Seahawks draft class shows potential in preseason games
Published 6:30 am Tuesday, August 19, 2025
RENTON — The Seattle Seahawks selected 11 players in the 2025 NFL Draft, and 10 of them have played in the team’s first two preseason games. The lone exception is fifth-round defensive lineman Rylie Mills, who is on the non-football injury list because of a torn ACL suffered in December.
Ahead of Seattle’s trip to Green Bay for joint practice with the Packers, let’s run through what we’ve learned about the Seahawks’ rookie class through four weeks of training camp and two exhibition games.
LG Grey Zabel
Zabel has been the team’s starting left guard since being selected with the 18th pick. He has played 38 offensive snaps across four drives in the preseason; 21 as a run blocker and 17 in pass protection. On all four drives, he has been flanked by Josh Jones at left tackle and Jalen Sundell at center.
Zabel has looked very comfortable and effective in Seattle’s ground game, whether clearing paths on the front side of the perimeter runs or using his athleticism to cut off defenders on the back side of plays. He hasn’t allowed a quarterback hit or pressure. The highest-drafted interior lineman of the John Schneider era, Zabel has been exactly what Seattle hoped he’d be against a mixture of first- and second-string defensive linemen in the preseason.
“It’s not too big for him,” coach Mike Macdonald said of Zabel. “There’s poise there. His execution has been really good. Still plays (left) on the table for him, which is cool. There’s an opportunity to grow, and he’ll hit those things. He’s done a phenomenal job, he’s stayed hungry and he’s chasing those little details that will make him a great player.”
DB Nick Emmanwori
Seattle traded up to select Emmanwori with the 35th pick. Emmanwori is 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds with 4.38 speed. He’s a unique defensive player who, at least for now, is being deployed as a “big nickel” defender at the second level. Seattle wants him in position to make plays in multiple ways, which is why in just 21 defensive snaps across two preseasons, he has blitzed off the edge and covered inline tight ends, running backs and slot receivers.
Emmanwori has recorded three tackles, including one for no gain on a blitz against the Las Vegas Raiders on Aug. 7. He was targeted once in coverage versus Kansas City and gave up an 8-yard reception against tight end Jared Wiley. Emmanwori also seemed to be at the center of the miscommunication that left Kansas City running back Isiah Pacheco open for a 22-yard gain in the first quarter.
“You felt Nick out there,” Macdonald said. “He’s got to get activated, get going. Being ready for the calls earlier in the game is going to help him. Especially going through a game prep, I think that’ll help him throughout the week.”
Emmanwori otherwise hasn’t had many opportunities to make plays on the ball. He’s been fast and physical in the run game when necessary, but wasn’t involved in the action as a pass defender outside of the first few plays against the Chiefs. Emmanwori isn’t expected to play in the preseason finale, but that could change based on how the joint practice goes.
TE Elijah Arroyo
Arroyo, the 50th pick and the highest-drafted tight end of the Schneider era, has played 57 offensive snaps. He’s the No. 3 tight end behind AJ Barner and Eric Saubert, but he’s gotten on the field with all three units. Arroyo has hauled in all four of his targets for 33 yards and produced a pair of first downs, one in each game.
He caught a 9-yard pass from Sam Darnold on the type of play-action bootleg that’ll be a staple of Seattle’s new offense. His 7-yard reception from Drew Lock in the third quarter versus Kansas City came on a similar concept. Arroyo can do more than catch passes on the move in the flat, but without a downfield passing game, those easy passes are a way to get their big, athletic tight end the ball in space.
“He’s done a nice job,” Macdonald said. “He’s really working on his run game stuff. (Coach) Mack (Brown) is doing a great job with him, the vets in the room are doing a great job. He has caught the ball with strong hands, been decisive in his routes, playing fast. There’s another level he can take it, he knows that, and he’s going to get there.”
QB Jalen Milroe
Acquired with pick No. 92, which Seattle received from the Raiders in the Geno Smith trade, Milroe is QB3 behind Darnold and Lock. Milroe has led nine drives in the preseason and gone 9-for-15 passing for 107 yards (7.1 yards per attempt). Two of those drives ended in points, but Milroe hasn’t put the ball in the end zone yet. He has been sacked once and hasn’t turned it over. A threat with his legs on scrambles and zone-read plays, Milroe has carried the ball eight times for 56 yards.
