocic, who has been a backup offensive lineman only.  Shaquill Griffin and Tedric Thompson were taken, two guys who have been fairly decent starters in the secondary.  David Moore was also taken in the seventh round, and he’s been a fairly decent contributor.  And who could forget Chris Carson, who has now put together two separate 1,000-yard seasons?  The Carson pick was a steal, but no one else can really be considered a great pick.  The Carson pick basically cancels out the McDowell pick.
Grade: C

2018: A very mixed bag in this draft.  The first pick, Penny, has been a decent backup to Carson, but was a stretch as the first-round pick.  Rasheem Green, Shaquem Griffin, and Tre Flowers have been decent but unspectacular contributors on defense.  Will Dissly has been a nice find, if he could only stay healthy.  And Michael Dickson was actually a great pick as a fifth rounder as he could be the Hawks’ punter for many years.  Yet again a draft where there doesn’t seem to be any Pro Bowl caliber players.
Grade: C-

GPA: 1.83 (C-)

As you can tell, the Hawks haven’t drafted horribly because I didn’t give them an F grade, but they certainly haven’t drafted particularly well, either, because I didn’t even give out any B or A grades.  Pete and John draft a lot of just okay players.  They don’t seem to be able to find diamonds in the rough anymore.  When Pete first came to the Hawks in 2010, he was able to draft a lot of the guys he recruited and scouted while head coach at USC.  He knew their strengths and weaknesses better than perhaps anyone, and he knew who would fit into his system with the Hawks.  Now having been out of the college ranks for almost a decade, Pete is no longer quite as in touch with the college players and it’s a bit more of a guessing game for him.  And he and John aren’t guessing particularly well. 

Here’s something that ought to stand out.  From 2010 to 2012, Pete and John drafted eight players who have made a Pro Bowl.  From 2013 to 2018, in twice as many years, Pete and John drafted just two players who have made a Pro Bowl (Lockett and Dickson).  And each of those guys only made it once.  If you count Pro Bowl appearances, the numbers are TWENTY-EIGHT Pro Bowl appearances to just two.  Clearly, the drafts since then did not go quite as well.  They are relying on Wilson and Wagner to carry the team, but they are failing to support them with other Pro Bowl caliber players.  And that is why the Hawks will not get to another Super Bowl under Carroll and Schneider, unless they start drafting better.

    

My Thoughts on the Seahawks 2019 Draft

I haven't done one of these in a while: A review and recap of the Seahawks draft.  The reason I'm doing it is because I'm pretty stoked about this draft class.  I'll go through each of the picks and give them a letter grade.  The letter grade will be based on when the Seahawks selected the player, and how well I think he fits our team.  Let's go!

Round 1: LJ Collier, DE, TCU
Grade: C
The reason the grade is a C is because he was yet another first round reach for the Hawks.  He could've been taken in the 2nd or maybe even 3rd round.  Nevertheless, he's been described as a Michael Bennett-type D-lineman, able to move along the D-line wherever, depending on the down and distance.  Bruce Irvin was also a first round reach and he didn't turn out half bad.  If LJ is anywhere near Michael Bennett's capability, I'll call this a win.  But for now, I stand pat with a C grade.

Round 2: Marquise Blair, S, Utah
Grade: C+
This was also called a reach.  But Marquise has some upside, many see him as a Kam Chancellor-lite.  He'll probably end up backing up McDougald for the time being and playing special teams.  Hopefully he'll blossom and become a starter for years to come.

Round 2: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Ole Miss
Grade: B+
The first draft pick the Hawks made that I was legitimately excited for.  He's a big-bodied and strong receiver like a Terrell Owens or Josh Gordon, but has speed that beats both of them.  He has the potential to be an elite #1 receiver.  However, he has injury concerns (who doesn't?) and he ran slower cone drills at the combine than Tom Brady.  I kid you not.  So he's not an agile receiver.  But if the Hawks can use him effectively and he stays healthy, he's going to be an elite receiver.

Round 3: Cody Barton, LB, Utah
Grade: B
The Hawks drafted two defensive players from Utah in their first four picks, so Blair and Barton should be able to help each other out and pull for each other in training camp.  Barton will be an excellent special teamer, but could he possibly start if need be?  Time will tell.

Round 4: Gary Jennings Jr., WR, West Virginia
Grade: A-
I just found out Gary Jennings Jr. has known Russell Wilson since childhood as Russ coached him at the YMCA he went to.  That's awesome.  Russ will instantly have a rapport with this guy.  Not only that, but Gary has very few if any glaring weaknesses and has less bust potential than Metcalf.  If I had to pick who has the longer and more consistent career right now (between Metcalf and Jennings), I'd say Jennings.

Round 4: Phil Haynes, G, Wake Forest
Grade: B+
Solid pick who will most likely be groomed to play guard.  With Iupati and Fluker as the current starters, it works out perfectly to have Haynes sit behind them and learn and take over in case of an injury.  Keep in mind we still have Roos, Simmons, and Pocic.  This is the first time in a while I can say I am happy with our O-Line depth.

Round 4: Ugo Amadi, S, Oregon
Grade: C+
He's a bit undersized, but will be used on special teams and in some nickel packages.  Also... he's a Duck... Nevertheless, he's a decent mid-round selection, but my gut says I don't think we'll see him on the team in 3 years.

Round 5: Ben Burr-Kirven, LB, Washington
Grade: B-
Don't think we really needed to draft two middle linebackers, but it certainly doesn't hurt.  And it's a local kid from UW!  I'm excited to see who will do better between Barton and Burr-Kirven, both were Pac-12 middle linebackers.  Good to have depth in case something happens to Bobby *knock on wood*.

Round 6: Travis Homer, RB, Miami
Grade: B+
This kid has the fight and tenacity that Schneider and Carroll love.  He's an-all around back, too, can block, catch passes, can even play special teams.  I would like to see him in the preseason get a bunch of carries to see how he does there.  Could be a dark horse pick that gets some carries in the regular season (Think Phillip Lindsay of Denver last year).

Round 6: DeMarcus Christmas, DT, Florida State
Grade: C+
It's Christmas in Seattle!  Literally.  I'm going to be honest, it could be fairly tough for him to make the roster, but with Shamar Stephen gone there's a chance.  He's like Poona Ford a bit, not quite as short though.  I could see him backing up Ford and Reed when they need a breather on rushing downs.

Round 7: John Ursua, WR, Hawaii
Grade: C+
Good-looking kid, but he'll find it tough making the roster, even if Doug isn't able to play.  Ahead of him are Lockett, Brown, Moore, and the two other Wide Receivers we drafted in Metcalf and Jennings.  If he's able to excel on special teams, he could make the roster, but as a fairly-undersized wide receiver that'll be tough to do.

Overall GPA: 2.77 (+.5) = 3.27 or B+
I gave John and Pete an extra .5 because they started with only four picks (before trading Frank Clark) and ended up with 11.  Wow.  Just the way they were able to trade down and not lose much value was impressive.  So I give their draft a B+ as a whole.  They did well for the most part, but time will tell how well they did based on the careers of these young men.  Hopefully this'll be a draft class like 2011 or 2012 where we can look back on it and say they hit it out of the park.