SB Nation Seattle - NFL Draft 2012: LaMichael James, Chris Polk, & Alameda Ta'amu's Potential Landing Spots

NFL Draft 2012 Round 2 & 3 Mock Draft: Huskies And Ducks Find Landing Spots

2012-04-27T18:41:51Z

Today could be a big day for draftable players from both the University of Washington and the University of Oregon.

According to CBS Sports' Rob Rang, the Ducks and Huskies could see as many as five players combined drafted in tonight's 2nd and 3rd rounds.

Rang's updated mock draft has the Pittsburgh Steelers selecting Huskies' NT Alameda Ta'amu with their pick in the 2nd round.

Also from CBS Sports, Pat Kirwan's mock draft has Ta'amu headed to the Cincinnati Bengals in round 2.

In the 3rd round Rang projects Oregon RB LaMichael James to be picked by the St. Louis Rams, the Seahawks to take Oregon OLB Josh Kaddu, the Houston Texans to take Washington OT Senio Kelemete, and the Detroit Lions to take UW RB Chris Polk.

Also expected to be drafted is Oregon TE David Paulson, however, he is projected to go in the later rounds on Saturday and isn't listen on any mock drafts.

For more on the 2012 NFL Draft, visit our NFL Draft StoryStream throughout the weekend. For a complete list of 2012 NFL Draft results as they happen, visit SBNation.com. For even more comprehensive coverage of the NFL Draft, visit Mocking The Draft.

To talk Seahawks, make sure you head to Field Gulls and join in on the discussion.

NFL Mock Draft 2012: Alameda Ta'amu's Possible Destinations

2012-04-24T17:00:21Z

The NFL Draft begins this Thursday, but former Washington Husky Alameda Ta'amu likely will not hear his name called until Friday.

Most mock drafts have Ta'amu projected as a second to third round pick.

What teams are looking for a 6'2" 348lb player? NFL draft experts see Ta'amu as a nose tackle at the next level, making him a good fit for any team running a 3-4 defense.

Ta'amu's size is best asset — he'll be most effective at stopping the run, with his pass-rushing ability being a weakness according to ESPN's Todd McShay.

Some teams are worried, because his weight got into the 385-pound range at times with the Huskies. That would limit the number of snaps he could play over the long haul. Teams want him to find a way to stay around or below 340, and he's going to have the have the discipline to do it. (Denver Post)

The Kansas City Chiefs seem like a plausible fit for Ta'amu. Kansas City's defense could use the upgrade, as it finished 26th overall in run defense last season. The Chiefs hold the No. 44 pick in the draft.

Another possible landing spot for Ta'amu is with the Denver Broncos. If the Broncos do not draft a defensive tackle at No. 25 overall, Ta'amu is an option for them in the second round.

To discuss how good Ta'amu was as a Husky, check out UW Dawg Pound. To learn more about mock drafts in general, head to Mocking the Draft.

NFL Draft 2012: Luke Kuechly Talks Draft Process, Room For Improvement On WNST In Baltimore

2012-04-20T18:17:15Z

Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly is one of the players in the crosshairs of the Seattle Seahawks, and spent some time on WNST in Baltimore with Glenn Clark to discuss the excitement for the draft, things he needs to work on, and playing with B.C. linebacker legend Mark Herzlich.

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Has the excitement for the draft built up at this point?:

"It's one of those things that we've been waiting for awhile and it's a week away and everyone's looking forward to seeing what happens. ... I don't think [playing in the NFL] has quite hit me yet. I think it's going to probably hit me when we start heading out to the places and kind of get settled in and finally start working out with the different teams."

What was it like for you to play alongside Mark Herzlich for part of your college career?:

"The thing with Mark, I came in my freshman year and that's when he was sitting out that year. The thing with Mark is he had so much passion and desire. Even though he wasn't playing, I think he was one of the vocal leaders on the team, just getting everybody going. I think coming in you see a guy like that, who's that motivated even though he's not playing, it's an inspiration for everyone."

How would you describe yourself as a player?:

"I think I'm an instinctive player. ... I just go out there, trying not to think too much and just go out there and let yourself play football. That's kind of how I've been, just having fun playing football out there and it comes to me. I try not to divulge myself too much in what's going on."

