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News and notes from Day 11 of Seahawks training camp: Kenneth Walker still out

2025-08-04T13:59:21-07:00

Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Kenneth Walker’s sore foot has kept him out of another practice.

The Seattle Seahawks held an early Monday morning practice after taking Sunday off. It’s game week for Seattle, whose preseason opener is Thursday at Lumen Field against the Las Vegas Raiders.

This practice was closed to the public and no coaches were available for media interviews—Mike Macdonald was also away from the team due to a personal matter—so this is going to be a fairly light report.

News and Notes

Kenneth Walker III among notable Seahawks not practicing

Walker has been dealing with a sore foot, which no doubt is a sore spot for Seahawks fans who’ve lamented his injury history. There’s no word on when he’ll return to practice, and Mike Macdonald already indicated on Saturday that we won’t see the regular starters against the Raiders.

Welcome back, Charles Cross!

Team drills are still a no-go, but positional drills are still there for the Seahawks left tackle, who recently had finger surgery.

So much for back in late August.

Starting left tackle Charles Cross back on starting offensive line in position drills #Seahawks training camp practice 11. It’s less than a week after surgery to repair a dislocated ring finger on his right hand.

Yeah, he’ll start the opener pic.twitter.com/UYHWgINd1A
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) August 4, 2025

Olu Oluwatimi also out, Tyrice Knight ends practice early

No word on why Oluwatimi didn’t practice on Monday, but the third-year center was absent. Jalen Sundell had all of the snaps with the starters. On the defensive side of the ball, Tyrice Knight didn’t complete practice.

Olu Oluwatimi also not here today so Jalen Sundell handled all center snaps with the starters.
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) August 4, 2025

Charles Cross only did individual work. Tyrice Knight sat out end of practice with leg injury.
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) August 4, 2025

Derick Hall gets into a little practice scuffle

What I saw, heard, thought of the 11th practice of #Seahawks training camp, ⁦@USCG⁩ day here #SemperParatus #GoArmy

-more rookie Tory Horton with the 1s
-more Anthony Bradford as clear RG1
-no Mike Macdonald
-a Derick Hall dust-up after he held Sam Darnold post-pass pic.twitter.com/XzLCkDTmlJ
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) August 4, 2025

Tacoma News Tribune’s Gregg Bell reported that Derick Hall was holding Sam Darnold after the ball was thrown, and that was enough for some offensive linemen to take offense. Hall was thrown out of practice last year after getting into it with Christian Haynes, then there was the infamous scrap with Jarran Reed during the Buffalo Bills game.

Riq Woolen hypes up Tory Horton, who continues to get reps with the 1s

The Seahawks had Horton getting stretches of reps with the first-team last Friday and Saturday, and that continued on Monday for the rookie out of Colorado State. Horton was considered a steal of a fifth-round pick, with a knee injury the only real reason his stock dropped.

Fourth-year corner Riq Woolen crashed Horton’s presser to tell everyone what he thinks about his new teammate.

#Seahawks CB Riq Woolen just walked past rookie WR Tory Horton’s press conference after practice and said “Jerry Rice Jr!” pic.twitter.com/PfWITYINjo
— Alyssa Charlston-Smith (@Alyssacharlston) August 4, 2025

Shaun Alexander shows up to practice

As part of an annual Seahawks tradition, the team hosted Seattle-area military members for USAA Salute to Service NFL Boot Camp Day. The guests got to challenge themselves in common NFL combine drills such as the 40-yard dash, broad jump, three-cone shuttle, receiving gauntlet, and the QB arm challenge.

Yo know who was also there? A certain former league MVP.

Shaun Alexander 2005 NFL MVP here with ⁦@USAA⁩ at #Seahawks training camp fo ⁦@USCG day, in letterman-style jacket with 2 of his daughters in tow. We caught up. Told me abT his/his wife’s 13(!) kids ages 2-21 +the high school he’s started in suburban DC where they live pic.twitter.com/C7kms517GX
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) August 4, 2025

The Seahawks will have a public practice in Renton on Tuesday, Aug. 5 at 1 pm PT.

John Schneider shares why Seahawks cut TE Noah Fant

2025-08-04T13:28:47-07:00

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

It’s been just over two weeks since the Seattle Seahawks released Noah Fant, the starter at tight end for the team in each of the past three seasons since his acquisition from the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade.

There had certainly been questions regarding why the team opted to move on from Fant on the eve of training camp, though when queried on the matter head coach Mike Macdonald had opted not to get into the specifics.

Full exchange...

Question: What happened with Noah Fant?

Mike: What happened with Noah?

Question: Why release him now?

Mike: We released him a few days ago.

Question: Why?

Mike: I’m not going to tell you exactly why. There’s multiple reasons. https://t.co/TBsoj4GPtW
— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) July 23, 2025

With Macdonald not providing insight on the subject, those covering the team were left continuing their search for answers, and on Monday general manager John Schneider pulled back the curtain a little bit on with Seattle Sports.

John Schneider said on @SeattleSports that Noah Fant was a cap/cash casualty and they feel they’re covered at tight end after his release. https://t.co/3NroaW7sCi pic.twitter.com/LuY8jc7a1X
— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) August 4, 2025

For those who may not be able to access the video or listen to the audio for whatever reason, the most pertinent portion of Schneider’s response was as follows:

We just felt like in getting back to what I was saying about doing what is best for the organization, we were at a point where we were just saying to ourselves, ‘Okay, you know, can we, unfortunately you have to look at things like this, can we use that cash to help our team in a different manner? And are we okay at that position? Are we covered there?’

