Seattle, WA
Seattle Seahawks Draft Profile: Brandon Smith
With the 2022 NFL Draft set to kick off in Las Vegas on Thursday, April 28, the Seahawks can have an opportunity to kickstart a brand new period for the franchise with eight picks, together with a top-10 choose and 4 picks whole within the first three rounds.
Over the subsequent month main as much as draft weekend, the AllSeahawks writing employees will dish out in-depth profiles on quite a few prospects who may very well be targets on Seattle’s huge board.
Subsequent up within the collection is Penn State’s Brandon Smith—one of many high testing linebackers at this 12 months’s mix, who possesses a skillset that ought to land him on the Seahawks’ radar.
Background
A two-year starter for the Nittany Lions, Smith enters the draft after a superb junior season by which he recorded 81 mixed tackles—9.0 for a loss—and a pair of.0 sacks. That, alongside together with his 5 cross deflections and one pressured fumble, earned him third-team All-Large Ten honors. On the mix, the 21-year outdated’s 40-yard sprint time of 4.52 seconds ranked within the 91st percentile amongst linebackers, whereas his 128-inch broad soar and 38-inch vertical soar ranked within the 94th and 86th percentiles, respectively.
Strengths
Smith’s near-elite athleticism does, certainly, present up on tape. He is a fluid mover on the turf and will get sideline-to-sideline in a rush. Nevertheless it would not simply assist him monitor down incoming ball-carriers; in protection, he makes use of his palms nicely and is greater than able to going step-for-step with tight ends, working backs and even some receivers.
Deployed in quite a lot of methods, Smith is at his greatest in house. That is the place he can let his pace shine essentially the most, whether or not it is blitzing at a large angle or sitting in his zone. He has good situational consciousness and response time to smell out the ball and restrict injury to a minimal.
Smith has the size and physicality essential to win matchups towards opposing blockers. He is one of many extra well-built linebackers on this 12 months’s class, measuring in at 6-foot-31/2, 250 kilos with 345/8-inch arms and 101/4-inch palms.
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Weaknesses
Bodily talking, Smith is a dream come true at linebacker. However from a technical standpoint, he lacks consistency with a number of the fundamentals, which has pushed his inventory down towards late day two/early day three standing.
Particularly, whereas he performs with a “bat out of hell” perspective, he can get a bit overzealous at occasions and flat-out whiffs on sort out makes an attempt. He’ll must grow to be extra sound in that division, specializing in his potential to wrap-up relatively than “hit stick” at any time when he approaches a ball-carrier. Though that may create for some enjoyable, violent highlights, it will possibly additionally result in some terrible misses that may get him chewed out on the subsequent degree.
Although he has the instruments to succeed, Smith struggles to correctly use them on the line of scrimmage. Too typically on tape was he swallowed by a block/moved off his spot when he should not have been. He can get a bit awkward in his setup and tends to place his physique in disadvantageous conditions, which brings up some considerations about him doubtlessly hurting himself. Nevertheless it’s not like he is wholly incapable of successful in such situations; he simply has to develop a extra repeatable method that is conducive to working his manner by means of blocks and staying clear within the course of.
Slot in Seattle
Fortunately, Smith’s largest warts must be fixable; and the Seahawks have an skilled linebackers coach in John Glenn who ought to have the ability to get the Penn State product heading in the right direction. Proper now, he is an enormous ball of clay for a workforce to mould—and an thrilling one at that.
Whereas he could not get an opportunity to crack Seattle’s beginning lineup proper out of the gate, maybe a while in a rotational or pure reserve function would do him wonders in engaged on his approach. So by 2023, if Cody Barton both would not pan out or winds up heading elsewhere, Smith might workforce up with Jordyn Brooks to kind one of many quickest linebacker duos within the NFL. And even with Barton round, Smith has the flexibility to play all three spots and will get some work in at SAM.
Within the meantime, Smith’s burst and aggressiveness can be a superb addition to an already robust particular groups unit.
Earlier Seahawks NFL Draft Profiles
Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina | Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa | Arnold Ebiketie, EDGE, Penn State | Tyler Allgeier, RB, BYU | Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati | Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA | Cameron Thomas, EDGE, San Diego State | Trevor Penning, T, Northern Iowa | Hassan Haskins, RB, Michigan | Abraham Lucas, T, Washington State | Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State | Boye Mafe, EDGE, Minnesota | Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina | Cade Otton, TE, Washington | Rasheed Walker, T, Penn State
Seattle Sounders FC have reached the Western Conference Final in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, completing a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over LAFC in Saturday’s elimination match at BMO Stadium.
