Regardless of what path the Seattle Seahawks take with Geno Smith this offseason, they could look to the later rounds of the NFL Draft in hope of striking gold on a quarterback of the future.
Early Mock Draft Roundup: Who could Seahawks pick at No. 18?
Most of the time, late-round quarterbacks don’t pan out. According to FOX Sports Research, there were 230 quarterbacks drafted in rounds 4-7 from the 1970 NFL merger through 2023, and just 21 went on to receive a Pro Bowl selection. Just three went on to receive a first-team All-Pro nod.
But every once in a while, teams win the jackpot. Some notable examples: fourth-round pick Dak Prescott, sixth-round pick Tom Brady and seventh-rounder Brock Purdy.
If this year’s draft happens to be one with a late-round steal at quarterback, who could it be? ESPN NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid mentioned an under-the-radar prospect Wednesday during an appearance on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy: Minnesota sixth-year transfer QB Max Brosmer.
“Max Brosmer is definitely one name that’s not getting a lot of buzz right now, but I think he’s gonna get a lot more as we go through the process,” Reid said.
Brosmer is a traditional pocket passer who spent his first four seasons at FCS-level New Hampshire, where he rebounded from a torn ACL to throw for 3,154 yards in 2022 and an FCS-best 3,459 yards in 2023.
Brosmer then transferred to Minnesota and helped lead to the Golden Gophers to an 8-5 campaign this past season, including a 5-4 mark in the Big Ten and a Duke’s Mayo Bowl victory over Virginia Tech. Brosmer ranked 16th in the FBS with a 66.5% completion rate and threw for 2,828 yards, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions.
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Brosmer improved as the season went along, closing with 12 touchdown passes and just two interceptions over the past eight games. He led Minnesota to a 6-2 record over that stretch, including a game-winning 75-yard touchdown drive in the closing minutes for an upset victory over then-No. 11 USC.
“He isn’t overly gifted from a physical standpoint,” Reid said. “He doesn’t have a super strong arm. But he’s one of those guys that plays on time, he’s very decisive, he knows where to go with the football and his drops always marry up and match with the routes that they’re trying to run. He’s extremely tough as well.
“And you look at those late-round guys that have went on to succeed, he has a lot of those traits that align with that.”
