Who doesn’t want a QB who looks like this?
The Seahawks didn’t draft a quarterback (again) and I sense it’s a situation of mild discomfort for John Schneider. No more than ‘mild’, I’d stress. Yet I think he’ll be mindful that Geno Smith’s contract is structured to be a ‘prove-it’ year, while Drew Lock only has a one-year deal.
Schneider’s from the Ron Wolf tree and clearly takes a lot of pride in his quarterback decision making. I think it’s one of the reasons why he’s only drafted two since 2010, despite constantly saying he’d like to take one every year. I suspect his record on quarterbacks is something he cares deeply about. It’s perhaps turned him off ‘taking a chance’ on players, to avoid blotting his copybook.
I’m just guessing at that admittedly but the Seahawks have been a bit conservative when it comes to taking shots at QB. Other teams are happy to buy a regular raffle ticket. It’s interesting that Tennessee, Detroit, New Orleans, the LA Rams, Las Vegas, Arizona, Cleveland, Green Bay, Minnesota, Philadelphia and the LA Chargers all drafted a quarterback this year. Every team has a starter already. A lot of those teams have an ageing incumbent or might look to move on in the next year or two. They’re all taking a look at someone. The Seahawks chose not to.
I don’t think this is anything to do with Smith or Lock. I think it’s more to do with Schneider. They made it clear they’d be willing to draft a QB this year and said as much to their two contracted quarterbacks. I think Schneider wants to love a QB before taking him. I think he wants to truly believe the player can win a job one day. If that player was available last week, I think they’d be a Seahawk today.
With Smith’s contract set to cost at least $31.2m in 2024, a decision will need to be made even if he plays reasonably well. A series of $2m incentives can push him nearer to $40m. For example, if the Seahawks win as many games as last year and Smith’s performance is only average, that will trigger another $2m in 2024 salary. If he throws the same number of touchdowns as last year, he gets another $2m — even if he doubles the number of interceptions he throws.
It means Smith truly has to earn a future in Seattle. Meanwhile, Lock might be riding the bench all year making it impossible to judge his capability to start. Not having a player under contract beyond the end of this season leaves a little bit of concern. It’s OK to hope Geno can make this a moot point but the structure of the contract suggests the Seahawks aren’t entirely sure themselves. They don’t want to end up in a situation like the Colts, going year-to-year at the position. They did that in 2010, 2011 and 2012 until Russell Wilson finally came in and offered long-term stability.
Ideally you also don’t want to be forced into starting a rookie. Which is why adding someone behind Smith and Lock would’ve been attractive.
It means the Seahawks will likely be pouring over the quarterback tape this summer and into the college football season, hunting for a potential long-term solution — even if one ultimately isn’t required.
I’ve seen all the stuff about next years’ quarterback class being better. I’ve studied some of the players already because many were eligible for 2023. I’ve spent part of the last three days running through tape trying to get an early feel for those I haven’t watched, while reviewing those that I have.
Please note, these are very early impressions. I just can’t wait two weeks to start talking about them. These are incomplete assessments though. Last summer I watched every game Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Will Levis ever played in college. I’ll do something similar this summer with the 2024 crop.
What I will say is 2024 will be a deeper class. The bulk of the middle class for the 2023 draft returned to school. It impacted the Senior Bowl, as Jim Nagy highlighted in our interview. I spoke to a big league source who grumbled about it, saying it had left the 2023 draft with the top-five then ‘a bunch of sixth and seventh rounders’.
It’ll mean the 2024 group is loaded with familiar names. That doesn’t necessarily mean any of them are legit future NFL starters. Take Bo Nix for example. He crashed and burned at Auburn before fleeing to the friendlier environment in the PAC-12. Then, against the powder-puff defenses on offer, he excelled. He has physical talent and he did well last year. There’s something there. Yet it’s tricky to know how you balance out development, learning, progress and maturity versus situation. If he’s taken as a high pick, will he go back to the Auburn version when life is tougher again?
I haven’t had a chance to properly watch Caleb Williams yet. I have spent some time watching Drake Maye. I’ll come on to him in a moment. The player who intrigues me most going into next season is someone I never expected to be highlighting.
Two years ago, all the ‘way too early mocks’ had Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler as a potential #1 overall pick. I never bought it. I thought his tape was too erratic, he trusted his arm way too much and he needed to calm down and become a proper quarterback, not play like a kid who’d had too much sugar, benefitting from a prolific offensive system to produce stats.
In 2021 it caught up with him. He started the season badly and was benched for Williams (prior to his transfer to USC). It was an incredible fall from grace and a reminder to everyone why the ‘next year is better’ comments are often misplaced.
Rattler transferred to South Carolina for 2022 and received some buzz again a year ago. It was easy to resist. He had to prove the hype was ever worth it. Sadly, when the season began, he failed. He started poorly and it looked like he had no future in college, let alone the NFL.
However, something suddenly changed towards the end of last season. After a humbling defeat at Florida, South Carolina kicked into gear. They destroyed Tennessee 63-38 with Rattler throwing six touchdowns. He was unstoppable. It was like watching Patrick Mahomes — the comparison too many people rushed to when he was at Oklahoma.
Everything clicked. He was playing within the scheme, rather than just trusting his arm. He showed first-class processing skills. He was throwing dimes to all areas of the field. You could see clear evidence of passes delivered on time as the receivers made their break. His anticipation was top level and he started nailing beautiful seam throws.
This carried on the following week at Clemson, where he picked apart their big-name defense for a historic 31-30 win.
He was attacking opponents at every level of the field and they couldn’t stop him. Even when he was pressured, he would scramble to extend plays and keep his eyes downfield, before delivering improvised passes against the odds. When he was given time in the pocket, you saw ideal touch and velocity. He manipulated the pocket well to buy a little extra time on numerous throws, showing ice-veins to stay on course.
Some of the throws were miraculous, some were simply delivered to areas where only the receiver could make the play. I didn’t have to review these games. I was so impressed watching them live, I had to make notes at the time and have been saving them for today. It was a truly eye-catching pair of games, against good opponents, that showed that maybe Rattler was finally ready to deliver on the hype.
I’m glad he returned to school. The Gamecocks had something going at the end of the year and we now get to see if they can build off that. If he can play a full season like he did against Tennessee and Clemson, he could be a high pick.
Has he finally matured and settled down? Does he finally get what it takes to play quarterback properly? The decision to stay in school and continue to work is a positive sign.
The talent is obvious. I never expected to be talking him up, yet here we are. He still has a long, long way to go to be taken seriously as a NFL draft prospect. If he can show the light has switched on, he might be the ideal player to have develop behind Geno Smith — who will be a great mentor — if/when the Seahawks do draft a QB in the future.
There’s no doubt in my mind that the Seahawks will have an eye on Washington’s Michael Penix Jr this year. There are issues to be considered. Firstly, the scheme. It shares DNA with Tennessee’s ultra-spread out, half-field read system. I mentioned a few times during the season that Penix Jr, Hendon Hooker and C.J. Stroud all threw an identical interception, trying to look-off the safety then throw to a spot across the middle. On each occasion the defense read the script and had three players covering the spot where the blind throw was made. It speaks to the simplicity of the scheme and how unpredictable some of these QB’s will be when they get into the league and suddenly every window is 10x tighter and every look far more challenging.
However, it’s the arm. That arm. Penix Jr has first-round arm talent. It’s not just throwing from the pocket either. He’s more than capable of throwing off-platform or on the run with velocity and accuracy. The torque he creates through his core to throw on the run is highly impressive.
He doesn’t have the most orthodox release (there are times where he drops his right shoulder and fades as he delivers) but it’s quick enough and despite the spread-nature of the scheme, he’s adept at landing the ball into the right area on a 1v1 deep-shot.
Penix Jr is a very natural passer. I’d say he has ‘easy’ arm strength. He’s a not a one-note passer, though. He knows when to take a little bit off, especially on crossing routes and certain red zone situations. He generally makes life easy for the receiver. He also throws with good base and he’s very good at knowing when the ball needs to get out quickly. His arm strength shows well when he needs to fit the ball into tight windows too.
There are mistakes on tape that he will hope to clean up in 2023. Eight interceptions isn’t back-breaking but in the scheme he plays, he’s more than capable of lowering that number. Hooker had five interceptions combined in his final two years at Tennessee. Stroud had 12 in two years at Ohio State. That’s the kind of thing you expect and in the PAC-12, it’s not too demanding to expect he can throw five or fewer this year.
Athletically he’s good enough — he can scramble to extend plays and he’s enough of a runner to be useful. He has good size. There are tools to work with here.
I also get the sense that Penix Jr would fit the mental makeup of this team. I’m not sure with Rattler but Penix Jr gives off the impression that he’s fun yet dedicated, well liked and a very capable leader.
I’m not suggesting he’s nailed on to be a Seahawk in 12 months but if he’s able to take another step with Washington and maybe even win the PAC-12, he has a good chance to be on their radar. The arm. That arm.
It was interesting that John Schneider name-dropped Quinn Ewers when discussing Jaxon Smith-Njigba. There was no real need to. He was asked about something C.J. Stroud had said about JSN’s route-running. He added that ‘Quinn Ewers would say the same thing’. Ewers was only at Ohio State for a year, never played a game, then transferred to Texas. It’s easy to read too much into that. I couldn’t help but wonder if Ewers is already on Schneider’s mind, looking ahead.
He’s had a mixed start to his college career. In his first year as a starter he only played 10 games due to injury, with a 6-4 record. He had some highlight moments and some negatives. He threw for 15 touchdowns and six interceptions.
