Getty The Seahawks are signing Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa
The Seattle Seahawks are bringing in a notable quarterback among their first moves since the NFL draft.
Taulia Tagovailoa — the younger brother of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa — will participate in the Seahawks’ rookie minicamp next weekend after going undrafted, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. Tagovailoa played his college ball with the Maryland Terrapins, ending his career as the Big Ten’s all-time passing leader with 11,256 passing yards.
“Former Maryland QB Taulia Tagovailoa will participate in the #Seahawks’ rookie camp this coming weekend, source says,” wrote Garafolo on Sunday, April 28. “Seattle is currently carrying three QBs on the roster, including Chevon Cordeiro, who signed as an undrafted free agent from San Jose State.”
Tagovailoa initially began his career with the Alabama Crimson Tide as a backup to his brother, Tua, and future first-round draft pick Mac Jones in 2019. Shortly after, Tagovailoa transferred to Maryland, eventually starting all 41 games he appeared in since the 2020 season.
The 24-year-old quarterback put up huge numbers at Maryland — he’s also the program’s leader for single-season marks in completions and passing yards — but he’s small for a quarterback at just 5-foot-10 and 200 pounds.
Taulia Has Similar Skill Set to Tua Tagovailoa
Garafolo describes him as a smaller version of his brother with a similar skill set as a passer.
“Though he put up big numbers, Tagovailoa’s 5-foot-10, 200-pound measurements are on the small side for an NFL QB,” writes Garafolo. “In many ways, he’s a smaller version of his brother, with his size and mobility making him better outside of the pocket.”
As Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network writes in his scouting report of Tagovailoa, he actually has NFL-level talent.
“It’s worth noting that Tagovailoa isn’t a liability from a talent perspective,” writes Cummings. “He has a baseline degree of arm talent and is an above-average athlete with solid creation capacity and off-platform ability. His arm strength is much closer to average than elite, but he can generate enough velocity in the short range.”
The Seahawks currently have three quarterbacks on its roster: starter Geno Smith, offseason trade acquisition Sam Howell and undrafted free agent signee Chevan Cordeiro out of San Jose State.
In other words, Tagovailoa will have every opportunity to impress Seahawks brass and earn the third-string quarterback job while matched up against a fellow undrafted free agent quarterback in Cordeiro.
Sam Howell Figures Into Seahawks’ Long-Term Plans
While the Seahawks will enter the 2024 season with Smith as their starting quarterback, Howell could figure into the team’s long-term plans.
Seattle made a move for the former Washington Commanders starting quarterback, trading a third-round and fifth-round pick to acquire the former fifth-round draft pick. Howell put up respectable numbers in his first season starting, posting 21 touchdowns and 3,946 passing yards. However, he also led the league with 21 interceptions and 65 sacks taken.
With that being said, he’s only 23 years old and definitely has potential as a potential starting quarterback down the road.
While general manager John Schneider didn’t commit to the idea of Howell being the future starting quarterback, he did mention that he figures into the team’s long-term plan.
Via Gregg Bell of The News Tribune:
“I can’t tell you what our long-term plan is, because I honestly don’t know,” said Schneider after the conclusion of the draft on Saturday, April 27. “But Sam is a huge part of it, because we made a major trade to get Sam before we got here (to this draft).”
If Smith happens to slip up during the 2o24 season — or suffers an injury — the Seahawks have a former starting quarterback that could prove capable of being the team’s franchise quarterback.