Seahawks Draft: UCLA’s DTR who could be this year’s Brock Purdy

The way forward for the quarterback place for the Seahawks will stay a query even when they re-sign Geno Smith after his breakout Professional Bowl season in 2022.

Seahawks GM John Schneider: “We wish Geno to return again”

At 32 years outdated, it’s unlikely Smith shall be getting a contract for greater than three years this offseason. And if there’s one factor that groups within the quarterback market are bearing in mind now, it’s how the San Francisco 49ers ended up with the rookie QB that has led them to the final eight of their 12 straight wins, together with Sunday in opposition to Dallas to clinch a spot within the NFC Championship.

San Francisco chosen Brock Purdy with the final choose within the 2022 NFL Draft out of Iowa State, and after accidents to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo, he was thrust into the beginning spot. Clearly it’s labored out, as he’s but to endure a loss as 49ers QB.

Seattle enters the 2023 NFL Draft with 9 draft choices, and if the Hawks resolve to deal with totally different positions of want early within the draft, there’s a QB they may be capable to take afterward with Purdy-like potential, in response to Brock Huard.

Requested Monday morning by Mike Salk, his co-host on Seattle Sports activities’ Brock and Salk, who the subsequent Brock Purdy may very well be, Huard pointed to a participant who he’s seen play many occasions in individual for his job as a FOX Sports activities faculty soccer broadcaster.

“Who’s received wiggle? That’s No. 1. Who’s received only a self-assuredness? No. 2. Who’s performed for 4 years? No. 3. Who has made throws with great accuracy and anticipation? No. 4. After which who has elevated a program that was simply within the dumps, like Iowa State was, and elevated them to relevancy like this man has? He checks all 5 of those containers,” Huard stated.

The reply is Dorian Thompson-Robinson, a redshirt senior from UCLA.

Huard defined how Thompson-Robinson is popping out of an identical scenario to what Purdy went by way of at Iowa State.

“Chip Kelly is available in (as UCLA coach in 2018), kinda like Matt Campbell got here in to Iowa State once they had been down and out,” Huard stated. “… Iowa State – outpost, one in every of actually record-wise the worst packages in all of school soccer, and Matt Campbell and Brock Purdy got here in and elevated it. Took slightly time, however from Day 1, form of like Brock Purdy performed as a freshman, so did DTR, and he took his lumps early after which simply grew to become increasingly related.”

Huard sees extra similarities between Purdy and DTR than simply how their faculty careers went. They’re additionally roughly the identical measurement (Purdy is listed as 6 foot 1 and 220 kilos, whereas DTR is 6-1 and 205) and share traits in the best way they play the place.

“(Thompson-Robinson) has athleticism, has self-assuredness, can throw the ball particularly contained in the numbers phenomenally nicely. Can run and may create, and has performed a lot soccer. Has performed in huge video games, has performed with stress. … DTR shall be an intriguing man, and the extra that Brock Purdy does at his measurement and along with his athleticism and the quantity of video games that he’s performed, I believe the higher for DTR on this course of”

Above all, it’s expertise (49 profession video games for UCLA) that might enable DTR to hit the bottom operating for a staff just like the Seahawks within the NFL just like how Purdy has with the 49ers.

“That bevy of video games and that life expertise, a reasonably large deal for him. DTR shall be intriguing to look at the subsequent few months,” Huard stated.

Furthering the connection between Purdy and DTR is how their faculty spotlight reels present each great potential and causes for groups to sleep on them within the draft.

“He’s been slightly up and down, however boy, his upside,” Huard stated of Thompson-Robinson. “In the event you simply watched his spotlight reel, you’d be like, ‘Yep,’ … After all, you might additionally put a turnover reel collectively and say, ‘Ooh, yeah, that’s why you’re most likely going to tumble down slightly bit.’ However you might say the identical for Purdy in faculty, man. He had a variety of turnovers – fumbles and picks and ‘slightly bit too small.’”

Groups are most likely paying nearer consideration to Thompson-Robinson now than earlier than due to Purdy’s success, nonetheless.

“I most likely have referred to as 10 video games of DTR’s over the 4 years,” Huard stated, “and oh, by the best way, I already had an NFL staff form of ping me off the file and ask me about whom? DTR.”

You’ll be able to hear the complete dialog within the Blue 88 section from Monday’s version of Brock and Salk within the podcast under. Blue 88 airs dwell at 7:45 every weekday on Seattle Sports activities 710 AM.

Extra from Brock Huard: Three spectacular, underrated Seahawks stats from 2022

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