I watched the Texas Spring game yesterday to start my evaluation, plus two games from the 2022 season. I was tempted to call him Quinn Ewwww-ers at times. He takes risks he won’t get away with at the next level (is that an inexperience thing?). He trusts his arm too much. He misses open receivers and doesn’t do a good enough job processing through reads and seeing the whole field. There’s evidence on tape of him flat-out missing wide open targets, opting instead for a covered option. He has ugly interceptions on tape and his accuracy can be erratic.
Again, I don’t know how much of this is down to inexperience. He was basically a rookie in 2022 and that could answer away a lot of those concerns. I did think in the Spring Game he looked somewhat similar though and I was hoping to see a few more flashes.
That said, the flashes were there in the proper games I watched. He has good arm strength and has a rare throwing motion and release. He can get the ball out with no wasted motion and deliver, at his best, with velocity and accuracy. As much as there are misses, he’s also shown an ability to execute complex passing concepts. The offensive design is both more challenging under Steve Sarkisian but also more translatable to the NFL.
There are moments of jaw-dropping quality at times where he throws with maximum velocity when he has no opportunity to step into the throw. There was one play where he was under pressure and virtually leaning backwards as if he was just going to fall over, yet flicked his wrist and completed a bullet-pass most college QB’s can’t make when they have ideal base or can step into the throw.
I’m not sure I’ve seen a quicker, whip-like release. There are also some outstanding passes on tape where you can barely believe his ball placement and touch, despite facing pressure. You do see evidence of completions into difficult tight coverage. Ewers has also shown an ability to look off the safety properly in order to create openings.
Overall the potential is there and with his release, arm strength and playing style I can see why Schneider maybe has taken a shine to Ewers.
I also noticed this article, where he was described as ‘the alpha dog’ among a collection of big name college passers:
Ewers was the guy everyone was talking about all weekend including the college quarterbacks. The ball just comes out of his hand differently and no one threw a tighter ball with more velocity then Ewers. ‘He’s got some Pat Mahomes in him the way he throws it,’ Bryce Young said. ‘The kid is legit, he can really spin it,” Miller Moss said. “I can see why he’s the top No. 1 guy, he’s special,’ D.J. Uiagalelei said. The comments just kept coming all weekend long and it wasn’t just how good he threw it that stood out about Ewers but his approach.
We mentioned the environment at the camp is always pretty loose and relaxed and most of the other quarterbacks go through the drills at about 70% intensity. Ewers competed hard in every drill we saw and it was refreshing to see. When you critique his skill set in terms of his arm talent, release, mobility and ability to throw in and out of the pocket from different arm angles, as well as change speeds and throw down the field with touch, it’s no wonder some are calling him the best quarterback prospect to come out of the H.S ranks since Trevor Lawrence four years ago.
Tony Pauline offered this assessment after watching Ewers last season:
“I try to remain conservative in my QB assessments, especially before a player is draft-eligible but Quinn Ewers is one of the most exciting redshirt freshman QB next-level prospects I’ve seen since Peyton Manning was at Tennessee.”
I did not get the same sense watching the two games plus the Spring Game I have watched so far. This is a big year for him. Let’s see if he can take the next step. There’s a lot of pressure on his shoulders, with Arch Manning now at Texas and ready and waiting to be the saviour for the Longhorns. It also means, despite only being a redshirt sophomore in 2023, he’s likely to leave Texas at the end of the season — either for the NFL, or to transfer again.
It was interesting to hear Schneider talk about wanting to get extra 2024 stock when reflecting on Friday’s trade with the Broncos. It gave off a sense of being prepared for a potential need to move up. Or maybe he just thinks it’s a deeper class? We’ve got a long time to wait to find out.
The two quarterbacks that everybody is talking about as a ‘big two’ are Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. My initial assessment of Maye, as with the others, is mixed.
I wasn’t expecting to see the number of misses I saw in the three North Carolina games I watched today. There were throws that were high and wide. He made hard work of some throws on the run. There was evidence of throws dying when he had to get on the move. I think he lacks the same level of core strength as Penix Jr and Ewers. Even when Maye was able to step into throws, at times he would launch erratically off-target.
On top of this, he has a tendency to drift in the pocket. He has mobility but he’s not a difference making athlete as a runner or scrambler. I think the way he throws on the run is a bit of a concern. There were some ugly efforts when on the move. Generally, the word ‘inconsistent’ dominated the tape.
That’s because the positives are also very clear. As with Ewers, there’s evidence of ridiculous, improbable throws on tape. He can be falling away under pressure and still throw with striking accuracy between two defenders with the necessary velocity. His touch in the red zone is a major plus-point. There’s clear evidence of Maye running through three progressions and playing with next-level processing. His ball-placement on mid and long range throws can be stunning at times. When he can throw with base and get the footwork right, his velocity and touch is on point.
This is, again, why I never really like all this ‘next year is better’ stuff. It’s easy to say and it creates the impression the next crop are almost flawless. The reality is, the players I’m talking about here lack the incredible physical traits of the 2023 group but they carry some of the same pro’s and con’s. Nobody processes like Bryce Young and nobody throws with touch downfield like Stroud. Nobody comes close to Anthony Richardson’s athletic upside.
I will watch USC’s Williams soon to get a proper look at him. I’d say 2024 looks deeper but not necessarily better at the top. That remains to be seen. There are players with the potential to drive their stock into the elite range but it’s no given. There are several players with a point to prove and I would resist the temptation to make players like Drake Maye into something they aren’t. Not yet anyway.
There’s promise but that’s it for now. I look forward to watching more games in the coming weeks. That might shift my opinion. Roll on September.
If you’ve enjoyed the blog this draft season and want to support the site via Patreon — (click here)
The Kracken! It’s amazing what playoff level sports can do*
FYI Penix was at the game Friday night.
My cousin ran into him at a Mariner game last summer. Seems he’s becoming a true Seattleite. Hmnmmmm………..
Just by listening to some Seahawk fans, you would think Geno is Pat Mahomes 2.0. And they totally ignore how he fell off at the end of the season. Will he play better now that there are high expectations and a much better supporting cast? Anything less than last season will lead to a lot of questions about the QB position. Plus I think JS knows that. They will definitely have firsthand knowledge on Ewers because of Sark being a former Pete protege’.
No one in Seattle thinks Geno is Mahomes 2.0. Far from it actually.
When he’s calm and collected, he’s good enough to take us far though the season. We know he’s not a long-term solution. Rob is correct, it would have been nice to have a rookie one full year under Geno before we exceed the guaranteed amount in year 1.
Very stoked on all of this Rob.
Going to try to up my qb watches this year.
Lots of interesting names at this point but as someone from Seattle who lived in Eugene, outside of Boulder, and now nearest to Corvallis I don’t rate the pac 12. What I want to see from any pac 12 qb is top to bottom control and frankly domination at least within the conference.
Last year was just a circling firing squad where everything was muddled. Whether its Ward, Rising ( i know acl), Nix, Penix, Williams, or the projected starter for the beavers. I would just like to see someone rise up and handle their business.
Fascinated by Rattler. A while back you were basically done with him so will be interesting to see how he gets on.
Also TVD to Alabama? Haven’t heard word yet but whether it’s there or somewhere else I hope he gets out of Cristobal mediocrity.
Apparently he’s staying in Miami sadly
Bama ended up taking transfer from ND, Burchner.
Of the PAC12 QBs this year, I expect Nix to make that step. Granted I haven’t watch Penix at all, but he could as well.
I know Ewers has the potential but we’ll see, and Rattler needs to reincarnate himself, which is always possible.
Spring football is a little early to being making projections, so bring on CFB2023!
Bo Nix is an excellent all-around college football player—toughness and leadership personified—but he has not yet demonstrated an NFL skill set. Further, he’s undergoing the umpteenth offensive coordinator change of his career, and I doubt the new guy is going to be implementing much in the way of a professional system. Fortunately for Nix, his awful defense will assure him plenty of shootout opportunities. Best-case scenario for him is he carves up his Wack-12 schedule, wins maybe ten games, and feels good enough about his mid-round draft prospects to justify sitting out whatever non-playoff bowl Oregon plays in. Maybe he could develop into a decent backup in the league, but I see him more as coach material than as a legit NFL prospect.
I’ve enjoyed reading your blog and love your insights! Have you watched film of Jefferson, from Arkansas? He was like injured last season and coming back to play his Sr year… I’m hoping we get a shot at him… he’s big, strong and super competitive.
Hi Donna — I have watched him. I didn’t see a lot to be excited about from a NFL sense. Hopefully he can take a step next year but my initial thought was R4-5 type
What abo J.J McCarthy ?
about *
Some other points that warrant inclusion about Ewers: he graduated high school a year early to enroll at Ohio State and capitalize on NIL deals that would not be available to him as a high schooler pursuant to Texas law. He only saw like 3 snaps in mop up duty as a true freshman and was injured as a high school junior (again, his last season as a high schooler), but still managed to lead his team to the state championship game despite being well less than 100% before losing to Clemson QB Cade Klubnik’s (another player we will likely be talking about in a few years) Austin Westlake team. I follow Texas closely and have heard that he is viewing this as a contract year, with extra focus on his admittedly sloppy footwork. Rob, you will also be disappointed to hear that he cut his mullet and shaved his beard, as it was becoming a bit of a defining characteristic of his persona.
He will have a lot of talented options at his disposal next year—it would not be surprising if WRs Xavier Worthy, UGA transfer Adonai Mitchell, and Jordan Whittington, as well as TE JaTavion Sanders were all drafted next year—along with an improved line that started 2 true freshmen last year
I noticed he had a different look this year and I for one am disappointed 🙂
Any thoughts on the UDFA signing of Holton Ahlers as a developmental QB? Could he make the team on the PS at least?
