Seahawks GM John Schneider, Head Coach Pete Carroll, and Offensive Coordinator Darrell Bevell were on hand Friday for Arizona State's pro day, apparently to get a closer look at what QB Brock Osweiler can do. The 6'7, 238 pound QB ran his 40-yard dash in 4.9 seconds and threw for the attendants - a scripted workout of 72 passes.
Gil Brandt of NFL.com reported that Osweiler's workout was so good that it might have vaulted him into the first round.
The scripted throwing session was run by Noel Mazzone, who recently left the Arizona State coaching staff to become an assistant at UCLA. Osweiler threw 72 passes, with seven hitting the ground. The seven misses were not, however, an indicator of wildness; his accuracy was very good. He presented himself very well, which is important for a quarterback, and interacted well with his receivers. Despite his height, he is very flexible and has a solid throwing platform. Mazzone has worked with him to correct a tendency to drop his elbow, which Osweiler avoided doing on Friday. Based on Friday's workout, I think Osweiler vaulted himself into the first round on draft day.
Kent Somers, of the Arizona Republic, had a similar report but wasn't quite so hyperbolic. He pointed out that while Osweiler obviously has some talent, he's very raw and will need to develop quite a bit before he's ready to play in the NFL.
Osweilwer threw the ball well. People who have watched him over the years believe he's altered his release, moving his arm to a higher point. He threw some wobblers and a handful of passes were errant. But overall, he was on the money. And he threw some great deep balls.
A couple of scouts I talked to pegged Osweiler as a third-round prospect who could move into the second round. My early guess is that will happen. He's big, smart and talented and teams will reach to take a quarterback. The downside is that he doesn't have a lot of experience. No one should expect him to play early in his career.
As for the Seahawks - this was their second pro day in as many days, following up their trip to College Station yesterday to attend Ryan Tannehill's workout. Whether they're just doing their due diligence, have legitimate interest, or are throwing up a smokescreen - we don't know, and may never know. We'll know one thing though in about four short weeks - whether Osweiler will become a Seahawk or get picked up by another interested team.
For more on the Seahawks, head over to Field Gulls.