The Seahawks may be in decent shape at quarterback right now, but that can flip in a hurry, and that’s why the 2027 draft conversation is already starting to matter. Sam Darnold is the starter, Drew Lock is backing him up, and Jalen Milroe is still developing. But with a contract fight looming around Darnold in about seven months and Lock scheduled to hit free agency around the same time, Seattle could be staring at a much thinner depth chart before long.
That’s the backdrop for a look at four college quarterbacks who could be on Seattle’s radar in 2026 for draft purposes, especially if the Seahawks are selecting near the end of the first round. For now, the working assumption is that they won’t be in range for the top blue-chip passers, and that Milroe gets a real shot to hold down the starting job. With that in mind, the focus shifts to day-two and later options.
The most obvious swing-for-the-fences type in the group is South Carolina’s quarterback. He’s entering his third season as the Gamecocks starter and comes with the kind of physical traits teams chase: size, speed, arm strength, and raw talent.
The concern is that 2025 was a step back. His accuracy dropped from 65.6% to 60.8%, his touchdown-to-interception numbers went from 18-7 to 13-8, and his rushing production fell from 674 yards and 4.1 yards per attempt to 270 yards and 1.8 per carry.
Even so, his tools keep him in demand. If he tightens up the accuracy and sharpens his decision-making, he could push into the first round.
If not, he still looks like a day-two target. Seattle already drafted Milroe, a similar kind of prospect, so the fit is easy to imagine.
Then there’s the quarterback who brings a Russell Wilson flavor to the table. If you lined up the strengths - escapability, mobility, deep-ball ability, low turnover numbers - and then stacked them against the weaknesses - small frame, trouble seeing over the line, and timing issues - the comparison would be hard to miss.
He’s got just one year of starting experience at a major college, but it was a productive one: 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and 527 rushing yards. The processing stuff is still catching up.
Pre-snap reads, diagnosing defenses, and moving through progressions all need work. But with more time and more reps, those areas should improve, which is why he profiles as another intriguing day-two option.
Maiava is coming off a 2025 breakout after one year as a starter at a small school and another season cut short by injury. He checks plenty of boxes physically, with prototypical size and a deep ball that stands out.
He also brings something not every college quarterback can offer: he can play effectively under pressure. His 2025 line - 3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 157 rushing yards - gives him a real platform heading into 2026.
The issues are just as clear, though. He has a turnover problem, with 10 interceptions in each of his two full seasons and 13 career fumbles.
If that continues, first-round talk will stay out of reach. Still, he’s a prospect worth keeping on the board.
Houser is the most obvious prove-it case of the bunch after transferring to Illinois from East Carolina. He had a solid 2025 season, throwing for 3,300 yards and 19 touchdowns while adding 193 rushing yards and limiting himself to 6 interceptions.
He also brings good size, some dual-threat ability, and more experience than most quarterbacks in this class. The arm is legit, too.
The issue is what happens when the pocket gets messy, because he struggles badly under pressure and needs protection to do his best work. A strong 2026 could move him into day two, though his two-year run at Michigan State may still weigh on how he’s viewed.
If Seattle ends up needing another backup quarterback, he’s firmly in the mix with a lot of other appealing options.
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