I’m always suspicious of UDFA QBs, as the NFL has odd rules (in my opinion) on the rookie camps. Teams need arms to throw passes and run drills. They brought Jack Coan in for the camp this year.
But every year there is a QB that gets brought in and then cut almost immediately after the minicamp is over. Levi Lewis was last year.
It could be Ahlers this year. lf he sticks to training camp, then we might have something to talk about.
I suspect if they just needed a mini camp arm, they wouldn’t bring a lefty and also sign his high school and college teammate WR CJ Johnson. He was one of only three QBs they met at VMAC besides the big 4. I think Coan is the camp arm and Ahlers a real contender.
Possible. We will see.
I’m hoping NCHawk is correct. Would love to have a lefty as a QB in our system. Just ask Zorn!
Penix Jr. please!
Thoughts on the 2024 qb class? Your wife’s future place in heaven has assuredly been confirmed.
💯
My only concern is that we’ll be mildly successful again this year (WC or so), and thus be relegated to a craft position that forces us to pay a king’s ransom to move close enough for a good QB.
As usual, fantastic content, Rob!
Yep. This is exactly the issue we discussed at length in here over the final several months leading into the 2023 draft. It turned out that #5 was just not high enough to get at one of the three elite quarterback prospects, and next year, the odds of being high enough will be even slimmer.
If next year should once again see the Seahawks drafting in the teens or twenties, it probably won’t much matter how good the “consensus elite” quarterbacks might be. The team no longer has a franchise quarterback in his prime to dangle as potential trade bait, as they did in 2017 and 2018. Given the likelihood of numerous teams with worse records also needing quarterbacks next year, raising enough draft capital to muscle past better-positioned quarterback-deficient teams is exceedingly unlikely.
Yes, the Chiefs did manage to move from #27 all the way up to #10 to get Patrick Mahomes, so the playoff-worthy have been known to take the well-worn route to quarterback eliteness. However, I get the clear sense that, the moment the Colts took Anthony Richardson off the board, two roads diverged—last time, Schneider took the one less traveled by. This time?
Might be a small reason we did the trade down for an extra 3rd. Lets say were around 20 again. You can package the 1st. 2nd, and one of the 3rd’s and a 1st next year depending on where you are trying to move up. Im no expert on wher to look for trading picks and values but a quick search looks like around a value of the #4 pick (please correct me if Im wrong anyone) if we are at 20. If we did make that trade it would still mean we have that high 1st pick, and then a 3rd rounder and on for next year. Year after a 2nd and onwards. Not necessarily a worst case.
Only problem is the team that might be most willing tto trade down…who will probably have high picks..is Arizona.
That has nothing to do with talent on offer by the way. Just a hypothesis.
This is incredible work Rob. You definitely have the Seahawky traits they drafted for this year on hard work and love for football! I’m bracing for the Hawks signing you as a scout this year so I’m thankful that at least there’s a list of QBs to start from this year if the blog goes dark when that happens!
I know I’ve posted a bunch about Holton Ahlers, but I’m wondering if the Seahawks would agree with the idea that “they chose not to” on a QB this year. I had posted pre-draft that I thought he’d be their guy and would go in the 7th, but as their pick came up I started second guessing if he’d be drafted as the only other teams Ahlers had visits with (mainly the packers who he met with three times) already drafted QBs. Obviously the McIntosh pick was a home run, but I wonder if Ahlers would have been the pick if GB hadn’t already drafted QB.
While he’s unlikely to win the job from Geno, I think he’ll beat out Lock for the backup job. The guy is a serious competitor. Four year starter, and his high school and college teammate (8 years together) was also signed as a UDFA. I suspect it’s because that extensive experience together is an advantage if they move to a lefty QB (which, as a poster Frank pointed out on the draft recap thread, is a big adjustment for WRs). He’s a four year starter who has made his own adjustments since freshman year. Opposite of the Ohio State sideline method Stroud leaned on. Watching his interviews he is a legit leader and seems widely respected. Finally, that article circulating about him being from Viking royalty also brings up some enticing info on his lack of elite QB coaching until this offseason.
I’d love to get your perspective on him – I think he’s going to surprise people this year and I think he was JS’s top QB target this year if the big guys were gone earlier than they graded them.
Watching his highlights I had to check the playback speed. Very fast looking throws.
The only way to top the Whiners and there “Mr. Irrelavant” is to get a future starter as an undrafted Free agent. Very Seahawky.
I say go all left handed QBs and draft Penix next year if available.
Great write up (as usual), Rob! I love this stuff to get prepared for the next college season.
Honestly, I’m really starting to doubt JS and his QB philosophy. We hear he wants to draft one every year and that he loved Mahomes and Allen, but I haven’t seen anything to back that up. He hasn’t drafted anyone except RW…in more than a decade. Even a mid or late round pick would be nice. This draft really frustrated me. Maybe I just still have a bad taste in my mouth.
Also, did you see that Brady Henderson is saying that Richardson is not the second guy that Seattle was Will to stick and pick at #5? If true, that means they had no intention of drafting a QB early. I don’t get that at all. I hope Brady was just guessing, but he was pretty adamant.
Last thing, I wonder if Geno’s DUI will finally be dealt with and if he gets suspended for multiple games that could kill all those incentives in his contract. But, that would all hinge on the DA’s office, which has been moving at a snail’s pace.
Alex McGough was drafted 7th round in ’18 but you’re point is well taken.
I wonder two things:
1. The Ron Wolf while some interesting and notable choices were made: brucellosis, Hasselbeck, and a continuation with said philosophy in regards to Rodgers….it also proved to be more fruitless on whole then the drafts and trades.
2. Total tinfoil whackadoo thought with Schneider. If your first qb pick is the mold breaking, franchise changing, Wilson and then the utterly forgettable Mr. Magoo…..I know the allen/mahomes stories….I do wonder if the proverbial bar is raised to an unrealistic level. The next qb he drafts in earnest could well be his last. Here. Both good as in franchise ten year starter and a ring ( plus?), or bad as in you do in fact draft Andy Dalton and he plays well enough to not select Wilson….and with Paul Allen at the helm there is no 14 year legacy. Or….you do draft Lock as we’ve known him as the player and John had interest, Wilson still goes acrimoniously and there is no “I ain’t write back,” season from Geno.
*brunell*
Everyone here at Bayview Dog Beach today has come up to remind me that Devon Witherspoon is from right here in Pensacola.
Where they are from:
https://www.maxpreps.com/news/gmg1a_6DEUmumoy4Q2xYxg/2023-nfl-draft-state-by-state-look-at-where-every-pick-played-high-school-football.htm
Very interesting.
What you might not know is that Witherspoon is the second player from Escambia Hight School to go in the top five of the NFL Draft. The other was Alabama running back Trent Richardson went third overall in 2012.
…and some guy named Emmitt Smith got drafted from there who went 17th overall in 1990.
Which means that he is following in the legacy of the NFL’s all time leading rusher/first ballot hall of fame and a Heismann Trophy winner.
No pressure.
And Doug is from Gulf Breeze. It is a good part of the country to live in.
Okay, I completely got that wrong. The source I was looking at yesterday says that he went to Escambia High School, but the local news story and MaxPreps correctly indicates he went to Pine Forrest High School.
My next door neighbor’s daughter is graduating from there soon.
Here is the local television link.
https://weartv.com/news/local/pine-forest-high-school-standout-selected-by-seahawks-in-1st-round-of-2023-nfl-draft#
Wow – I didn’t realize not a single player from Washington State. Yeesh.
If Henderson is correct, JS didn’t like any of the QBs this year:
Seen some speculation/questions about this. The other player was Anderson, not Richardson.
Brady Henderson
@BradyHenderson
·
Apr 27
Schneider said they had conversations about moving back from 5 but they weren’t close to anything. “We had two players we weren’t going to leave for and Devon was one of them.” Said they moving up from 5 wasn’t really in play.
https://twitter.com/BradyHenderson/status/1652887359544004609?s=20
Maybe true, maybe not.
I could imagine JS not wanting to let if be known that he did indeed want Richardson, for a variety of reasons.
Carrol confirmed today that they liked Richardson a lot and that he was probably the best athlete to ever play the position.
Don’t buy it unless Jody’s private jet to all those workouts were smokescreen in hopes of getting Anderson? Makes no sense.
Well, presumably the decision was made after all the visits and why they had no more meetings with any of them. The last top 30 visits were with Carter, Witherspoon, and Anderson. Carter, obviously, got ruled out.
I was always curious about the Carter visit.
Was Ronsenhaus standing over Carter’s shoulder, like a lawyer in a crime show, telling him, “Don’t answer that”?
I thought agents weren’t allowed to be there during these visits? Maybe I heard wrong.
Crime, while an issue obviously was not their focus. Their primary concern was he wasn’t a hard worker, that’s what they want first and foremost. $30M as #5 doesn’t tend to light a fire, it does the opposite for those on the fence (in terms of work ethic).
So after our free agent signings and draft personnel acquired, can we safely say the Hawks are going back to the 4-3 defense? I am hoping so. Thanks
Hopefully not some BS hybrid between the two that falls flat on its face. I really have no confidence in Hurtt.
Whatever FA signings they eventually make might be a tell.
Really appreciate the article Rob.Nice to get a start on possible QBoTFs. I’m hopeful I don’t feel let down after round 1 next year as I did when we missed out on AR this year. As Chris said above and any number of other posters have mentioned including myself, there’s reason to worry about being stuck in QB purgatory because the team is always a 7, 8, 9 win team. Hopefully there’s a mid-first guy that has the traits that can be developed into making him a top flight NFL QB.
