RENTON, Wash. (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks seem to have addressed most of their instant roster wants with their 11 picks within the NFL draft.
Seattle started the draft with a slam-dunk choose, taking North Dakota State guard Gray Zabel with the 18th total choice. Zabel has an opportunity to begin instantly at left guard contemplating final yr’s starter, Laken Tomlinson, is now with the Houston Texans.
Zabel is able to enjoying all 5 spots on the offensive line, however coach Mike Macdonald says he’ll start at guard.
“Hopefully we find a home for him at one position and he lives there for a really long time for us,” Macdonald mentioned. “But I think it just speaks to his savvy. It’s not easy to find those guys that can play interior and at tackle. So, he’s one of them, and he’s ours now.”
On paper, it was a productive draft for the defending NFC West champions, who added to every place group that wanted reinforcements.
“We’re on our way. We’re growing,” Macdonald mentioned. “It’s our job to expedite that process so we’re competing for championships this year. That’s what we want to do, and I’m really confident that we’re going to have that opportunity. That’s the expectation for us.”
The Seahawks traded as much as take South Carolina security Nick Emmanwori with the thirty fifth choose. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Emmanwori has drawn comparisons to Ravens All-Professional security Kyle Hamilton, who performed beneath Macdonald in 2023 when he was Baltimore’s defensive coordinator.
“They said me and him are very similar but I can still work on some things to get up to his All-Pro level now,” Emmanwori mentioned. “I’m bigger, faster, things like that.”
He’ll be part of a secondary that features two-time All-Professional cornerback Devon Witherspoon and safeties Julian Love and Coby Bryant.
The Seahawks additionally added depth at vast receiver by deciding on Tory Horton of Colorado State within the fifth spherical and Ricky White III from UNLV within the seventh. Seattle can have an virtually totally new crop of pass-catchers alongside Jaxon Smith-Njigba after the departures of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett and the signings of veterans Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
“Tory is an underrated guy, in our opinion,” normal supervisor John Schneider mentioned. “He can return punts, his catch radius. He’s long, competitive, very fast receiver.”
Schneider mentioned the teaching employees is happy about what White can contribute on particular groups.
Quarterback shakeup
After drafting quarterback Jalen Milroe of Alabama on Friday, the Seahawks continued remaking their quarterback room behind new starter Sam Darnold. Backup Sam Howell was traded to the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday as a part of a deal that helped the Seahawks transfer up within the fifth spherical.
Together with Darnold and Milroe, the Seahawks even have veteran Drew Lock, who lately signed a two-year deal.
Future after Fant?
Tight finish Noah Fant is getting into the ultimate yr of a two-year contract that features a cap hit of $13.4 million in 2025. Whereas the 27-year-old has been a strong receiving choice for the Seahawks the final three years since arriving within the commerce that despatched Russell Wilson to Denver, the franchise might have chosen Fant’s successor in Elijah Arroyo.
A second-round select of Miami, the 6-foot-5, 250-pound Arroyo is an athletic playmaker who has proven regular enchancment as a blocker. Whereas Arroyo missed many of the 2022 and 2023 seasons with knee accidents, he began all 13 video games for the Hurricanes final season and confirmed his potential within the move sport.
“Wherever I’m a receiver, I feel like that’s where I thrive,” Arroyo mentioned. “Just being able to spread out and create mismatches.”
Fullback within the fold
Arroyo wasn’t the only real tight finish the Seahawks drafted, however he’s the one one the franchise intends on utilizing in that capability. The Seahawks used a fifth-round choose on Robbie Ouzts, who performed tight finish at Alabama the final 4 years however is poised to line up at fullback for Seattle.
The 6-4, 270-pound Ouzts was recognized extra for his blocking than his pass-catching with the Crimson Tide, however he might be an integral a part of the Seahawks’ offense. Ouzts will compete for a job this summer time with fullback Brady Russell.
First-year offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has labored with fullbacks like perennial All-Professional Kyle Juszczyk and Adam Prentice at earlier stops.
“You know that you’re working with somebody that has experience, and gets a lot of production out of a guy in my role,” Ouzts mentioned. “I’m very excited to make that transition to the next level and work with these coaches to better myself and succeed in the role that they envision for me.”
A lot of linemen
The Seahawks picked up two extra offensive linemen in later rounds. They chose Bryce Cabeldue of Kansas within the sixth and Mason Richman of Iowa within the seventh.
In contrast to Zabel, Cabeldue and Richman aren’t as prone to obtain common enjoying time at first. They be part of an offensive line that struggled mightily to maintain quarterback Geno Smith upright final season. The Seahawks yielded 54 sacks, tied for third-most within the NFL.
“It’s an area of need, but it always is. I can’t emphasize that enough,” Schneider mentioned. “Every team in the National Football League is looking to help their offensive line. It’s just an ongoing issue.”
