Michael Crabtree is right draft pick for Seahawks

Memo to Seahawks general manager Tim Ruskell:

Draft Michael Crabtree.

Don't overthink this. Don't sweat the fact you haven't seen him run a 40. Don't worry about the stress fracture in his left foot. He had surgery on March 4. He'll be fine.

Don't concern yourself with the fact he's 6 feet 1 and not 6-3, as was originally thought.

Don't trade down. And fight the urge to draft the best quarterback — either Matthew Stafford or Mark Sanchez — who falls to your slot, the fourth pick in the first round.

I understand that with Matt Hasselbeck's problematic back, it is time to consider finding the quarterback of the future. I understand that Hasselbeck turns 34 in September and could be in the autumn of his career.

But let's remember that older guys like Arizona's Kurt Warner, Tennessee's Kerry Collins, and the ancient dude who was at Green Bay then went to the Jets — umm, what's his name ... Brett Favre — have had some very productive years much later in their careers.

Look around the league. How many starting quarterbacks were picked in the top five, or even the top 10 of the NFL draft? Very few.

Instead of looking for Hasselbeck's replacement, how about looking for his reinforcements?

Certainly that was the thought when you signed free agent T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Talk about addressing a need. For Hasselbeck, he is the gift that will keep on giving — a dependable receiver who can stretch the field.

But he will be 32 in September, and considering all the bad luck you guys had with receivers last season, I don't think you can have enough good ones.

I'm all for drafting for need, and I understand the offensive line needs some reconstruction. And, not coincidentally, the condition of the running game is worrisome.

When you finish 4-12 the previous season, you have all kinds of weaknesses to address. The pass rush was silent last season. The secondary was surprisingly porous. And you could use another linebacker.

But those needs can be addressed later in the draft.

(One exception to the Crabtree rule: One must-pick prospect is linebacker Aaron Curry. If, by some miracle, he falls to No. 4, you don't have to start the clock. You pick him immediately. He is the next Lawrence Taylor.)

As you know better than any of us, you can't make a mistake with the fourth pick in the first round. Miss on this pick and it could haunt you for another five years.

Drafting Crabtree is like investing in gold.

Get over the fact he couldn't run at the combine. I've always been curious why scouts, GMs and coaches seem to put more importance on what players do in shorts in the winter in Indianapolis, than what they do in pads in their conferences in the fall.

I call it "the Vasco da Gama complex." It's as if, in Indianapolis, coaches and GMs become explorers. They want to find something about a player that nobody else knows.

Sure, it helps to interview players, gauge their egos, read their Wonderlic scores, see if they're all about themselves or their teammates.

But all you need to "scout" Crabtree is a DVD player and some Texas Tech game videos. See what he did in big moments. See how he beats defenses that were schemed to stop him. He caught 231 passes in two seasons against those defenses. He scored 41 touchdowns and averaged 13.5 yards per catch.

Watch him against Texas last November, catching the game-winning pass, a 28-yarder with one second left. Talk about a playmaker. He had 10 catches in that game for 127 yards.

Look at his wingspan, a yawning 34 ¼ inches, almost an inch longer than 6-5 Calvin Johnson. Look how wide his body is. See how he uses it, like a rebounder in basketball, to shield defenders from the ball. Speaking of basketball, he was a good enough point guard to get a scholarship offer from then-Texas Tech coach Bob Knight.

It is trendy to compare Crabtree with Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald, but pay attention when he tells you, as he has many times, that he doesn't think of himself as the next Fitzgerald. He is Michael Crabtree, and his only concern is being a Pro Bowl-worthy Michael Crabtree.

I know how important character is in your assessment of draft picks. By all accounts, Crabtree is as solid as Solomon.

So as you begin the final two weeks of talent evaluations and mock drafting, don't try to turn this into rocket science. Don't overwork your football physics.

Draft Michael Crabtree.

Steve Kelley: 206-464-2176 or skelley@seattletimes.com