It’s hard for me to get over this attachment I had for them getting a quarterback but sounds like it wasn’t even on the radar. I’m good with going back to how they built this team originally but to get that franchise quarterback that’s going to take some aggressive luck. I don’t want him to do the Charlie Whitehurst Tavaris Jackson and Matt Flynn thing again. He hasn’t drafted quarterbacks since he’s gotten here and with about nine spots filled with great talent to develop I hope he now picks one qb from the middle tier and one at the end of the draft as a project every year until he gets a franchise quarterback. He needs to get aggressive and can’t cherry pick if Rob is right that it’s Schneider doing this and unwilling to mess with his record
It was on their radar for the guys who didn’t make it to them at #5, Levis was a less experienced version of what they already have on their bench. The rest didn’t excite them more than other options.
hi Rob
any thoughts if Seahawks go for QB reclamation projects to stash on their practice roster?
i wonder with Matt Corrall and Davis Mills both most likely on the outside looking in and probably going to get cut
if there were to be cuts who would you want if at all
I think they may have kicked the can down the road too far and will be in big trouble if Geno & Lock do what they have done all their careers- be average and backups. Might want to consider resurrecting the Jets Zach Wilson by getting him in a trade now and sit behind Geno and learn the system and get some confidence. Do not see us getting a top flight talent drafting in the 20’s next year.
Well on the bright side, if Geno & Lock do what they’ve done all their careers, we won’t be picking in the 20’s
I’d rather stub my toe daily for a week or two. I don’t want other teams’s cast offs.
Watch Pratt please.
Already have
He’s on my radar
No shock there.
Next years draft will be fun: QB, LB, TE & S
QB?
Brooks needs to be in a 4-3. He can’t be on an island with another off ball LB. He has to stick to mop up duty behind a stout front 4.
Is there any service like the nfl access for college where you can just watch the games and it cuts out all the commercials and fluff?
https://crack.methstreams.site/nflstreams = FREE “live” streams of multiple sports, nice clear picture as well.
For every commenter saying “smokescreen confirmed”, it is also 100% as likely that the Seahawks were doing due diligence on the QB class. My guess was with 4 imperfect QBs didn’t have the ‘it’ quality they wanted for 5.
Remember the story about waiting for Russell Wilson in Round 3.
Ewers has my top vote at this point. I’m sure Jayden Daniel’s will have the full hype train. KJ Jefferson may be one of those available in R3 types. Will Rogers will be interesting as well.
Carol said today on the bump and Stacy show that the nfl has never seen an athlete like Richardson at qb, they wanted him and they wanted him bad. They just got played by Irsay
Was Carrol really quoted and/or said something like this? Ie “we wanted him really bad” he said this? I’m not local so don’t listen but that doesn’t sound like something Carrol would say.
How exactly did Irsay play the Seahawks? They had pick 4 and we had 5. I don’t get how we got played? Can you elaborate?
I think you have a mix of truth in you comment plus your own interpretation of Carrol’s intent/words, plus a parting shot about being outsmarted in some way. Quite the mixed bag.
JS in his press conference said that players didn’t fall as they expected. He said well, it looks like the narrative of the past 3 weeks was bs. (Ie the narrative that Stroud wasn’t going to be picked #2) Irsay during the pre draft process “slipped” that they loved Levis. There are reasons people mocked Levis to the colts almost exclusively, there is a reason Levis showed up for the draft Day one. Maybe “we” didn’t get played but obviously the colts didn’t want someone trading to 3 to pick AR.
Here is the clip with Carol today:
https://youtu.be/ahUC7jlRuY4
There is also a reason the hawks told everyone in the building that they were looking to pick a QB as it is a rare and unique opportunity. This wasn’t a smoke screen, they wouldn’t have taken 9:50 to make their selection if the guy they had to have was sitting there to be taken.
They will never come out and say it (this year) but it’s pretty obvious
The presser I watched JS was talking about the 2nd round. He could have meant before 37 or before 52 or both. It felt to me it was between 38-51 he was talking about but that is just my interpretation not knowing anything more than what it is.
I don’t necessarily disagree that Hawks may have really wanted Richardson at 5. Maybe it was Stroud they had hoped slipped though.
Just though your sentence read that Carrol said re: Richardson “we wanted him bad” I’ll watch the vid, maybe he actually did that is just sort of uncharacteristic if he said it like that IMO. Thanks.
Watch the presser, think it was the day 1, they talk about how the rumors were wrong, first round was really odd, Carol said, we aren’t going to talk about players that have been picked as they are on another team now..
their references were clearly about the QBs and they seemed a bit flummoxed.
He didn’t say he wanted Richardson, and if these hosts had any balls they’d of straight out asked him. He certainly heaped praised on him and said he was glad they all got picked where they did, so he’s not really giving away anything. Why is it so hard for these hosts to just ask real questions? (I know, I know, if they do their guests won’t come on next time)
It’s Pete, he never says anything bad about anyone, or gives too much away. They could’ve asked him about Carter, and Pete would’ve heaped praise on how talented he was, and if asked why he passed, he’d of said he like Witherspoon more.
Fair enough, but personally, from listening to everything they have said predraft taking about taking a QB (which they have never done before), for years (and this year pre and post draft) talking about elite traits or unique traits. Then saying that their had never been a prospect like AR, then saying the draft fell oddly, stating that they didn’t expect 3qbs to go in the top 4, talking as long as they did to turn in the draft cards on both the 5th and 20th picks.
I just think things didn’t go the way they expected, they tried to trade down and when they offers weren’t there took BPA. It’s not a dig on either player we selected, I just think it didn’t go as they hoped.
I think they genuinely likes both guys we got, I’ll just saying it wasn’t their plan A
Someone needs to just straight out ask them, because I’m done trying to read tea leaves. I also think we’re suffering from a bit of man-crush and hope after looking into these QBs all offseason. It’s very likely two of these top 4 QBs we’ve been falling over will be complete busts. AR included.
I’m just ready to move on and see if we can spot some gems during this next college season. Hopefully there’s a lot more options to muddy up the field.
Well it doesn’t really matter, it is what it is. I mean why ask, they took the guy that was left at 5. Doesn’t anyone seriously think they would have taken a corner at #1?
Why ask why we didn’t get a franchise qb while sitting at #5 one year removed from trading away our franchise qb while there are “four legit prospects”? Because everyone wants to know. If they had a high grade on any of these guys, including Levis who they passed on twice, and didn’t find a way to get them, it’s a pretty big indictment on them. Clearly they weren’t willing to pay iron price to move up for any of the other three, either because it was too much or they simplt did like them all that much.
They might have just picked Anderson at 1, you put it past these two? Besides, plenty of 1st and 2nd pick QBs bust out of the league. However, if any of these quarterbacks light it up, it’s on them. It’s all on them for having Geno and Lock as your only post Russell Wilson plan. We only have 3-4 more years till the players in these great drafts we’re having start asking for big money and/or move on. Cross, Abe, Walker, Woolen. I don’t think Lockett and DK have even been in a playoff game they won. Tired of this mediocrity.
They need to find a way to get a super bowl level quarterback or all these good drafts will be wasted, and it looks like it’s coming down to next year unfortunatly, where we’re probably picking in the 20s.
I listened to Carrol . He didn’t say that. He said they seriously looked at him because he is so uniquely talented. He didn’t say they’d have taken him. Why would he? I like to believe that they would have taken him, but he didn’t say it.
Will Rodgers is UDFA level IMO
Looking at Penix Jr. right now… he reminds me of a younger Matt Hasselback if he was a lefty. I agree with you Rob, he’s got an NFL caliber arm. In looking at these QB’s though, I’m taking into great consideration what Scot McCloughan alluded to in your interview with him, how does the QB make the other 10 guys in the huddle feel when it’s game time. Baker Mayfield had jumpy feet that oozed anxiousness. A certain QB (Bryce Young?) had a cool/calm effect on the others. Which guy has those character traits that just jumps off screen when you watch him? I thought Hendon Hooker had it at Tenn. Does Penix Jr. inspire the guys around him yet? Or will that be part of what he needs to grow this year?
Thanks for a stellar draft season Rob. We’re all so lucky to have this community and to have someone as dedicated as you are!
I have nothing against Penix but am not sure how draftale he is with that injury history. He never made it past game #6 in his first four college seasons. I would be very surprised if he is considered anything but a day 3 draft pick.
If Penix builds on last year’s success & stays healthy all season then prepare to be ‘very surprised’.
Agreed. Teammates have raved about his calm in the pocket, and his production when games were on the line. That Oregon game was ridiculous…
User name checks out.
Comments on his play against:
Colorado
Oregon St.
Arizona St.
I kid. Like I said above I need to see it all season. Not just against a modern rival.
I wouldn’t put too much stock in Penix’s play against that woeful Oregon defense, which bore striking similarities to the Seahawks defense. But it’s not just Oregon: The entire Wack-12 is staggeringly lacking in NFL-caliber defensive talent and has been for the better part of two decades; his stats will be gaudy, no doubt, but Timmy Chang had gaudy stats, too. Penix will have to go to Mobile and show he can get it done against proper competition, and then he will have to go to Indy and show his medicals are good. Seems pretty uphill to me.
There is no doubt there is glairing issues with opposition. Caleb Williams plays for a coach that puts up numbers with many QB’s and is right now the consensus #1 pick. Funny how he gets a pass on that cause he is a year or so younger and plays in LA. There are other differences especially on projection. Just arguing the differences collegiately are not very compelling. Penix is more prototypical size at 6’3″ while Williams is 6’1″
Williams of course runs in the 4.4’s supposedly and Penix in the 4.6 range so there is that. The rest of the tests we shall see.
This is more of me questioning Williams than saying Penix is a top round QB by the way. Mid round sure. Ive heard enough people claim Williams is Lawrence level that I have to call it out.
