Interview with Dave Razzano by Dewey Hammond.
Dave Razzano is a former NFL scout and Playmaker Mobile correspondent with more than 22 years of professional scouting experience with the San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals under NFL coaches including Bill Walsh, George Seifert, Chuck Knox and Dick Vermeil. He's been a part of five Super Bowls with three Super Bowl wins (49ers, 1989, 1990; Rams, 2000).
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Q: What do you expect from the Seattle Seahawks this season?
A: I have them ranked as the second-worst team in the NFL. They lack talent across the board. That's what has happened to that team in the last four or five years. They haven't drafted well and they've struggled. Pete Carroll definitely has his work cut out for him, and he'll realize soon they'll need another three or four years to be competitive. He'll change the atmosphere but that only takes you so far. The defense has fallen off, Hasselbeck is getting older, the offensive line has questions. They got a couple of nice young draft picks in offensive tackle Russell Okung, and Earl Thomas out of Texas, but this team is a couple years off.
Q: Which of their draft picks do you like, which don't you like?
A: Well I love Earl Thomas. He's got great talent. But he isn't a corner. He's a safety. And I don't know if I'd go that high in the draft for a safety. Especially because they had Kyle Wilson still on the board, the corner out of Boise State. But I do like Earl Thomas a lot. He's a playmaker, consistent in every game, a competitive guy. Okung, he's a starting tackle for them but he's more of a right tackle to me, so I thought he was drafted a little high also. He is going to start so I don't ding them too much, but #6 overall I think is too high for Okung. He lacks some athletic ability in his overall movement and ability to finish blocks. Golden Tate, second round, I thought that was way high. He was more of like a fourth-rounder. Productive guy but an in between player who looks like a running back trying to play receiver. Good underneath but not smooth and fluid. In the fifth round, I liked Kam Chancellor the safety out of Virginia Tech, and also their sixth-round pick, tight end Anthony McCoy out of USC, so of course Carroll is familiar with him. Another guy I like is their seventh-round pick, outside backer, 3-4 backer, Dexter Davis from Arizona State. I thought he was a second or third-round talent. Question marks early, but great fifth, sixth and seventh rounders.
Q: Do you see Matt Hasselbeck making it through 16 games as a starter?
A: I don't think so. He's had a history of injuries and I really doubt it. He's been a little brittle. Charlie Whitehurst had a good game the other day. Maybe Whitehurst gets playing time, maybe he takes the job. They did trade a number two pick for him so I'm sure if Hasselbeck has any struggles or injuries, they'll look to Whitehurst and have enough confidence in him.
Q: For a team that you rank 31 out of 32, what do you LIKE about the Seahawks, maybe not this season but looking ahead to the next three or four years?
A: The first thing they have is a general manager who is really good at what he does, John Schneider. He'll have a plan and build that thing up. It'll take some time but he's a talented young personnel guy who is very confident. He knows what he is getting into. It's just going to take some time.
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