Analyst Names Puzzling 'Player To Watch' For Seattle Seahawks In 2025 Draft

Should the Seattle Seahawks keep an eye on one of next year's top quarterback prospects?

Oct 28, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) throws the ball against the UCLA Bruins in the first half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Right now, the Seattle Seahawks' focus lies on the season to come, but it's fair to assume their scouting department, like that of every other team, has done more than its fair share of homework on next year's draft class.

Contrary to what some may think, the draft is a year-round process in the NFL. If anything, the upcoming college season will be a final audition of sorts for potential prospects.

On that note, Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus named one offensive player for each team to watch this season. For Seattle, that player was none other than Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who ironically drew comparisons to Seahawks starter Geno Smith recently.

"With Geno Smith in the final year of his contract with guaranteed money, there is a world where the Seahawks are looking for a young franchise quarterback to invest in next offseason," Sikkema writes. 

"The projections for Sanders are all over the place. Some view him as a top-10 pick, while others believe he’s closer to a third-rounder. His play under pressure is impressive, but his arm talent might lead to inconsistent success in the NFL. Hopefully, a better offensive line in front of him will paint a clearer picture in 2024."

Sanders, son of legendary NFL cornerback and Colorado coach Deion Sanders, put up some very impressive stats last season, completing 69.3 percent of his passes for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdowns and two interceptions.

On the other hand, Shedeur showed some serious flaws in his game. The biggest one being that he took 52 sacks last season, tied for the most in the nation. Granted, some of those sacks were due to the atrocious offensive line in front of him, but others were due to him holding onto the ball for far too long.

Additionally, Shedeur is definitely his father's son, for better or worse. While he is athletically gifted, he also has an attitude that has landed him in hot water on numerous occasions. In fact, former NFL quarterback Shaun King just recently questioned Shedeur's work ethic after he got into a spat with Miami quarterback Cam Ward.

There's also the fact that the Seahawks recently traded for Sam Howell, who could easily be the heir for Smith should they move on from the veteran after the season. Perhaps Sanders has a higher ceiling than Howell, but his floor is a lot lower as well, and the headache that could come from him on the roster just doesn't seem worth it.