And I can’t get over him at Indiana. Iowa DESTROYED him his last year. Didn’t even make it out of the first quarter. Was benched, mostly for his own health. And he still didn’t get far before getting hurt. I really worry about him being able to stay healthy.
For all the Cougs out there heres to hoping Cam Ward enters the conversation by the end of the season, word is hes had a great camp.
Jeff Sims transferred from GA Tech and will be playing QB for Matt Rhule at Nebraska this year. He has juice and is the type of dual threat QB that comes out of nowhere to shoot up draft boards.
I was going to mention that Spencer Rattler’s OC left South Carolina to become the OC at Nebraska. So, Sims will have Rattler’s 2022 OC.
In Nebraska’s spring game, to my untrained eye Sims liked very impressive. Really quick motion, strong arm, seemed pretty accurate but small sample size, big guy that can make himself hard to tackle when he runs. (Again, though, emphasis on “my untrained eye.”)
It will also be interesting to see how Rattler does with a new OC. Hope it goes better for him than it did for Levis, although part of that was also the weapons and the O-line both downgrading.
Is it just that JS is afraid to take a chance on drafting a QB with a high pick?
I find it very odd that they haven’t even taken a long-shot pick on a QB other than McGough. I suspect that the Seahwaks do not value the QB position like everyone else does. Maybe they are just content to find a game manager and prefer a solid running game to throwing the ball over the field. No need to waste draft capital on a QB when you do not have high value on an excellent one.
I am resigned to folowing SDB to the draft next year, with Rob going through each prospect, only for the Seahawks to be content to stick with a middling Geno, I beleive that JS is waiting for the right prospect to fall into Round 3 or later. I also beleive that they are acting to avoid risk. Witherspoon and Anderson were the only players they wanted and also the safest top 5 picks this year. Carter and the QBs were way too much of a risk.
I think there were a couple QBs they would have taken at 5 had they been there.
From what they are saying now, I don’t think they would have taken any of the QBs if they were available at pick #5. From what Brady Henderson said, they only wanted Anderson or Witherspoon high in the First Round. Rob has said that Anderson was his first choice then the 4 QBs, but the Seahawks seemed to not want any of those 4 QBs.
I really was hoping for Richardson and will not get my hopes up that Seattle would draft any QB next year. They will still have a lot of holes in their roster. They will be need LBs, DTs, TEs and another OG in the 2024 draft. I can definitely see them just riding with Geno into 2025. Worry about the QB position later.
It doesnt benefit them to say they would have when they have 2 QB’s in their room that they have to back
Make no mistake, they would have absolutely taken Richardson or Stroud if they were there at #5. They weren’t, Witherspoon was atop the board and no real compelling trade offers. Took their BPA and moved on. Thems the breaks.
You have nothing to back up this claim other than your opinion. It’s far more likely that given what they’ve said about having two targets that they were staying at five for, that they would have taken Witherspoon over a qb.
You’re right – this is my opinion. I’m not in the org or beer buddies with Schneider. I could be wrong on Stroud, but I really have no doubt they would’ve taken Richardson at #5 over Spoon. I’ts possible their board was Anderson/Richardson/WItherspoon or even Richardson/Anderson/Stroud/Witherspoon. They were clearly out on Levis, so Witherspoon was pretty much the no-brainer pick at that point unless someone makes you a trade offer that you can’t refuse.
A record 11 QBs taken in the first 150 picks and 14 overall during this draft. I thought that very odd, in a draft with 5 clear options and a bunch of 6th and 7th rounders. Hopefully these teams got their fill and they won’t be drafting any next year.
Never underestimate the lunacy of the NFL when it comes to the QB position.
Just look at the Lance and Love fiascos of late.
The Brock Purdy affect
I wonder how many were great S2 takers and what the order was. Stroud’s vs Young/Levis/Richardson is actually going to be a great case study, and I nearly had him as my top QB. Will be interesting to see how it goes.
We still don’t know the actual S2 scores. It’s on record from the company that the dismal score for Stroud that was leaked was flat out false and that “all the top QBs scored high”. Unless and until they make these test scores public, it will be useless to try and correlate them to NFL success.
They did no such thing. Their president said vaguely that you can take leaked scores with a grain of salt. He never addressed Strouds score directly. On top of that CJ himself never claimed the score was false. He was quoted as saying “I’m not a tester, I’m a football player.”
Chances are he did score an 18%
Could be. When the owner of the company says this though: “What I will say is the list of scores that I have seen, two of those scores are not accurate. They’re not accurate at all,”
You have to wonder. He coulld be talking about Stroud, he could be talking about any of the other QBs. Fact is, we really don’t know their scores, so it’s conjecture swirling around rumors of leaked results. Point being, unless these results are posted publicly consistently, as combine and pro day results are, there are too many gotchas to draw any real correlation between them and what the player becomes in the NFL.
I think the people running that system are in over their heads
Suddenly fearing leaked results and the impact it can have on people
I think it’s bollocks anyway. Bryce Young practised for the test and took it multiple times
Tape’s fine for me
S2 could go poof! In as short as this year. If Stroud balls out and young is okay. Not saying I think young won’t be successful. Just seems like they need to cover their butts a bit here.
I was really hoping Stroud would fall because of this and we’d pick him. His accuracy with our QB friendly system would be deadly.
Jordan Travis has a tendency to toss off his back foot under pressure, but crazy quick feet and running ability, stands tall, quick throwing motion, reads the field well. Will be interested to see how he develops this year.
I know it’s a running joke at this point that John would love to take a QB every year and never does, but nearly every year I’ve tried to find a QB we could take a flier on, and they’re just all bad.
Seriously, go back and look through the list of all the QB’s drafted every year since Russell Wilson. There’s next to nothing that’s panned out. The only guy I loved was Jalen Hurts, who fell into the mid 2nd round. We picked Darrell Taylor instead. Now that wouldn’t that have been a perfect pick. And then Dak Prescott in 2016. Who else? Trevor Simeon? Barf. Garner Minshew? Meh.
It’s pretty slim pickings, JS can’t pull a rabbit out of a hat.
You mean in the later rounds? There hasn’t been a Russell Wilson since Russell Wilson, yes. Who knows how Jalen Hurts looks in a couple of years. Wentz at his peak on that Eagles SB team was an MVP. It was all downhill from there.
With Russ, it was only downhill for a bit because they literally gutted the O-Line and he had no run game in 2017 so the following year they drafted Rashaad Penny in the first round.
I guess all of this depends on what you’re looking for at QB. I don’t love Richardson, but I did love his potential. What I don’t love is ending up with Dak Prescott/Geno Smith 2.0 and then when it comes time for the big payday, the fanbase is split on paying this guy because you know once you pay him, you’re probably done.
I mean anywhere we could’ve gotten a quarterback but chose otherwise. People always say you can just get Hasselbeck or Purdy in the late rounds and boom, super bowl, but when you look there was pretty much just Hasselbeck and Purdy. It’s a fantasy and the league is getting better and more competitive at finding QBs, thus why 14 were taken this year in a bad bottom end QB class. We got a major uphill battle and our work cut our for us, unfortunately
Good point, geoff u.
…And we still don’t know whether Brock Purdy is actually any good. Plenty of quarterbacks over the decades have gotten off to hot starts, only to fade over the long slog of NFL reality. Purdy inherited a stacked Kyle Shanahan offense, and I suspect the old “triumph of the uncluttered mind” factored into his surprising play. I won’t be sold on him till he proves he can sustain that level of performance over multiple seasons—and graduates from not being the reason the Niners lose to being the reason the Niners win.
As for the Seahawks, the only quarterback I predicted John Schneider would take with Russell Wilson still the incumbent starter was Dak Prescott in the second round of the 2016 draft: swing and a miss there. And after Russ departed, the only quarterback I predicted the Seahawks would take was Anthony Richardson at #2 overall this year; again, swing and a miss. From now on, the only quarterback I predict the Seahawks will take is somebody from the veteran ranks.
Watch Pete wait to snatch up Kirk Cousins…
From my scouting of the 2024 class their are 2 elite prospects and 4 really good ones, I can see 5-7 1st rounders next year. Great depth will no doubt give us more of a chance to get a qb
Nothing makes the off-season more fun than this blog, Rob! I wasn’t expecting another post for a little bit, I thought you’d take a break lol, guess I was wrong! I don’t think there’s anybody that understands the way Pete and John want to do things like you. And I’m not sure anyone else in the media has brought up the point that after last year‘s meeting with Jody Allen that John might have more control over the draft and acquisitions then Pete now. Go Seahawks!!!
I will take a small break to focus on the day job and family for a bit but I am going to gauge traffic and activity. The blog has reached new heights over the last month, as has the YT channel. If the numbers remain good I will keep going
Rob, not sure if you heard PC’s interview on Bump and Stacy, but he had some interesting things to say.
“We’ve had so much emphasis the past few years on character and the personality and makeup of the person moreso than the measurements..
This seems to confirm what you’ve said and stuck by: Carter was never a consideration at 5.
I also thought it was very interesting that he brought up Anthony Richardson out of the blue when talking about Witherspoon. Brady Henderson said they were hoping for Anderson to fall. But based on Pete’s comments, I interpreted it as they would have drafted Richardson, but knew that he probably wasn’t going to be there. Whereas there was a chance of getting Anderson if a team moved to 3 for a QB.
I caught that too. I think next year’s mock drafts should be a little bit easier to predict for the Seaahawks. High character guys. They have to have production in college. They no longer have to be the best athletes for need to fix into a ‘criteria.’ Pretty interesting to see this shift in philosophies. I also wonder if this means we have a higher amount of 5th year options picked up.
I don’t think it was a coincidence that the Seahawks have never used a 5th round option on their own first round picks. Noah Fant was an import…Would need to monitor going forward.