From there Schneider went on to discuss the expected roles of others on the roster at the position, including Robbie Outzs, while also noting the expected special teams contributions of Eric Saubert. Thus, piecing things together, the Seahawks appear content with the talent they have at tight end, and the price tag for Fant was simply too much.

Schneider goes on to discuss cap space, but it’s hard to buy into the idea that Seattle moved on from Fant because they wanted to have $35M of cap space rather than $26M. More realistically, the team moved on because after the significant cash needs of the offseason, including the signings of Sam Darnold, Cooper Kupp, Demarcus Lawrence and Grey Zabel, as well as exercising the fifth year option of Charles Cross.

For those curious, this is not the first time that Schneider has specifically referenced cash as a reason for moving on from a veteran. In the wake of releasing defensive lineman Al Woods in the spring of 2023, Schneider noted that the move was made for reasons of both cap and cash.

During his weekly radio hit with @BobStelton and Dave Wyman on @SeattleSports, GM John Schneider says the Seahawks won't shut the door on bringing back DT Al Woods. Said they released him because they needed immediate flexibility in terms of cap space and cash.
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) March 23, 2023

This is not an unexpected development as the team continues to work back to what would be considered a normal operating budget after the cash flow constraints that resulted from the revenue shortfall from the 2020 NFL season. Exactly how long the cash constraints will continue will vary from team to team, but they should ease with each passing season as teams retire more of the financial obligations incurred in order to cover the revenue shortfall.

For now, though, the key point when it comes to the release of Fant is simply that he wasn’t worth the $8.91M the team was set to pay him this season on the contract signed barely a year ago, and which could be considered just another poor signing in the 2024 free agent class.

Competition on Seahawks o-line starting to come clear

2025-08-04T10:45:04-07:00

Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Almost two weeks into training camp, and the starting offensive line for 2025 is starting to look a lot like the starting offensive line from 2024.

The long wait of the offseason is nearly over for Seattle Seahawks fans, with the start of the 2025 preseason just days with Mike Macdonald set to lead the team against his predecessor Pete Carroll and the Las Vegas Raiders Thursday at Lumen Field.

With the start of the preseason, one of the biggest questions of the offseason has been how the team would address the offensive line, a bottom performing unit for most of the past two decades. There were hopes of a splash signing in free agency, but as is often the case, the biggest names to hit the market received the biggest contracts from other teams, leaving Seattle to address its needs elsewhere.

The Hawks, of course, did sign free agent swing tackle Josh Jones to a one-year contract in March, and while Jones is set to fill in while starting left tackle Charles Cross recovers from finger surgery, there’s no expectation that anyone other than Cross will man the position when he’s healthy. On the other end of the offensive line, there’s no expectation that anyone other than Abe Lucas will be at right tackle as long as his surgically repaired knee allows.

That leaves the interior of the offensive line to be sorted out, a group that struggled mightily during much of the 2024 season.

At left guard, there is zero question that Grey Zabel will start as long as he’s healthy. The 23 year old may have a steep learning curve, moving from the level of competition faced at FCS level North Dakota State to lining up across from NFL caliber defenders every snap. However, between his athleticism and his status as a first-round pick, there’s no reason to believe his role as a starter is in jeopardy, even if there are early career struggles as there are for many young offensive linemen.

Thus, the question becomes the direction the team will go at center and right guard, two positions where there was no shortage of debate during the 2024 campaign. Olu Oluwatimi and Jalen Sundell, who both started down the stretch after the abrupt retirement of Connor Williams midseason.

Right guard has even more names involved in the competition, with Sundell getting a look there, as well as Christian Haynes, Anthony Bradford and Sataoa Laumea, who all saw playing time during the 2024 season. Add in some fans clamoring for 2025 sixth round pick Bryce Cabeldue, and there are plenty of names in the mix.

However, regardless of how many names are in the mix, as training camp approaches the two week mark, the names that appear to be moving to the front are the same names that were at the top of the depth chart for much of the 2024 campaign.

At center, every report from training camp makes it appear as though Oluwatimi will retain his starting role heading into the regular season, which makes that discussion pretty simple, and leaves only right guard. Reading the tea leaves at right guard is far from as cut and dried as it is at center, but as of today, reports appear to have Bradford distancing himself from the others.

Putting all of those pieces together, for the moment the 2025 starting offensive line appears to be:

LT Charles Cross
LG Grey Zabel
C Olu Oluwatimi
RG Anthony Bradford
RT Abe Lucas

That is a starting group that would be one of the youngest, least experienced lines in the entire NFL, four of the five were starters on the 2024 offensive line that saw so many struggles. There is no shortage of metrics to demonstrate the shortcomings of the line in 2024, but the ability of the group to allow quick pressure is what grabbed much of the attention in Ryan Grubb’s pass happy offense.

Highest quick pressure rate allowed on standard dropbacks last year:
+ Chiefs (33% pressure)
+ Patriots (31%)
+ Saints (29%)
+ Browns (28%)
+ Seahawks (28%)

Best OLs: Bucs, Packers, Lions.
— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) July 22, 2025

However, while it appears most of the names will remain the same, the offensive line could improve by way of the fact that the Seahawks are set to deploy a different offensive scheme, with different coaches in position to train the youngsters. Gone are Ryan Grubb and Scott Huff, replaced by Klint Kubiak, Rick Dennison and John Benton, who spent the 2024 season with the New Orleans Saints.

Seahawks announce third throwback uniform game, this time on the road

2025-08-04T08:00:00-07:00

Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Prime time throwbacks? Heck yeah!

