RENTON, Wash. -- In explaining why the Seattle Seahawks have drafted so few quarterbacks during his tenure as general manager, John Schneider has said that the board hasn't fallen the right way.
It finally did Friday night when Jalen Milroe was still available late in the third round. The Seahawks drafted him 92nd overall, adding the former Crimson Tide star to an already deep group of quarterbacks with a plan to take advantage of his elite mobility as he matures behind starter Sam Darnold.
"He's a unique, special athlete, special young man," Schneider said. "We're going to develop him as a quarterback. With that, he can add something special as we go."
Milroe ran for 1,257 yards and 32 touchdowns over his two seasons as Alabama's full-time starter. His 20 rushing scores last year ranked eighth in FBS among all positions while setting a single-season school record for a QB. As a passer in that same span, he completed 65% of his attempts for 5,678 yards, 39 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.
The Seahawks in March signed Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million deal to be their starter after trading Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Seahawks recently signed Drew Lock to back him up. That addition has put last year's backup, Sam Howell, on the trade block. Seattle also has Jaren Hall in the mix.
Schneider called the surplus of quarterbacks "a really cool problem to have."
Coach Mike Macdonald said Darnold will still play over 90% of the team's offensive snaps.
"However, Jalen deserves and earns the right to go out there, then we'll do that, if it's going to help the team, if it's best for us to move the ball and give these defensive coordinators some headaches," Macdonald said. "I'm really happy it's not going to be us."
New Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak coached Taysom Hill, a similarly versatile QB, last season with the New Orleans Saints. Macdonald, though, clarified that Milroe's role will be somewhat different, as he won't block the way Hill has as a hybrid tight end/fullback.
"Jalen's a quarterback through and through," Macdonald said. "He's going to be trained to play quarterback with us and when he's in there, he's going to play quarterback, but the athleticism is going to come to life when he's on the field, and that's how he's going to help us."
Milroe, who took a predraft visit to Seahawks headquarters, said he's coming to Seattle to "learn, grow and bring nothing but positive vibes to the offense." He described himself as a problem solver and a student of the game while saying he's not a one-dimensional quarterback.
"There's nothing I can't do on the football field," Milroe said. "The things I can improve on, absolutely. But there's nothing I can't do on the football field. I've thrown every type of touchdown, stepped up in the pocket, thrown on the run, I've gone through my progressions, I've thrown a checkdown and that scored, I've used my legs. So, when looking at it, you pick and choose what you want on the field, I can do it. I say that humbly, not over-arrogant. It's just knowing what I bring to the table."
Milroe became the fourth quarterback taken in this year's draft, coming off the board behind Miami's Cam Ward, Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart and Louisville's Tyler Shough. He's the third quarterback Schneider has drafted in 16 years with Seattle, joining Russell Wilson (third round, 2012) and Alex McGough (seventh round, 2018).