Ex-Washington Husky Stanback Claimed by Seahawks

Published on June 1, 2010 by     

Former University of Washington quarterback turned NFL wide receiver Isaiah Stanback was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday

Is there the completion of a Seattle three-step in Isaiah Stanback’s future?

The Seahawks claimed the former University of Washington and Garfield High School quarterback turned NFL wide receiver off waivers from the New England Patriots on Tuesday, giving Stanback the opportunity to join safety Lawyer Milloy in playing high school, college and professional football in the Seattle area.

“It feels great to be coming home,” Stanback told the Seattle Times. “Knowing all the people I’ve got behind me.”

Milloy knows the feeling. He played at Tacoma’s Lincoln High School and the University of Washington. He completed the Seattle trifecta last year when he signed with the Seahawks for his 14th NFL season.

Stanback was released last week by the Patriots, after they claimed quarterback Mike Teel off waivers from the Seahawks. The Seahawks did not have to make a roster move to clear a spot for Stanback, because rookie defensive tackle DeMarcus Granger was released last week.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is familiar with the 6-foot-2, 208-pound Stanback, who played his college ball for the Huskies while Carroll was at USC.

Stanback, 25, entered the NFL in 2007 as a fourth-round draft choice of the Dallas Cowboys, who converted the former UW quarterback into a wide receiver and kickoff returner. What position the athletically gifted Stanback was going to play in the NFL was a topic for conversation as he was preparing for the draft, as you can read in this story.

He played in two games for the Cowboys as a rookie and eight in 2008, when he caught two passes for 24 yards and averaged 21.8 yards on 10 kickoff returns. After being waived prior to the start of the 2009 season, Stanback was signed to the Patriots’ practice squad and later appeared in six games, with two starts. He caught three passes for 22 yards and returned a kickoff for 22 yards.

Skimpy numbers compared to what Stanback was able to accomplish at Garfield as senior, when he passed for 1,628 yards and 12 touchdowns and ran for 700-plus yards and nine scores; and Washington, where he passed for 3,868 yards and 22 touchdowns and ran for another 11 TDs and 794 yards while starting 20 games.

With the Seahawks, Stanback joins a crowded house. They already had 15 wide receivers on the roster, including incumbents T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Deion Branch, Deon Butler and Ben Obomanu; second-round draft choice Golden Tate; and free-agent additions Reggie Williams, Mike Williams and Sean Morey.

But then Stanback has beaten long odds in the past.

Tags: coach pete carroll, Dallas Cowboys, Draft Choice, Garfield High School, Isaiah Stanback, Kickoff Returner, Kickoff Returns, Lawyer Milloy, Lincoln High School, New England Patriots, nfl season, Practice Squad, Roster Move, School Quarterback, Seattle Area, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS, Seattle Times, Six Games, Washington Husky, Wide Receiver