Seahawks have never had the #1 overall pick. Yeah I can't see Denver winning another game this season. Justin Fields has been better this year, except that they aren't winning any games. I'd love to jump back up to #2.
There's an excellent article out by Rob Staton on the upcoming draft and taking a QB.
http://seahawksdraftblog.com/
Bryce Young is naturally so gifted with skill, creativity and accuracy. He carried Alabama during the 2022 season and dragged them kicking and screaming into games against Tennessee where they had no right to be competitive. He can deliver the ball with timing and accuracy and his velocity on throws is clear to see. Young is also creative with brilliant mobility and improv skill. His size is a legitimate concern and teams will have to square that circle before drafting him. Nobody can deny, however, that he is a wonderful talent with exceptional character and production.
Will Levis has every physical trait you want in a modern day quarterback. He’s an outstanding athlete with a rocket arm and the ability to throw to all areas of the field. He can create with his legs and there’s a reason why people like Jim Nagy, and others, keep making comparisons to Allen and Herbert. He played behind a painfully bad O-line in Kentucky with hardly any supporting cast and had some rough moments — but any of the other top QB’s would’ve struggled in that situation. Levis also has firm experience in a pro-style offense.
Anthony Richardson is a rare physical specimen with the upside and potential to be special. There simply aren’t many people on the planet with his tools. He has the size to match the likes of Allen and the brilliance of a runner to warrant comparisons to Lamar Jackson. It’s very easy to imagine him becoming a superstar. He needs time and seasoning but many quarterbacks do. His timing is off and he has too many throws that are a little high or behind. Personally I think this will settle down with more playing time and experience, just as it did with Allen in Buffalo.
C.J. Stroud throws some of the prettiest passes you’ll ever see. His ball placement from the pocket or on the run is excellent and he can throw with such amazing touch to areas deep downfield. He has good size and plus mobility and no physical limitations with his arm. The issues come with intermediate accuracy and his inability, so far, to shine beyond the extreme hand-holding that comes with playing in the Ohio State offense. He also needs time and development but he has major upside.
I wouldn’t suggest anyone has to ‘love’ all of these players but I also don’t ‘get’ the lukewarm ‘meh’ responses that increasingly seem to be doing the rounds. Especially when we’re a year removed from people in the media trying to argue that Malik Willis should go in the top-10, or Desmond Ridder in round one. You can’t make those mock predictions at the start of 2022 and end the year shrugging your shoulders at this quartet.
Drafting a quarterback should be very much on the table for the Seahawks. They have so many picks in the 2023 draft, they’ll be able to address multiple areas. I’ll be happy with a QB or a D-liner. I’m not fussed. You can make a case for both based on positional value, team need and the players who are actually available.
Let’s try to remember that before we all go to war over our preferences.
One final point — it might be possible to address both positions in the top-10.
The Seahawks currently own the #3 and #12 picks. In 2021, the Eagles moved up from #12 to #10 to draft DeVonta Smith, giving up the #84 pick. Seattle’s third round pick is currently slated to be #81. If one of the top four quarterbacks last to #10, or one of the better defensive linemen is still available, it wouldn’t be a terrible idea to move up. After all, with two picks in round two, you’ll have ample opportunity to trade down and recoup lost stock.
Let’s take it a step further. I bet some teams will have Bijan Robinson and Will Anderson as the top two players on their board. It’s not unrealistic, if you pick at #3 and #12, to get both. In terms of talent acquisition, imagine getting the two best players in the draft with a further two second round picks still to come. That’d be really something.
It’s why I’m less interested in being the seventh seed in the playoffs, with little hope of achieving anything, and more interested in getting better.
