Seahawks Must Draft Quarterback in 2022

With the lesser-rated class of draft-eligible quarterbacks this year, it has been suggested that the Seahawks should hold off on the league’s most important position until the 2023 group arrives. Matty F. Brown agrees with Seattle general manager John Schneider: this year's class has talent and should result in a young prospect heading to the Pacific Northwest.

With the lesser-hyped class of draft-eligible quarterbacks in 2022, it has been suggested that the Seahawks should hold off on the league’s most important position until the 2023 group arrives. That class is expected to include Alabama’s Bryce Young and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, who are glitzy options that have already torn college football defenses apart. Behind these names are other productive passers who have competed versus quality opponents. 

It’s therefore easy to get swept up in the promise of next year’s class. However, with the ammunition Seattle has in its 2023 draft capital, it should be able to go and get its guy if required—no matter its starting draft position.

Tanking or being less competitive to net a higher 2023 pick for the consensus "QB1" is also risky business. The 2022 draft offers a cautionary tale in Sam Howell. Based off his 2020 campaign, the North Carolina quarterback was rated as the top passer heading into 2021, with most draft experts majorly hyping him up as "the guy." Now, with the 2021 college football season played and the 2022 draft approaching, Howell is more of an afterthought with other quarterbacks regarded better. A lot can—and will—change in draft cycles.

This year might not offer the Seahawks that day one-ready passer; the class is lacking in this area. However, plenty of the quarterbacks possess intriguing tools that, with development, could lead to fruitful careers. Additionally, even if Seattle doesn’t have a passer it's absolutely in love with, that should not wholly eliminate the possibility of drafting a quarterback next month.

“According to who?” 

That's how Seahawks general manager John Schneider responded when asked about this year's quarterback class and how poorly it's been regarded. 

“I think it’s a talented group, it’s a talented group of guys.”

Schneider admitted that he has split from his front office roots when it comes to the quarterback position. 

“One thing we haven’t done, like my mentor [Ron Wolf] did all the time in Green Bay that we haven’t done a very good job of here for one reason or another, just the way the draft falls, is we haven’t picked quarterbacks.

“You know, he [Wolf] was able to pick, even though we had Brett [Favre], he was able to pick Mark Brunell, Ty Detmer, Aaron Brooks, you know, a number of guys that became assets. And I don’t know why, it’s just for some reason since we’ve been here [in Seattle] it hasn’t really fallen that way.”

Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll's March 16 presser gave the impression that Schneider, now without a clear franchise quarterback—sorry, Drew Lock—is going to attempt to return to regular quarterback additions. The 2022 draft in particular looks perfect for that.

“The class, it’s really, it’s a good class,” the GM outlined. “To your point, it’s not, you know, people aren’t ‘highly rating’ it or whatever, but you never know where you’re gonna acquire these guys. All the way through, right? You know the Russell Wilsons and the Tom Bradys, right? So you have to look at the totality of the class.”

Three ultra-skinny reports: Liberty's Malik Willis has a stunning arm; Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder dissects coverages; Ole Miss' Matt Corral has a lightning release. 

Positives like this are present throughout the group. Taking a quarterback is, of course, an especially inexact science in the already imprecise drafting world. It is therefore especially smart for the quarterback-needy Seahawks to throw a 2022 dart at a tools-y passer they can hope to develop. From there, the crucial intangibles—the real tricky part of prospect evaluation—will come into play. This year offers a no-lose situation.