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Aaron Curry comes to a Seahawks team trying to immediately bounce back to its old havoc-reeking, smash-mouth ways after an absolutely putrid 2008 season.

For Seattle, blown coverages, giving up big gains and too many points were regular occurances for the team that previously won four straight NFC West titles and went to the Super Bowl in 2005.

Opposing quarterbacks threw for a combined 4149 yards and 25 touchdowns last season, while only being intercepted nine times and sacked 35 by the Seahawks.

Seattle’s run defense wasn’t much better. Rushers ate up 4.2 yards per rush, totaling 1899 yards on the ground. On top of that, they also got into the end zone 13 times last season.

Counting the 42.3 percent of third downs that were allowed to become first-and-10’s, the Seahawks gave up a total of 324 first downs to opposing offenses while allowing them to have possession of the football for an average of over 33 minutes per game.

After finishing the 2008 season in third place in the NFC West with a record of 4-12, the Seahawks received the fourth overall pick in the NFL Draft.

With that pick, Tim Ruskell, Seattle’s president and general manager, selected what some havesaid that was the best defensive player of the draft. Others went as far as calling linebacker Aaron Curry the best player to come out of the 2009 NFL Draft regardless of position.

To get a good read on what the team and its fans can expect when the Seahawks play host to the St. Louis Rams in Week One, I asked national N.F.L., college and draft experts what their opinions are on the former Wake Forest standout.

Twelve questions were asked to CBSSports.com Senior Writers Pete Prisco and Clark Judge, FOXSPORTS.com and CollegeFootballNews.com’s Richard Cirminiello and Matthew Zemek, and DraftZoo.com publisher Hunter Ansley.

What about Curry in your opinion makes him stand out?

o Prisco (CBSSports.com): That athletic ability. It jumps out at you when you watch him play.

o Judge (CBSSports.com): What makes Curry stand out is that he’s as good off the field as he is on it. I remember talking to him the day before the draft and he said that no matter who took him they wouldn’t have to worry about him causing trouble off the field; that he would not be a headache, a concern or a distraction. He said it with such conviction that it made an impact.

o Cirminiello (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com): I’ve always loved his intensity and intelligence. There are plenty of great athletes at this level, but Aaron also has the intangibles, which raises his upside to a different level.

o Zemek (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com): His untaught instincts. Wake Forest didn’t have an overwhelming defense, but with Curry leading the way, the Demon Deacons managed to sniff out plays and carry their team throughout a long season in which their offense played horribly. Curry possesses a high football IQ and knows how to put himself in position to thwart an opposing offense.

o Ansley (DraftZoo.com): Instincts, toughness, and pursuit. He reads the play very quickly and gets there just as fast. He doesn’t second guess himself, and that leads to him making a lot of tackles. He just looks comfortable out there, especially against the run. He’s not afraid to take on blockers and holds up well at the point of attack. He’s got the grit to scrape through a block and bring down the ball carrier. And he seems to take the right angle on most plays. He’s rarely out of position when tracking down an opponent.

Do you think he could be a Pro Bowler or even a H.O.F.-caliber linebacker with the Seahawks?

o Prisco (CBSSports.com): “Without a doubt. In 10 years, we could be saying he’s the next Derrick Brooks, a speed linebacker who sets the standard.”

o Judge (CBSSports.com): “Sure he could be a Pro Bowler. That’s why the Seahawks drafted him fourth. He was the best player in this draft, and while that guarantees him nothing it sure gives him a head start on the competition. Seattle was fortunate he was there. As for Hall of Fame, I think we all should relax and let the guy play before jumping to conclusions.”

o Cirminiello (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com): “Let’s see him play a down before we start even suggesting Canton. I’ve long believed he has the right mix to be in the Pro Bowl sooner than later. I’ll set the under/over at three years.”

o Zemek (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com): “The Hall of Fame is something you talk about after the first few seasons of an ascendant career. For now, Curry can certainly become a Pro Bowl linebacker.”

o Ansley (DraftZoo.com): “I absolutely believe that Curry possesses the potential to become a Pro Bowler. But it’s nearly impossible to predict whether or not a rookie will eventually become a hall of famer. Curry is probably not going to be on SportsCenter on a weekly basis. He’s not that type of player. He was the “safest player in the draft” (even though I hate that train of thought) for a reason. He may not rack up a lot of sacks, or INTs in coverage, but he’ll be an incredibly consistent linebacker who makes plenty of tackles year in and year out. He’s just not going to make many mistakes. I don’t mean to discount his playmaking ability, because he’s a hell of a player, but he’s more of the guy you never have to worry about than he is the guy who’ll make a bone-crushing hit one play and get burned the next. I think he’s a future Pro Bowler, and he fits well in this defense which could lead to the HOF at some point.”

