Insider addresses if Seahawks could draft Jaxson Dart after signing Sam Darnold

Numerous mock drafts and analysts have suggested that the Seattle Seahawks could target a quarterback like Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart at pick No. 18 of the 2025 NFL Draft, even though Seattle signed Sam Darnold to a three-year, $100.5M contract early into free agency. 

Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic addressed rumors linking Dart with the Seahawks for a mailbag published on Thursday. 

"If Seattle has a first-round grade on Jaxson Dart and he’s available at 18," Dugar wrote, "then I’d imagine Dart would be the pick regardless of the other available prospects."

Whether or not Dart will be on the board when Seattle is called to spend the 18th selection seems to be a mystery. While it was thought ahead of the NFL Scouting Combine that this year's quarterback draft class was weak, it now sounds like up to four signal-callers could become first-round picks on April 24. 

Miami's Cam Ward, the consensus top quarterback in the 2025 class, is expected to be the draft's first pick. Colorado's Shedeur Sanders reportedly could either be the second overall selection or slide into the second round. If the Cleveland Browns take Sanders at No. 2, the Seahawks may have to move up in the draft order to keep Dart from going to a team such as the New York Giants (pick No. 3), Las Vegas Raiders (No. 6), New York Jets (No. 7), New Orleans Saints (No. 9) or Indianapolis Colts (No. 14). 

"Darnold’s contract is effectively a one-year, $37.5M deal with an option for a second year that pushes it to a two-year, $64M pact," Dugar explained. "It shouldn’t influence whether Seattle drafts a quarterback, and I don’t believe it will. ...If Seattle has a grade on a quarterback that matches the round in which he’s available, the team will likely draft the prospect. This has been true the past three years, I’m sure, but the team’s grade hasn’t aligned with the opportunity."

The Seahawks liked Darnold enough to sign him as a replacement for Geno Smith, but the 27-year-old's final two appearances with the Minnesota Vikings could also have Seattle wanting to take a flier on a project for the future like Dart. If nothing else, the Seahawks could always shop Dart as soon as next winter if Darnold produces a second-straight impressive regular season.