We are all tired and making errors. You will love this quote from PFF.
“The Packers add another running back after drafting Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet in the second rounds of each of the past two drafts. McIntosh was a consistent producer in a rotational role in Georgia’s backfield, averaging over 5.0 yards per carry and putting up 80.0-plus PFF rushing grades in each of the past three seasons.
DRAFT GRADE: A”
That Green Bay RB room is legit!
https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2023-nfl-draft-grades-for-all-32-teams
49ers C-
Cardinals A+
Rams A-
Seahawks A
This review follows a trend I’ve seen in many reviews, a desire to punish the ‘Hawks for daring to draft a RB too early. The reviewer also wanted to reward the Cardinals for adding picks and still getting the highest ranked left tackle. If this Seahawks draft class performs even slightly worse than last year’s, they will still easily outperform the Cardinals class, so imho those two grades should be swapped. That Rams grade is very generous given how many round 5+ JAGs will get cut or be unprotectable on the PS.
Notice how many draft graders have replaced the A through F scale with the A through B- scale? What a bunch of ****ing ****ies.
From watching the latest interviews, I get the impression they might have really liked Yaya Diaby in round 3 and were disappointed to miss out on him. He does seem to match their description of what they were looking for (tough, feisty, chip on shoulder, hard-working, leaders, smart). They mentioned missing out on “guys” last (Friday) night on Pete/JC day 3 interview.
I don’t think they would’ve taken another edge though
I’m convinced it was Alabama’s Byron Young. He was such a great scheme and character fit
Agree completely. I think Young was very high on their board given the focus of this draft class. Also think Pickens may have been a target and when both went off the board they decided to trade back.
Thanks for this Rob. Great stuff to help start putting together a watch list for next college football season.
Yes, Young could have easily been one of the guys, I think Tyler Steen was high on their list as well.
Not gonna lie, I will be leaning towards Penix Jr for next years draft for two very simple reasons:
1. I really like the thought of Huskies having success in Seattle, gives it almost like a homegrown feeling.
2. His name has huge meme potential if he both becomes a great, or becomes a bust.
So what’s everyones opinion, which defense scheme will be executed moving forward? I’m getting kind of mixed signals by the draft picks and the signings. I mean Derick Hall is more of a 3-4 OLB than an EDGE, Uchena Nwosu is also more of a OLB. Same goes for Boye Mafe. Not your typical 4-3 DE. Drafting Young is also more of a sign of a typical 3-4 NT, while DreMont Jones is more of a 3-4 DE. Atleast for me, everything is pointing towards a 3-4. How does this convey with the reports/suggestions from Sherman, that we are switchin back to a 4-3? What’s everyones take on that?
It seems Sherman was wrong
Imagine that! Sherm wrong… 🙂
I think i’ts entirely possible that Sherman was referring to them tweaking the coverage scheme. Personnel indicates we shouldn’t expect to see much change in the fronts they deploy.
I will say Pete was asked during one of the draft interviews if they would be playing more cover 1 with conceivably two great corners, and he said they wouldn’t be changing things.
I have a feeling it’s adjusting the percentages of the fronts they are running. I think in general the change in defensive fronts has been hard for the fan base to track. We had what 11 years to learn the 4-3 under system with the cover 1 shell. And they hardly switched to a traditional 3-4 or like a Tampa-2.
Kinda like when there was all the talk about not making pass rushers drop. It didn’t really make sense in the context of switching to a 3-4, but imo ended up meaning more about personnel usage.
The defense should be more duplicitous than last year, and they may be depending more on the secondary to step up and make plays closer to LOS and help the defensive line.
I think the thing that set it in stone for me was them specifically saying Mike Morris would be playing 3 technique. If it was a 4-3 he’d be a 5 with some potential to move inside.
a 4-3 uses a 1 tech and a 3 tech at DT… a 3-4 uses a 0 tech or NT, and two 5 techs (lining up over the tackles) with the OLB’s being wide 9 tech usually. So yeah the terminology is weird, seems like the personnel is for 3-4, which would mean Mike Morris is going to be a 5 tech.
Rob, I’m in awe. I’ve been visiting SDB daily during the off-season. Your draft coverage is second-to-none. This community is incredible. Thanks for everything you do. Schneider’s comment re: Ewers is interesting, indeed. To what extent do you think PC’s close connection to Sarkisian gives the FO additional insight into Ewers’ make-up and character?
I certainly think when the time comes, they’ll be able to lean on Sark for great intel
Thanks for the preview of this year’s QBs, Rob. Reading the blog and following the draft- it’s like we entered the post season all over again! At least it’s spring outside…
Hey Rob, thanks for this incredible offseason ….. about 2024 QB class: What do you think of J.J. McCarthy ?
I need to scout him properly. He’s very light
I thought this was the QB you were talking about Rob. He has massive arm strength and mobility. He avoids sacks well. My initial thoughts were this looks like a Rob Staton QB. Full of traits and he’ll be draft eligible next season. He’s only a junior.
The thing I’ll be looking for is can he improvise and throw off-platforms. There is some evidence of this in his highlight. He’ll be interesting to monitor. Turned out I was wrong and you were intrigued in Rattler.
I am wondering why no comments or replies to questions about Holton Ahlers. I find this a bit puzzling given your willingness to share your insights on other players.
Small school lefty, five year player, sub 61 completion percent, not a great td/ int ratio.
Do people think we’ve lucked into the second coming of Tom Brady here. Feels like a camp body.
“Do people think we’ve lucked into the second coming of Tom Brady here?” –Peter
People? Which people do you suspect are thinking that Holton Ahlers is the second coming of Tom Brady? I’m not finding any such reference. Let’s see, NCHawk suggests Ahlers could beat out Drew Lock for the backup job; MostlyFishing wants more information on Ahlers; umm…nope, I’m just not seeing anything suggestive of Ahlers being “the second coming of Tom Brady”.
It’s a retort in regards to why people are so vested in a scouting report for a pretty clear camp body.
As if Rob somehow “owes,” a breakdown to every player that crosses the vmac.
I generally don’t comment on players I know nothing about
repost from below
I don’t think it is realistic to ask a person who also has a full time job to have a detailed scouting report on an UDFA-graded player. Like I said above, if Ahlers is more than a camp arm, he’ll get the scouting he deserves. A little patience is required after a Herculean effort from Rob to watch tape on hundreds of prospects and distill them down to draftable players.
That said, I’m no Rob, but I have watched about an hour of Ahlers playing in the last couple days. This is what I am seeing:
* I love his competitive nature. He has a Tim Tebow-like quality, in a good way. The players rally with him and he seems to keep the offense on schedule. He is a gamer. He will stand in the pocket and take a hit to make a throw. He will do whatever weird thing is needed to make a play and move the change.
* He has a vision I like. Knowing players will be open between defenders in the short game is a very nice trait.
* His arm is not up to NFL snuff. Below-average at best. He has an elongated windup and very little zip. That’s a deadly combination for an NFL QB. It gives rushers that extra beat to get a hand in the way and defenders to react to the pass.
* He won’t be able to threaten defenses beyond 20 yards in the NFL without some extremely effective offensive design. If defenses can key on the short passing game that will be hugely problematic for him. He would have to be genius-level accurate to make it work. Is he? No he is not.
* His off-schedule throws are floaty adventures that work in college but will get him killed in the NFL. He does not have the natural arm talent to regularly make these kinds of throws without his WR needing to really go up and get it.
* He’s has some good movement in the pocket but he is no NFL runner.
* Almost all of his highlight plays are of either the weird off-schedule variety or where the announcer yells “wide open catch by…” I have yet to find one where he fits the ball into a tight window 15 yards down the field. Feels like he has not progressed as a QB so much as ECU has modified their offense to fit his strengths and avoid his weaknesses.
I think the NFL has correctly graded him as an UDFA player.
I think if learns the offense, he could be a practice squad emergency player that if forced to play, he could be a stopgap solution if the running backs can carry the load and they give him some schemed out short passes, it could work. But long term, I just don’t see more than that.
One more thought:
He throws a nicely catchable pass, but does not have the arm strength to make sure the right guy catches it.
He throws a good back-shoulder ball. I liked the looks of the WR CJ Johnson. The other WR #11 kept popping too.
Box score scouting, he improved a ton last year. Went from 18 TD & 10 INT to 28 TD & 5 INT. Improved his completion % from 61 to 67 and passer rating from 135 to 151.
I tend to agree that he looks like a camp body. Maybe practice squad.
It’ll be interesting to see what kind of success CJ Stroud and (potentially if Goff gets injured) Hendon Hooker have this upcoming year. If they perform well, I wonder how they might change perceptions of that common scheme they used in college and may boost stock and confidence in someone like Penix Jr if he’s able to have another good year.
I would imagine it’s more the player and how fast they learn. Meaning does tge player just play the scheme given to them but they pick up/ know other concepts?
Our own qb played in a similar system in college and took some time to learn a pro system. But it was the jets and perhaps they didn’t have a hood oc and quarterback coach.
Being in a QB friendly scheme didn’t seem to impact qbs this year. Seems gms focused on skill, traits, character. Now I could see the opposite happen. If stroud and hooker struggle, maybe they start taking system experience into account more.
Jared Goff is entering his 8th NFL season.
He is only 2 years 8 months older than Hendon Hooker.
Trey Lance, entering his 3rd year, is 3 years younger still.
Anthony Richardson was born the same year russell wilson started high school.
That’s wild. So you’re saying in about 6 years we can start the Richardson reclamation project after the Colts have ruined him?
mind blown
Rob great shout about Spencer Rattler talent wise I have always liked him but had written him off to be honest.