It seems like everyone loves the Seahawks throwback jerseys (including me), so any time we can see those bad boys in action is a huge positive.

Well, we now have a third throwback game for the 2025 season!

Throwbacks are back.

Get Tickets » https://t.co/FLbcSFU4Vk pic.twitter.com/nzy7VbtbvD
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) August 2, 2025

We already knew about the double throwback Week 5 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Week 13 Sam Darnold revenge game against the Minnesota Vikings. Sandwiched between those, however, is a prime time matchup on Sunday Night Football against the Washington Commanders in Week 9 - a game in which Washington will be debuting their “Super Bowl Era” alternate throwbacks.

The Commanders had a surprising first season under former Seahawks assistant coach Dan Quinn, led by 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels under center. Oh yeah, and don’t forget former Seahawks Legends Bobby Wagner, Nick Bellore, Jacob Martin, and Tyler Ott.

This will be must-see TV for all Seahawks fans, and the fact that it will be another double throwback game just makes it all the more enjoyable!

Can you guess this Seahawks running back in today’s in-5 trivia game?

2025-08-04T07:00:00-07:00

Think you can figure out which Seahawks player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

Hey, Seahawks fans! We’re back for another day of the Field Gulls in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in the Google Form.

Today’s Field Gulls in-5 game

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

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Sunday, August 3, 2025
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Friday, August 1, 2025

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Field Gulls in-5 instructions

The goal of the game is to guess the correct Seattle Seahawks player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Pre-Snap Reads 8/4: DeMarcus Lawrence is making an early impact on the Seahawks

2025-08-04T06:14:27-07:00

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

The D-lineman is one of several veterans brought in by the ‘Hawks to provide production and leadership to a young team.

In Today’s Links: a WR room preview from Seaside Joe, questions for the Seattle Seahawks and it’s roster, Football Fest pics or it didn’t happen, Sam Darnold speaks, and much more. Pre-Season, game one, is on Thursday. Are you hyped? Thanks for being here. Can’t do it without you. Happy Monday. Say “hi” to Garfield for me.

#np Inside Looking Out by Eric Burdon & The Animals

Seahawks News

JSN, Cooper Kupp carry a heavy burden: Seahawks WR preview - Seaside Joe
It could be a career-season for Jaxon Smith-Njigba and it also sorta has to be.

Huard: Lawrence making presence felt with Seattle Seahawks - Seahawks.com
After attending Seattle Seahawks training camp this week, Brock Huard raved about four-time Pro Bowl defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence.

Albert Breer: The key question facing the Seattle Seahawks - Seahawks.com
NFL insider Albert Breer likes the Seattle Seahawks' crop of young talent. "Now the question is, can some of those guys elevate to another level?" he said.

PHOTOS: Seahawks Practice At Lumen Field For Annual Football Fest Event - Seahawks.com
The Seahawks saw their first live action at Lumen Field during a practice as part of Seahawks Football Fest on August 2, 2025.

Seahawks QB Sam Darnold has high praise for two of his new offensive weapons - Sports Illustrated Seahawks News, Analysis, and More
New Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is already impressed with two of his new targets at the start of training camp.

NFC West News

Arizona Cardinals Training Camp Mailbag: Biggest Surprises, Storylines and More - Sports Illustrated Cardinals News, Analysis, and More
The Arizona Cardinals have had plenty popping as training camp marches on.

What I Saw At Rams Training Camp Today: Day Ten - Sports Illustrated Rams News, Analysis, and More
The Los Angeles Rams wrapped up their training camp on Sunday

Rams offensive line is critical to team’s success - Turf Show Times
All eyes are on the starting line’s health...

49ers Training Camp: Jake Moody, Greg Joseph kicker battle stays close - Niners Nation
Brant Boyer says Jake Moody and Greg Joseph still have not separated themselves in Kicker Kombat. Yet.

Three 49ers players who may have become roster locks - Sports Illustrated 49ers News, Analysis, and More
Which players on the San Francisco 49ers bubble are moving closer to being locks?

Around The NFL

How is the Patriots' 2025 draft class doing at training camp? - ESPN
Multiple rookies -- including No. 4 pick Will Campbell -- project to become starters. Here's how they're doing.

Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones will each "play a good amount" in first two preseason games - NBC Sports
The Colts have been splitting first-team reps for quarterbacks Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones during training camp and the plan is to do the same through the team's first two preseason games.

2025 NFL Preview: Baltimore Ravens - PFF
The Ravens have everything they need to compete for a championship. They just need to come through in big postseason moments against the gauntlet of contenders in the AFC.

How Cowboys' Micah Parsons', Commanders' Terry McLaurin's trade demands differ despite appearing very similar - CBSSports.com
Both NFC East stars have demanded trades in the last two days, but their situations are slightly different

Live From Lumen Field: On-site observations, news, and takeaways from Seahawks training camp

2025-08-03T09:05:24-07:00

Mookie Alexander

It was a beautiful evening for a Seattle Seahawks training camp at Lumen Field, and there was a lot to take in even with a shorter practice than Friday.

Morning clouds gave way to a bit of a hazy sunshine on a warm Saturday afternoon in Downtown Seattle. The 10th practice of Seattle Seahawks training camp was reserved for Lumen Field as part of the annual Football Fan Fest.

Unlike last year, which felt like mostly a normal training camp practice with a little bit of 11-on-11 scrimmages mixed in, there was a lot more game simulation across the first through third teams to leave fans (and, well, us blockheads who cover the team) entertained. It’s always great to see kids having a great time in a more relaxed environment than your typical meaningful game.