What would Curry be the best at, inside or outside linebacker and what abilities that he possess make him best suited for that position over the other?

o Prisco (CBSSports.com): “I think he’d be better outside. He has the skills you love in speed linebacker. He’s explosive and he knows how to get to the football. As a rusher, he will be good, not great. I think Derrick Brooks.”

o Judge (CBSSports.com): “I like Curry outside because he’s demonstrated he can turn and cover as well as rush the passer. He’s extraordinarily talented, with speed, quickness and the ability to chase the ball carrier from sideline to sideline.”

o Cirminiello (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com): “He’s a future All-Pro at either position, a level of versatility that separates him from so many young linebackers. On the inside, he has the size and instincts to be a premier run defender. On the outside, he has a proven ability to wreak havoc as an outside rusher or drop back and defend the pass.”

o Zemek (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com): “I’d say outside linebacker. When you can contain NFL-level running backs the way Curry did at Wake Forest, particularly against Clemson’s C.J. Spiller and James Davis, it shows that you can exist on an island and make one-on-one open-field tackles near the perimeter. That’s hard to deny when thinking about Curry’s best spot on the field.”

o Ansley (DraftZoo.com): “Coming out, Curry seemed like a perfect fit on the inside in a 3-4. He had the toughness against the run and the instincts and willingness you need at that spot. Now that he’s in a 4-3 for the most part, he looks like a SAM backer. Tatupu is entrenched in the middle, and again Curry’s instincts and toughness and great angles to the ball will make him a great OLB. The only position I really didn’t like for Curry was rush linebacker in the 3-4. If the Seahawks run some form of a hybrid defense this year, I expect Curry to move inside.”

Would you consider Curry to be more of gym rat, film room/playbook junkie, or neither?

o Prisco (CBSSports.com): “Neither. I think he’s a little of both. This is a kid who loves the game, loves to compete. He will do what it takes.”

o Judge (CBSSports.com): “I don’t consider him as anything more than a hard-working guy who is determined to be a credit to his team and his family. He comes from a humble background and is willing to talk about what lessons he absorbed and how they translated to the football field. I don’t know that he works harder than a particular player; I just know that what he does works.”

o Cirminiello (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com): “All of the above. Everyone I ever spoke to at Wake raved about his preparation and dedication to the game.”

o Ansley (DraftZoo.com): “I think Curry possesses qualities of both. He’s a hard worker, and he really seems to enjoy the game. But he’s got a great understanding of it as well. He’s been a part of some pretty sticky defenses at Wake Forest, and that speaks to his ability to take coaching, improve his game personally, and desire to win. He consistently improved every year in college. From an intangibles standpoint, it’s hard to poke any holes in Curry’s game.”

In film, I’ve seen Curry play from the line of scrimmage, and do it well, but they were all with him standing up. Can he play in a three- or four-point stance alalinebacker/defensive end Adalius Thomas?

o Prisco (CBSSports.com): “I don’t think he’s a down rush guy. He’s a stand-up rush player in my estimation.”

o Judge (CBSSports.com):“Aaron Curry can do whatever you want him to do. This guy is an extraordinary talent. As I said, the Seahawks were fortunate he was there with the fourth pick.”

o Cirminiello (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com):“Given time to get comfortable in a new stance, yes. He’s very smart and coachable.”

o Zemek (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com): “Curry, to my mind, doesn’t have quite the freakish build Thomas does, but if playing in multiple stances is also an extension of a player’s versatility and adaptability, perhaps Curry could fit the bill. All in all, I wouldn’t be too optimistic on this count…not that I see it as anything that’s even remotely worrisome.”

o Ansley (DraftZoo.com): “I don’t think there’s any reason to put Curry in a three or four point stance. He lacks the height in my opinion, and he’s not quite as quick as a guy like Dwight Freeney. Curry is such a great player standing up that it seems counterproductive to take him out of that mode. I’m sure that he could get better in that area if he really worked on it, but I don’t see a major need for him to do so for the Seahawks, and he’s already impressive doing what most linebackers do in a 4-3: make plays standing up. The other thing is that he occasionally gets too high when taking on blockers, and I don’t think that would translate well with him playing down on the line.”

