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Seth Henigan’s 2025 NFL Draft Projection: Where the Memphis QB could land

Originally posted on NFL on ClutchPoints
By Crissy Froyd | Last updated Jan 20, 2025 5:20 PM ET

Memphis Tigers passer Seth Henigan was once a quarterback prospect who flew under the radar, but he quickly caught attention in the AAC in a way that ultimately earned him a Senior Bowl invite.

Henigan set multiple Memphis records, but also the NCAA all-time passing list.

He particularly shined in the Frisco Bowl, passing for 294 yards en route to the 42-37 victory over West Virginia. That allowed Henigan to finish out his college career with video-game numbers, totaling 14,296 yards on his career, which places him at 13th all-time in NCAA passing yards. The current record holder is former Houston quarterback Case Keenum (19,217 career passing yards), who was also a G5 quarterback, just like Henigan.

Henigan was an absolute game-changer for Memphis, bringing the level of Football IQ that you would expect from a coach’s son, from his pocket presence, to his accuracy, his sound throwing mechanics, and his sheer comfortability in the pocket.

Now, Henigan will look to translate his Memphis accomplishments to the NFL. Here’s a look at how all of that could play out, and what to consider.

Seth Henigan 2025 NFL Draft projection

Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan projects more as a diamond in the rough than anything else, and he will also, unfortunately for his case, be up against the small-school stigma. That is something that so many G5 players fall into, fair or not. Therefore, it’s most reasonable to expect that he’ll be a late pick on the last day of the event or a priority undrafted free agent.

Most analysts have pinned him as the latter, but especially in recent years, the later rounds of the draft have been full of surprises. And Henigan has certainly put together the body of work to justify him being taken off the board, even if it has not exactly been in the national spotlight.

There are a number of teams who could be willing to kick the tires on Henigan as a potential low-risk, high-reward prospect who could ultimately do well as a practice squad player or eventual backup. In reality, because of this concept, no team that chooses to take a look at Henigan would exactly come as a surprise.

But here’s a look at three teams who could definitely be interested in taking a quarterback late in particular and why he’s a fit with each organization.

Memphis Tigers quarterback Seth Henigan (9) audibles at the line of scrimmage against the Florida State Seminoles during the first half at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Landing spot 1: Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks are already expected to target a quarterback early in the 2025 NFL Draft, with some projecting the team will take a signal-caller as soon as the first round. Whether or not Seattle will get their guy in this particular draft remains to be seen, but it certainly would not hurt to add a player like Henigan in either the late rounds or as a priority UDFA. Geno Smith has been the team’s starting quarterback ever since the departure of Russell Willson in 2022, and while he has had some success, he has also only led the Seahawks to one postseason appearance in his time there.

It should also be noted that Smith is in the final year of his contract.

Landing spot 2: New Orleans Saints

The Saints have multiple question marks from the top down when it comes to the quarterback position. On one hand, there’s the question as to who will replace veteran quarterback Derek Carr in the long term. Equally, there is the question as to whether or not Jake Haener or Spencer Rattler will even develop into viable options at all. The Saints have pretty consistently brought in new quarterbacks in the later rounds or as UDFAs, and Henigan could be one that they look at.

It will be interesting to watch how the quarterback situation in New Orleans evolves, and it cannot be ruled out that it will be completely different from what it is now, from the starting quarterback all the way down to the practice squad signal-caller in as little as a couple of years.

Landing spot 3: New England Patriots

The Patriots have their guy in Drake Maye at quarterback, but they have been pinned by several to take a quarterback in the late rounds or snag a player who comes up just short of being taken off of the board. One recent mock draft from Cam Garrity of Patriots Wire has the Patriots taking Houston quarterback Donovan Smith in the seventh round of the event.

“With Drake Maye cemented as the franchise quarterback and Joe Milton as the potential backup, Jacoby Brissett will likely go elsewhere. So the Patriots should draft a quarterback, like Donovan Smith, who has a body composition similar to Maye and Milton as a larger passer with a cannon for an arm,” Garrity wrote. “Drafting and developing a good pipeline of quarterbacks gives the team some flexibility in emergency situations to play or trade from their surplus.”

If the Patriots choose to go a different route or add an additional quarterback, Henigan could fit the bill.

This article first appeared on NFL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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