Seahawks 2021 Draft Profile: Frank Darby

Though Seattle has two of the best deep threats in football in Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, the team has continued to struggle generating yards after the catch and could use another viable alternative in the slot. Providing size, toughness, and big play capabilities, Darby could check off both boxes.

During the first two months of the 2020 season, the Seahawks were flying high on offense, averaging north of 30 points per game behind the heroics of Russell Wilson, DK Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett.

But fortunes quickly changed as the calendar flipped to November and opponents started to neutralize Seattle's vertical passing game with two-deep schemes. With deep balls to Metcalf and Lockett suddenly taken away and no other receivers emerging to help take pressure off of them, the Seahawks scored 20 or less points five times, including in a playoff loss to the Rams.

Entering 2021 with a new offensive coordinator in Shane Waldron, receiver stands out as a bigger need than advertised even with Lockett and Metcalf set to return coming off 1,000-yard seasons. Finding a complimentary third target should be a priority and if the team chooses to go the draft route to fill that void, Arizona State playmaker Frank Darby presents a number of traits that should intrigue the Seahawks.

Strengths

Measuring in at 6-foot, 194 pounds at the Senior Bowl, Darby plays bigger than his size, excelling in contested jump ball situations and showcasing the ability to reel in passes in heavy traffic. He's tough as nails and has no reservations about going up for the football with heat-seeking missiles closing in around him in the middle of the field.

Once he has the football in his hands, Darby blends his surprising power with slipperiness and plus-quickness to create yardage in chunks after the catch. The Sun Devils consistently put the football in his hands on screens, quick curls, and short crossing routes, letting the playmaker go to work in space breaking arm tackles and evading defenders.

Understanding how you win. I think Frank Darby knows he's not a blazer. So how does he win with routes underneath and vertically?

Clip 1: Lean into CB flatten off route to create separation
Clip 2: Stutter to get safety to stop his feet
Clip 3: Best release and stack CB pic.twitter.com/jvpd4HCsTx

— Eric Crocker 🥷🏾 (@Crocky209) September 8, 2020

Capitalizing on his smooth route running skills, short-area quickness, and excellent body control, Darby emerged as one of the Pac 12's premier deep threats during the 2019 season. He averaged nearly 20 yards per reception, including torching opponents for over 24 yards per game and scoring seven touchdowns during a four-game stretch, finishing 10th in the nation in that category and second among Pac 12 receivers.

What. A. Catch.

Frank Darby pushes the Sun Devils to a 14-point lead over Oregon!

(via @ESPN) pic.twitter.com/buNTni0zDE

— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 24, 2019

Though used rarely in such a capacity at the college level, Darby did score a 21-yard touchdown as a runner and has played special teams. He's also a willing and capable run blocker who plays with physicality against cornerbacks, safeties, and linebackers and won't back down from a fight against bigger defenders.

Weaknesses

While Darby showed a penchant for the big play at Arizona State, his overall production was a bit overwhelming in the shadows of eventual first round picks N'Keal Harry and Brandon Aiyuk. He only had one season with more than 30 receptions and 600 receiving yards while on campus and during a COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, he caught only six passes for 46 yards and a touchdown.

At times, while Darby has reliable hands and didn't drop many passes in four seasons in Tempe, he doesn't always attack the football away from his body and has had a few issues with letting passes get to his frame. Interestingly, this issue was more evident in situations where he was wide open rather than in tight coverage, creating focus-related questions.

Known as a dynamic downfield threat at the college level, Darby is more quick than fast and his lack of top-end speed may prevent him from replicating such success against NFL cornerbacks. His route running savvy may help create some separation, but he doesn't possess the wheels to consistently blow by defenders at the next level and he will have to be featured more in the short-to-intermediate game as a result.

Fit in Seattle

While Darby may lack the track speed coach Pete Carroll has always been enamored by, his quickness coupled with his obvious grit and toughness from his upbringing in Jersey City, New Jersey check off several other boxes the Seahawks look for when evaluating receivers.

For a Seattle team that has finished near the bottom of the league in yards after the catch each of the past three years, Darby's ability to create in space from the outside and the slot would be a welcome complementary skill set to Metcalf and Lockett. His slick route running conjures up some memories of Doug Baldwin, particularly when it comes to winning at the line of scrimmage, and he still has a chance to develop into a quality vertical threat in his own right.

After a stellar showing in Mobile, Darby may not make it out of day two and the Seahawks currently have just one selection in the first three rounds. But if he slips into the fourth round, he should be near the top of the list of potential targets to add another weapon to Russell Wilson's arsenal.