Milroe is a dynamic runner with a strong arm but still has a lot of room to grow as a pocket passer. He hit a few wide-open targets from the pocket against Kansas City but also had a pair of misses on potential touchdowns in the red zone, one to a running back in the flat and a back-shoulder fade to receiver Tyrone Broden. Those are throws he’ll need to hit to eventually leapfrog Lock on the depth chart.
“He did well,” Macdonald said of Milroe on Friday night. “There are some things operationally we still want to improve on. Couple throws right down there in the red zone, I think, could’ve been more on target.”
Milroe is showing a lot of potential and would probably be more productive if given snaps with the first- or second-string offense. But for now, Seattle feels more comfortable playing Lock if Darnold were to suffer an injury. Milroe should get plenty of reps in the preseason finale against Green Bay before taking a back seat to the veterans once the season starts.
WR Tory Horton
Selected with pick No. 166, Horton has been the biggest riser in training camp. He had a solid debut in the preseason with three catches for 31 yards and a touchdown. Horton has been running with the starting offense in practice, but he was behind Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the pecking order against Kansas City. Neither wideout was targeted by Darnold, but Horton didn’t get on the field with that unit until the final play of the drive. He later left the game after tweaking his ankle on a reception.
Horton didn’t practice Sunday, but Macdonald said the ankle issue isn’t serious. Regardless, Horton has shown enough in practice and the first preseason game to earn a spot in the rotation. He’s shifty, speedy and athletic with the ability to stretch the defense vertically (he caught a deep ball on cornerback Riq Woolen in practice on Wednesday). Horton might end up being the starter on kickoff and punt return, too.
FB Robbie Ouzts
Ouzts, a fifth-round pick, is the starting fullback and has been an asset in the run game. He also has two receptions for 30 yards on three targets (the third target wasn’t catchable). Because of Ouzts’ physicality in the run game and his tight end background, defenses must account for him as a blocker and treat him like a legitimate threat in the passing game. Ouzts isn’t going to be a high-volume target, but his receiving skills help unlock more of the offense, as we’ve seen in the preseason.
OL Bryce Cabeldue and Mason Richman
Cabeldue was drafted in the sixth round (No. 192) as a guard and Richman in the seventh round (No. 234) as a tackle. They’ve been third-stringers in camp, but Richman does occasionally come in as a sixth offensive lineman in jumbo packages with other units (he has also taken snaps at center in practice). Cabeldue took second-year lineman Sataoa Laumea’s spot as the second-string left guard against Kansas City.
I wouldn’t anticipate either player making the initial 53-man roster unless Seattle keeps 10 offensive linemen. In that scenario, Cabeldue should get the final spot. If Seattle keeps nine linemen, Cabeldue and Richman would seem on track to stick around on the practice squad.
RB Damien Martinez
Martinez has rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown on 17 attempts in two preseason games. A seventh-round pick, Martinez is RB4 on the depth chart behind Ken Walker III, Zach Charbonnet and George Holani. Martinez is a physical player, and his 19-yard carry against Kansas City was the type of tough running the Seahawks envisioned when selecting him with the 223rd pick.
In terms of making the roster, Martinez is in a battle with Holani and undrafted rookie Jacardia Wright, who has 82 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries (5.1 yards per attempt) and three runs of at least 10 yards. Like Martinez, Wright has a physical style, but he has also looked faster in the preseason. But since we’re talking about guys at the bottom of the roster, that battle might be decided by special teams (they’re both on multiple coverage units).
WR Ricky White III
White has played 35 offensive snaps, all with Milroe’s third-string unit. The seventh-round pick out of UNLV has hauled in both of his targets for 34 yards and a pair of first downs. White is doing what he can with the reserves when given opportunities, but he’s buried deep on the depth chart. He’s among a handful of practice squad candidates along with Cody White, John Rhys Plumlee and rookie Tyron Broden.
