Seahawks 2023 Combine Confidential: Quarterbacks
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Kicking the offseason schedule into overdrive, coaches, scouts and executives will descend upon Indianapolis for the annual NFL Scouting Combine this week to continue evaluating and assessing top prospects for the upcoming 2023 draft.
Holding two first-round selections, including the No. 5 overall pick courtesy of the Russell Wilson trade with the Denver Broncos last March, the Seattle Seahawks face one of their most critical drafts with a prime chance to further fortify their roster after a surprising playoff berth last season.
After a breakout 10th season replacing Wilson and setting several franchise records, the Seahawks intend to re-sign Geno Smith to a lucrative multi-year deal. But as hinted by coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider at the combine, with a rare opportunity picking in the top five, bringing back the veteran won't necessarily curtail them from picking a quarterback early either.
Heading into this week's festivities at the combine, here's a look at nine quarterback prospects who the Seahawks should be keeping close tabs on as potential first-round, second/third round, and day-three targets to eventually succeed Smith or develop behind him.
First Round
Bryce Young, Alabama
A highly touted five-star recruit from California, Young sat behind Patriots quarterback Mac Jones at Alabama for a year before exploding as a sophomore, throwing 47 touchdowns and winning the Heisman Trophy. Though his numbers weren't quite as gaudy as a junior and he didn't repeat as college football's top player, he still posted a sterling stat line throwing for 3,328 yards, 32 touchdowns, and only five interceptions.
Heading towards the draft, Young will have to battle the stigma that comes with being an undersized quarterback, as he measured in at 5-foot-10 in Indianapolis. But while he doesn't have the strongest arm in this class and durability will be questioned at his size, he throws with great anticipation to all parts of the field, navigates the pocket with precision to avoid rushers, and consistently makes smart choices with the ball. A refined prospect with a great head on his shoulders, there's a reason he's the favorite to be selected first overall in April.
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
Another top flight recruit in his own right, Stroud sat for a year behind eventual Bears draft pick Justin Fields before taking over as the Buckeyes latest star quarterback in 2021. Slinging the pigskin to a talented array of weapons, he tossed 44 touchdowns and completed 71 percent of his passes, earning First-Team All-Big Ten honors. He followed up with another impressive All-Big Ten season as a junior, throwing 41 touchdowns and only six interceptions.
Built more like a prototypical quarterback than Young, Stroud stands tall in the pocket at 6-foot-3 with a muscular 214-pound frame. A technician throwing the ball, he delivers passes with precision to receivers in stride at all levels of the defense and has flashed throwing receivers open with anticipation. Coming from a QB-friendly offense, he will have to adjust to a pro style system with more reads and progressions and he needs to learn to take advantage of his athleticism more as a runner. Still, all the tools are in place for a future NFL star with the right coaching.
Will Levis, Kentucky
After struggling to find the field in two seasons at Penn State, Levis transferred to Lexington and immediately gave Kentucky a much-needed upgrade at quarterback. Thriving in his first season with the program, he threw 24 touchdowns and added nine scores on the ground, looking like a future top-five pick. His numbers dropped off some in 2022, but he still completed north of 65 percent of his passes with 21 total touchdowns for the Wildcats.
In terms of raw skill set, the 6-foot-4, 229-pound Levis checks off every box NFL teams look for at the position. He has a cannon for an arm, can complete ridiculous throws off platform from different arm angles, and can inflict punishment on opposing tacklers as a runner. But poor decision making and random accuracy slumps doomed him at times in college, leading to 23 interceptions the past two years. As a lump of clay, he intrigues as much as any signal caller in this draft and should put up quality testing numbers, but he will be a bit of a project who needs coached up in the league.
Anthony Richardson, Florida
Truly the wild card of this year's quarterback class, Richardson rolls into the draft with minimal experience compared to his counterparts and only 13 college starts under his belt. While he struggled completing under 54 percent of his passes for the Gators in 2022, he did throw 17 touchdown passes and ran for 684 yards and nine touchdowns, emerging as one of the nation's most lethal running quarterbacks.
