Seahawks 2021 Draft Profile: Quintin Morris

Needing more depth in 2021, as well as options for the future, the Seahawks could target a tight end for the third time in their last four drafts. If so, Bowling Green's Quintin Morris may be a name to keep an eye on the third and final day of the event.

In 2020, Seahawks tight ends were inconsistently used in the passing game. Despite giving a one-year, $7 million contract to the aging Greg Olsen while already boasting two underrated pass-catchers in Jacob Hollister and Will Dissly, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer put most of his focus on getting the ball in the hands of his two elite wideouts on the outside: Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. 

Unfortunately for Seattle's offense, this led to an inability to create often in the middle of the field. As the season went along, the Seahawks' passing game looked one-dimensional and thus, predictable. They needed a dependable tertiary option to stand out, but none truly became that for them and their offense continued its downward trend on the way to an abysmal performance in their wild-card loss to the Rams. 

That's expected to change under new play-caller Shane Waldron, however. The former Rams passing game coordinator comes from an offense that had great success involving tight ends Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett in its air attack, especially over the past two seasons. Given the Seahawks' reported interest in players like Everett, Zach Ertz, and Jonnu Smith, it's clear they envision a similar strategy for themselves in 2021.

Even if they make a splash at the position through trade or free agency, they could still use some depth. Will Dissly is entering the final year of his rookie contract and 2020 fourth-round selection Colby Parkinson has had a slow start to his NFL career. There are no guaranteed long-term contributors in this unit, making tight end not just a need for 2021, but beyond as well. 

They may be able to find a piece to the puzzle in the late rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft with Bowling Green's Quintin Morris. The Senior Bowl standout and receiver convert has turned heads during the draft process and could be a unique fit in the Pacific Northwest.

Strengths

Though he's still adjusting to life as a tight end, Morris's receiving ability is sound from his days as a wideout. He lets his 6-foot-4 frame dictate the result of the play, using his 80.7-inch wingspan to pinpoint and attack the ball with enough physicality to overpower defenders and win in one-on-one scenarios.

Morris commands the middle of the field, showing good awareness and recognition of pockets in zone defenses. Often finding the open spot on broken plays, he's a great match for an elusive quarterback with a knack for creating something out of nothing. 

Bowling Green TE Quintin Morris 🔥#SeniorBowl pic.twitter.com/g917NUFkTy

— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) January 30, 2021

At Bowling Green, Morris didn't post huge numbers as a whole. However, in 2020 - his first full year as a tight end - he put up 248 yards on 20 receptions in just five games of a COVID-shortened season. 

The stats ultimately don't matter here for Morris, though. What his draft stock ultimately breaks down to is simple: The tools, and he has plenty. He's a solid route runner with a nose for the football, creates after the catch, loves to compete each and every play in all facets of his game, and has a ton of potential to further develop as an NFL quality tight end.

That was all exhibited in his Senior Bowl performance, whether it be his level of intensity and attention to detail in workouts or his play in the game. Morris caught some national attention after catching a pass in between the hash marks, cutting it upfield for a significant chunk of yardage, and hurdling a defender with a powerful finish to get his team deep into the red zone.

This is the kind of player he is and can be at the highest level, as long as he continues to develop the rest of his game.

Weaknesses

Morris is a bit of a project at the position, considering how recent he's made the switch. The biggest hurdle for him to overcome may be what ultimately turns many teams off of him in the draft: his blocking. 

While he's a high-effort blocker and has shown an ability to succeed in that area at times, his technique is still lacking. He's slowly but surely built more of an ideal tight end body over the past few years, so there's hope he can physically live up to NFL standards. His weigh-in at the Senior Bowl went unannounced, but Bowling Green listed him at 251 pounds by the end of his collegiate career. 

As he's gotten bigger, his athleticism has slightly dipped. As he showed in the Senior Bowl, he's still capable of picking up yardage after the catch and making the occasional highlight reel play, but the speed has moderately diminished and his burst off the line of scrimmage leaves more to be desired. 

He's likely destined to start his career as a stash play on someone's practice squad. His development at the line, whether it be his blocking or his get-off, will ultimately determine whether he remains a practice squad body or forces his way onto an NFL roster. 

Fit in Seattle

Morris checks all the boxes of what the Seahawks should be looking for out of a late-round tight end prospect: He's a competitor, a great fit for Russell Wilson's play style, and has a fairly high ceiling as a receiving threat.

The blocking concerns may be an issue for the team, but they shouldn't be in a position where they'd need to rely on a prospect like Morris to perform right out of the gate. They can afford to be patient with him, even if 2021 has to be a wash for him.

They do, however, only have four picks in the draft as of now, so they'll have to try and make every selection count. Therefore, you could make the argument a project like Morris may not be worth it to them. But if they do accumulate more picks as expected, then the talented pass-catcher should be on the table.