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Aloha Ohana!
Your HAWAI'I WAYFINDERS had an all-time great season last year. 15-1; #1 seed; brought home the championship; had a fine parade. The whole state turned out for an all-night beach party featuring some of the best kalua pig I've ever had.
That was fun.
On to next year.
Hawai'i shifted gears a bit this offseason. They were able to accumulate a ton of draft capital, but unfortunately they were met with what was perceived to be one of the weakest draft classes in recent memory. However, they were able to move one of their first-round picks to next season while also picking up some select targets from this year's group.
1.20 - WR MALACHI STRICKLAND
6'0" - 197 - Vanderbilt
Hawai'i raised some eyebrows around the league when they drafted this kid out of the SEC in the first round. Many GMs considered it a reach and few had Strickland graded as a first-round prospect. He had a strong, if unspectacular, combine performance, and put up good but not eye-popping statistics during his tenure at Vanderbilt. However, the Wayfinders front office felt that Strickland was the most gifted route runner out of all the available receivers, and in this league, the ability to get open is king. "The floor is there for Malachi to be a solid, dependable receiver," said Wayfinders GM nexttwelveexits, "and the only question is just how high the ceiling goes."
2.20 - TE KOREY MOY
6'4" - 257 - NC State
In a year that saw a pair of tremendously talented tight ends go high in the draft, Korey Moy slipped by somewhat unnoticed. Again, Hawai'i went for route running ability with this pick; Moy's blocking ability is pedestrian at times, and he does not have the top-end speed to consistently punish defenses after the catch. What he does do is get open--a lot. The Wayfinders have been lacking talent at TE ever since parting ways with Connor Preston a few seasons ago; look for Moy to take some of the pressure off Jay Adams by becoming a reliable outlet in this passing game.
3.26 - OG RICHIE SPARKMAN
6'4" - 315 - Maryland/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63685259/usa_today_9557151.0.jpg)
After picking up a pair of receiving threats with their top two picks, Hawai'i went with a pass protection specialist in Sparkman. As a three-year starter for the Terrapins, Sparkman was tested in battle against some of the top interior defensive linemen in all of college football, and his quick feet and startlingly fast reaction speed kept them all off his quarterback. Sparkman will need to prove that he can stand up to a consistent NFL bull rush week in and week out, and he could also stand to improve his run blocking game, but all told Frederick Adams is happy to see this kid coming to Honolulu, and you should be too.
3.32 - FS VINNY MYERS
5'11" - 197 - South Carolina/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61759177/usa_today_11387996.0.jpg)
Myers is a prototypical Wayfinders depth DB, grading out as a guy who excels in zone coverage and exhibits some ball skills while also demonstrating a willingness to participate on special teams. The Wayfinders have had a ton of success by loading up their defensive backfield with guys like Myers, so this pick should come as no surprise to anyone following Hawai'i football. Myers will be competing for time as a dime back and special teams player as a rookie.
5.26 -OLB Brock Brinkman
6'2" - 256 - North Carolina
5.32 - MLB Ricardo Krueger
5'10" - 236 - Mississippi State
6.32 - TE Burt Dockett
6'5" - 277 - Duke
7.32 - OLB Dean Beaudry
6'1" - 249 - Hampton
Your HAWAI'I WAYFINDERS had an all-time great season last year. 15-1; #1 seed; brought home the championship; had a fine parade. The whole state turned out for an all-night beach party featuring some of the best kalua pig I've ever had.
That was fun.
On to next year.
Hawai'i shifted gears a bit this offseason. They were able to accumulate a ton of draft capital, but unfortunately they were met with what was perceived to be one of the weakest draft classes in recent memory. However, they were able to move one of their first-round picks to next season while also picking up some select targets from this year's group.
1.20 - WR MALACHI STRICKLAND
6'0" - 197 - Vanderbilt
Hawai'i raised some eyebrows around the league when they drafted this kid out of the SEC in the first round. Many GMs considered it a reach and few had Strickland graded as a first-round prospect. He had a strong, if unspectacular, combine performance, and put up good but not eye-popping statistics during his tenure at Vanderbilt. However, the Wayfinders front office felt that Strickland was the most gifted route runner out of all the available receivers, and in this league, the ability to get open is king. "The floor is there for Malachi to be a solid, dependable receiver," said Wayfinders GM nexttwelveexits, "and the only question is just how high the ceiling goes."
2.20 - TE KOREY MOY
6'4" - 257 - NC State
In a year that saw a pair of tremendously talented tight ends go high in the draft, Korey Moy slipped by somewhat unnoticed. Again, Hawai'i went for route running ability with this pick; Moy's blocking ability is pedestrian at times, and he does not have the top-end speed to consistently punish defenses after the catch. What he does do is get open--a lot. The Wayfinders have been lacking talent at TE ever since parting ways with Connor Preston a few seasons ago; look for Moy to take some of the pressure off Jay Adams by becoming a reliable outlet in this passing game.
3.26 - OG RICHIE SPARKMAN
6'4" - 315 - Maryland
After picking up a pair of receiving threats with their top two picks, Hawai'i went with a pass protection specialist in Sparkman. As a three-year starter for the Terrapins, Sparkman was tested in battle against some of the top interior defensive linemen in all of college football, and his quick feet and startlingly fast reaction speed kept them all off his quarterback. Sparkman will need to prove that he can stand up to a consistent NFL bull rush week in and week out, and he could also stand to improve his run blocking game, but all told Frederick Adams is happy to see this kid coming to Honolulu, and you should be too.
3.32 - FS VINNY MYERS
5'11" - 197 - South Carolina
Myers is a prototypical Wayfinders depth DB, grading out as a guy who excels in zone coverage and exhibits some ball skills while also demonstrating a willingness to participate on special teams. The Wayfinders have had a ton of success by loading up their defensive backfield with guys like Myers, so this pick should come as no surprise to anyone following Hawai'i football. Myers will be competing for time as a dime back and special teams player as a rookie.
5.26 -OLB Brock Brinkman
6'2" - 256 - North Carolina
5.32 - MLB Ricardo Krueger
5'10" - 236 - Mississippi State
6.32 - TE Burt Dockett
6'5" - 277 - Duke
7.32 - OLB Dean Beaudry
6'1" - 249 - Hampton
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