What does Curry need to work on the most?

o Prisco (CBSSports.com): “Taking on contact. In the NFL, you have to take on the lead blockers. It’s not just about running to the football.”

o Judge (CBSSports.com): “I would’ve said that he needs to work on getting to the quarterback, but people in Seattle tell me that’s not an issue. He wasn’t particularly successful last year, but maybe that was the scheme, I don’t know. All I know is that people within the Seahawks are delighted with his ability to get to the quarterback and penetrate the pocket.”

o Cirminiello (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com): “Just adapting to the speed of the game and the new playbook. I felt all along that he was the most ready to contribute in 2009 of all the players drafted in April.”

o Ansley (DraftZoo.com): “Pass coverage, without a doubt. He’s not poor in that area, but he’s got some weaknesses there. His hips aren’t nearly as fluid as they need to be for him to be a stalwart pass defender in zone coverage. He doesn’t change directions particularly well, but he can mask that against the run because of his instincts and ability to read a play and react quickly. Curry isn’t a big time slouch against passing teams, but he’s got a decent bit of work to do to become a smoother defender there. And like I mentioned earlier, he has a bit of a bad habit of coming in too high to take on blockers.”

How good is Curry at stripping the ball from a receiver/back and a QB? I’ve seen big hits on film, but I’ve not really seen much or any stripping of the ball.

o Prisco (CBSSports.com): “That’s something he has to improve on. But NFL teams work on that all the time.”

o Cirminiello (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com):“He’s a playmaker, who was in on a lot of turnovers in Winston-Salem.”

o Zemek (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com): “I haven’t seen much in that regard, either, but the man is a tackling machine who gets through gaps and puts the brakes on running attacks. That’s a core NFL virtue, to be sure.”

o Ansley (DraftZoo.com): “This is not a big concern in my mind. He’s going to get great coaching in Seattle, and if it’s somehow a problem for him, they’ll fix it. Curry has been such a consistent and sure tackler that he hasn’t been seen taking the ball away as much as some finesse type players. He’s a good enough athlete and possesses enough awareness to become as good at stripping the ball as he wants to be.”

I’ve read that Curry has problems with recognizing coverage and I’ve noticed in film that his interceptions come out of zone defensive coverage schemes, do you agree with that assessment?

o Prisco (CBSSports.com): “College defenses are so simple compared to the NFL. He will be fine.”

o Ansley (DraftZoo.com): “I don’t think it’s the recognition that is giving Curry problems as much as it is his hips. He’s not the most fluid guy, and he struggles to change directions against quicker, smaller slot receivers. He’s got great instincts, and he’s not really a liability in zone coverage, but he just needs to improve his cuts.”

Do you think Curry is tall enough and talented enough to cover a NFL-caliber speedy slot receiver or a big tight end/physical receiver over the middle without resorting to a zone scheme?

o Prisco (CBSSports.com): “Tight end, yes. Slot receiver, no.”

o Cirminiello (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com): “Big tight end, yes. Smaller slot guy? He could get beaten.”

o Zemek (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com):“Tall enough? Not so sure. As for his athletic ability, I don’t have any doubt. Curry is a splendid athlete and, importantly, a workhorse–not a show horse. The young man has a blue-collar work ethic and knows how to carry an oversized set of responsibilities. Had he played on a defense such as Oklahoma’s–racking up decent individual stats, but struggling against some of those Big 12 offenses–his bona fideswouldn’t look as impressive. But coming from Wake Forest, Curry has emerged from a college situation in which he had to deal with added reps and sudden-change situations. His senior season should serveas a particularly good NFL training ground; it wasn’t an easy journey for Curry, and that has to give the Seahawk brass added reason to think their pick will pan out.”

o Ansley (DraftZoo.com): “I think he’s talented enough to do it. He’s not as fast as those receivers, but he’s got enough speed. Again, it’s his quickness and ability to change directions that give him some problems against the pass, but he does a good job of getting his hands on guys, and he can certainly handle covering a tight end more times than not. I don’t see his height being that big of an issue here.”

I’ve read that he has problems flipping his hips and that he lacks change of direction skills, how true is that?

o Prisco (CBSSports.com): “Not true. He’s plenty athletic enough.”

o Judge (CBSSports.com): “I will say that [this question] strikes me as interesting because he had such a good workout at the combine. I watched him in shuttle drills and he changed directions smoothly and flawlessly. In fact, I spoke to several scouts who raved about the guy afterward.”

o Cirminiello (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com): “Haven’t gotten that granular on his hips.”

o Ansley (DraftZoo.com):“It’s true. It’s not unfixable. But it’s true. He’ll get better at that with better coaching and more work, but it’s clearly the biggest weakness in his game.”