Sounders striker Jordan Morris scored a 109th-minute winner in the second extra-time period, ending his team’s 10-game winless streak against the Black & Gold (stretching back to May 2021). Stefan Frei was also immense for the Sounders, making nine saves to repeatedly frustrate Denis Bouanga and his teammates.
Before Morris’ dramatics, Seattle clawed back into the game when Maxime Chanot failed to clear Obed Vargas’ centering pass and scored an own goal. That equalizer followed Ryan Hollingshead opening the scoring in the 50th minute, one-timing home Mateusz Bogusz’s low cross near the penalty spot.
Up next, Seattle will face the winner of Sunday’s Western Conference Semifinal between LA Galaxy and Minnesota United FC (6 pm ET | MLS Season Pass; FS1, FOX Deportes). Their Conference Final is set for Nov. 30; Seattle (No. 4) will travel if LA (No. 2) advance and host if Minnesota (No. 6) complete yet another upset.
Goals
- 50′ – LAFC – Ryan Hollingshead | WATCH
- 59′ – SEA – Maxime Chanot (OG) | WATCH
- 109′ – SEA – Jordan Morris | WATCH
Seattle, WA
Seattle Sounders vs. Los Angeles FC LIVE STREAM (10/28/24): Watch MLS Playoffs online | Time, TV, channel for soccer game
Seattle Sounders faces Los Angeles FC in an MLS Playoff game on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024 (11/23/24) at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
HOW TO WATCH: Fans can watch on Apple TV+, via a subscription to the MLS Season Pass.
Here’s what you need to know:
What: MLS game
Who: Seattle Sounders vs. Los Angeles FC
When: Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024 (11/23/24)
Time: 10:30 p.m. ET
Where: BMO Stadium
TV: N/A
Live stream: Apple TV+
Here’s a recent AP story on MLS:
Seattle Sounders FC (16-9-9, fourth in the Western Conference during the regular season) vs. Los Angeles FC (19-8-7, first in the Conference during the regular season)
Los Angeles; Saturday, 10:30 p.m. EST
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: LAFC -107, Seattle +271; over/under is 2.5 goals
BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles FC looks for its 20th win of the season when it faces the Seattle Sounders.
LAFC is 18-8-6 in conference games. LAFC ranks fourth in the Western Conference with 63 goals led by Denis Bouanga with 21.
The Sounders are 12-8-10 against Western Conference teams. The Sounders are 7-1-2 when they score a pair of goals.
The teams meet Saturday for the second time this season. LAFC won the last meeting 3-0.
TOP PERFORMERS: Bouanga has scored 21 goals and added 10 assists for LAFC. Kei Kamara has two assists over the past 10 games.
Jordan Morris has 13 goals and four assists for the Sounders. Albert Rusnak has scored five goals over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: LAFC: 7-2-1, averaging 1.6 goals, 5.2 shots on goal and 6.4 corner kicks per game while allowing 1.1 goals per game.
Sounders: 5-1-4, averaging 1.5 goals, 3.8 shots on goal and 6.8 corner kicks per game while allowing 0.5 goals per game.
NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY: LAFC: Lorenzo Dellavalle (injured).
Sounders: Cody Baker (injured), Jacob Castro (injured), Danny Musovski (injured), Jordan Morris (injured), Albert Rusnak (injured).
After a big win over the San Francisco 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks are set for another important divisional clash.
Macdonald previews Seattle Seahawks’ pivotal NFC West clash vs Cardinals
The Seahawks host the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals (6-4) with a chance to move into at least a tie for first place in the division. Seattle (5-5) is currently in a three-way tie for second place with both the 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams.
If Seattle can pull off the win and both San Francisco and Los Angeles lose, it would take over sole possession of first place via the head-to-head tiebreaker over Arizona. The Seahawks and Cardinals meet again on Dec. 8.
The Cardinals, winners of four straight, are one of the surprise teams in the league this season. After finishing in a four-way tie for the second-worst record in the league last season, they’ve already surpassed their four wins from a season ago and have their latest division lead since being tied for first with the Rams in Week 15 of the 2021 season.
With Arizona on the docket for the first time this season, AZCardinals.com senior writer Darren Urban shared his insight on the Cardinals with Stacy Rost and Seahawks Radio Network analysts Michael Bumpus and Dave Wyman during The Huddle on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy.
Kyler Murray playing at a high level
Arizona has been much improved on offense with dual-threat quarterback Kyler Murray fully healthy, but that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
With Murray out for the first nine weeks of last season, the Cardinals stumbled to a 1-8 start while averaging just 16.8 points per game. After his return, they went 3-5 while averaging 22.8 points.