Myself, Bryce Coutts, and Dan Viens audibled our way to the 200-level section of Lumen Field to observe as much as we could.

pic.twitter.com/IMt3gatVdf
— Dan Viens (Seahawks Forever Podcast) (@SeahawksForever) August 3, 2025

Here are my notes, some of which can be corroborated by Bryce and Dan if you bother them on social media. Once again, I will not be overly detailed with what the Seahawks were showing/doing in order to “protect the team.” It’s also hard to be detailed when they forbid filming any team portion of practice, and when they split the individual drills on opposite sides you can’t watch everything.

Offense

We cracked the Christian Haynes mystery before Mike Macdonald said anything. Haynes was not part of Friday’s team drills for reasons that looked more like he was being benched or disciplined than injured. Haynes was again AWOL from 11-on-11s, but Bryce noticed that Haynes had a brace on his left shoulder that wasn’t there the previous day, as if to indicate an injury. It turns out that Haynes has a minor pec injury, per Mike Macdonald, so credit to eagle-eyed Bryce on that front. It may also explain why Haynes has been doing center stuff and not guard work, because he snaps the ball with his right hand. That’s still a setback for Haynes in terms of development if he’s to win any position on the OL.
The Olu Oluwatimi vs. Jalen Sundell competition may not be over just yet. There was a more even split of 1s reps between those two at center compared to Friday. Sundell was moved all over the line whether with the 1s or 2s, which can mean anything ranging from wanting to find a spot for him in the lineup to the McClendon Curtis “move you around but waive you if you don’t start” scenario. I lean toward Option A.
Jalen Milroe delighted the crowd with his highlights, and Tyrone Broden Jr is his favorite target. While I love Milroe’s ability to quickly accelerate and scramble out of the pocket, I did want to see him actually throw a few times in 11-on-11. After scrambling almost exclusively on his first handful of snaps, we saw the best of Milroe’s arm and touch with his downfield accuracy. Milroe threw a pair of touchdowns to the UDFA rookie Tyrone Broden Jr, including a curtain closer in which (I believe) Connor O’Toole was rushing off the edge and got pressure in his face, only for Milroe to deliver a perfect strike to Broden in the front left of the end zone, with new CB Keydrain Calligan in coverage. The crowd reception was very loud for any positive moment from Milroe, and I think this was a much better day for him than Friday. Milroe also threw a 45-yard beauty to John Rhys Plumlee in 1-on-1s that was dropped in a bucket over Isas Waxter, who was a clear step behind. On a read option, Milroe zipped by a frozen Connor O’Toole like he wasn’t even in the picture. There are still some short-range accuracy issues that will need to be corrected in due time, as it’s often the easier throws that he’s putting in the dirt.
Not the best day for Drew Lock or Elijah Arroyo. Lock has generally had a good camp but he was wayward on Saturday. He sailed several passes in the scrimmages and should’ve been pick 6’d on a late, telegraphed out route throw that was not hauled in by Damarion Williams. Elijah Arroyo had a couple of bobbles and drops (one with Riq Woolen in coverage) and wasn’t as prevalent in the offense as A.J. Barner. There was also a 1-on-1 rep vs. Nick Emmanwori that was all Nick.
Sam Darnold looked poised. I won’t say Darnold was outstanding in terms of his passing accuracy, but he appeared confident in going through his progressions and making sound decisions, bar one pressured throw that Devon Witherspoon nearly picked off. In the two practices I’ve been to there hasn’t been much in the way of deep passing; I’m also aware that what we see in practice is a tiny fraction of what will be called in actual games. I have no concerns about Darnold’s arm, especially with how well I’ve seen him throw out-breaking routes, but the real test for me is how he looks when he’s pressured. There’s a good chance the OL is still enough of a liability on the interior that it will really challenge his pocket mobility and decision making when he decides to throw.
Tory Horton was working a lot with Sam Darnold and the starters. Whether in individual reps/pass skels or the scrimmages, Horton was getting time with the first-teamers. When Seattle was in 13 personnel, Horton was often (if not exclusively) the lone receiver. He was also in the three-receiver sets in 11 personnel over MVS at times. Horton’s hands appear to be outstanding and my only question is what happens when it’s live speed and he has to take on meaningful contact in traffic. Otherwise? Consider me hyped about Horton. I must note that he fumbled a punt return but I’d like to think he’s not luxury brand Dee Williams.
Under center, power football is back on the menu? Let me preface this by saying that it’s still a scrimmage without going 100%, so do not interpret this as the Seahawks are going to be a dominant, smash mouth football team. With that said, a significant portion of what the offense worked on with the 1s in the game was under center. Robbie Ouzts worked with the 1s, 2s, and 3s and just looks like a guy who wants to smash whoever is in front of him. There’s no need to question his roster status. I should note that when Jalen Milroe was in the game, we saw a bit more shotgun and some pistol looks, which is to be expected when Milroe is the only read option threat on the depth chart.
Favorite play: Sam Darnold to Jaxon Smith-Njigba off play-action. There is no way the Seahawks won’t run more PA this year, especially from under center. This particular play was not a rollout from a single-back, but it was beautiful to watch. Darnold had a clean pocket (the pass pro was good from the 1s most of the way, including Anthony Bradford), JSN ran a corner route and Darnold laid it in there for a 30+ yard gain. We saw not remotely enough of this last season and I think we’ll get that corrected this year. JSN is also ready to build on last year’s success, and I see his yards per catch increase even if he doesn’t hit 100 total receptions like he did in 2024.
Zach Charbonnet looks faster. As someone who has been down on Charbonnet in the past and warmed up to him last season, Zach looks in tremendous shape and is showcasing burst off the handoff and he’s hitting holes with authority. With Kenneth Walker III out with a sore foot, Charbonnet has been RB1... and I think some games he will be RB1 even when Walker is healthy again.
Much like Tyrone Broden, Jacardia Wright could be a fun preseason watch. The third-team offensive line was a bit of a horror show in pass pro, but there were some good moments in the run game with UDFA rookie Jacardia Wright. He had what would’ve hypothetically been the longest run of 11-on-11 on a stretch to the outside off left tackle. Wright will have a near-impossible task to make the team, but I can see him being stashed on the practice squad.