The last complaints with him that I’ve read are that he can blitz, but doesn’t always make the play/he over pursues due to his extremely aggressive style of play and sometimes does not explode into his tackles when he wraps up. Are these just knit picking bits of over-analysis or does he really need to work on all or some of these areas of his game?

o Prisco (CBSSports.com): “Knit-picking. I’d rather have a wild horse I can train than one that doesn’t run. He will be the former. This kid will be special.”

o Judge (CBSSports.com):“I think it’s a little of both. Keep in mind that everyone’s looking for holes when the draft comes around, and every players has them — some more than others. Curry had fewer than others, but getting to the quarterback and wrapping seemed to be an issue. Of course, as I pointed out earlier, the Seahawks aren’t concerned. They’ve seen enough in practice to convince them that curry could be a force in the pass rush, and that works for me. Let the games begin.”

o Cirminiello (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com): “Knit-picking. All the scouts do it from January to April. He’ll be just fine.”

o Zemek (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com): “Well, no NFL rookie is a fully-formed product, so in that sense Curry naturally has to work on developing himself to an even greater degree. Over pursuing plays is–of all the problems one could have as a rookie–a pretty nice one. A truly alarming problem would be a lack of speed or the inability to match up in pass coverage. I don’t know, then, if it’s nitpicking to focus on Curry’s deficiencies, because the NFL is a league in which success is built on picking apart players to the smallest degree, and exploiting every minute weakness in their portfolios. What the question seems to suggest, though, is that over pursuit is cause for concern, a sign that Curry might not measure up. In that sense, no, I don’t think it’s anything to be worried about. Same for exploding into tackles–Curry tackled a lot of fine players in college, and quite often.”

o Ansley (DraftZoo.com): “I think Curry is the type of guy who will always striveto improve the way he plays the game. A guy that was thought of as the top defender in the draft for such a long time is always going to havepundits scouring his tape to find things to pick at. He is an aggressive guy, but he’s got such great instincts and usually takes such smart angles to the ball that he’s not out of position that often, especially against the run. He’s not a great blitzer, but he’s better than he gets credit for. He’s not a pure pass rusher, and he doesn’t fit that well as an OLB in the 3-4, but he’s got great athleticism for a SAM backer in the 4-3. A guy who records 320 career tackles and improved his single season total every year is not a tackling risk. Could he be more explosive at the point of contact? Sure, but so could most guys. I’m not worried about Curry letting people out of his grasp when makes a hit. He’s a sure tackler and that’s more important than a guy who goes flying around and misses as many as he makes.”

What do you like about him most/what does he bring to the Seahawks the most and why?

o Cirminiello (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com): “More than just a great football player, he’ll quickly become a team leader and integral part of the community. I’d be shocked if he doesn’t become a star and a local favorite before too long.”

o Zemek (FOXSPORTS.COM & CollegeFootballNews.com):“I think Curry ends up where the ball does, plainly put. Having him and Mr. Tatupuon the same field at the same time should give the Seahawks tremendous stability and production from their linebacking corps for many years to come.”

o Ansley (DraftZoo.com):“He’s a hard worker. He’s tough. He’s got great instincts. He’s a team first kind of guy. You won’t see Curry making mental mistakes all that often. He’s going to be a consistently top-notch guy that can be counted on to do his job and do it well even if he doesn’t compile the world’s most exciting highlight reel. Curry has great athleticism and uses it to his advantage when combined with his ability to quickly decipher the play. He’s versatile, and his ability to play multiple linebacker spots will allow the Seahawksto run a successful hybrid defense if they go that way. There’s not a lot of weakness in his game. He’s just a productive guy who takes pride in doing his job the right way and should become a fan favorite in no time.”

Like all NFL newcomers, Curry isn’t without his flaws; however, if the rookie linebacking phenom plays to the level that he is depicted as capable of by the five experts that I interviewed, Seattle will find itself a new face for its franchise and also in a position that is a night-and-day difference from last season come the beginning of January.

**Do you agree or disagree with the experts that Devon interviewed? Sound off in the comments section and let everybody know what you think will happen with Curry and the Seahawks in 2009!**