Then the end of last year he was truly the best QB in college football over the last month of the season. People like to make the Caleb Williams / Patrick Mahomes comp but Rattler at his best is a far more accurate comp I think just the way he plays and looks on the feild.
Hawks trading up into the 5-10 range next year to take him is my way too early long shot pick for next years draft.
“Hawks trading up into the 5-10 range next year to take him…”
Kansas City was able to move up 17 spots to get Patrick Mahomes well outside top-five pick range, but this was only possible because Mahomes was considered a big-balls gamble at the time. Such high-upside wildman project types historically were not considered worthy of a premier pick (see: Brett Favre’s fall into the second round), and the Chiefs taking Mahomes over Deshaun Watson and DeShone Kizer was very controversial. Since then, however, Mahomes has established himself as the best player in the NFL, so I think we can consider the aforementioned conventional wisdom well and truly broken (see: Anthony Richardson’s rise into the top five). So, if Spencer Rattler should go on to earn this Mahomes comp of which you speak, he will almost certainly go in the #1–5 range—and if the Hawks want to jump into that market from some spot in the teens or twenties, they will be competing against other quarterback-needy teams with far better positioning.
If they do indeed feel next years draft to be better, are there any chances or players that we can move for picks? I’m wondering if Taylor, in a contract year, is expendable or if he would even return us much. would he get us a first? I guess with a good year, could we do a Clark type trade?
I could see a scenario where Taylor has 10-13 sacks this year and the Seahawks RFA tender him at the first round level, then open the doors to suitors for bids. He would have to improve as a pass rusher and at least not be a liability in the running game this year to really return max value.
A lot of outside factors in play though.
Have they extended Nwosu? Has Boye Mafe taken the next step? What does Derick Hall look like as a pro? What does their cap situation look like at that point?
https://youtu.be/oc59KCvLcZ0
Love this guy.
Once Richardson was snagged I was really hoping they would get Levis. Could have traded back or up and picked him up. Sure do wonder why they disliked him so much.
10 Hawks prospect I will be watching closely next CFB season.
– Brock Bowers (TE/ Georgia) Bowers and Harrison Jr are the top two offensive weapons in CFB so he will likely be a top 5 pick but man I would love to see him in a Hawks uniform.
-Spencer Rattler (QB / South Carolina) see Rob’s discussion above.
-Jerimiah Trotter Jr ( LB/ Clemson) Hawks will likely have a need at LB and Trotter
Jr is an absolute beast. Love the way he plays.
– Micheal Hall Jr (DT/ Ohio St) undersized but really quick and powerful. Would be an ideal 3Tech for Hawks.
– Masson Smith (DT/LSU) hawks still need to add talent at DT. If Smith can bounce back from his ACL injury he could be special.
-T’vondre Sweat (NT/ Tex) if the Hawks stick with the 3-4 he could be a target. But seems like JS does not really value the postion so who knows.
– Copper Bebee (G/ KSt) this guy is a mauler and likely the top pure Guard in next years draft. If the Hawks want tough , nasty and explosive Guards he could be their man.
-Sedrick Van Pran (C/ Georgia) the Eagles will likely take him to replace Kelce. But as Rob hilighted this past season Van Pran was the most talented Center in college football.
-Jared Verse (Edge / FSU) liked him coming out this year but he went back to school. If the Hawks don’t resign Taylor or extend Nwosu then they may look edge early.
-Callen Bullock (S/ USC) if the Hawks move on from Diggs then a big time ball hawk and play maker like Bullock could be an option. He needs to fill out but really like his game.
That’s a bold prediction on a TE going top five.
Yeah, the Falcons would have to be pretty bad again next year for that to happen
Nicely done!
Ohio St ILB Tommy Eichenberg. Tough SOB, never stops moving, was the leader of that D last year.
https://youtu.be/INcOpWpyu24
Limited athletically though
Leonard Taylor DT Miami 6’3” 305 guy is greased lightning of the snap
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. LB Clemson. One to watch
I don’t think it is realistic to ask a person who also has a full time job to have a detailed scouting report on an UDFA-graded player. Like I said above, if Ahlers is more than a camp arm, he’ll get the scouting he deserves. A little patience is required after a Herculean effort from Rob to watch tape on hundreds of prospects and distill them down to draftable players.
That said, I’m no Rob, but I have watched about an hour of Ahlers playing in the last couple days. This is what I am seeing:
* I love his competitive nature. He has a Tim Tebow-like quality, in a good way. The players rally with him and he seems to keep the offense on schedule. He is a gamer. He will stand in the pocket and take a hit to make a throw. He will do whatever weird thing is needed to make a play and move the change.
* He has a vision I like. Knowing players will be open between defenders in the short game is a very nice trait.
* His arm is not up to NFL snuff. Below-average at best. He has an elongated windup and very little zip. That’s a deadly combination for an NFL QB. It gives rushers that extra beat to get a hand in the way and defenders to react to the pass.
* He won’t be able to threaten defenses beyond 20 yards in the NFL without some extremely effective offensive design. If defenses can key on the short passing game that will be hugely problematic for him. He would have to be genius-level accurate to make it work. Is he? No he is not.
* His off-schedule throws are floaty adventures that work in college but will get him killed in the NFL. He does not have the natural arm talent to regularly make these kinds of throws without his WR needing to really go up and get it.
* He’s has some good movement in the pocket but he is no NFL runner.
* Almost all of his highlight plays are of either the weird off-schedule variety or where the announcer yells “wide open catch by…” I have yet to find one where he fits the ball into a tight window 15 yards down the field. Feels like he has not progressed as a QB so much as ECU has modified their offense to fit his strengths and avoid his weaknesses.
I think the NFL has correctly graded him as an UDFA player.
I think if learns the offense, he could be a practice squad emergency player that if forced to play, he could be a stopgap solution if the running backs can carry the load and they give him some schemed out short passes, it could work. But long term, I just don’t see more than that.
If you feel inclined Rob, delete this.
I hope he doesn’t, it’s one hour work and your honest opinion. Thank you.
I don’t have any hopes that an undrafted QB can even make the roster in a year when around 14 QBs were taken. And we aren’t that desperate at QB, Geno and Lock are reasonable solutions.
It was a double post from above
If you are so inclined to watch tape and put out some scouting reports, I am more than happy for you to do it. You put great time into this and I always value your opinion, whether it’s the cap, the players, the staff, etc.
Another valued opinion is a great thing. This page is all about knowledge. Thanks for this Curtis.
Sounds a lot like Brock Purdy’s scouting report lol
The long wind up is what stood out to me watching his highlights, just on highlights I thought he had decent arm talent but that release was enough to make me think he’s a real long shot to amount to anything so I didn’t watch anymore.
Found this story on Ahlers, https://www.si.com/.amp/nfl/2023/04/13/2023-nfl-draft-sleeper-quarterback-holton-ahlers. It looks like he has not received much coaching to this point until very recently, and then had dramatic improvement.
Maybe he is more than just camp fodder.
looking back in draft history seeing when they drafted QB Russell Wilson was year 3
2010 R. Okung, E.Thomas, G.Tate W. Thurmond, K.Chancellor
2011 KJ Wright, R. Sherman, B. Maxwell, M. Smith
2012 B. Irvin, B. Wagner, R. Wilson, R. Turbin, J. Lane, JR Sweezy
Also in 2011 Seahawks passed on Andy Dalton in 2023 Seahawks passed on Will Levis
maybe we strike gold next 2024 draft in a QB and similarly make a run at Super Bowls
very excited and eerily see similarities in how the 22 and 23 draft are setting the Seahawks up
I would even suspect that the Seahawks WONT reach like 9ers did for Trey Lance in the 2024 they prefer to just accumulate and maybe Seahawks get a QB in day 2
We’re not getting Poona back, signed with the Bills.
They really need to figure out the cap situation. Nothing can really happen right now. Per OverTheCap we have by far the least effective cap space at negative $4.8M.
We need to find at least $5M just to sign our rookies… more if we want to add anyone at less than a bare minimum deal. I thought we’d have some moves lined up for after the draft.
They’re fine, they have some time to make things work.
There’s also a couple million of fluff in those numbers.
OTC hasn’t added the draft picks in yet and the effective space of negative $4.8m is overstated. It’ll be about $3.99-4m or so.
They also decided to add Bobby Wagner’s $1.5m incentives straight onto the cap. They won’t have to pay that out until he reaches the incentives (so, January or so).
I’m still very interested in JS saying they don’t have to make moves to pay their rookies. He was very nonchalant about it. Something is in the works.
I guess I don’t really understand that ‘effective cap’ number.
We’re currently at $198M in spending on a $225M cap with $18M in dead cap. So we should have about $9M left for the rookies, PS and injuries, right? OTC says -$4.6M effective though.
Then I look at the Browns who have $233M in spending with $10M in dead cap. How can they be $20M over without their rookies, PS and injury money even factored in, but have $6M in effective cap space?
Clearly I’m missing something, but how can Cleveland currently be $9M UNDER the cap and still have $6M effective, when we are $26M UNDER and have negative $4.6M? Is it just the LTBE bonuses and the rookie slotting?
*how can Cleveland be $9M OVER the cap and still have….
Yeah it really is confusing.
Two big, big contributors:
* The Browns’ rookie pool is only $6.3m this year as they did have a first or second round pick. Whereas the Seahawks had nearly a $17m pool with two firsts and two seconds.
* The Browns rolled a big chunk of cap from 2022 into 2023. Something like $30million, and the Seahawks rolled like $1.6m and started the year in the red as Geno’s NLTBE $3.5m bonus reduced their 2023 starting cap number.
Thanks man. I totally forgot about rolling cap space into the future. I see now there is a tab called “Cap Calculator” where it shows Cleveland having $251M in team cap space, whereas we only have $221M.
