Former Oregon QB Vernon Adams gets tryout with Seahawks after going undrafted

Oregon quarterback Vernon Adams wasn’t picked in the 2016 NFL Draft, but didn’t have to wait long to find a team that will give him a chance. The Seattle Post Intelligencer reports Adams has agreed to tryout with the Seattle Seahawks during next week’s rookie minicamp, though the possibility remains he could always sign elsewhere if he gets a better offer.

Adams was a prolific quarterback in the FCS for Eastern Washington before transferring to Oregon for his final season. In his only season with the Ducks, Adams threw for 2,643 yards with 26 touchdowns and just six interceptions. However, his size is likely the reason he slid out of the draft altogether.

At just 5’11, 200 pounds, Adams will have to overcome the same kind of challenges that dropped Russell Wilson to the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft, despite a strong college career at NC State and Wisconsin. He also faces the task of convincing coaches that his strong statistics weren’t the product of college systems designed to rack up yardage and statistics.

Coming into the draft, Adams made it clear he thought he was one of the top quarterbacks on the board. “I feel like I’m as good as everybody else, or better than everybody else in this draft,” he told USA Today Sports.

In an interview with Dan Patrick just days before the draft, Adams said he thinks he has a better skill set than No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff.

“Honestly, myself I think if I’m not as good as him, then I am better than him,” Adams told Patrick. “I’m not going to sit here and say he’s better than me because there’s nothing that he’s doing that I can’t do.”

Russell Wilson is firmly implanted as the starter in Seattle, but the Seahawks are currently without a backup quarterback. Alongside Trevone Boykin, who was signed as an undrafted free agent, Adams should get a crack at the job during next week’s minicamps.