[playlist] Seahawks 2010 NFL Draft-Inspired Playlist

Okunga matata, what a wonderful phrase...

Hopefully after this weekend when all the analysts and sports personalities rave about the Seahawks' overall success in the 2010 NFL Draft, all the Pete Carroll nay-sayers will quiet down a little. For a team who's been denied any prime time games for a second year in a row, it's been nice to see national coverage of the Hawks on TV. And while I was watching the future of our team strengthen one draftee at a time, I couldn't help but get excited about next season. Unfortunately, that's months away...

However, when the Seahawks picked up Notre Dame's Golden Tate in the second round, I couldn't help but start humming TV On The Radio's "Golden Age" in my head. Not only was it quite punny (in my opinion), Seattle is at the dawn of a new age. Carroll's presence is already a breath of fresh air compared to the general decline of seasons passed. So in honor of the new draftees and hopefully the new direction of Pete Carroll's Seahawks, I've put together a draft-inspired playlist below. It's the only way I can fit sports into a music blog...

Round One
Russell Okung (OT, Oklahoma) - #6 overall

"Okunga matata" - Timon and Pumbaa :: Filling the shoes of future Hall of Famer Walter Jones is going to be difficult, but Seattle found who experts say could be the best offensive tackle prospect in the entire '10 draft. Okung has the size, athleticism, and apparently the work ethic to provide the protection Hasselbeck needs to be able to make a difference next season (and hopefully the years to come). So relax Seattle, and just say "Okunga matata" (it means no worries for the rest of your days!).

Earl Thomas (S, Texas) - #14 overall

"Your Protector" - Fleet Foxes :: Addressing one of our biggest problems from last season, strong safety Earl Thomas surprisingly fell into Seattle's lap and will hopefully help our terrible 30th ranked pass defense from 2009. Optimistically, I think Thomas's transition to the NFL will go smoothly, with his size being only a slight concern (5'10", 208 lbs), and he'll soon offer the best protection against the deep ball we've seen in years.

Round Two
Golden Tate (WR, Notre Dame) - #60 overall

"Golden Age" - TV On The Radio :: There's a Golden Age coming 'round - some may call it the Pete Carroll Era - and with the help of Notre Dame's highly versatile Golden Tate, it may come sooner than later. The slightly undersized wide receiver makes up for his shortcomings (5'10", 195lbs) with his raw speed and power. He's a play-maker, and exciting things happen when the ball is in this guy's hands.

Round Four
Walter Thurmond (CB, Oregon)

"Hurt Like Mine" - Black Keys :: With aging cornerbacks and a weak pass defense, Seattle has beefed up their secondary with some solid draftees, including the acquisition of Walter Thurmond. While Thurmond was plagued with injuries throughout a lot of his college career, including almost the entire 2009 season, the Hawks have taken a chance on this lame Duck. Here's to good health!

E. J. Wilson (DE, UNC)

"Under Pressure" - Queen :: After Seattle lost three defensive ends in the offseason (Darryl Tapp was traded to Philadelphia, Patrick Kerney retired, and Cory Redding left for Baltimore as a free agent), UNC's E. J. Wilson was drafted in hopes of addressing our lack of pass rushing ability. Based on how ineffective our pressure on opposing quarterbacks was last season, the great purge was absolutely necessary. Now we'll just have to wait and see how Lawrence Jackson, newly acquired Chris Clemons, and Wilson (along with Round Seven's Dexter Davis) can bring new-found pressure.

Round Five
Kam Chancellor (S, Virginia Tech)

"From Safety to Where...?" - Joy Division :: At 6'4", 230 lbs, Kam Chancellor is a huge safety. I imagine that Carroll will stick with the 4-3 defense that Gus Bradley had installed last year, and that Chancellor's size would be better suited at the position of strong safety. In this scenario, the quicker, more agile Earl Thomas would assume the role of free safety. However, I could also see (and this is extremely hypothetical) Chancellor's size allowing him to move into a linebacker position, though probably unlikely.

Round Six
Anthony McCoy (TE, USC)

"Druganaut" - Black Mountain :: This may be a low blow, but the only reason this USC tight end became a steal so late in the draft is due to a failed marijuana drug test before the NFL combine. While I'll still think it's ridiculous that the league puts such harsh penalties on recreational weed usage, if you're an athlete who knows the consequences of such a violation, there's no excuse for game suspensions for said offense. Anyway, hopefully this is a one-time violation and that Carroll can keep his former Trojan in check during the season.

Round Seven
Dexter Davis (DE, Arizona State)
Jameson Konz (WR, Kent State)

"Seven" - Fever Ray :: Well, I don't have too much to say about the seventh/final round, and my knowledge on Davis and Konz is very limited. I imagine these two are being brought into Seattle to create the kind of "competition" at each position that Carroll has been talking about in his press conferences. Konz is a 6'4" receiver, which is a good NFL size, and Davis adds depth to a position that greatly needs some work.

Trades
LenDale White (RB, Titans) & Leon Washington (RB, Jets)

"Thunder and Lightning" - The Unicorns :: Finally getting back to what makes a good football team, the Seahawks managed to address their running game without drafting any of the top RB prospects. Hopefully the late-round trade acquisitions of the Tennessee Titans' LenDale White and the New York Jet's Leon Washington will take some of the pressure off Hasselbeck. I could see this new "Thunder and Lightning" package (with the help of Justin Forsett) as being quite effective.

Charlie Whitehurst (QB, Chargers)

"Scentless Apprentice" - Nirvana :: Carroll seems to have a lot of confidence in Phillip Rivers' 4-year backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, and I'm willing to believe he could be the next heir to the Hawks' throne. This season, he'll learn quite a lot from Hasselbeck as he apprentices for the the QB position, and as long as we're sticking with the theme, I imagine Whitehurst will remain "scentless" by standing on the sidelines.

Kevin Vickerson (DT, Titans)

"Superunknown" - Soundgarden :: Kevin Vickerson was acquired in the same trade with White. I don't really know much about the defensive tackle out of Michigan State, other than he had an impressive stint with the short-lived NFL Europa team, the Cologne Centurions. With the huge dimensions of 6'5", 305 lbs, Vickerson could help Seattle's run defense - we'll just have to wait and see.

Undrafted Free Agents
Jeff Byers (C/G, USC)
Will Harris (S, USC)
Josh Pinkard (CB, USC)

"Don't Forget Me" - Red Hot Chili Peppers :: Carroll personally knows the potential these former Trojans will bring to the team. Perhaps these undrafted players will just enhance the practice squad, or perhaps they're destined for bigger days. Just remember, Tony Romo and Miles Austin were both undrafted free agents...