The Seattle Seahawks received a solid performance last season from Tarvaris Jackson as their starting quarterback. Jackson played well for the most part, and wasn't too much of a detriment to the team. However, his ceiling is probably not too high, and there probably isn't too much more development he can make.
NFL Draft analyst Mike Mayock has started looking thoroughly at prospects, and he believes the Seahawks should really take a look at drafting a quarterback with their first pick, similar to what the Vikings did with Christian Ponder and the Titans did with Jake Locker. Eric Williams of the News Tribune has the Seahawks looking at the quarterback most likely to be drafted behind Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.
"Las year none of us thought that Locker was going to go that high or Ponder was going to go that high," Mayock said. "So Tannehill is a guy they (the Seahawks) have to at least be looking at. And if they don’t take him, then you get into the second round and you have to start taking a look at a guy like Brandon Weeden. But I think somebody has to come in and compete with T-Jack, and I think that position has to be upgraded."
Here’s what he had to say about Tannehill’s play: "He’s got everything you want. He’s got size. He’s got arm strength. He’s a really good athlete. All you have to do is look at his tape as a wide receiver two years ago. He’s a big, strong fast kick with a really good arm.
"Now, what I don’t like about him is that he waits for routes to develop before he throws the football – in other words he lacks anticipation. And because of that he throws late into coverage and makes mistakes. Now, that’s not atypical for a lot of young quarterbacks in football, especially ones that only have a year and a half of starting under their belts. He hasn’t started as many games as I’d like to see from a typical, first-round NFL quarterback. Typically you’d like to see at least 25 minimum starts in college. But I think he’s going to be a first round guy."
Would the Seahawks feel safe about taking a quarterback with their 12th pick? It's something they might consider if they feel uncertain about their future with Jackson.
To talk about Tennehill on the Seahawks, head on over to Field Gulls. To discuss Tannehill with Texas A&M fans, head on over to I Am The 12th Man. To learn more about the NFL Draft in general, look at Mocking the Draft.