THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Seahawks hit home run on 'cerebral' center

A few years ago, I was writing a book about Brett Favre.

No, not the man recently accused of helping misappropriate state money in Mississippi.

This was Favre, the gunslinger quarterback.

I interviewed all sorts of people — including Brett — and watched plenty of tape.

One item really caught my eye, a feature on Favre produced by the NFL.

It showed a lot of action, but it also included a piece including a live microphone to give viewers a better feel of the action.

In one sequence, the Packers broke the huddle and jogged toward the line of scrimmage.

The camera closed in on Favre, who first looked at the defense, and then said: “Talk to me, Frankie.”

Brett was speaking to center Frank Winters, who called all the Packers’ line blocking assignments.

It was a short little snippet that preceded some game action, but it stuck in my memory — so I asked Favre about it.

“Frankie was my eyes,” Brett said. “He was amazing. He could look at a defense, and know who was stunting or blitzing before they did.

“Frank Winters saved my life, I think.

“That’s the value of a smart center who sees everything and has a sense for what’s going on.”

NOW, LET’S fast forward …

The Seahawks feel they “stole” a terrific player in the fifth round of this year’s draft, Michigan center Olusegun (Olu) Oluwatimi.

It’s common practice for teams to say they can’t believe a player lasted as long as he did without being chosen, but the Hawks seem to be serious about the surprise of finding Oluwatimi available at pick No. 154.

It felt like serendipity.

First of all, Seattle needed a center.

The Hawks had signed free agent Evan Brown to a one-year deal, but Brown wasn’t even a full-time starter in Detroit.

Suddenly, here was the Outland Trophy winner — awarded to the best college interior lineman, on either side of the ball — waiting there for them in the fifth round.

Naturally, like every other reporter or columnist covering the Seahawks, I dug into Oluwatimi’s background — and wondered why he hadn’t been selected earlier.

Here’s the scouting summary from Dane Bugler of The Athletic, who produces a monstrous volume containing facts, figures (and opinions) on every player eligible to be drafted or signed by an NFL team …

“Oluwatimi shows a natural understanding of blocking angles and works hard to stay in between ball and defender.

“However, he doesn’t create consistent spacing in the run game and lacks ideal range and sustain skills as a pass blocker.

“Overall, Oluwatimi doesn’t have the position versatility, explosiveness or point of attack power that most NFL teams desire, but he is a cerebral, assignment-sound blocker with A-plus character.”

OK, there are some pluses and minuses in that report, but what stuck with me — and perhaps with the Seahawks — were the phrases “natural understanding of blocking angles” and “cerebral, assignment-sound blocker.”

But is Olu tough enough?

Michigan defensive end Mike Morris was also a Seahawks’ draftee, and he was elated to hear that Oluwatimi was joining him.

“He’s a rock,” Morris said. “He always anticipates what you’re going to do, and I could never get by him.”

Count that as another plus.

I KEPT going back to Brett Favre when I was reading and hearing reports on Oluwatimi.

Cerebral.

Favre had made a point several times that you’re dead without a smart center who understands both offense and defense — and can get blockers into the right spots.

Former Seahawks offensive lineman Ray Roberts, who is now part of the team’s radio crew, has said he’s a big fan of the Oluwatimi pick.

“I’ve kind of been on him since even before the draft,” Roberts told Seattle Sports on the air last Friday.

“Olu Oluwatimi is the guy that I’ve kind of had my eye on because to me, he’s kind of like Damien Lewis,” Roberts said.

Lewis started as a rookie out of LSU and is entering his fourth season with the Seahawks.

“Damien Lewis came in and like right from the get go, Pete Carroll said, ‘You’re starting at right guard,’ and he just never looked back,” Roberts said.

“And I think Olu has a chance to do the same thing.

“He ran a similar running game in college. He’s very adept at it. He knows where to go, how to get there, he’s a smart guy.

“I really think that he has an opportunity to be a plug-and-play guy, and kind of solidify the middle of that offensive line.”

Nothing is a cinch in the NFL, but everything I hear suggests that the Seahawks may have found the anchor they need.

They hit home runs on an awful lot of lower draft picks, and hey …

Having a “cerebral” center gives you a flying start.

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Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”