What areas do you think you need to improve on as you move to the next level?:

"I need to work on there's a lot of things I didn't do at B.C. I didn't do a lot of man coverage. That's going to be big moving forward. I didn't blitz a whole lot. Those are things, moving forward, that I need to work on to be more complete."

Is there anything that has caught you off guard about the whole evaluation process leading up to the draft?:

"They do ask you a lot of weird questions. You take a lot of the psychology tests and they ask you weird questions. ... It's like taking the SAT again. You've got to sit in a room, you've got a Scantron, you've got to bubble all the letters in and there's hundreds of questions asking you all kinds of stuff that you don't have any idea how it has to deal with football at all."

Middle linebacker is a position where it just seems that most players become a leader. Do you try to establish that early on in your NFL career?:

"You've got to come in with that mindset, but you've got to earn the respect from the guys that have been there before. You can't just walk in and be big man on campus. You've got to earn your spot, earn everyone's respect and you've got to know what you're doing so you're not telling people the wrong thing. I think, for me, if you're going to try to correct people, you've got to make sure whatever you're doing is 100 percent right before doing other things."

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You can really tell Kuechly has his head square on his shoulders during this interview, he sure seems like a stand up guy. He's self aware but not self-absorbed, is realistic with himself to know where he needs improvement, but not shy enough to stay away from brining up his strong points; Just the kind of player Peter Carroll loves to have on his teams. Hopefully if he still around the Seahawks can pick him up in the draft.

For more on the Seahawks, please check out Field Gulls.

NFL Mock Draft 2012: Alameda Ta'amu To The Saint Louis Rams

2012-04-17T17:00:17Z

SB Nation's Detroit Lions blog, Pride of Detroit is currently conducting a comprehensive community mock draft run by its readers. Former Washington Husky Alameda Ta'amu was chosen by the St. Louis Rams at No. 39 overall in the second round.

As I mentioned in the No. 33 pick write-up, the new front office and coaching staff make predicting the picks for the Rams a difficult task. The one thing we do know about the new coach, Jeff Fisher, is he values a strong defense and in particular places high value on dominant line play. With 2/3 of the picks in the first two rounds, they are making great strides to build from the lines out. So with the 39th pick, it's a pleasure to bring in the imposing Alameda Ta'amu, a defensive tackle of Washington.

The defensive tackle is considered right now to be a second to third round pick. ESPN's Mel Kiper pegged Ta'amu as a third round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a tweet last week.

The defensive tackle is projected to play nose guard in the NFL with his strengths being his size and athleticism. A recent scouting report by the Sporting News noted Ta'amu's competitive nature and drive to have an impact on every single snap.

Other teams that have been talked about as possible destinations for Ta'amu include the Pittsburgh Steelers, the San Francisco 49ers, the Indianapolis Colts and the San Diego Chargers. Some consider Ta'amu the draft's top nose tackle prospect, meaning he will be an asset to any team running a 3-4 defensive scheme.

To discuss how good Ta'amu was as a Husky, check out UW Dawg Pound. To learn more about mock drafts in general, head to Mocking the Draft.

NFL Draft 2012: Seahawks Love Ryan Tannehill But Could He Fall To No. 12?

2012-04-17T16:34:45Z

Something random always seems to happen at the top of every draft. A player gets picked earlier than expected or a player seen as a top pick takes an unexpected tumble until landing into the lap of a team that never expected that player to be there when they selected.

This season, if that were to happen to Ryan Tannehill, the Seattle Seahawks would be that giddy team shocked by their fortune. Apparently, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is in love with Tannehill. Even though he has incumbent Tarvaris Jackson and free-agent signee Matt Flynn already on the roster, as seen on Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback.

Still the most likely scenarios are Tannehill to Cleveland at four or Miami at eight. But why 11? Because teams around the league know how much Seattle loves Tannehill. And you can write this down: If Tannehill were to be there at 12, Seattle would take him, even though the Seahawks just paid medium dollar for Matt Flynn in free agency. That's how much Seattle loves him.

