The Seattle Seahawks are heading into a critical game today against the Detroit Lions. A loss would mean an 0-2 start to the season, usually the end of any realistic playoff hopes. While Pete Carroll is as good as any NFL head coach at rallying his team and making postseason runs after rough starts, we may start shifting our thinking toward the 2024 NFL draft a bit more if the Lions win.
On that note, the Seahawks have to be at least considering picking a quarterback in next year’s class – no matter how well Geno Smith performs for the rest of this season. While he signed a three-year extension in the offseason, it’s a flexible and team-friendly deal that would allow the front office to get out early and re-build around a young quarterback to match the rest of what’s the seventh-youngest roster in the league right now.
Buy Seahawks TicketsIt’s an absolutely-loaded QB class, too. Here are three who stood out on Saturday.
Shedeur Sanders - Colorado
These days Boulder is the center of the college football universe, as Deion Sanders and his massive class of transfers have already tripled Colorado’s 2022’s win total after bringing down rival Colorado State in double overtime late last night.
Coach Prime’s son Shedeur Sanders is the biggest reason why they’re 3-0. So far on the season he’s thrown for a 78% completion rate, 1,251 yards, 10 touchdown passes and just one interception.
On film, Sanders doesn’t have a cannon for an arm but he has more than enough arm talent and athleticism to get by. As you might expect, Sanders is exceptionally well-coached. He usually wins by being a calculating processor of the field with tremendous poise, making the right decision on the vast majority of his snaps when under pressure – either literally or figuratively.
This 98-yard drive from last night shows everything you need to know.
Shedeur Sanders full 98 Yard Drive to tie the ball game. @CUBuffsFootball @CUBarstool pic.twitter.com/Y7nlhYJydI
— NMD Grant (@NMDgrant) September 17, 2023
Sanders wasn’t really on the radar last year at Jackson State, but if he keeps this up the rest of the season he’s going to be a top-10 pick.
Michael Penix Jr. - Washington
The Seahawks have a rising QB prospect in their own backyard, too.
Michael Penix Jr. decided to stay for another year at Washington and so far that’s proving to be a wise choice, as his draft stock is rising each week. Yesterday in a win over Michigan State, Penix added another 473 passing yards and four touchdowns.
27/35
473 yards
4 TDSMichael Penix Jr. had a day today 👏 pic.twitter.com/c0NXCS8SR4
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) September 17, 2023
That brings his season total to 859 yards, eight touchdowns and only one interception. His 94.1 QBR ranks first in the nation.
Jayden Daniels - LSU
Another QB worth watching is Jayden Daniels, who helped LSU demolish Mississippi State. Daniels displayed exceptional touch on both of his touchdown throws and completed an incredible 88.2% of his passes.
This is just a SICK throw by Jayden Daniels pic.twitter.com/3mhDmKgKbq
— Boot Krewe Media (@BootKreweMedia) September 16, 2023
For the year Daniels is up to six touchdowns, one pick and 615 passing yards.
The likely No. 1 overall pick – Caleb Williams from USC – was idle this week – but he will be out of range for Seattle in any case. The good news is there are so many quality QBs in this class a lot of teams will be able to get a decent one no matter where they are slotted in the final draft order.
Other quarterbacks on the watchlist include Spencer Rattler from South Carolina, Drake Maye from North Carolina, Bo Nix from Oregon, Jordan Travis of Florida State, K.J. Jefferson from Arkansas and Cam Ward from Washington State.
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