Report: Ryan Mallett visiting Seahawks

By Brady Henderson

Former Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett will begin a two-day visit with the Seahawks on Monday, Aaron Wilson of National Football Post reports.

According to Wilson, Mallett will meet later this week with the Vikings and Panthers, and next week with the 49ers, Dolphins and Titans.

Mallett visited with the Bengals last week.

The Seahawks — and every other NFL team — were reportedly represented at Mallett’s pro day workout in Arkansas last month.

Mallett’s daft stock is among the most volatile of any prospect. The latest mock draft on National Football Post has the Dolphins taking Mallett with the 15th overall pick. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. said on the Calabro show in February that he thinks Mallett will go in the second or third round.

Kiper had the Seahawks taking Mallett with the 25th pick in his initial mock draft.

Mallett’s arm strength and accuracy make most analysts believe he’s the best pure passer of any quarterback in this year’s class.

His scouting report on NFLDraftScout.com says Mallett “possesses as strong an arm as there is in the country. Can fit the ball through closing windows, making him capable of completing throws most cannot.”

Also working in Mallett’s favor is the offense he ran at Arkansas, which gives quarterbacks some of the responsibilities that quarterbacks in most NFL offenses have.

The major weakness in Mallett’s game is his lack of mobility. Mallett, who’s 6-foot-6 and 238 pounds, ran the 40-yard dash in 5.37 seconds at his pro day workout. As Brock Huard noted in Monday’s Blue 42, that might not be ideal for a new Seahawks’ offense that will require some mobility at quarterback.

Kiper has also questioned Mallett’s decision-making late in games.

Speculation of drug use has dogged Mallett. Tony Softli, a former personnel executive for the Rams who now works as an analyst for 101 ESPN St. Louis, reported in February that “heavy rumors of drug use and possible addiction kept him from coming out for the 2010 draft.”

According to Wilson, Mallett isn’t known to have ever failed a drug test.

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