Getty Seahawks general manager John Schneider (left) and head coach Pete Carroll appear to have won the Russell Wilson trade.
With just one quarterback selected in the first round, the Seattle Seahawks are in a position to potentially grab one of the top signal-callers remaining in the draft. Liberty quarterback Malik Willis was once projected to be a top-10 pick and remains on the board heading into day two. ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay sees the Seahawks as a perfect fit for Willis and added that taking the Liberty star would not preclude the team from drafting a quarterback again in 2023.
“They pick at Nos. 40 and 41, so the draft capital is there. And while Seattle could ride with Drew Lock under center for a year, it needs another option,” McShay wrote on April 29, 2022. “This wouldn’t exclude the Seahawks from drafting a quarterback next season if they end up with a high pick, but at this value, Willis to Seattle makes a lot of sense. He has a huge arm and a ton of mobility, which fits with what the Seahawks like to do on offense. Plus, there’s no need to rush him onto the field.”
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Schneider: ‘There’s Several Good Quarterbacks in This Draft’
During the team’s post-day one press conference, Seahawks general manager John Schneider discussed the remaining quarterbacks in broad terms. Schneider noted that “there’s several good quarterbacks in this draft.” Time will tell if the Seahawks like one of them enough to select a quarterback at No. 40 or 41.
“I personally feel that for these young guys that are competitors, they’re young men, sometimes the pressure that’s placed on them, right?” Schneider explained during an April 28 press conference. “They’re supposed to be first-round draft choices. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen.
“There’s several good quarterbacks in this draft. And there’s millions of mock drafts and that’s cool. It’s entertainment, we all get it. But you end up kind of feeling bad for these guys, right? There’s just so much pressure on them and there’s a bunch of them that’ll get picked- several tomorrow, for sure. But the pressure of the first round is always stronger, especially for quarterbacks.”
The Seahawks May Need to Trade Up to Have a Chance at Willis
Heading into the draft, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Seahawks would consider taking Willis at No. 9 if he was on the board. If the Seahawks do have an interest in Willis, the team may have to trade up from No. 40 as opposing teams are also likely exploring moving up for a quarterback.
There are several additional quarterbacks that have been linked to the Seahawks as potential day-two options including Desmond Ridder, Matt Corral and Sam Howell. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has the Seahawks taking Willis at No. 40 in his day-two mock draft.
There are several teams ahead of the Seahawks that could also be looking to land a quarterback. Seattle opted not to trade back into the first round to select Willis or another quarterback.
“Seattle is in good position to land a quarterback with one of these next two picks, and Willis is still on the board,” Brugler noted.