Bruce Irvin

Draft Losers: Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks made the reach of the draft by selecting Bruce Irvin in the 1st round, but that wasn’t the last of their poor decisions. And for the second straight year, Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider demonstrated a complete lack of understanding as to how to use the draft to effectively improve their roster.

Bruce Irvin

Irvin's workout numbers landed him in the 1st round

2nd-round pick Bobby Wagner is the Seahawks only draftee with a reasonable chance to start in 2012, and even he will be forced to compete with Barrett Ruud for the starting job at inside linebacker.

The selection of Russell Wilson, who projects as a career backup, raises further questions about the Seahawks draft strategy. It’s difficult to imagine how the Seahawks front office could justify a draft class filled with career backups when their current roster is filled with so many glaring holes.

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in 2012 NFL Draft, Seahawks 11 Comments

Seattle Seahawks select Bruce Irvin, Grade F

Can I give a grade lower than F?

The Seattle Seahawks front office is nothing short of clueless when it comes to evaluating prospects. James Carpenter was a disaster of a 1st-round pick in 2011, and yet they found a way to top it here. Bruce Irvin can be a terror as a pass rusher, but he’s very raw and is not a three-down lineman at this stage in his career. Throw the character concerns on top of that, and you’ve got a guy with a huge bust factor. This pick could end up costing a number of people their job in Seattle.

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in 2012 NFL Draft, Seahawks 24 Comments

Bruce Irvin scouting report

Bruce Irvin OLB West Virginia #11
Ht: 6’2″
Wt: 245		  
Strengths:
Prototypical size/athleticism for a 3-4 outside linebacker. Impressive explosion off the snap; has the potential to be a dangerous edge rusher. Surprisingly strong and physical in short bursts. Does a nice job staying low and using leverage to bull rush against much bigger offensive tackles. Has worked hard to get to this point in his career.
Weaknesses:
Primarily lined up at defensive end in college, but lacks the size and strength to stay there in the NFL. Too aggressive; over-pursues at times; attempts to anticipate the snap count and will jump offsides. Frequently taken off the field in rushing situations; lacks the strength, especially the lower-body strength, to hold up at the point of attack. Likely will not be a three-down player at the next level. Still very raw; limited experience against top competition.
Comments:
Irvin is an interesting story. He did not graduate from high school, but earned his GED, walked on at a JUCO and eventually enrolled at WVU. While he lacks the ability to be an every-down player, at least early in his career, he does have the potential to make an impact as a situational pass rusher. Given his size and athleticism, he would fit best at outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme.
Videos:
Posted on February 17, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in Scouting Reports - 2012 Comments Off

All-Overrated “Team”

Here is my pre-Senior Bowl all-overrated “team.” It’s not exactly a full team because certain positions don’t have a truly overrated prospect… yet. Depending on the media’s reaction to the Senior Bowl and/or Combine, players could drop off the list, or earn their way onto the roster in the coming months.

QB Ryan Tannehill Texas A&M
Every year a quarterback or two see their stock inflated due to team needs. Tannehill is this year’s victim.
RB LaMichael James Oregon
James is an impressive athlete with speed to burn, but he isn’t an every-down back.
RB Chris Rainey Florida
Much like James, Rainey is heralded for his speed, but he will be limited to special teams duty in the NFL.
WR Alshon Jeffery South Carolina
There’s no denying Jeffery’s raw ability, but his inconsistency raises a big red flag.
WR Nick Toon Wisconsin
Toon was a productive college receiver who benefitted from Russell Wilson’s prescence in 2011. He’s a 3rd or 4th option in the NFL at best.
TE Coby Fleener Stanford
Fleener is my top rated tight end, but that’s exactly why he’s being overrated. He’s just the best of a mediocre class.
OT Jonathan Martin Stanford
Martin will be a fine pro, but not at left tackle. Anyone who falls for the hype will be moving him to the right side, or to guard, within three years.
OT Mike Adams Ohio State
Adams certainly looks the part, but he’s terribly soft and not especially quickon his feet.
DE Quinton Coples North Carolina
You can put together a highlight real that makes Coples look like a top-five pick… but you can’t find a single game where he shows it from start to finish.
DE Jack Crawford Penn State
Crawford never lived up to expectations at Penn State despite his impressive athleticism.
DT Alameda Ta’amu Washington
Ta’amu has the size to play nose tackle, which boosts his stock significantly, but he may not have the stamina to be a three-down lineman.
LB Zach Brown North Carolina
Brown is an athlete, but he’s undersized and will get pushed around by NFL linemen.
LB Bruce Irvin West Virginia
Irvin flashes elite athleticism at times, but he had to fight for playing time throughout his career due to inconsistent performances.
LB Vontaze Burfict Arizona State
Top-10 talent, undraftable character. Not worth the trouble.
CB Janoris Jenkins North Alabama
See above.
CB Alfonzo Dennard Nebraska
I have a hard time understanding where the 1st-round love for Dennard comes from. He’s a physical corner and his injury prone – a bad combo.
Posted on January 23, 2012 by Ryan McCrystal in 2012 NFL Draft Comments Off