NFL Draft prospect interview: Get to know more about Memphis QB Seth Henigan!

Seth Henigan talked to Field Gulls about his experience competing in the Senior Bowl, as well as what he brings to the table as an NFL quarterback.

The NFL Scouting Combine is just a few days away, while the actual NFL Draft is in about two months. Continuing our 2025 draft prospects interview series, after interviewing Sacramento State’s Jackson Slater (iOL) and Minnesota’s Jah Joyner (EDGE), today we will interview Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan.

Who is Seth Henigan?

Height: 6’3 1/8”

Weight: 213 lbs

Hand size: 8 7/8”

Arm length: 32 1/4”

Wing span: 6’5”

Henigan made an immediate impact at Memphis, becoming the first true freshman to start a season opener in program history. His collegiate accomplishments include 2021 FWAA All-America Freshman Team honors and 2023 All-AAC Second Team recognition. As a junior, Henigan amassed 3,883 passing yards with 32 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while adding 274 rushing yards and five rushing scores.

In 50 games for Memphis, demonstrating durability and consistent improvement over his four years as a Tiger, he completed 1,147 passes (1,791 attempts) with a 64% completion rate. He threw for 14,266 yards, 104 TDs and 31 interceptions. On the ground, he rushed 400 times for 898 yards and 10 TDs. His standout performance in the 2023 AutoZone Liberty Bowl, where he threw for 364 yards and four touchdowns, earned him MVP honors.

Fun fact: he caught one pass for eight yards in his freshman season.

Interview

If you want to listen to the full interview, it’s here:

1) What did you think of the Senior Bowl experience?

“I think the Senior Bowl experience was pretty amazing and it kind of just worked out in my favor. I got the invite late in the process, so just being able to have that opportunity to go and compete and play against the highest caliber players in college football for the most part and just having the opportunity to show that no stage is too big for me, that was definitely an important thing.

“Going through this draft process and being able to get in front of some coaches in the league and have them see how I work and how I’m a professional every single day in activities, preparing the right way and being able to learn the playbook quickly and execute the plays in the huddle, even though we only had a week to learn the plays. Being efficient in and out of the huddle and just showcasing to them my intellectual [abilities] and my abilities on the field. I had a good week overall [between] all three practices and then the game as well. It was definitely a great experience overall.”

2) Did you meet Seattle at the Senior Bowl?

“Yeah I think every quarterback got the opportunity to meet with–I don’t think the teams in the Super Bowl were there–but the rest of the teams, every single quarterback got to meet with them. So yeah, I met with Seattle.”

3) Were you satisfied with your performance at the Senior Bowl?

“Yeah I was pretty satisfied with my performance at the Senior Bowl. There were obviously a couple of plays I wish I could’ve had back. The botched exchange in my first drive in the fourth quarter, we had a little toss sweep to the right and I had to reverse out. Then my center had to get on his horse and go on his track since he’s rolling to the right. So I think we just botched that exchange and I wish I had that back. And I threw one dig that was a little low in a team period.

“Other than that, on the Day 3 [practice] I had some picks but they were in a walkthrough period so I wasn’t too worried about that. But overall I was really satisfied with my performance. I thought I put some good things on tape and more importantly I executed in and out of the huddle and I showed them my intellectual side, which is really what I hang my hat on and what’ll allow me to keep a job in the league. So just my ability to execute and move the offense down the field, that’s what I did all throughout college and that’s also what I did against some of the better players in college football. Like I said earlier, no stage is too big for me and I feel like my clutch situations will help me in potentially getting drafted.”

4) Your last pass to Jack Bech for the TD and win was an amazing and emotional play. What did you feel/think during and after the play?

“Yeah it was amazing just being part of that last pass to Jack Bech just because it was like God at work. All the little nuances that could be seen after the play. There were 7 seconds left on the clock and [Jack’s late brother] Tiger wore No. 7 at Princeton. I’m a Memphis Tiger and I threw that last pass. It was just really special to be a part of that moment for him, and he deserved it. He put up a great week together and earned that MVP. To be in the position to make that play in the Senior Bowl, that was a pretty cool moment to be part of for sure.