I find the cap game fascinating, but still have a lot to learn. Thanks again for helping me walk through it!
Anytime!
Don’t feel too bad for the Browns. They converted Watson’s whopping salary to by writing him a bonus check of $44 million this year.
Their cap hits upcoming?
2024 $64m
2025 $64m
2026 $64m
2027 $9m void
All of that is guaranteed.
Just digging themselves a deeper hole.
Actually, a textbook example of what you asked below. Converting salary to bonus, and just adding void years to spread the hit. Those hits would be $67m/year if the void year hadn’t been added!
I think Pete is in win now mode. He doesn’t want to use a high pick on a quarterback.
I think we’re only drafting one next year if the team falls to pieces and we pick in the top 2 or we don’t sign Lock and draft someone very late.
My take is we drafted a lot of Jordyn Brooks type players this draft as in they will perform at a Brooks level relative to where they were picked. I think Young and the two RBs will work out. I think we’re set for a 9-10 win range the next two years and have to bank a lot on the team getting hot in the playoffs like the Ravens 2012.
That’s not an argument against you Rob. You do the best work of anyone out there. I’m just telling you how I see it. And thanks for your work. I just think of how much time I spend reading your stuff and I know that is the smallest fraction of the time you put into it.
They’re the Seattle Seahawks not the Seattle Carroll’s
They aren’t basing all their decisions around Pete’s timeline
Schneider’s contract is longer than Pete’s
If Win Now influenced this year’s moves, I’d argue at least they’re far better than the Win Now moves of years past.
Giving Ziggy Ansah $9m, blowing $50m on Greg Olsen, Benson Mayowa, Bruce Irvin and then cashing in your retirement account to trade for Jamal Adams.
Adding players who will have an impact this year in Jones, Reed, Witherspoon and JSN? Much better.
Agreed. Trying to “win now” with Russ in his prime really sapped the team of money and overall talent.
I think if Richardson was there at 5, they would have drafted him. I know there were reports about “not moving out of that spot for 2 players (Witherspoon and Anderson), but reading between the lines, I think they knew the Colts were drafting Richardson.
J Goff getting an extension with the Lions.
Hey Cha, I’ve got a cap question. I know you’ve said that they’ve been reluctant to use void years, but have done so in the past (Covid year, I think).
Looking at DK’s deal as an example, would the following be possible?
Current:
2023 – Base $13.5M, Pro-rated Bonus $4.1M
2024 – Base $10.5M, Pro-rated Bonus $4.1M
Extend by one real year and add 3 void years. Say $25M/1 (plus the void years). Structure $10M base & $15M bonus, while converting another $15M of current base to bonus. So in all, $30M bonus spread out over 6 years ($5M/year)
New
2023 – Base $7M, Bonus $5M
2024 – Base $3M, Bonus $5M
2025 – Base $10M, Bonus $5M
Void x3 – Bonus $5M x3
Would buy us about $5.5M in cap space this year, extend DK by 1 year at market rate and cut him a check for $30M today.
I’m going off the assumption that you can’t just tack on void years to an existing contract, thus the extension. Also trying to figure out where to generate some cap space if we don’t want to extend Adams/Diggs/Tyler and Nwosu doesn’t want to re-up.
That’s some creative thinking there.
If they want to go that ‘contract reworking’ route as a way to add 2023 cap, I would very much like to see the Seahawks rework a contract of someone they see here longer-term (like the Rams traditionally did) to make cap room, and Metcalf makes as much sense as anyone.
Reworking a player like Adams, Diggs or Lockett all but guarantees you’ll have more dead money at some point, as the odds they are on the roster in 2025 and beyond are not great.
They are slowly being dragged into the 21st century on cap management. COVID forced some void years, they did structure Diggs and Adams very aggressively (small early, huge later on) and they took as step into the suddenly-all-the-rage arena of option years with Metcalf’s deal.
They definitely will be forced to do something this year. The question is will it be the right move (Metcalf’s deal structure, Geno’s deal structure) or a disastrous move (Diggs and Adams deal structure)?
Teams absolutely can. A lot of teams convert a large salary to bonus and spread out the cap hit and tack on void years.
Once things settle a bit more I will do another cap update post.
suddenly-all-the-rage arena of option
yearsbonuses with Metcalf’s deal“Teams absolutely can. A lot of teams convert a large salary to bonus and spread out the cap hit and tack on void years.”
Does it depend on contract language? I feel like this was the reason we had to cut Jarran Reed in the first place. They wanted to convert some base to bonus to help with the cap and he wanted the extension, right? Maybe they told him the plan and he said “extend me or cut me”.
Good to know that the flexibility is likely there. DK’s deal makes a lot of sense going down that line of thought, as he’s:
– got a large base with a relatively small bonus number
– at a good age
– part of the long-term plan
Thanks again and always look forward to the cap dives.
It can. Joel Corry said most teams put conversion flexibility into a contract. There is not a ton of downside for players…would you rather get paid $1m per week for 18 weeks in the fall or get written a check for $16m in May and get paid $100k per week?
Yes that is my understanding.
I think both parties were at fault. They clearly valued Reed highly and needed cap room (and a IDL that played 75% of snaps!), so why not work a contract extension out? And Reed could have been more patient. Take the money now with the promise they’d work an extension out in the fall.
Reed probably cost himself a few million and the Seahawks’ DL was poorer for it. Much poorer. Everybody loses.
Just caught a 2024 mock draft on CBS Sports channel by Brady Quinn. As a Washingtonian, I was happy to see two former high school stars from our state – Emeke Egbuka and JT Tuiamaoulu – projected in top 12, along w two current Huskies also in first round (neither of which was Penix).
And to tie in to Rob’s piece, Quinn Ewers was projected to go in top half of 1st round w remarks that he has all the arm talent you’d want in a modern day NFL QB
Bleacher Report had one the other day with 6 qb’s going in the first. Penix went 13th to the Falcons, we picked….Bo Nix at 15…..
Ewers went 5 to the Commanders, Williams #1 to AZ (following another Riley system guy), May was 3 to Tampa. Surprisingly JJ McCarthy went to Green Bay at 25.
I love Caleb Williams so damn much. He reminds me a lot of Russ. You never feel like a game is out of reach when he is on the field.
Unless it’s Tulane I guess.
And I don’t think that John and Pete are going to want that personality.
Really? Thats the game you’re going to pick? The game when he was 3 starting OL down, playing injured, and his last drive was a scoring one to give USC 45 points and a 15 point lead with 5:30 minutes to go. There is nothing wrong with his personality. He is a leader and a winner.
Reminds me of Johnny Manziel. What’s the point of painting F-Utah on his fingernails? He just has the personality where it looks like it’s about him.
Russ is about the farthest thing I think of, personality-wise and game-wise. Russ did it himself all through college at 2 schools, Williams is a system quarterback and has to try to get over that knock. No one else from Riley has been able to at the NFL. And they have all had personalities that haven’t worked out well in the NFL.
He’ll be out of Seattle’s range but I’m pretty sure that Pete and John will pass.
Rob
Robert Frost anticipated our 2023 Draft problem:
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
One road led to a QB for the Gods, the other, the one we took, has led to the second really good draft in a row. Real good…So good we will challenge for greatness but fall short. A consequence of that falling short will be no 1st round draft pick above the 20-22 spot.
We will study, dissect, and swoon over the top few QB’s in the next 4 or 5 drafts and as we can “look at clouds from all sides now” the clouds (QB’s) will have gone, slowly dissolving before out eyes.
We have only one way out. Next year we take the other road. We go all in, even if it means giving up 2 or 3 consecutive first round draft picks. We get the Man, the Leader, the Golden Calf!
If that is not the plan, then there is no plan. If there is no plan – well – we can always watch the Kraken.
Hey, Rob, as a Texas-ex and Longhorn fan, I just wanted to chime in on Ewers.
He “reclassified” before his senior year of high school so that he could graduate early, after his junior year, and be a part of the ’21 class at Ohio St (NIL $$$). So, he didn’t play high school football as a senior, but took his team to the state finals as a junior. At Ohio St, he was 17 years old and behind Stroud, When offered the opportunity to go back to Texas, he took it and played last year as a 18 year-old transfer freshman in what should have been his true freshman season.
The hair thing goes back to his high school team – they traditionally wear whatever the hell that style is and bleach it platinum blonde as a team. It’s a look. He cut it this spring and trimmed the beard and looks completely different. He’s also added muscle and has a more athletic build – still not Anthony Richardson, but better than last season.
Some of Ewers’ throwing issues are the result of his primary target, Xavier Worthy, playing with a broken hand for a part of the season and sometimes running poor routes while being less than enthusiastic about fighting for balls. Part is Seven Win Steve Sarkisian’s play calling. The biggest part of it was Ewers making poor decisions with the ball.
Ewers was absolutely crushed in the first quarter of the Alabama game by Dallas Turner, after having already throw for 130+ yards, and suffered a badly sprained shoulder. He was never quite the same for the rest of the season.
The kid has a tremendous arm, can absolutely bomb it, or feather it, and put both on a dime – sometimes. You see that on film. With an upgraded receiving corp and an offensive line no longer dominated by freshmen, the ’23 season will offer a better idea about who Quin Ewers is. I think he’ll do well, but there’s still going to be ample room for improvement. He’s likely the kind of guy who slips down into a range where Seattle could have a shot at him without trading the next two drafts to move up. Would I like to see him throwing to DK, Lockett and Njigba? Hell yeah. Seattle should bring his TE, as well – JT Sanders. It could be fun.
He has talent, you can see it. His release is incredible too.
There are just so many bloody misses on tape. Avoidable misses, too. It’s maddening. And worryingly, it looked very similar in the recent Spring Game.