2011 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft: Round 2, Pick 57

by Brian Galliford on Apr 21, 2011 3:00 PM EDT in SB Nation Writers Mock Draft

Our annual 2011 NFL Mock Draft, with picks made by each of SB Nation's NFL team bloggers, is in full swing. The latest pick in to the podium: the Seattle Seahawks, at No. 57 overall.

With the 57th overall pick in the 2011 SB Nation NFL Writers Mock Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select Drake Nevis, defensive tackle, LSU..

Dan Kelly of FieldGulls.com explains the choice, and our own Dan Kadar reacts to it, after the jump. Make sure you're grading this pick for the Seahawks, and checking out Field Gulls for all of your Seahawks needs.

Dan Kelly explains: The Seahawks need a penetrating three-tech player on their defensive line. Coach Pete Carroll has stated that "the three technique player should be your premier interior pass rusher," and Drake Nevis could come in and be that player for the Seahawks. In 2010, the Seahawks' defensive three-tech position produced only one sack, and opposing quarterbacks had way too much time to sit in the pocket and pick apart the defense, something they'll be looking to remedy in 2011.

Nevis was one of the most disruptive defensive tackles in the SEC in 2010, leading LSU with 56 tackles, 13 for a loss, six sacks, three forced fumbles, four QB hurries, and an interception in 13 games. He's extremely strong - he squats 535 and benches 475 - and combined with his quick initial burst and ability to disengage blocks, he'll make an immediate impact for the Hawks. With Colin Cole or Brandon Mebane playing next to him at one-tech and Red Bryant returning to the five-tech DE position, he’ll draw a lot of one-on-one matchups. His quickness, lateral agility, and hand strength will be put to good use, and he’ll be effective in putting pressure on the opposing QB.

He'll add depth to a thin defensive line that was decimated by injuries in 2010, and depending on whether Brandon Mebane is re-signed and continues at the three-tech or not, Nevis could come in and start in Week 1. If Mebane returns, Nevis will be an excellent part of the rotation on the defensive line and will excel in Pete Carroll's 'always compete' philosophy, where he'll have to play full tilt to earn playing time.

Dan Kadar reacts: A good three-tech is arguably Seattle's biggest immediate need. Bryant and Mebane are really good players who largely go unnoticed. So to be able to plug in a disruptive lineman like Nevis should make them even better. The only argument I can make is that Jurrell Casey would have fit as well, but Nevis might be a little better as a pass rusher. [Drake Nevis Scouting Report]

With that, the Baltimore Ravens - and our friends at Baltimore Beatdown - are now on the clock.

Mocking the Draft's Top 5 Remaining Prospects

OVR	Name	Pos.	College	Report
20	Jon Baldwin	WR	Pittsburgh	scouting report
29	Jurrell Casey	DT	USC	scouting report
35	Johnny Patrick	CB	Louisville	scouting report
36	Ryan Williams	RB	Virginia Tech	scouting report
37	Torrey Smith	WR	Maryland	scouting report