Loaded with physical tools, the 6-foot-4, 244-pound Richardson oozes with potential, but his lack of playing time shows up on film. His throwing mechanics and footwork leave much to be desired, resulting in unacceptable accuracy on short and intermediate throws. The 20-year old plans to unveil refined mechanics throwing at the combine and if he shows marked improvement, coupled with his elite traits, he may secure a top-five selection with a ceiling through the roof.
Second/Third Round
Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
If not for a torn ACL suffered late in the 2022 season, Hooker likely would be jockeying for top-15 consideration with other top quarterback prospects. A First-Team All-SEC selection, he threw 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions while completing 69.6 percent of his passes for the Volunteers before the injury. He only threw three interceptions with 31 touchdowns in the season prior.
A strong-armed signal caller who exhibits great poise in the pocket, Hooker rarely turned the football over in college, consistently making smart decisions as a passer and excelling throwing outside of the hashes. He may face a steep learning curve moving to a pro style offense that drastically contrasts Tennessee's spread system and his injury will prevent him from working out in Indianapolis, but strong meetings behind the scenes with teams could lock up an early day two selection given his dual-threat capabilities when healthy.
Day Three Sleepers
Jake Haener, Fresno State
Originally beginning his college career at Washington, Haener departed for Fresno State and quietly turned in a productive three-year run as a starter in the underrated Mountain West conference. A cerebral signal-caller, he consistently threw receivers open with plus-anticipation and accuracy from the pocket, completing nearly 69 percent of his attempts in four collegiate seasons.
Despite not having the strongest arm, he proved himself capable of delivering accurate strikes downfield while throwing 68 touchdowns compared to just 18 interceptions. His lack of size at under 200 pounds and average arm talent will likely lead to him being a mid day three pick, but he could improve his stock with a solid showing in athletic testing and throwing at the combine.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA
An immediate starter for coach Chip Kelly at UCLA, Thompson-Robinson has played a ton of football coming into the NFL and made strides in five college seasons. He enjoyed his finest season as a senior for the Bruins, completing a career-best 69 percent of his passes for 3,169 yards and 27 touchdowns while adding 645 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground.
Though Thompson-Robinson weighed in at a light 203 pounds in Indianapolis, he compensates for his lack of size with outstanding athletic ability. He excels at extending plays with his legs as a passer and rusher, often avoiding sacks to create explosive gains once he escapes the pocket. He battled issues with turnovers in college and questions about his ability to read coverages will need to be addressed in meetings, but he could be a fun day three pick with upside to eventually push for playing time with the right team.
Tanner McKee, Stanford
An old school pocket passer with elite size at 6-foot-6, 231 pounds, McKee served as a two-year starter during down seasons for the Cardinal. Despite a lack of talent around him and injuries further hindering his supporting cast, he threw 28 touchdown passes and completed 63 percent of his passes in 2021 and 2022.
For teams seeking a big-armed developmental quarterback, McKee would fit the bill. He has the arm talent to make throws to all areas of the field and when his mechanics are on point, he delivers a beautiful spiral with great zip behind it. Unfortunately, he offers minimal mobility and hasn't shown much improvement handling pressure with poise, often leading to ugly interceptions. There might not be enough upside here to start in today's NFL, but teams enamored by arm ability may have interest on day three.
Malik Cunningham, Louisville
Facing an unenviable task following the footsteps of Lamar Jackson, Cunningham wasn't a Heisman Trophy finalist or All-ACC performer running the show for the Cardinals as a four-year starter. However, he still had a fantastic college career, throwing 70 touchdown passes with a 62 percent completion rate while amassing an insane 3,179 yards and 50 touchdowns as a runner. He actually broke Jackson's school record with 120 total touchdowns.
Arguably the most dynamic running quarterback in all of college football, Cunningham's explosiveness will be his calling card for NFL teams. He doesn't have the deep ball proficiency teams will be looking for and his accuracy from the pocket can betray him at times, putting a ceiling on what he will likely be in the league. But with teams eager to have athletic quarterbacks these days, if he posts a sizzling 40-time, he will be well worth a late round flier for further development and potential use as a package player on offense.
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