Kelly Jennings
(my #1 choice for Seattle to pick...oh yyaaaaa im good!...I picked this before the whole nation started picking him for us)
Scouting Reports:
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Strengths:
Very smooth with great athletic ability...Has good height and the frame to get bigger...Very quick with excellent speed and a burst...Has fluid hips and good feet...Changes direction and recovers well...Has pretty good ball skills and will pick off some passes...Has a lot of experience...Will stick with receivers step-for-step in man coverage...Smart and instinctive...Hard worker with top intangibles
Weaknesses:
Lacks the bulk you look for and really needs to add some weight...Needs to get stronger...Is not very physical...Doesn't support the run well...With his slight frame will he hold up physically at the next level?...Won't fit in every scheme
Notes:
The latest Hurricane cornerback who will make his way to the NFL...Similar in a lot of ways to former 1st round pick Philip Buchanon...Pure cover corner who has just about everything you look for in terms of height, speed, and athleticism
Scouting Report 2
Scouting Report 3
College Career Overview
Pro Day Diary
ESPN Insider
Workout Results
Prospect Profile
College Career Overview
Video Report (Thanks Seahawks Blue!)
Interview with Ruskell Re: Jennings from Mike Sando's blog.
My thoughts:
Best possible pick for Seattle under the category of 'realistic'...the only guy I would of wanted more after the top 10 picks would be Cromartie. Top 3 CBs in the draft...people wonder why he was taken this low...its because he is undersized. Great player in terms of fitting into Seattle's style. I love this pick...LOVE IT
(to comment, click the green number to the right of the title above)
KJ that has a nice ring to it. I like this pick because it's a DB. The guy can cover so no concern there. His only problem is the guy only weights 178 and will go up against much bigger WR's.
ReplyDeleteAnyways this is a sure pick. Not a boom or bust but a solid player who will contribute in the secondary. I still want to sign Law so he can play nickel downs and learn from the veterans before being thrown in as a full time starter.
If we can sign Law, I'm really liking how the defense is shaping up. Starters trufant and law, nickel and dimes being KJ and Herndon. That is pretty ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteFrom Sando:
ReplyDeleteSeahawks president Tim Ruskell (left) gave the obligatory "never-say-never" response when asked if the selection of CB Kelly Jennings closed the book on adding veteran CB Ty Law, but it was clear from hearing him speak that adding Law would be a surprise at this point. He said the team's interest in Law was contingent on what happened in the draft. With a first-round corner onboard, we all know what that means.
Ruskell said Jennings was the only corner available that the team would have taken with the 31st overall pick. That rules out Virginia Tech's Jimmy Williams, who just went to Atlanta in the second round. Ruskell said the Seahawks used most of their allotted 15 minutes because that's the smart thing to do; he said you might as well listen to any offers even if you want to take a certain player.
Asked about Jennings' size (less than 180 pounds), Ruskell said durability should not be a problem because Jennings started a ton of games in a row at Miami. Ruskell also said he thought Jennings was more consistent game to game than the other corners they scouted.
Jennings sounds like a player who will help the club. I guess the Hawks took him because they rated him rated higher than such a BC DE. (<-- hah!) I hope the Hawks address the lack of depth at DE in the second round.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the major knock on Jennings, (who kind of resembles Darryl Jackson in this photo,) is a lack of size. However, I don't think that will matter too much. Jennings is like King Kong to Willie Williams' Fay Wray; Williams played well in the league for years, provided he was in the right role. Jennings sounds like he has the cover skills necessary to start, but I think if he plays that right role--nickel or dime back--his first year or two it would give him time to bulk up a little, while his cover skills would be ideal in that situation. I think he could get a decent number of picks his first sseason if he's used that way. In any case, Marshall seems to make good personnel rotations, so I'm sure that Jennings' skills will be employed exactly as needed.
Here's to more defense in round 2.
From CBS's writeup on Jennings:
ReplyDelete"He lacks bulk/strength and it hinders his ability to consistently cover big receivers well because they can push him around and get open too easily."
You mean like Darryl Jackson did in the Super Bowl? Isn't that supposed to be illegal? So why, praytell, is that a knock on Jennings? Due to his small size he is able to sucker receivers into committing touchdown-negating penalties against him? That should be a f*)#ing positive, if recent history has taught us anything!
If recent histoty tells us anything, it's that no matter who initiates the contact, the call will go against the Seahawk :(
ReplyDeleteStill, glad to see a good CB with the first pick.
I like the pick...anything to keep Herndon in the nickel slot or bench. Sorry Alba.
ReplyDeleteI thought the comments about his durability in college were interesting considering last season. I rather see the DB get muscled off the ball occasionally, than have to start JP Darche, or worse KH. With an improved line, and the LBs with a year under their belts, the Hawks need for CB run support should be lessened. I can see this working.
All corners are a liablilty in tackling and run support. They are supposed to cover, which is where JK excels.
ReplyDeleteAlso, remember that in this style of defense, corners are rarely left to tackle one-on-one, all defenders will be flying to the ball.
One thing is for sure - he couldn't be a worse tackler than Dyson. Andre was willing to kamikaze anyone, but he often ended up looking like the bug on your windshield.
Told my brother before the draft started that he would be our first pick. I was dead sure of it. The guy is a class guy, with good speed and game smarts, who had the knock of size against him. Just the way Ruskell likes 'em.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think we got the best player on the board AND filled our most pressing need, I am pumped!
Just posted a link to the audio interview with Ruskell re: Jennings on the main page of this topic. Sounds like the "new breed" of Seahawk.
ReplyDeleteI am officially taking Kelly Jennings as my boy and i will refer to him as K.J. I also predict he gets 4 picks as a rookie. I played CB so i'm a sucker for them.
ReplyDelete