Now that Matt Barkley and Landry Jones have declared their intentions to remain in school for their senior seasons, the Once-Great-Quarterback-Draft-Of-2012 looks less and less like the panacea Seahawk fans have been hoping for. No way we have the ammunition to move up and get Andrew Luck, and there's no guarantee that even Robert Griffin III comes out either. Some mock drafts have the 'Hawks grabbing Ryan Tanneyhill in the middle of the first round, but despite my earlier infatuation with his potential, I've read too many negative reports on him from scouting types. I still think he's a good prospect, and could be a great get in round 2, but most likely some team desperate for a signal-caller will make him a first rounder after all. I haven't given up on him, and in fact most of his shortcomings sound like nothing more than developmental issues. A year sitting behind Tavaris Jackson and he could very well be the guy. That being said, I'd be OK with that scenario if Tanneyhill is available in the second round, but not the first.
At this point I'm ready to move on from the idea of a first round QB selection and suggest the following:
Take the best available front-7 player in the first round, and target a QB in the second. Better yet, trade down (as this draft appears balanced and deep in areas we don't need to address) and stockpile picks. Target a guy that can flat-out help us rush the passer in round 1, be it an OLB or DE, and hope a QB is available in round 2 that can develop into a long-term starter.
But.... who could that be? Here are a few options.
1) Tanneyhill, see above.
2) Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State. I know, I know, he's 28 years old, but he has proven himself in a tough conference on a big stage, has a big arm, really good size, and is mature enough that we wouldn't have to live with some of the typical growing pains of most rookie QB's. A year under T-Jack and Weeden could be ready to step in as a solid starter in year 2, at 29 years of age, with much more upside than Jackson. I'm not going to rule him out simply because of his age.
3) Nick Foles, Arizona. Hard to find a more polarizing prospect. Rated as a first rounder by one preseason service and a 7th rounder by another, Foles is either potentially elite or a stiff depending on who you talk to. Trent Dilfer raved about his anticipation and upside after doing extensive film-study of him last month, while other high-profile draft analysts see him as nothing more than a late round flyer. He's huge, but apparently doesn't have the arm to match his size. Some defend him by pointing out that he played on bad teams at Arizona. I haven't seen enough of him to lean one way or another, but the consensus seems to be growing that his stock could rise with a strong showing in post-season All-Star games and workouts. Bottom line is he's probably not as athletic and mobile as Carroll likes his QB's to be, but one worth keeping an eye on.
4) Austin Davis, Southern Mississipi. (Pictured Above) This guy really intrigues me. He plays in a spread system, but doesn't everyone not named Luck or Barkley? He's 6-2, 220 and extremely athletic. A four year starter, he's broken nearly every one of Brett Favre's records, throwing for almost 11,000 yards, 81 TD's, with 27 INT's, and adding another 1300 yards and 25 TD's rushing. His reputation is one of a firey leader and exceptional worker. I've seen two of his games and he looks very mechanically sound, with a quick-enough release and good accuracy in the pocket and on the move. The arm looks strong enough, and he's really quick. Can he make the adjustment from college spread to a west-coast NFL offense?
I do know this, the Seahawks sent their scouting staff to see him in person at Virginia this year, and all he did was go 27-41 for 313 yards, 3 TD's and 0 INT's.
Set your DVR's for tomorrow's Hawaii Bowl and check him out. Tuck this name away.
5) Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois. No, I didn't just make that name up. Reknowned "Rogue Scout" Dave Razzone turned me on to this guy last week. He's another 4 year starter, also 6-2, 220, also a spread QB, but one that Razzone compared to, wait for it....... Tim Tebow, and called one of his big sleepers in this year's draft.
Check the stats and it's hard to ignore. 62% career passer with nearly 9,000 yards passing and a 3-1 TD-INT ratio, and almost 3,000 yards rushing. I checked out some video on YouTube and indeed he does remind one of Tim Tebow in most areas except for one.... he's much more mechanically sound and thus extremely accurate.
So there you go. There are five potential options for the title of Seahawks Quarterback Of The Future. Are any of them can't-miss? Of course not, but most if not all of them could be on the board when the Seahawks select in the second, or third, or maybe even fourth round in some cases.
Right now I would be in favor or the 'Hawks trading down, stockpiling picks, taking a couple pass-rushers, a physical, bigger RB to more closely resemble Marshawn Lynch while serving as his backup, and grabbing one of these guys in the Friday portion of the 2012 draft.
Isn't it amazing how dramatically things have changed on this front in the last 6 weeks?
It's going to be a fascinating offseason.
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