Why Nelson Ceaser could be another undrafted gem for the Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks might have skipped out on drafting an edge rusher, however they did add one of many extra intriguing prospects as an undrafted free agent.

Houston’s Nelson Ceaser surprisingly didn’t get his title known as on Day 3, which is the place he was projected to go. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler gave Ceaser a fifth-round grade in his draft information:

A two-year starter at Houston, Ceaser lined up as the sphere defensive finish in former defensive coordinator Doug Belk’s four-man entrance, primarily in a two-point stance. After studying from former Cougars defensive ends like Payton Turner and Logan Corridor, his manufacturing confirmed gradual enchancment every season in faculty. He set profession bests as a senior, together with a Huge 12-leading 9.5 sacks, in this system’s first season within the convention. Ceaser assaults with upfield burst and pace and reveals simply sufficient bend to entry totally different pass-rush lanes. Towards the run, he has vary and hustle, though his subpar anchor and physicality on the level of assault might be harder to masks on the subsequent degree. Total, Ceaser finds himself slowed down by power-based blockers, however he reveals selection in his move rush, and NFL groups ought to be inspired by his athletic flashes and soccer character. He initiatives as a part-time rusher with promise.

Ceaser was All-Huge 12 First-Staff in his senior season, recording a conference-leading 9.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. On the finish of convention play (exempting bowl video games and the playoff), Ceaser was third within the convention in strain fee. One of many two males forward of him (and the one DT within the top-5)? Byron Murphy II, the Seahawks’ high draft decide.

The obvious competitors for Ceaser (aside from fellow UDFAs corresponding to Sunny Anderson and Rason Williams II) is Darrell Taylor. Seattle re-signed Taylor to a one-year deal as a substitute of letting him stroll in free company, however his contract is such that his $3,116,000 wage just isn’t assured. Transferring on from Taylor would solely price the Seahawks $20,000 in signing bonus useless cash.

Taylor’s run protection grade wasn’t even good in his ultimate 12 months of school, and usually was by no means persistently good all through his time at Tennessee. That downside has continued into the NFL, the place Pete Carroll briefly benched him for waiver wire pickup Darryl Johnson Jr, whose quick harm resulted in Taylor’s reinsertion. You possibly can reside with poor run protection when you’re an distinctive move rusher, however even with Taylor’s good trying 21.5 sacks by three seasons, his strain fee has by no means been above 8.8% in three seasons. He’s persistently been a below-average edge rusher and compounds his struggles by being a bottom-tier run defender.

In distinction, Ceaser confirmed superior run protection grades in his ultimate three seasons at Houston, though how a lot of that translate to the professionals from a bodily standpoint stays to be seen. He was named as one of many high late-down run defenders coming into the NFL Draft:

Ceaser profiles properly as a late-down rotational edge defender on the subsequent degree because of his understanding and use of leverage, notably within the run sport. The previous Cougar racked up 5 run stops of third and fourth all the way down to pair with an exceptional 20.4% positively graded play fee in comparison with simply 2% on the destructive aspect.

One of many main considerations about Ceaser is his bodily attributes. Aside from hand measurement, nothing else is above the seventy fifth percentile in any class.

Ceaser has the power to not less than be a situational move rusher, even when he’s not a three-down participant. I don’t anticipate Day 3 and UDFA gamers (particularly at premium positions) to have a excessive ceiling. However his on-field productiveness and flexibility as an occasional off-ball linebacker make him certainly one of my UDFAs to observe heading into coaching camp.