Seattle Seahawks 2020 NFL Draft grades: Jordyn Brooks leads way
Second Round
Scouting Report. 48. player. 36. Pick Analysis. DE. Tennessee. Darrell Taylor
Darrell Taylor addresses a need for the Seahawks as no one knows what is going to happen with Jadaveon Clowney. He may end up as the star of the Seattle draft class after a few seasons.
The Seahawks actually traded up to get Taylor here, a player that general manager John Schneider said the team had considered drafting in the first round Thursday night. They waited, made a trade, and were able to get their guy anyways.
Taylor led Tennessee with 10 tackles for loss, including 8.5 sacks, in 2019, with 46 total tackles and four pass breakups in 13 starts. He was a star in the SEC, which is hard to do. Now, he will look to chase down the likes of Kyler Murray, Jared Goff and Jimmy Garoppolo in the NFC West as the Seahawks rebuild.
NFL.com’s Lance Zeilien had a great scouting breakdown of Taylor and his career path in the league.
“He has the strength and leverage to anchor and stand his ground at the point of attack, but he needs to transform from a set-it-and-forget-it roadblock into a shed-and-tackle playmaker. His rush lacks instincts and counters, but he has shown the ability to explode and bend the edge sharply, which will get the attention of NFL evaluators. The toolbox has plenty in it, but additional development as a pass rusher might be the difference between functional backup or dangerous starter.”