Defense

‘Tank’ Lawrence looks like he still has plenty left in the tank. Lawrence was giving the Seahawks 1s fits, including rookie Grey Zabel, but Grey is supposed to get his “welcome to the NFL” moments. I believe he’ll be huge for improving the run defense even more after a good finish to last season.
Devon Witherspoon with a great teammate moment. It’s been tough sledding for Jerrick Reed II given the injuries he’s suffered over two seasons. In a 1-on-1 rep (my memory is foggy on who he went up against), Reed had a PBU in the end zone and Witherspoon was the first to go to him and pump him up. You love to see it.
AJ Finley’s season might be over. You hate to see injuries under any circumstances but the Seahawks may have once again lost a player to a season-ending knee injury in training camp. On Jalen Milroe’s touchdown pass to a double covered Dareke Young, Finley landed awkwardly and was face down in pain. Trainers rushed to Finley while some of his teammates knelt in prayer, which might have been a sign of something bad given we were obscured by the trainers and couldn’t hear if he was in audible agony. Macdonald indicated it may be a bad knee injury, which is a bummer on what was a terrific play by Young on a risky jumping throw by Milroe.
Mike Morris and Brandon Pili continue to be impactful against the run. We’ve had this familiar feeling with Morris as this big 3-tech/stand-up EDGE hybrid guy, but it’s good to see him at least being a net positive against his equivalent competition. Pili has been disruptive in terms of blowing up run plays and showcasing some interior pass rushing chops as a pure nose tackle. I believe Pili has a shot to be on the initial 53, especially as Johnathan Hankins has yet to come off PUP.
Jamie Sheriff hasn’t really moved to off-ball. Sheriff worked with the inside linebackers in warmups, but lined up as an outside linebacker in 11-on-11s the whole time I could observe. Over two practices I cannot recall Sheriff actually lining up in the second level.
D’Anthony Bell is making the Seahawks roster. Again, it’s camp and not a fully fledged game where everyone is hitting and the physicality is at it peak, but Bell has been working with the 2s as mostly a box safety. Expect him to come on the field in nickel or dime packages, perhaps working as an auxiliary linebacker much in the way we expect out of Nick Emmanwori.

Special Teams

Brady Russell was the backup long snapper with Chris Stoll out. Stoll tweaked something on Friday so he sat out Saturday. Not a chance in hell I remember who the next man up at long snapper is, but we found the answer quickly. I know I left Russell off the 53-man roster projection the last time, but I’m not doing that again.
Jake Bobo, punt returner? With no Steven Sims, the Seahawks had Tory Horton on kick and punt return duties. How about the possibility of more Bobo? This was a pre-team drill exercise and Bobo was sharing duties with Horton (among others).

More Bobo in the return game? pic.twitter.com/0qvJpL9Yxh
— Field Gulls (@FieldGulls) August 3, 2025

It wasn’t one of Bobo’s better days in terms of scrimmage or 1-on-1s but this was something worth noting.

George Holani’s main advantage over Damien Martinez. By no means is this a main determining factor for RB3 or even who gets to be RB3 vs. RB4. However, Martinez is not a special teams contributor (returner, gunner, etc.) and Holani is. Holani was receiving kicks as the Seahawks tested out the amended dynamic kickoff rules, and should be one of the main returners throughout preseason.

Miscellaneous

Marcus Trufant and Kam Chancellor were the Seahawks legends of the evening, so no irony for the “Seahawks legends” term on this occasion.
Bryce noted that Andrew Janocko (Quarterbacks coach) was also calling plays and not just Klint Kubiak.
There were so many throwback uniforms in the stands, such that I’d say the majority of people who wore Seahawks unis had the throwbacks.
Rylie Mills and Uchenna Nwosu had bands on their legs as they recover from their respective injuries. Shemar Jean-Charles, Ricky White III, and Montorie Foster Jr were among the players who sat out Saturday due to injuries.
Josh Jones has filled in quite well at left tackle while Charles Cross is out. Amari Kight has taken the RT role with the 2s, which is where Jones frequently was prior to Cross’ finger surgery.
Mike Macdonald had the 1s on defense go up against the 2s and 3s on offense and vice versa. You can probably guess which matchup was more lopsided.
I saw some outstanding catches in the stands during the end-of-practice football toss by the players. The young man in the JSN jersey brought the ball into his body like an All-Pro and I salute him.
Not every ball was thrown into the crowd. Michael Dickson punted a few and I think Bryce Cabeldue did one. If you want to see Cody White get the fans going, take a look!

Cody White knows how to work a crowd. pic.twitter.com/s12akrr7n2
— Field Gulls (@FieldGulls) August 3, 2025

The Seahawks have Sunday off and return to practice on Monday. It will not be open to the public.