“I just felt elation during and after the play. During the play he wasn’t my first read, he was like my third read. I had reversed out and saw the first read and the back in the flat wasn’t open, so I looked high to a backline dig, and then he kind of popped into my vision when that second contain linebacker played me instead of playing him.

“It was pretty cool, pretty special, and then after the play I was just happy we won the game. I thought I did a good job throughout the whole drive of putting the ball in the right place and not forcing things if I didn’t think they were there. I was just really happy to have gotten my opportunity in the fourth quarter and then capitalized on that opportunity. It was a big deal for me. Some people didn’t even play in the game, but for me just to have that opportunity to be able to play football again, I’m not going to waste that. To be able to get a win especially and prove to people that I love playing football and I love winning, I felt like that was a really special moment just to be able to cap off the week the right way.”

(Note: The play mentioned was this):

5) What are the biggest differences between playing under center and shotgun?

“I think the biggest difference between playing under center and shotgun is just your vision. Taking the snap under center and keeping your eyes up and being able to read the coverage is something that, to be honest, I haven’t done a lot of in my career. That’ll be somewhat of an adjustment, but I’m pretty fluid in what I’m able to do and that is something that I feel like will benefit me–just being able to squeeze into any kind of offensive scheme. I even have a little bit of rushing ability; I rushed for 900 yards in college so no matter what the scheme is I should be able to fit in, which I feel like works to my advantage.

“It’s not a huge deal playing under center vs. shotgun. It’s just something you have to get accustomed to coming from college football to the pros.”

6) If you had to write a scouting report for yourself, what would you list as your greatest strengths and what are you working to improve?

“I’d say one of my greatest strengths is just confidence to throw any ball. I’m an anticipatory thrower so I kind of layer the ball in more, but I still have arm strength when I need to. Just being in the right place with the ball–I had a lot of volume in terms of throwing throughout my career and that’s because the coaches trusted me to have the ball in my hands and make the right decision, whether that’d be the deep bomb or just taking the checkdown. I feel like that’s another one of my strengths.

“[As far as] areas of improvement, just extending plays and making off-schedule plays whenever my first reads aren’t there. Also arm strength and just putting it on tape, making those throws that show off the arm strength. Other than that, just stepping up in the pocket a little bit more and not leaning back in some of my throws.”

7) Congrats for the NFL Scouting Combine invite. Are you planning to participate in all drills? What are you hoping to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance at the Combine?

“Yeah I plan on participating in basically all of the drills at the Combine and hoping to prove to the NFL GMs and staffs and scouts that I belong and I’m not scared of this level of competition. I’m going to rise to the occasion and outthrow and out-meet and do better than these other quarterbacks during the drills and the board work and the meetings.

“Just kind of having that edge about myself and trying to differentiate myself from all the other people that are coming for the same jobs, that’s my goal. So just go out there and throw the ball well, impress in meetings, and show off my intellectual side of football.”

8) Is there a player in the NFL that you look up to in shaping your game?

“I don’t think there’s a player in the league that I look up to in particular in terms of shaping my game. I take things from a variety of different people. I think Matthew Stafford, Gardner Minshew II, Joe Burrow are more like the archetype that I want to play like. So just kinda watching what they do well and how they are efficient with their throwing mechanics even in hectic situations in the pocket, I feel like that’s something that I can try to put in my game going forward.

“I kind of like to watch Jared Goff, as well. Just people I can see myself in becoming, that way I’m not watching people I’m not the same type of player as them, like Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes. So trying to understand what I can do and what I do well and people who are like me in the league, then try and emulate what they do well.”

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Thanks to Seth Henigan for the interview. You can watch his Memphis highlights plus every Senior Bowl throw in the videos below!