Seattle Seahawks next backup QB should be Easton Stick

The NFL Draft is fast approaching and the Seahawks are still stuck with their four picks. The team has a lot of needs, but an underrated need is the backup quarterback position.

Currently, the Seahawks have just one other quarterback on the roster besides Russell Wilson. Paxton Lynch is the only other member of the quarterback room. Lynch, the former first-round pick, is a fine risk to take, but should not be the only option for the backup QB spot.

Of course, there is no way he will be. The Seahawks will need to add at least another arm or two for rookie mini-camp and an additional arm or two for training camp. So Seattle will add a QB or two in the coming months.

There are a plethora of options available. But perhaps the most underrated name in the draft this year is Easton Stick from North Dakota State University. Stick, who played in 55 games at NDSU, finished his career with 8,693 yards passing, 88 touchdowns and just 28 interceptions. He also added 2,523 rushing yards and 41 rushing TDs.

The college production is a big-time check. He also tested extremely well at the combine. He ran a 4.62 forty yard dash, a 33 1/2 inch vertical, and a 118″ broad jump. Most impressively, he ran a 6.65 3-cone drill and a 4.05 short shuttle. Both of those last two numbers rank in the 97th percentile amongst NFL quarterbacks.

In fact, those numbers are so good that when comparing them against all NFL players, they rank in the 93rd percentile (shuttle) and 96th percentile (3-cone). These traits show up on film as well. Take a look at this play:

Looks awfully familiar right? Yes, Stick does have a little Russell Wilson in him. Now, he doesn’t have the raw arm talent that Wilson did when Wilson’s was drafted. If he did, he would probably be a first-round pick. I say probably because Stick isn’t the biggest guy. He stands a 6’1 with 9 1/4 inch hands and an average wingspan.

Stick is a good passer but does lack the big arm. He is a rhythm passer who must trust his receivers. In other words, he needs to throw with tremendous anticipation. NDSU does run a pro-style offense as well as a good use of the now-popular RPO’s (run-pass options).

Honestly, with his athleticism, Stick could be the next college QB to transition to wide receiver. His closest athletic comp is actually Cooper Kupp. The Patriots love to find guys like Stick and a team who sees him as a WR could take him earlier than a team who has eyes on him as a QB.

The Seahawks are known for “roster mirroring”. In other words, the try to find backups who are similar to their starters. While Wilson has never missed a game, Stick is much better assimilation to him than Lynch is. Stick will likely be picked no earlier than the 5th round and is well worth taking a chance on him.