Thank you to everyone who followed the on-site coverage, podcasts, and reporting from both Field Gulls and our awesome collaboration with Dan (Seahawks Forever), Brandon Cain (The Hawk’s Nest), and Corbin (Locked On Seahawks/Emerald City Spectrum). We even met a few of you who follow at least one of these podcasts and/or reads Field Gulls, which was a cool experience. If you missed the previous article, you can check out our video recap from last night outside of Lumen Field in the video below, and I should note this was recorded before we found out any quotes from Mike Macdonald’s press conference re Haynes and Finley injuries.

Top 25 players for Seahawks fans to watch during the 2025 college football season

2025-08-03T08:24:44-07:00

Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images

Which future Seahawks should fans be paying attention to on Saturdays this fall?

As we inch closer to NFL and Seattle Seahawks football, the closer we are to college football as well. As an all around football fan that obsesses over the draft, this is such an exciting time, as I begin my scouting process that will go all the way up to the 2026 draft. This season is shaping up to be a wild one for fans, as it could be one of the more wide open title races in years.

It is also shaping up to be a better overall class than last season, with potentially a generationally deep class for the trenches, a deep and unique quarterback class, and one of the best secondary prospects the league has ever seen come into the draft. This should be a special 2025 season, and with that, I have the top 25 (draft-eligible) players to watch this fall.

Honorable Mention:

Nico Iamaleava QB Ten…UCLA: I couldn’t discuss this list without acknowledging arguably the biggest story of the summer. Iamaleava, a projected first round pick on a loaded Volunteers squad, overplayed his NIL hand, and essentially left (forced out?) Knoxville and came west to UCLA. The Bruins have nowhere near the level of talent that resides at Tennessee, and Nico’s CFP playoff tape was concerning to say the least. Can he bounce back in a new environment, or will this awkward divorce derail a promising prospect?

No. 25 Sam Leavitt QB Arizona State: A northwest native (West Linn, Oregon), Leavitt helped orchestrate one of the most surprising conference championship runs in recent years down in Tempe. The 6-2, 200 lbs quarterback was sensational in the second half of 2024, finishing with 2,885 passing yards and 24 TD’s while rushing for 443 yards and five scores. With Cam Skattebo in the NFL, expect Leavitt to have more responsibilities and opportunities to prove that the Sun Devils are more than just a one season wonder.

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No. 24 Carnell Tate WR Ohio State: Sometimes someone has to be overlooked when we’re discussing wide receivers at Ohio State, home of a dominant run for the past decade with Buckeye receivers and their transitions to the NFL. This year will be no different as Jeremiah Smith is arguably the best player in all of college football, but he is a true sophomore. A benefit to all the double teams he will be seeing in 2025, is former five-star Carnell Tate. As a sophomore and the #3 receiving option, Tate secured 52 receptions for 733 yards and four TD’s. At most other schools, Tate would be an all-American candidate, but such is life at Ohio State. I see the physical tools and opportunity this year will bring for Tate, and expect him to become a first round pick in a year that may not have a definitive #1 WR prospect.

No. 23 John Mateer QB Oklahoma: Sorry Wazzu fans, but last year’s darling is now in Norman, Oklahoma, trying to reignite a Sooners offense that has been dormant since Lincoln Riley left for USC. As a junior, Mateer was a magician that orchestrated some wild wins as Washington State flirted with a potential playoff berth, before collapsing at season’s end. That shouldn’t take away from the season Mateer put together, as he accumulated nearly 4,000 total yards and 44 combined touchdowns as a dual threat. Can he produce anything close to these numbers in the SEC, then Oklahoma will be a threat in 2025 and Mateer will skyrocket up the draft boards.

No. 22 Denzel Boston WR Washington: 2024 felt like a lost season for the Huskies, as departures and the move to the Big Ten were not kind to them, but there is hope for a strong rebound in 2025. A big reason for that is because of the emergence of wideout Denzel Boston. At 6-4 and 209 lbs, Boston has impressive speed to match his length, and it showed as he hauled in 63 receptions for 834 yards and nine touchdowns for an underwhelming Washington offense. With an impressive recruiting and transfer class, I expect Boston to have a massive season, while the Huskies return to national relevance.

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No. 21 Arch Manning QB Texas: Arch was a tough player to place on this list. There’s all this momentum that he’s a lock to go #1 in next year’s draft, while most believe he will be in school for two more years, creating this Andrew Luck style phenomenon. On the flip side, there has been very little in his high school tape, and his brief college experience, that shows me he should be in the discussion for the top pick. I love his toughness and running ability, but have yet to see the level of throwing that I’d like to see through his handful of starts in place of injured starter Quinn Ewers. We will find out pretty quickly as Texas travels to Columbus in Week one to face the defending national champion Buckeyes, as well as a brutal SEC schedule. No team may be as talented as Texas, and their ceiling will be determined by one of the more divisive college athletes of 2025.

No. 20 LaNorris Sellers QB South Carolina: Arguably the best team to not make the CFP last year, the Gamecocks feel they have a true national title threat, and that is because of their quarterback. LaNorris Sellers. The 6-3, 240 lbs massive RS sophomore exploded onto the scene last year, completing 65.6% of his passes and amassed over 3,200 total yards and 25 touchdowns in 12 games, while battling injuries. Sellers is raw and needs refinement, but there are tools there that are rare, and I’m fascinated to see what he can do in year two as the fulltime starter. My early pro comp for him at the moment is the late Steve McNair.

