With the 25th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks selected James Carpenter, a left tackle from Alabama. With the pick, the Seahawks plan for the draft suddenly snapped into focus: Build from the trenches on the offensive side of the ball. He's not flashy, nor is he the quarterback of the future many hoped for, but Carpenter fits the scheme the Seahawks would like to implement and should be a starter from day one.
Vitals
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 321 pounds
40-yard-dash: 5.22 seconds
Bench press: 23 repetitions at 225 pounds.
Bio
Originally from Augusta, Georgia, Carpenter signed with Iowa State out of high school but headed to Coffeyville Community College after failing to qualify. Two years later, he was headed to Alabama to begin his division one career. All he did was slide into the left tackle spot from the start while never looking back at Alabama. Carpenter earned a first-team All-SEC selection for his work on the line and was a mainstay in the trenches for the Crimson Tide, starting all 27 games during his two years at Alabama.
Scouting Report
Because there's no way I can do this better than Carl Shinyama over at Field Gulls, I'd like to direct your attention to his scouting report. It's incredibly detailed and the work he put in is impressive. Shinyama watched tape and was able to come away with an assessment I'd say is accurate and insightful. Here's a sampling of it.
Carpenter is an above-average pass protector and an even better run blocker. He is not a technician, nor is he a mauler; Carpenter is, as I said, a superior leverage blocker, one with a powerful base. That is, he wins at the point of attack because his position and leverage, relative to his man, is lower in height consistently and he moors himself firmly.
Video
For even more on the draft, head on over to Field Gulls. Check out the rest of our 2011 NFL Draft grades to get caught up on all the picks. For a look back on the draft that was, check out our 2011 NFL Draft StoryStream. We'll be getting to know each of the Seahawks draft picks in our 2011 NFL Draft results StoryStream.