If Sam Darnold continues to show he may not be a reliable long-term option as the Seattle Seahawks‘ starting quarterback, fans of the team may want to keep the name Noah Fifita on their NFL Draft radar.

When the Seahawks gave Darnold a three-year, $100.5 million deal last year, they were taking a risk. Until the 2024 season, he looked like a draft bust, and it would be understandable if fans were pessimistic after he conveniently had a career year with the Minnesota Vikings just before a jump into free agency.

However, last season he was worth every dollar as he played a key role in helping the franchise win its second Super Bowl. Unfortunately, things have been much different this year. While he had a solid game in their Week 7 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, he is tied for the league lead in interceptions (8) and is near the bottom of the NFL in passing yards and passer rating among starting quarterbacks.

It has led to a lot of speculation that the Seahawks could look to get out of the final year of his contract after the season. While Drew Lock looks like a potential replacement, he has had the chance to prove he is a legit QB1 during his seven-year career and hasn’t. So it is possible the team does some deep research into the signal callers available in next year’s draft.

If the Seahawks play up to their potential, they will be a title contender again, which means they will pick near the end of each round of the draft. Putting them out of range for the top QB prospects expected to be available. However, an intriguing option has emerged that should still be on the board late in Round 1 or Round 2.

On a Monday edition of the Todd McShay Show, co-host Steve Muench took some time out to point out how much of a fan he has become of Arizona QB Noah Fifita, and the similarities he sees to a certain Seahawks legend.

Why Noah Fifita could be a Sam Darnold replacement option for Seattle Seahawks

“I don’t want to get hyperbolic because we’ve talked about so many quarterbacks, but this kid is right up there with all of them,” the NFL Draft analyst said. “He’s doing it against all kinds of different looks. He is recognizing and breaking down coverage at a very quick pace, which makes him super annoying for opposing pass rushes.

“This guy’s only 5-foot-10, but he’s somehow a highly efficient pocket passer. I see a lot of Russell Wilson in this kid’s game… There are a lot of comps in terms of his footwork and ability to make plays in the pocket.”

Muench’s co-host, McShay, added to the buzz on Fifita when he said that when he attended the most recent Manning Passing Academy camp, which featured some of the best young QBs in the nation, he claimed the Arizona QB had just as good arm talent as any of the larger, bigger-name players there.

“It’s hard not to just fall in love with the guy,” McShay said.

The senior is having a career year for the 6-1 Wildcats. In seven starts, he has thrown for 2,064 yards, with 18 touchdowns to just 4 interceptions. He has also connected on 74.2% of his passes. Fifita has a very similar build to Wilson at 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, compared to 5-foot-11 and 206 pounds.

It’s still too early to know if the Seahawks will actually move on from Darnold after this season. But the Arizona star is a player who should be available when the Seahawks are on the clock on Day 1 and 2 of the draft.