No. 19 Jordyn Tyson WR Arizona State: A reason why I believe that Sam Leavitt will have a great 2025 season is because he’s getting Jordyn Tyson back as his go-to guy. One of the big what ifs of the CFP last year was what if Tyson didn’t miss the Peach Bowl against Texas. A dominant regular season, Tyson cooked the Big 12 for 1,100 yards and 75 receptions and 10 scores. A broken collarbone cost him the conference championship and quarterfinal loss to Texas. There is nothing that Tyson can’t do, but it’s his ability to dominate in jump balls while also dominating the middle and intermediate area of the field that has me ranking Tyson as my top WR in the 2026 class currently. I see so much of Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Tyson.

No. 18 Parker Brailsford C Alabama: Husky fans will remember Brailsford from his UW days, but with Kalen DeBoer at Alabama, he will run point on arguably the best offensive line in the country. Having been an exceptional pass protector for Michael Penix Jr. and then transitioning to the style of play that Jalen Milroe brought, Brailsford could fit the need for a ton of NFL teams.

No. 17 Isaiah World T Oregon: It pays to be the top ranked transfer, as the former Nevada Wolfpack tackle has made his way to Oregon, as the Ducks look to repeat as Big Ten champions. World, who’s name may not do justice, stands at a massive 6-8 and insanely athletic 318 lbs, is just one of those freak athletes that transferred to arguably the best place for him to develop. Of all the amazing tackle prospects we are going to discuss, World may have the highest ceiling, but also the lowest floor currently.

No. 16 Anthony Hill Jr. LB Texas: Hands down, the best linebacker in this class. As the co-leader of a dominant defense last year, Hill Jr. had 113 combined tackles, including 17 tackles for a loss, along with eight sacks, four forced fumbles, and an INT. Anthony is a screen destroyer that would make KJ Wright proud, while he has a special knack for maneuvering through the trenches to cause chaos on the QB. A future with Hill Jr., Ernest Jones IV, and Nick Emmanwori could be a dream trio.

No. 15 Jake Slaughter C Florida: The only reason why Brailsford is not the top center prospect is because of his SEC rival Jake Slaughter. Florida had a sneaky second half resurgence last year, giving them hope for 2025. A big part of that was future NFL QB DJ Lagway, but his success was in large part because of Slaughter and the Gators o-line. Slaughter would have been a day 2 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, but the first team All-American decided to return for his senior year in Gainsville. When you watch the tape, you see a really strong pass blocker, and a special run blocker, who is consistently getting to the second level and throwing linebackers out of the play. His age (will turn 24 during his rookie season) may impact his draft stock, but Slaughter could be a perfect plug and play center for a Seahawks offense searching for stability at that key spot.

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No. 14 Drew Allar QB Penn State: Much like Manning, Drew Allar will be a polarizing prospect to watch this season. At 6-5, 235 lbs., Allar has all the tools you look for in his arm, but the consistency questions remain. Statistically, Allar had a tremendous 2024 season, throwing for 3,327 yards on 66.5% completion percentage, with a 30/8 total TD/INT ratio. On the flip side, he and his Nittany Lions failed to show up in the two games that mattered most, losing to Ohio State at home and to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl for a spot in the national championship. The last play of the season for Allar was a brutal interception with a minute to go, that allowed the Irish to kick the walk off field goal and continue this belief that Penn State and Allar can’t deliver when it matters most. This year feels like do or die for both the program and Drew. I see a lot of prime Joe Flacco as a pro comp right now for Allar.

No. 13 Jermod McCoy DB Tennessee: The season hasn’t started, so the perception can change, but it currently doesn’t feel like DB’s are going to be a strong class in 2026. Jermod McCoy could benefit from this, and be an early first round pick next spring. The former OSU Beaver, McCoy transferred to Tennessee last season and had four INT’s and nine passes defended for the seventh ranked defense in the country. With a 89.6 PFF coverage grade last year, and strong measurables, McCoy could threaten to be a top ten pick, if he has successfully recovered from his ACL tear he suffered in January.

No. 12 Caleb Lomu T Utah: As part of a dynamic duo of tackles in Utah, Lomu is the solid run-blocking left tackle who has blue chip potential in the pass blocking area. At 6-5 and 302 lbs, Lomu fits the modern athletic left tackle, and would be a strong fit for a franchise with a mobile quarterback. He’ll need to put on about 10-15 more lbs, but there’s franchise LT potential there.

No. 11 Keldric Faulk ED Auburn: It may be hard to finder a more freakish lookin athlete in this class than Faulk, who hopes to bring the Tigers back to the national scene in 2025. Likely to be a RAS superstar, Faulk looks like he was built in a lab, standing at 6-5 and 288 lbs. of pure speed and strength, Faulk had 11 tackles for a loss and seven sacks last year. Already a plus run defender, Faulk has top pick potential if he can learn to be a more proficient pass rusher, as he won’t be able to just use his speed and strength to get to the QB when he’s at the next level.

No. 10 Jeremiyah Love RB Notre Dame: I’m usually resistant to ranking running backs super high, and I rarely will push to select one in the first round, but I can’t deny Jeremiyah Love as a potential blue chip prospect. Rushing for over 1,100 yards on just 163 carries and 19 total TD’s, Love should be on everyone’s Heisman watch list. He can do it all, but has the best hurdle game in college football, is special at reading the holes, and feels impossible to bring down if he gets to the second level. No, he is not Ashton Jeanty, but he can have a similar type of impact again for Notre Dame, and will be a top 20 pick in the draft next spring.

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No. 9 Francisco Mauigoa T Miami: Continuing the tackle parade of future first round picks, Mauigoa is next on this list. The starting right tackle the past two years at Miami, Mauigoa was sensational and instrumental in Cam Ward’s dominance at Miami and eventually becoming the top overall pick in the draft. Mauigo could easily be a pro bowl caliber right tackle at the next level, but he may be even more dominant at the guard spot. Has a chance to boost his stock even more if Georgia transfer Carson Beck can be successful in Miami, just like Ward was.