Murray is playing at a high level this year in his first full season since tearing his ACL in December of the 2022 season. He’s completing passes at a career-high 69.2% clip with 2,058 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions, while adding another 371 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
“I don’t know if I’ll necessarily call it a career year yet. (We) obviously still got half the season to go, but he’s definitely in a different space than he’s been in before,” Urban said. “He might have had more gaudy numbers once upon a time, but he fits so well in the offense that they’re running here with offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, and the fact that it’s kind of coming together at a perfect time, really kind of escalates how he looks and how he’s performing. Don’t get me wrong, Kyler is playing at a very high level right now. They just don’t always need him to be Superman like he once was.”
Arizona is tied for 11th in scoring this season at 23.8 points per game with Murray leading the charge. Part of what’s made him so effective this year is his improved ability to take care of the football. He’s on pace for a career-low 1.1% interception rate.
“He’s done a really good job of taking care of the football,” Urban said. “When you add that in with the least amount of penalties the Cardinals have got – the Cardinals have the fewest amount of penalties of anybody in the NFL – that goes a long way in helping you try and win games. So Kyler Murray is in a good place right now. He’s 100% back from the knee injury from a couple of years ago. He looks like it when he moves around. He’s throwing the ball exceptionally well. And this offense is coming around.”
The ‘heart and soul’ of Arizona’s offense
While Murray’s play has been key, Urban described veteran running back James Conner as the “heart and soul of the offense.”
“Since (head coach) Jonathan Gannon came in, they prefer to be a run-first offense,” Urban said. “(It) doesn’t mean they won’t throw, to the contrary, but in a perfect world James Conner is getting the ball a lot and they are grinding out yards on the ground.”
The 29-year-old Conner has been a versatile weapon for Arizona this season and is 11th in the NFL with 944 yards from scrimmage. He’s rushed for 697 yards and five touchdowns on 4.4 yards per carry and added another 247 yards on 24 receptions. The Pittsburgh product has eclipsed 100 yards rushing in four games and produced at least 100 yards from scrimmage in six.
“The way he plays football feels very old-school. It feels very 1977 kind of feel to it as a running back, and you don’t get that a lot anymore. When he does well, it does seem to energize this entire team,” Urban said. “Not a lot of people know James Conner – most (do) from his years in Pittsburgh – but there’s no question that he has played his best football since he came to Arizona in these last couple of years. Even as he’s getting older as a running back, he seems to be getting better.”
The combination of Conner and Murray in the running game means this Cardinals squad is better suited for the chilly conditions it’s set to face Sunday in Seattle.
“If they’re playing the game that they want to play, they’re going to be able to control the ball on offense a little bit and they’re going to be able to run it,” Urban said. “One of the things that has always kind of … followed this team where it plays, if you go back to the heydays of the Kurt Warner Cardinals, is they can win if they’re not in a dome. … This team can do that.”
Improving defense
After being among the league’s worst defenses last season, the Cardinals have resembled more of a league-average unit this season under second-year defensive coordinator Nick Rallis.
The biggest strides the unit has made have come against the run. Arizona was last in the NFL in rushing defense last season and is up to 19th in 2024. The defense also has been better at forcing turnovers, jumping from tied for 27th to tied for 16th with 11 so far this season.
The Cardinals are coming off two of their best defensive performances, allowing a combined 15 points and no touchdowns in wins over Chicago Bears and New York Jets.
“The last two games where they haven’t given up a touchdown, you’re playing at home, you’re playing against the Jets and the Bears – two teams that I’m pretty sure are not going to be going anywhere past the end of the regular season, so you have to factor in some context,” Urban said. “But this team was always defensively about doing a solid job and hopefully having the offense pick them up in spots.
“What has happened over this four-game winning streak in a lot of ways is the defense has done more than just hold its own, and that’s an important factor when you talk about a group that doesn’t have a lot of big names.”
With that being said, the unit is still susceptible to give up yards. It’s just been good at limiting points in the red zone, ranking ninth in the league with an opponents’ red-zone touchdown percentage of just 48.6%.
“(The defense is) an area of the roster that I’m sure (general manger) Monti Ossenfort wants to continue to upgrade, but they are playing at a pretty high level and it’s kind of the epitome of bend but not break,” Urban said. “I mean, they’re going to give up some yards, but they’ve been keeping teams out of the end zone, and that’s gone a long way for them to win games.”
Listen to the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Tune in to The Huddle from noon-2 p.m. on Thursday’s before Sunday Seahawks games for two full hours of in-depth coverage on the team.
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