2011 SB Nation NFL Writers' Mock Draft - RESULTS

Rd.	No.	Team	Player	Pos.	College	Link
1	1	Carolina Panthers	Blaine Gabbert	QB	Missouri	story
	2	Denver Broncos	Von Miller	OLB	Texas A&M	story
	3	Buffalo Bills	Patrick Peterson	CB	LSU	story
	4	Cincinnati Bengals	A.J. Green	WR	Georgia	story
	5	Arizona Cardinals	Cam Newton	QB	Auburn	story
	6	Cleveland Browns	Marcell Dareus	DT	Alabama	story
	7	San Francisco 49ers	Prince Amukamara	CB	Nebraska	story
	8	Tennessee Titans	Nick Fairley	DT	Auburn	story
	9	Dallas Cowboys	Tyron Smith	OT	USC	story
	10	Washington Redskins	Robert Quinn	DE	North Carolina	story
	11	Houston Texans	Julio Jones	WR	Alabama	story
	12	Minnesota Vikings	J.J. Watt	DE	Wisconsin	story
	13	Detroit Lions	Da'Quan Bowers	DE	Clemson	story
	14	St. Louis Rams	Corey Liuget	DT	Illinois	story
	15	Miami Dolphins	Mark Ingram	RB	Alabama	story
	16	Jacksonville Jaguars	Christian Ponder	QB	Florida State	story
	17	New England Patriots	Gabe Carimi	OT	Wisconsin	story
	18	San Diego Chargers	Cameron Jordan	DE	California	story
	19	New York Giants	Mike Pouncey	G/C	Florida	story
	20	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Ryan Kerrigan	DE	Purdue	story
	21	Kansas City Chiefs	Phil Taylor	DT	Baylor	story
	22	Indianapolis Colts	Anthony Castonzo	OT	Boston College	story
	23	Philadelphia Eagles	Jimmy Smith	CB	Colorado	story
	24	New Orleans Saints	Muhammad Wilkerson	DT	Temple	story
	25	Seattle Seahawks	Ryan Mallett	QB	Arkansas	story
	26	Baltimore Ravens	Aldon Smith	DE	Missouri	story
	27	Atlanta Falcons	Justin Houston	DE	Georgia	story
	28	New England Patriots	Cameron Heyward	DE	Ohio State	story
	29	Chicago Bears	Stephen Paea	DT	Oregon State	story
	30	New York Jets	Akeem Ayers	OLB	UCLA	story
	31	Pittsburgh Steelers	Nate Solder	OT	Colorado	story
	32	Green Bay Packers	Derek Sherrod	OT	Mississippi State	story
2	33	New England Patriots	Brooks Reed	DE	Arizona	story
	34	Buffalo Bills	Jake Locker	QB	Washington	story
	35	Cincinnati Bengals	Andy Dalton	QB	TCU	story
	36	Denver Broncos	Marvin Austin	DT	North Carolina	story
	37	Cleveland Browns	Adrian Clayborn	DE	Iowa	story
	38	Arizona Cardinals	Martez Wilson	ILB	Illinois	story
	39	Tennessee Titans	Bruce Carter	OLB	North Carolina	story
	40	Dallas Cowboys	Aaron Williams	CB	Texas	story
	41	Washington Redskins	Danny Watkins	OG	Baylor	story
	42	Houston Texans	Rahim Moore	S	UCLA	story
	43	Minnesota Vikings	Ricky Stanzi	QB	Iowa	story
	44	Detroit Lions	Brandon Harris	CB	Miami (FL)	story
	45	San Francisco 49ers	Colin Kaepernick	QB	Nevada	story
	46	Denver Broncos	Brandon Burton	CB	Utah	story
	47	St. Louis Rams	Mikel Leshoure	RB	Illinois	story
	48	Oakland Raiders	Marcus Cannon	OT	TCU	story
	49	Jacksonville Jaguars	Ben Ijalana	OT	Villanova	story
	50	San Diego Chargers	Jabaal Sheard	DE	Pittsburgh	story
	51	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Mason Foster	OLB	Washington	story
	52	New York Giants	Kyle Rudolph	TE	Notre Dame	story
	53	Indianapolis Colts	Quinton Carter	S	Oklahoma	story
	54	Philadelphia Eagles	Clint Boling	OT	Georgia	story
	55	Kansas City Chiefs	Leonard Hankerson	WR	Miami (FL)	story
	56	New Orleans Saints	Quan Sturdivant	ILB	North Carolina	story
	57	Seattle Seahawks	Drake Nevis	DT	LSU
	58	Baltimore Ravens
	59	Atlanta Falcons
	60	New England Patriots
	61	San Diego Chargers
	62	Chicago Bears
	63	Pittsburgh Steelers
	64	Green Bay Packers

Poll

What's your grade for the Seattle Seahawks' selection of DT Drake Nevis?

A

55 votes

B

51 votes

C

19 votes

D

2 votes

F

10 votes

137 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 12 comments | Add comment | 0 recs |

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Comments

C, I understand the choice, but

I would prefer Stefen Wisniewski or Rodney Hudson. I think that the OLine is in greater disarray. If Spencer is is not resigned, then Unger is the only Center. His injury history is concerning. The OG situation is also a mess. I know you think that lower round OLinemen can help, but I would suggest it would be easier to find lower round D Linemen.

