Seahawks Should Draft Quarterback to be Tutored by Russell Wilson

Back in 2014, the New England Patriots drafted Eastern Illinois quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round of the NFL draft despite the fact future Hall of Fame signal caller Tom Brady was still playing at a high level.

At first, it was thought Garoppolo would be the heir-apparent to the then 37-year old Brady. However, Brady kept on defeating Father Time and playing at an elite level, while Garoppolo sat and learned under Brady for three seasons before the Patriots dangled him for a second round pick from the 49ers.

Could the Seahawks find themselves a similar situation in the 2020 draft? Certainly, Wilson is not going anywhere, being barely 31 years old and having never missed a game along with having four years left on his contract

Selecting a young quarterback would not be done with thoughts about replacing the six-time Pro Bowler, as such a concept would be absurd.

Seattle should instead ponder selecting a quarterback during the draft weekend to be a viable understudy to Wilson, to learn from one of the best quarterbacks in the league. and eventually, become trade bait if necessary.

Selecting a quarterback in the second round like New England did would certainly raise a lot of eyebrows. Thus, selecting a player like Jordan Love or Jacob Eason is likely out of the question.

The war room in Seattle may want to consider waiting until early on day three for their signal-caller selection. However, general managers want to select a player that they know will have value down the road and the later they wait in the draft, the less valuable that player becomes.

Until, that is, they learn under Russell Wilson. From Wilson's tutelage and getting game action in preseason contests, this prospect could turn into a coveted asset, as did Garoppolo a few years ago.

What are some possible candidates for such a role?

Jake Fromm

The former Georgia Bulldog has received criticism during postseason workouts for his lack of elite arm strength, which resulted in him falling down draft boards this spring after originally looking like a first round talent. At this point, he's likely a late day two or early day three draft pick, which could give him great value to a team like Seattle.

During his career at Georgia, Fromm racked up 8,224 passing yards, good enough for fourth all-time in school history. He also threw the second most touchdown passes with 78 at the distinguished football program.

Fromm started 42 games over three seasons in Athens and led the Bulldogs to a National Championship Game appearance during his freshman season along with three straight SEC title games.

Despite his lackluster arm strength, Fromm has desirable size at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds. The Warner Robins, Georgia native is praised for his football IQ and ability to take care of the ball and avoid turnovers - fantastic characteristics for a backup in the NFL. He certainly doesn't have the mobility of Wilson, but he has the ability to learn an offense quickly and avoid making critical errors.

Anthony Gordon

Local Seahawks fans will know Gordon's name from his tenure as Washington State's signal caller.

Waiting in the wings in Pullman while players like Luke Falk and Gardner Minshew got the nods to lead the offense, Gordon learned and observed from the sidelines under Mike Leach until earning the starting job in 2019.

When Gordon finally got his chance, he did not disappoint, garnering Second-Team All-Pac-12 honors with 5,579 passing yards and 48 touchdown tosses.

With only getting one year to start, Gordon is raw and unpolished as a passer, but the tools are present. He showed patience in the pocket, even while under pressure, and makes consistent, accurate throws, completing just shy of 72 percent of his passes for the Cougars in Leach's Air Raid offense.

Given his need for refining and physical tools, Gordon likely won't be selected until the fourth or fifth round. But he would thrive under Wilson's direction and would eventually be worthy to be his backup with proper seasoning and coaching.

Nate Stanley

Coming from Iowa, Stanley has the advantage of having been introduced to a pro-style offense like he will likely encounter in the NFL.

At 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, Stanley possesses the ideal frame to play quarterback in the NFL. With that size, the Wisconsin native also displays pro-level arm talent, though his accuracy has been hit and miss over the past few years with the Hawkeyes.

Stanley's biggest knock is his lack of mobility, which may make him an unattractive prospect in Seattle's eyes. His production leaves something to be desired as well, never eclipsing 3,000 passing yards in three years at Iowa.

Given his physical traits and strong arm along with knowledge of a pro-style attack, Stanley is an intriguing project for the team who selects him, which will likely come at some point on day three.

Steven Montez

The former Colorado signal caller might be the best fit among the late-draft options to back up Wilson. He tied for the third-fastest 40-yard dash time among quarterbacks at the combine and displays good mobility in the pocket, occasionally calling upon escapeability that would make Wilson proud.

Montez was productive with the Buffs, becoming the school's all-time leader in touchdown passes with 63, along with just over 9,700 yards in three years as the starter. At 6-foot-4, 231 pounds, the El Paso, Texas native is built like an NFL quarterback. Add his mobility and he has enviable physical traits teams are looking for.

Though he had his share of struggles closing out his career at Colorado, Montez displays good pocket presence and can make plays on the run. Seattle's system would be a good fit for his strengths while learning under one of the best mobile quarterbacks of this generation.

Montez will likely be available as day three progresses into the late fifth and early sixth rounds. Under Wilson's tutelage and with some quality coaching, Montez has the potential to become a fine backup quarterback in the NFL who could draw interest from other teams in the future.

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