ESPN predicts Seattle Seahawks choose quarterback of the future in 2024 NFL draft

ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr., thinks that the 2024 NFL draft first round is going to be dominated by quarterbacks. The first three picks off the board will all be QBs with Caleb Williams going to the Chicago Bears (you are welcome, Shane Waldron!), Jayden Daniels heading to the Washington Commanders, and Drake Maye being chosen by the New England Patriots. Kiper thinks the Seattle Seahawks stand pat at pick 16, but Seattle will also choose a quarterback.

But no, 12s. The Seahawks will not choose Washington's Michael Penix, Jr. Instead, Seattle will go with Michigan's JJ McCarthy. Part of the problem, though, is even Kiper does not have a first-round grade on McCarthy. General manager John Schneider cannot afford to overreach with his first pick in the first draft where he has full personnel control.

McCarthy has a good arm, but he is still relatively unproven. He was not forced to win games by throwing the ball at Michigan. Michigan's offensive line was so beastly that they could literally just run over other teams. McCarthy, though, can run. Or at least he could in college; that might change in the NFL where players are bigger, stronger, and faster.

Mel Kiper, Jr. mocks JJ McCarthy to the Seahawks in the 2024 NFL draft

Even more potentially frightening, Kiper thinks it is a decent possibility that the Seahawks move on from Geno Smith this offseason, and save almost $14 million by doing so, but go with McCarthy in Week 1 of 2024. Seattle's roster has young talent, but is likely wasting a year of that talent by starting the unproven and still-learning McCarthy the right thing to do?

Seattle will also have a new head coach, of course. Would that head coach want to begin is career in Seattle with a rookie quarterback? Or would he rather have Geno Smith under center and then help Schneider choose a quarterback as high as possible in the 2025 NFL draft. This is especially true if the coach Seattle hires to take over the on-field product is a first-time head coach.

Maybe a wiser move would be for the Seahawks to trade back in the draft, keep a first-round choice, add a 2024 second-round pick, choose a defensive lineman or offensive guard or a linebacker, and then if a quarterback such as Penix is still around in the second round take a quarterback then. Kiper, by the way, does not have Penix being chosen in the first round.

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