NFL draft: Seahawks would like to add depth at quarterback

With the NFL draft quickly approaching — the first round is April 27, with the second and third rounds on April 28 and rounds four-seven on April 29 — it’s time to review each of the Seahawks’ position groups with an eye on what the team might do once it’s on the clock.

We’ll focus initially on offense, starting with quarterback.

PLAYERS CURRENTLY ON ROSTER

Starter: Russell Wilson.

Backup: Trevone Boykin.

Key offseason losses: None.

Others on roster: None.

OVERVIEW: All of the questions at this position revolve around Boykin, who has unresolved legal issues dating to an arrest in March in Dallas for public intoxication and marijuana possession. Boykin’s first court dates are not until after the draft, so it won’t apparently be resolved by then.

Regardless, Seattle was going to add at least one quarterback to compete with Boykin in training camp even before his arrest. The question now is whether Boykin’s situation makes it more of a priority for the team.

The Seahawks aren’t really in a position to spend much on a veteran backup, with Wilson set for a salary-cap hit of $18.8 million this season, making drafting a quarterback or signing an undrafted free agent a more financially realistic way to add competition.

DRAFT NEED (on scale of 1-10): 5. That Wilson suffered significant injuries last season for the first time in his career will likely compel Seattle to want to add a third quarterback to the roster who will be more than just a camp arm and could legitimately contend for the backup job. But unless the Seahawks acquire more than the seven picks they currently have — which, given their history, they very well could do — they will have to be as judicious as ever with their selections.

FIVE POSSIBLE DRAFT FITS: The Seahawks have made clear they like the idea of having a QB behind Wilson who is a similarly styled dual threat so the offense wouldn’t have to change much if the backup has to be used.

Here are five who fit that mold well who also figure to be available in the mid-to-late rounds or as free agents:

• Josh Dobbs, Tennessee: Almost 6-4 and 216 pounds, Dobbs could go more quickly than Seattle would want to take a QB. But he’d be an intriguing late-round pick if there as one of just four QBs in SEC history to throw for more than 50 touchdowns and run for more than 25 in their careers, the others being Tim Tebow, Johnny Manziel and Dak Prescott.

• Jerod Evans, Virginia Tech: Big (almost 6-3, 232) and athletic (846 rushing yards last season), Evans came out with a year of eligibility remaining. Tangibles might make him a late-round pick, but he’s regarded as having a significant learning curve.

• Chad Kelly, Mississippi: Injury history and legal issues that had him uninvited to the NFL combine make Kelly a really hard one to read — he could end up going undrafted despite some impressive college numbers. Athleticism is evident in the 968 rushing yards he had in college career.

• Trevor Knight, Texas A&M: One of the best athletes at this position — he had the top vertical leap, at 35½ inches, of any quarterback at the combine. Also rushed for 1,467 yards in 26 college games (he started his career at Oklahoma).

• Seth Russell, Baylor: Another dual threat (1,240 rushing yards and 20 TDs in Baylor career), he has had some significant injuries — most notably a neck fracture in 2015 — that could mean he has to go to the free-agent route.