Analysis: Way-Too-Early Look at Quarterback Options For Seahawks in 2023 NFL Draft

After foregoing a lackluster rookie quarterback class in 2022, the Seahawks should have much better luck finding a potential face of the franchise next April. Ty Dane Gonzalez takes a look at 14 young passers who could declare for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Reaffirming their confidence in the likes of Geno Smith and Drew Lock at any opportunity they had, the Seahawks made it clear during the pre-draft process that foregoing the quarterback position in the 2022 NFL Draft was a very real possibility for them. Lo and behold, of the nine selections they made over this past weekend, none brought in a new signal-caller. 

Despite trading star quarterback Russell Wilson to Denver last month, Seattle is widely considered to be more than justified in avoiding the position this time around. In the buildup to the draft, this class of quarterbacks had been heavily criticized as one of the worst in recent memory. 

The league seemingly agreed with that notion as Pittsburgh prospect Kenny Pickett, taken by the Steelers with pick No. 20, was the only quarterback taken within the draft's first 73 picks. Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder and Liberty's Malik Willis had seemingly built a first-round résumé as the draft inched closer, but that proved to be a mirage as both waited until the third round to hear their respective names called. 

Next year's class, led by two big names with the possibility for more, is expected to be far better. In the unlikely event the Seahawks see a seismic shift in the career trajectory of Lock this fall, next April appears to be their best opportunity to land a potential franchise quarterback. 

While there is still well over 300 days to go and a college football season left to be played until that moment presents itself, let's go over 14 quarterbacks for Seahawks fans to familiarize themselves with.

Bryce Young, Alabama*

* Will be a junior in 2022.

It may very well be a tossup between Young and the next quarterback on this list, but there are some who believe Young is the top draft-eligible passer heading into this season. While he doesn't possess a massive arm, he's an advanced processor who's dissected SEC defenses with relative ease and has a great touch on his throws. As a sophomore last year, he completed 66.9 percent of his passes for a whopping 4,872 yards, 47 touchdowns and just seven interceptions on his way to winning a Heisman Trophy and making an appearance in the 2021 CFP National Championship. 

C.J. Stroud, Ohio State**

** Will be a redshirt-sophomore in 2022.

After sitting behind now-Bears quarterback Justin Fields for a season, Stroud took the reins of the Buckeyes' offense in 2021 and instantly became one of the most electric young arms in the country. Despite suffering a shoulder injury in the school's season opener, the 20-year old went on to pass for 4,435 yards, 44 touchdowns and a mere six interceptions. He's currently listed at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds and, despite having the tendency to airmail certain throws, possesses the most talented arm in this class. 

Will Levis, Kentucky

After holding a clipboard for his first two years in college, Levis wrapped up his finance degree at Penn State then transferred to Kentucky with hopes of finally starting last summer. He got that opportunity with the Wildcats and⁠—for the most part⁠—ran with it, though he stumbled during the midway point of the season as competition ramped up. But over the school's final five games, including a Citrus Bowl win over Iowa, Levis threw for 1,350 yards, 10 touchdowns and just four interceptions while making some incredible plays along the way. He has a special arm; it just remains to be seen if he can perform at a consistent level against the best of the best.  

Jake Haener, Fresno State

Haener has a cannon on him, allowing him to rip throws into tight windows and air it out at will. The confidence derived from that kind of talent can also lead to some reckless throwing decisions, however; he was lucky to walk away from the 2021 campaign with just nine interceptions thrown. Nevertheless, the tools are extremely loud and one could argue he has the best pocket presence of the names on this list. It would be a mistake to overlook him. 

Anthony Richardson, Florida**

** Will be a sophomore in 2022.

Richardson's upside is immense, offering a dreamy combination of size, speed and arm talent. Such tools have earned him comparisons to the likes of Josh Allen and Cam Newton, and it's easy to see why. He looked raw in limited action last season, but there's a growing belief he could take college football by storm as a first-time starter this fall. Come springtime, if he so chooses to declare for the draft, we could be talking about Richardson in the same breath as Young and Stroud. 

Spencer Rattler, South Carolina

Rattler has the talent necessary to challenge Young and Stroud for the top of this class, but his last season at Oklahoma was an utter disaster capped off by a mid-game benching against Texas in Week 6. His replacement, freshman Caleb Williams, rallied the Sooners to a win and never relinquished the starting job from that point forward. As a result, Rattler has transferred to a more offensive-minded program at South Carolina and will look to salvage his NFL hopes as a senior. If he bounces back under the direction of head coach Shane Beamer, things could get very interesting next April.