Pete Carroll sure hopes this unlikely scenario comes to fruition. At least that's what folks are telling King.

"At Tannehill's workout," one source told King, "[coach] Pete Carroll was giggling like a schoolgirl watching him throw. His attitude was like, ‘What are we even doing here? He'll never be there for us."

But what if he is? Stranger things have happened. Just ask Aaron Rodgers or Randy Moss.

To discuss the Seahwaks and their draft plans, go to Field Gulls to talk with fellow Seattle fans.

Washington RB Chris Polk's NFL Dreams Began At A Young Age

2012-04-17T16:19:20Z

After one of the most productive careers in Washington history, es-Husky RB Chris Polk has become one of the more intriguing prospects in this month's upcoming NFL Draft. Playing in the NFL was a childhood dream of Polk's and he is inching closer to that reality.

In a recently released film called "Before The Beginning", which was shot in February, Polk's preparation for the draft is chronicled in detail. There is a part in the video when Steve Caric of Caric Sports Management mentions that UW hasn't had an offensive lineman drafted since 2006, pointing out just how impressive Polk's career was.

Projected number 1 overall pick Andrew Luck describes Polk as a a "complete back".

One thing is clear, though Polk is the recipient of much praise - he is compared to Steven Jackson and Corey Dillon, nobody seems to be able to agree on where he will land in the draft. Polk projects anywhere from the second back taken to being selected in the 3rd or 4th round.

In addition to showing Polk's draft prep,he visits his hometown of Redlands, California where his mom and high school coach are both interviewed. It is a fantastic look at a dedicated young man.

Before the Beginning With Chris Polk from Athlete Interactive on Vimeo.

NFL Draft 2012: Chris Polk Just 15th In Sports Illustrated's Running Back Prospect Rankings

2012-04-13T21:07:26Z

There are inevitably risers and fallers during the NFL Draft season. All-star games, pro days, the NFL Combine, official visits, workouts - whatever the case may be, the top prospects are certainly under a microscope at this time of year and some see their stock rise and some see it fall. Chris Polk, by most accounts, has seen his stock plummet and according to the draft prospect rankings over at Sports Illustrated, is only ranked 15th among the running backs in this year's class.

TFYDraftInsider.net and SportsIllustrated's rankings are an excellent resource for research on players, and they list Chris Polk's negatives as such:

Negatives: Possesses just an average burst through the hole. Not an elusive or creative back who creates yardage. Gives poor attempts blocking and gets poor results. Reportedly has personality issues that do not sit well with many teams.

Despite his career-best numbers of 1488 yards rushing and 12 TDs on the ground with 31 receptions for 332 yards and 4 more TDs through the air, Polk will be fighting to disprove his detractors come late April. He's currently projected in the fourth round, per those rankings.

Make sure to head over to SportsIllustrated to peruse more of their scouting reports - it's really one of the more well-organized and thorough places on the web to find more information on prospects.

For more on Polk and his time at Washington, check out UW Dawg Pound.

NFL Draft 2012: Chris Polk's Potential Destinations

2012-04-13T15:00:32Z

Washington's Chris Polk is one of the top running back prospects in this year's NFL Draft. Polk is currently projected to be drafted in the second round with a handful of teams being discussed as potential landing spots for the running back.

Polk's tough running style along with versatility and ability to play receiver make him a possible fit for many different teams. The first team All-Pac-12 selection racked up 1,448 yards on 293 carries and 12 touchdowns in his junior season at Washington. Polk is considered by most NFL Draft experts to be one of the top ten running back prospects in this year's draft.

A recent report by the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel says the Green Bay Packers are seriously interested in Polk:

The Packers hold the No. 59 overall pick in the second round.

A source said he believes the Green Bay Packers have a genuine interest in the running back after interviewing him at the combine in Indianapolis. Indeed, a scout from the Packers joined 12 other NFL representatives to watch Polk at pro day in early March in Seattle.

A more recent report by the Detroit Press, says the Detroit Lions, who have the No. 54 overall pick, are also targeting the running back in the second round.

For more on Polk and his time at Washington, check out UW Dawg Pound.