No. 8 Spencer Fano T Utah: Lomu’s counterpart in Salt Lake City, Spencer Fano is the prototypical Kyle Whittingham Utah offensive lineman, nasty and versatile. Fano, who was an All-American last year, has 24 career starts already, with 11 at LT and 13 at RT. Fano is the second best run blocking tackle in my opinion heading into the season, and is the best right tackle prospect in the class. Fano could become a top five pick, based on his ability to successfully play both tackle spots, but much of that will depend on if Utah can rebound in 2025. With better health and a very friendly schedule, don’t be surprised to see Utah with one or zero losses heading into the CFP.

No. 7 Dani Dennis-Sutton ED Penn State: Expectations are high at Penn State, and much of that is because of all the strong pieces they have coming back from a team many thought should’ve beat Notre Dame in the semifinals last year. Arguably their best piece, and anchor of their defense, will be Dani Dennis-Sutton. Currently my second ranked edge rusher, Dennis-Sutton chose to return for his senior season at Happy Valley after racking up 13 TFL’s and 8.5 sacks last season. The 6-5 272 pass rusher may not be as physically imposing as Faulk at Auburn, but his experience and motor give him a slight edge at the moment. I’m curious to see how he fairs this fall when he’s the main target to worry about on defense, and he no longer has Abdul Carter to lean on.

No. 6 Garrett Nussmeier QB LSU: Hot take, I think Nussmeier will be the top overall pick in next year’s NFL draft. The fifth year senior at LSU will have his best team he’s had in Baton Rouge for a team that is thinking SEC and national championship. Nussmeier has a plus arm, is fearless in the pocket, and has that gunslinger mentality that makes it hard not to love watching him play. His style does lead itself to some mistakes (12 INT’s last year), but the 4,000 passing yards and 32 total TD’s show the other side of the coin. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah compared him to shades of Andy Dalton, Brock Purdy, and Tony Romo. I personally think the Romo comp is spot on. If you can work around his go-for-it mentality, then you can have a franchise QB. With his father the new OC in New Orleans, the LSU connection, and Kellen Moore looking for a franchise QB, I believe Nussmeier will get LSU back to the CFP and will be the #1 overall pick at next year’s draft.

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No. 5 Cade Klubnik QB Clemson: Nuss may go #1, but I have Clemson’s Cade Klubnik as my preseason top QB prospect. Highly touted out of legendary West Lake High School, the former top overall recruit has taken a unique road to get to this point. Immediate pressure to be the next Trevor Lawrence led to two disappointing seasons for Clemson, and while last year wasn’t exactly a return to glory, Klubnik carried his team to an ACC Championship and a playoff appearance. For the season, Klubnik had over 4,000 total yards and a 43/6 TD to INT ratio. An exceptional athlete with arguably the best accuracy in his class, which makes up for what I’d call average arm strength. I see a slightly lesser passing version of Baker Mayfield, but a much more explosive athlete than the Tampa Bay Pro Bowl QB. Klubnik will be in the hunt for the top overall pick in next year’s draft.

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No. 4 Kadyn Proctor T Alabama: If Proctor was in the 2025 draft, I’m not sure that Tennessee wouldn’t have taken him with the top pick. At 6-6, 369 lbs, Proctor simply overpowers college defensive linemen, while being a wall in pass protection. Alabama can win the national championship this season, in part because their offensive line is just that good, and Proctor is the anchor of this fearsome unit. He will need to trim down a few pounds to stay at LT in the NFL, but everything is there for a franchise tackle and top five pick.

No. 3 Peter Woods DT Clemson: Headlining the interior defensive linemen, Woods is next in the long line of successful Clemson d-linemen. Arguably the top overall prospect to some, Woods is a 6-3, 315 lbs defensive tackle that shouldn’t be able to move as quickly as he does. Woods is the classic premier DT that eats up blockers, allowing others to be great. He’s a machine in the run game, and probably should’ve had 10 sacks this past year, as he consistently lived in the backfield, but just whiffed a few times. I would rank Woods above Mason Graham if you were to compare players.

No. 2 T.J. Parker ED Clemson: Woods’s partner in crime on a loaded Clemson roster is the top edge rusher in T.J. Parker. As a sophomore, Parker was unstoppable, collecting 57 combined tackles, including 20 TFL’s, 11 sacks, and a whopping six forced fumbles. The 6-3, 265 lbs edge rusher has the best jump off the snap of his class, has plus power, and the best array of moves and counters of his class. With a toolset of a veteran NFL pass rusher already, and a knack for forcing turnovers, Parker is a blue chip prospect that will be a contender for the top pick in the NFL draft. Week one of college football will bring us a titanic showdown between Clemson and LSU. I can’t wait to see Klubnik duel Nussmeier, but also to see how Nuss handles the pressure he will be facing from Woods and Parker.

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No. 1 Caleb Downs S Ohio State: In a top 25 ranking full of quarterbacks and trench players, I actually have a safety as my top ranked player this upcoming season. A freshman star for Alabama in 2023, Downs transferred to Ohio State last year and was the star All-American safety for the national champions. At 6ft, 205 lbs, Downs brings a physicality that is reminiscent of former All-Pro Eric Berry as a safety who is a sure tackler and can be a star in the box. In coverage, Downs shuts off whatever side of the field he’s on, much like the way Earl Thomas did in his prime. Will Downs be the top pick in the NFL draft? No, but he is the most talented player, and could be the highest safety ever drafted.

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