Jaren Hall, BYU*

* Will be a junior in 2022.

With Zach Wilson off to New York, Hall got his first chance to start for BYU last season and more or less picked up where his predecessor left off. Recording 2,583 yards, 20 touchdowns and just five interceptions, Hall has an accurate ball with good velocity and depth. He's earned high marks for his ability to complete passes off-balance and/or at awkward angles, thanks in part to his background as a baseball player. However, if he plans on declaring for next year's draft, he'll need to refine his ability to dissect and manipulate defenses in order for his stock to balloon the way it can. 

Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina*

* Will be a junior in 2022.

McCall doesn't have mechanics that jump off the page, but he was statistically the most efficient quarterback in college football last season. He averaged the most yards per pass attempt in the nation (11.9) while standing atop the leaderboard in passer efficiency rating (207.6) and finishing a close second in completion rate (73 percent). If Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is indeed looking for a "point guard" to run his offense, McCall might be an intriguing fit. He could really boost his stock by putting more downfield throws on tape, however. 

Hendon Hooker, Tennessee***

*** Will be a fifth-year senior in 2022.

Hooker is on the older side, getting set to turn 25 after the upcoming season wraps up. Despite that seasoning, he's arguably still well short of offering a complete package as a signal-caller. Consistency⁠—or a lack thereof⁠—has been a lingering issue for him in games, with his impact tailing off over the course of 60 minutes. That said, there's still a lot to like in Hooker's repertoire. He has a strong and accurate arm, big-time mobility and protects the football well, throwing just two interceptions⁠—three in total⁠—against SEC defenses last season. 

Tyler Van Dyke, Miami (FL)**

** Will be a sophomore in 2022.

Getting an opportunity to start following D'Eriq King's season-ending shoulder injury, Van Dyke went 6-3 while completing 62.3 percent of his passes for 2,931 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions. He'll have to hold off top recruit Jake Garcia to retain his job under center, but Van Dyke's redshirt-freshman season caught the attention of the right people. He looked comfortable in the pocket and displayed legitimate arm talent. If he can do that again over the course of a full season for one of the most prestigious football programs in the country, watch out. 

Phil Jurkovec, Boston College

Jurkovec has a ton of talent, but a wrist injury suffered in Week 2 last year derailed his second season at Boston College. Making his way back eight weeks later, the transfer from Notre Dame looked shaky at times as he completed just 48.5 percent of his pass attempts over the Eagles' final four games. But if he can stay healthy this fall there's a good chance he'll play himself into NFL consideration next April and perhaps even into the first- or second-round conversation. Listed at 6-foot-5, Jurkovec has earned physical comparisons to the likes of Ben Roethlisberger and fellow Boston College product Matt Ryan. From his impressive arm to the intangibles he exhibits, it's not hard to see NFL makeup here.

Cameron Ward, Washington State**

** Will be a sophomore in 2022.

Beginning his collegiate career at FCS program Incarnate Word, Ward made it clear he was too overpowered for the lower-level circuit, throwing for 4,648 yards and 47 touchdowns last season. He has since transferred to Washington State and is expected to be the Cougars' starting quarterback this fall following the surprise departure of Jayden de Laura. Ward has a funky delivery and is still rough around the edges overall, but he possesses a special arm and could significantly jump up draft boards by making strides in several key areas. 

DJ Uiagalelei, Clemson*

* Will be a junior in 2022.

Uiagalelei's ceiling is still fairly high, but it's been tools over results thus far and that may lead to his benching in due time. While the arm talent is electric, the rest of the package is severely lacking. He'll need to make significant improvements in the coming months to not only keep his NFL dreams alive, but to stave off Cade Klubnik from taking his starting job at Clemson. 

Tanner McKee, Stanford*

* Will be a junior in 2022.

McKee's 6-foot-6 frame and NFL-quality arm talent has scouts interested, but he put together an underwhelming first year as a starter last season. Plagued by indecision and a subsequent lack of confidence, he tossed just 15 touchdowns to seven interceptions as Stanford finished with an abysmal 3-9 record. Struggles aside, there is still high-round potential here if he can put it all together.