The Seattle Seahawks made a big bet on the quarterback position for the upcoming season, signing one of the most sought-after free agents in Sam Darnold.
While the Seahawks hope that Darnold can replicate his career-best season with the Minnesota Vikings, they also began building for the future by drafting former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. One outlet predicts the Seahawks will add more competition by landing another former Crimson Tide signal caller next year.
Seahawks Adding Youth to Quarterback Position
In an early prediction of the 2026 NFL draft, Max Dorsey of Pro Football Network suggested the Seahawks will target Pittsburgh quarterback Eli Holstein in the third round. Holstein made a big impression with the Panthers after transferring from Alabama, completing 61.9% of his passes for 2,228 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid named Holstein among the top quarterback prospects for the 2026 NFL draft, noting his combination of size, strength, and athleticism.
“Holstein thrived as Pitt’s starter last season after transferring from Alabama, throwing for 2,225 yards and 17 touchdowns with seven interceptions,” Reid wrote. “The 6-4, 225-pound Holstein is a strong-armed passer who can push the ball down the field with ease. He needs to play with more control and improve his ball placement, as his 14.7% off-target percentage ranked 100th in the FBS.”
Holstein would likely be a long-term project for the Seahawks, competing for a backup or practice squad role.
Jalen Milroe Could Challenge for Starting Job
While the team’s $100 million commitment to Darnold after his turnaround season puts the veteran in the driver’s seat for the starting job, some believe that Milroe could challenge for the job.
SI.com’s Randy Gurzi suggested he could start by competing with veteran Drew Lock for the No. 2 job behind Darnold.
“While Milroe has yet to play in the NFL, he comes in with a lot of buzz,” Gurzi wrote. “He was an exciting player for the Alabama Crimson Tide, throwing for 2,844 yards with 16 touchdown passes as a senior. Those numbers aren’t bad, but Milroe really made his mark on the ground, going for 726 yards and 20 touchdowns as a runner.”
Milroe earned some buzz at the team’s practices in June, with Emerald Spectrumâs Corbin Smith noting that he looked strong throughout offseason activities.
âSeahawks minicamp has finished,â Smith shared in a post on X. âAnother strong day for Jalen Milroe, who closed out offseason program playing with great confidence.â
Smith added that Milroe has been putting in work to fine-tune his throwing motion, already showing big signs of improvement.
âSomething Iâve noticed â and spoke with (Warren Moon) about last week at practice â already seeing marked improvement with Jalen Milroe cleaning up lower body mechanics,â Smith added. âHeâs been throwing with a wider base and the accuracy improvements have been quite noticeable.â
Milroe is not expected to see much playing time this season, but that could change if the Seahawks should fall out of playoff contention as the season comes to an end. The team will likely want to see what they have in the rookie quarterback, which could lead to some late-season opportunities.
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