Insider notes on Seahawks: Jalen Milroe's starting potential, reason for drafting Grey Zabel, and more

The Seahawks seemed a bit restless during the three days of the draft, consistently moving up the board to acquire players they coveted most. And for the most part it worked, as the team plugged several holes with the 11 players it drafted.

It was no secret to anyone who read my articles in the lead-up to the draft that offensive lineman Grey Zabel was the player Seattle targeted with their first pick, and he was the one the team selected at No. 18. Zabel’s rise up draft boards was well documented here at Sportskeeda, from being a Week One riser to his tremendous showing at the Senior Bowl. He’s intelligent as well as tough and fits the type of blocker the Seahawks line up.

Round 2 saw Seattle move into the early part of the frame and grab Nick Emmanwori, the massive safety from South Carolina. Emmanwori is more than a big guy who tested well at the combine; he’s a terrific football player. The Seahawks had a lot of success with a similar type of player not long ago in Kam Chancellor, though it’s fair to say Emmanwori is more athletic and has more upside than his predecessor.

The team hit a home run later in Round 2, selecting Elijah Arroyo, the athletic pass-catching tight end from Miami. Arroyo is a receiver in a tight end’s body and plays fast while catching the ball extremely well. He comes with incredible upside, and as I argued prior to the draft, in time I believe he’ll be one of the best tight ends from this class.

Round 3 saw Seattle draft quarterback Jalen Milroe, who could not be in a better spot. The former Alabama passer had the best package of physical gifts at his position and put them on display the first half of last season. He struggled down the stretch and did not look good at the Senior Bowl or combine. Yet considering his upside potential, the fact he won’t have to play right away and Seattle’s history of developing quarterbacks, this pick could end up a steal.

Seattle had seven picks on the final day of the draft, three which came in the fifth round. They chose defensive tackle Rylie Mills, receiver Tory Horton and tight end/fullback Robbie Ouzts.

Mills is a high-revving defender with terrific quickness and intellect. His draft stock was hurt after suffering a knee injury during the opening game of the College Football Playoff, yet he has an upside and can spend much of next season improving his playing strength while recovering from the injury.

Horton is a player who was well-liked in the scouting community, and he received Day 2 grades from a number of teams. He was dependable at Colorado State and runs solid routes. Injuries plagued him last season and limited his playing time, the reason he fell into the fifth round.

Ouzts is someone I’ve liked the past two years. He’s not a flashy athlete, rather he’s a tough, nasty blocker who also excels as a short-yardage pass catcher.

The Seahawks further addressed the interior offensive line in the sixth round, drafting Bryce Cabeldue of Kansas. A tough, powerful, wide-bodied blocker, Cabeldue had a great pro-day workout in March that elevated his draft stock. He’ll back up at guard and could ultimately develop into a center.

The team had three picks in the final round, selecting running back Damien Martinez, offensive lineman Mason Richman and receiver Ricky White III.

Martinez could end up the steal of the draft. Scouts graded him as a Day 2 prospect before the 2024 season, and Martinez lived up to that ranking when he was on the field. Unfortunately, the Miami Hurricanes squad he transferred to had a stable of running backs, and Martinez was used in a rotational role. Still, he’s a powerful interior ball carrier with terrific short-area quickness, and Martinez is natural catching the ball out of the backfield.

Richman was someone I charted early in his Iowa career, as he’s a tough, fundamentally sound blocker who played a lot of football on the college level, yet he never elevated his game the way I thought possible.

White was incredibly productive and showed a lot of progress on the field at UNLV after transferring from Michigan State. He’s reliable and catches the ball well, but he possesses average size and less-than-desirable speed. Still, he’s a good receiver.

Seattle signed a bunch of UDFAs, including two terrific defensive backs, Zy Alexander of LSU and Isas Waxter from Villanova. Alexander is a terrific cover corner who struggled to break 4.6 seconds in the 40 before the draft. Still, he’s tall and physical, which is the way Seattle prefers their corners. Waxter was highly rated entering the season, but he struggled with injury and was unable to compete in any postseason All-Star games. He also has excellent size and excels facing the action. I always thought his best position on Sundays would be safety, so let’s see what happens. Also, keep an eye on linebacker Seth Coleman, another UDFA. He’s the Ricky White version on defense, as Coleman did everything in college at Illinois: rush the passer, make plays in pursuit and set the edge so teammates could make plays on the ball.

Grade - B+: The upside potential of this draft is off the charts, yet with upside comes downside risk. They got the player they wanted in Zabel, a potential playmaking tight end in Arroyo and a future quarterback in Milroe. Of the seven players they selected on the final day of the draft, as many as five could make the roster as rookies, and many should contribute.