Most Intriguing Seahawks: No. 16, DT Jarran Reed

During each show until the start of training camp, “Brock and Salk” is counting down the 20 most intriguing players on the Seahawks’ roster. The countdown continued with defensive tackle Jarran Reed. The segment on Reed is embedded above. John Clayton’s thoughts are below.

The intrigue

On the second day of the 2016 draft, observers thought the Seahawks got a steal when they traded up to take Reed at No. 49 overall. He appeared to be the perfect fit for the Seahawks’ defense. He was a great run-stopper at Alabama and also had some pass-rush ability that scouts thought would develop even more after a couple years in the league. At 6-3, 311 pounds, he gave the Seahawks the type of young defensive tackle that they used to have when Brandon Mebane anchored their line. Even more appealing was his attitude. At Alabama, Reed had the type of alpha male personality that fits in Seattle’s locker room. The Seahawks watched Frank Clark make the jump from his rookie season to his second. Reed and right tackle Germain Ifedi are the second-year candidates to make big jumps in 2017.

By the numbers

Pro Football Focus didn’t exactly give Reed high marks for his rookie season. He received a 52.2 rating at defensive tackle, which ranked 91st out of 127 interior defensive linemen. Surprisingly, he graded out a little worse at stopping the run than rushing the quarterback. Why that shouldn’t be concerning is because the Seahawks had the best run-stopping defense in football, giving up 3.4 yards a carry last year. Reed’s biggest improvement will be stopping the run. What people don’t appreciate is that there is a tougher degree of difficulty for a defensive tackle. Some believe it takes more than two years for a young defensive tackle to grow into being a quality player in Carroll’s defense. It’s probably no coincidence that Carroll has been using veterans like Tony McDaniel, Ahtyba Rubin, Alan Branch and Mebane at that position. Defensive tackles have to be able to recognize whether the play is going to be a run or a pass and communicate it down the line. Reed will be better with that in his second year.

Notable

I still remember the day Reed was drafted. I was covering the draft for ESPN Radio. Reed came to the radio set eating a bag of Skittles. He was happy to join a team that had Marshawn Lynch as one of its mainstays and wanted to show it. I also remember sometime early in his time with the Seahawks I watched Reed dancing to music supplied by Clark. He fits this team.

Quotable

Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett: “I think J-Reed was starting to come along toward the end (of last season). I think the hardest position in the NFL to be great at is defensive lineman because you have to go against so many crafty people, so many crafty lines that’s been playing together for five or six years, and … you’re used to playing defensive line a certain way. I think Jarran Reed starting coming along toward the end.”

Most Intriguing Seahawks: No. 20, WR Jermaine Kearse; No. 19, K Blair Walsh; No. 18, S Bradley McDougald; No. 17, RB Thomas Rawls.

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