Seahawks 90-Man Countdown: QB Holton Ahlers - Backup Signal Caller in Waiting?

After a remarkable career at East Carolina, Holton Ahlers somehow went undrafted and the athletic playmaking lefty will now look to push veteran Drew Lock for a backup job behind Geno Smith with the Seattle Seahawks.

Corbin K. Smith | Jun 19, 2023

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Seattle Seahawks

With the calendar flipping to June and offseason activities wrapping up league-wide, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in less than two months, officially ushering in the 2023 season.

To celebrate the new incoming season, we'll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2023 campaign.

Holton Ahlers, Quarterback

Height/Weight: 6-3, 227 pounds

2022 Stats*: 28 touchdowns, five interceptions, 67.2% completion rate

*College stats at East Carolina

One of the most prolific passers to ever come out of North Carolina, Ahlers finished his high school career ranked third all-time in state history in passing yards, second all-time in total offense, and third all-time for total touchdowns (201), including 75 combined scores as a senior. Named a team captain as a freshman, he led the school to four playoff appearances and three conference titles, eventually committing to East Carolina as a three-star recruit.

Departing Greenville as the most distinguished quarterback in program history, Ahlers wrapped up his tenure at East Carolina as the school's all-time leader in passing yards (13,927), total offensive yards (15,373), passing touchdowns (97), and total touchdowns (122). He also established new American Athletic Conference records for passing yardage, completions, and total touchdowns while earning MVP honors at the NFLPA Bowl. But he wasn't one of 14 quarterbacks selected in the 2023 NFL Draft and signed with the Seahawks as a free agent.

Best-Case Scenario: Showing off his dual-threat capabilities in the preseason as Seattle's third quarterback making big plays as a passer and a runner, Ahlers puts pressure on returning veteran backup Drew Lock and though he gets cut in August, he returns as a member of the practice squad and dresses for a handful of games as an emergency third signal caller.

Worst-Case Scenario: Battling mechanical issues and quickly realizing he's not in Greenville anymore trying to scramble away from NFL defenders, Ahlers struggles throughout the preseason and gets released without a return to the practice squad, putting his NFL aspirations in limbo.

What to Expect in 2023: After re-signing Pro Bowler Geno Smith to a three-year deal and bringing back Drew Lock as his backup, an undrafted rookie like Ahlers will be hard-pressed to make Seattle's roster as an undrafted rookie. His hitchy throwing mechanics remain a work in progress and though he ran for a bunch of yardage and touchdowns in college, he likely will have a much tougher time creating plays with his legs at the NFL level with 4.93 40-yard dash speed.

But with the NFL instituting a new rule allowing a third quarterback on game day rosters without counting against the 46-man limit, it's possible the Seahawks could try to take advantage if Ahlers impresses during the preseason. After years of passing on the opportunity to draft and develop a quarterback, given his background of playmaking and high football IQ, the former East Carolina standout could be a prime candidate to eventually succeed Lock as the team's backup.

Previous Seahawks 90-Man Profiles

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Published Jun 19, 2023

CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.