Also, others might argue that a quality 5 tech is more important. After Bryant’s injury, Balmer had a hard time filling what was needed and Bryant’s injury history is a major concern.

by bp42810 on Apr 21, 2011 4:21 PM EDT reply actions

Cole is only an average player.

And using Nevis at the three-tech spot will allow Mebane (if he’s re-signed) to slide over to the one-tech spot, which is his best position. I do agree that the OL is a huge need, but I would definitely be fine with this pick.

by Coach Owens on Apr 21, 2011 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't think its clear at all that 1-tech is Mebane's best position

He had one really great year as a 1-tech and has played 3-tech for most of his NFL career, through several regime changes. Obviously, there is something about Mebane’s play that leads coaches to think he’s better as a 3-tech than a nose.

Mebane is best when he’s playing a 1-gap system where he can pursue the QB. Our new OL requires a lot more 2-gap work, which Mebane struggles in. Replacing Cole with Mebane doesn’t just increase the pass pressure up the gut, it also reduces the gap discipline. This means trading run defense for pass defense. Given the expressed wishes of the current regime to stop the run, I can’t these this happening readily.

If we draft a 3-tech high, its likely because we’re replacing Mebane. I guess the thought would be that we’d pursue a more disruptive 3-tech but I worry that it would be a lateral move.

by Greetings from the Lord Humongous! on Apr 22, 2011 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions

I suspect to coaches he looks like an overachiever as an over tackle and is built to be an under tackle.

One of his greatest & most valuable strengths is beating blockers and getting into the backfield consistently. His greatest weakness is just middling closing speed and agility.

So I’ve been ambivalent on Mebane as an under tackle though I know he’s a great player, but I have come back around to thinking he’ll be significantly better if the ends provider both pressure and containment.

I mean, Mebane plays better than 2005 Rocky Bernard did, who is similar in talent. But Rocky got 8 sacks because John Marshall’s heavy use of stunts played to the strengths of the so-so ends and disrupted. Rocky got a lot of cleanup.

Head of catering.

by jacobstevens on Apr 22, 2011 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Wasn't it Mora who moved 'Bane to to 3-tech?

Two regime changes. And 3-tech was his position in college so after 5.5 sacks at NT (1-tech) I believe the idea was that moving him back to his so-called natural position, he’d improve even on that.

But the change from Mora to Carroll was pretty significant; from strong side 3-tech to the under DT, but he struggled to generate much pass-rush at either spot.

He had his best statistical season at 1-tech, so I don’t think it’s an unreasonable statement to say that is his best position in the NFL. Of course, Cole often plays a 2-gap there now, so it may be a moot point.

I'm gonna go calm submissive on your ass.

by Dukeshire on Apr 22, 2011 2:38 PM EDT up reply actions

I think Mebane was moved to the 3-tech because the Seahawks signed Colin Cole for a lot of money.

And while Cole improved his overall play last season (when healthy), he will NEVER be a good pass rusher; I cannot begin to describe how important an interior pass rush is for this team, especially one with a Tampa 2 cover scheme that just gave up a ton of yards last season.

If Mebane is moved back to the 1 and we get somebody like Nevis for the 3, that could be the best thing the Seahawks vn do to maintain long-term success.

by J.L. White on Apr 22, 2011 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

So then you agree

that Mebane’s best position may in-fact be NT?

I'm gonna go calm submissive on your ass.

by Dukeshire on Apr 22, 2011 7:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Drake Nevis is a more explosive, harder working, better character Nick Fairley.

He’s smaller, though. Auburn seemed to target him — he was the most disruptive part of the Tigers’ front seven — and they were able to mostly make him disappear.

I do worry that that could happen in the pros. But a 3-tech that demands a double-team is still valuable. Frees up the Leo to beat a bigger man in space — opens up the inside move.

And the plan is for the over tackle and the 5-technique to both be 2-gappers. Double him and your run game is shut down and the edge pressure will be effective. Or single him and let him disrupt like Tommie Harris.

Just don’t get hurt like Tommie Harris!

Head of catering.

by jacobstevens on Apr 22, 2011 2:11 PM EDT reply actions