Three players Bump is eyeing for Seahawks at pick No. 18

NFL Draft boards undoubtedly started to shift after the scouting combine.

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The 2025 draft class descended upon Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the four-day event last week. As is the usual, a slew of players made headlines for their eye-popping numbers during their workouts.

Former Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Michael Bumpus was following along closely with the combine and took notice of a few names he hopes the Seahawks could take in the first round at No. 18 overall. Bumpus shared who those three players are during his Four Down Territory segment Tuesday on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy.

• Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss

Dart is thought of as the No. 3 quarterback in this year’s class by many talent evaluators, behind Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. He was a three-year starter at Ole Miss and earned a first-team All-SEC selection while completing 69.3% of his passes for 4,279 yards, 29 touchdowns and six interceptions last season.

The 6-foot-2, 223-pound Dart didn’t participate in any of the traditional combine drills that all positions test in, such as the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and others. But he was the highest-regarded quarterback to throw at the event and had an impressive performance.

Dart revealed he met with the Seahawks at the combine during during a press conference at the event Friday.

“If they do draft Jaxson Dart, then I think a lot of the people who are worried about Geno (Smith) can just relax for a little bit,” Bumpus said. “Let Jaxson Dart just marinate, let him develop behind him.”

.@OleMissFB QB Jaxson Dart launched it. 🚀

📺: 2025 #NFLCombine on NFL Network
📱: Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/wXRXfzqIQF

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) March 1, 2025

• Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

Emmanwori had a highly productive college career and further cemented himself as a top safety prospect while showing out as the most athletic player at his position during the combine. He led all participants, regardless of position, with an impressive 43-inch vertical and 11-foot, 6-inch broad jump. He also led safeties with 20 reps at 225 pounds in the bench press. Additionally, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Emmanwori produced the second-fastest 40 time among safeties at 4.38 seconds, which included a position-best 1.49-second 10-yard split.

Emmanwori earned first-team All-America and All-SEC nods last season, registering 88 tackles and four interceptions, including two pick-sixes.

He met with the Seahawks at the combine, according to Brian Nehmauser of Hawkblogger.com.

“Everyone’s talking about him,” Bumpus said. “You know what I did? I had to stop myself. I caught myself tapping into what I see on the text lines, ‘Legion of Boom.’ Stop talking about the Legion of Boom. It ain’t going to happen, even though he would have fit right in with the Legion of Boom, just with his physical capabilities.”

There is a small Legion of Boom connection for Emmanwori. His defensive backs coach at South Carolina was Torrian Gray, who was former Legion of Boom member Kam Chancellor’s defensive backs coach at Virginia Tech.

The best vertical jump (43") and broad jump (11'6") of ANYONE at this year's Combine.

South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori is one to watch 👀@Eman7Nick | @GamecockFB pic.twitter.com/158IrIOzkE

— NFL (@NFL) March 4, 2025

• Grey Zabel, G, North Dakota State

Zabel has been a rising prospect on draft boards since he delivered a standout performance at the Senior Bowl. He started every game of his final two college seasons, with 27 of those coming at either left or right tackle, and is thought to be a versatile prospect with capabilities of manning any of the five spots across the offensive line.

The 6-foot-6, 312-pound Zabel, who was a two-time national champion at FCS powerhouse North Dakota State, led all offensive linemen with a 36.5-inch vertical jump and was in the top half of competitors with a 9-foot, 3-inch broad jump and 26 bench press reps at the combine. Zabel seems most likely to project as an interior offensive lineman in the NFL, as his arm length of 32 inches came up short of the 33-inch threshold that most teams look for in tackles.

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Zabel met with the Seahawks at the combine, per Nemhauser.

“He didn’t run the 40, but he looked great in his lateral movements film,” Bumpus said. “I watched some film of this young man. He’ll be good in the screen (game), good getting out into space. He is a guard who can move.”

Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Listen to Bump and Stacy weekdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

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