Rost: New favorite emerges to be Seahawks’ first-round pick

Weeks after it felt like most analysts were predicting a defensive selection for the Seattle Seahawks at No. 32 overall in the NFL Draft, it seems another name has become a favorite.

Bump: A veteran edge rusher Seattle Seahawks could still add

In his latest mock draft for ESPN, Peter Schrager is one of several that have Seattle filling a Kenneth Walker III-sized hole on the roster with Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price.

Why a running back?

Seahawks general manager John Schneider doesn’t seem too concerned about the running back room. In fact, during a conversation with Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob last month, the Seahawks GM took a light jab at outside worry over their depth without Walker. He had high praise for George Holani, but also pointed to his own experience in front offices that have uncovered talent in surprising places.

“George (Holani) is one of those guys who just does everything really well,” Schneider said, later adding: “Not to George specifically, but you acquire people throughout the year… that’s a position where you can find guys.”

But… why not continue to add? A GM isn’t going to broadcast that he’d like a bit more depth there, but even the most optimistic Seahawks fan knows this is a team that wants to be able to run the ball and has had snake-bitten rooms in the past. Depth helps, and Price adds to that.

What’s Price bringing exactly?

The Athletic’s Pete Sampson has covered Price’s career and told us this.

“I think he’s a really talented back; he’s just not (top Notre Dame running back prospect) Jeremiyah Love,” Sampson said on Monday. “But I think the things about him that you need to know if you’re a Seahawks fan and they pick him are that he missed his entire freshman year with (a ruptured left) Achilles, he’s never been a lead back at Notre Dame, can help you on special teams, has multiple kickoff return touchdowns, catches the ball pretty well out of the backfield, has some fumbling issues — nothing egregious, but something that would probably come up with scouts.

“And I think he ran a 4.49 (40-yard dash), but he plays a little faster than that. He was not somebody that you ever saw get caught from behind. Body-type wise, probably not dissimilar from the guy who walked out the door for Seattle. So I think he’d be a really attractive option for Seattle at the very end of the first round.”

Will he be there for the Seahawks?

Sampson thinks so. The question is really whether the Seahawks will be there.

The last time Seattle owned pick No. 32, Schneider traded back (more than once). Price has been mocked to Seattle at the close of the first round, but also to a number of teams in the early-to-mid second round. Is there a world where the Seahawks add another pick to their current group of four picks and add some competition to the backfield?

Listen to Bump and Stacy weekdays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app. 

Seattle Seahawks offseason coverage

• ESPN’s Schrager: Seattle Seahawks’ roster is still ‘loaded’
• Huard’s Seahawks NFL Draft Profile: ‘The toughest dude in the draft’
• ’26 vs ’14: Comparing Seattle Seahawks’ post-Super Bowl roster turnover
• Mock Draft Roundup: Who will Seattle Seahawks take in 1st round?
• Salk: 2 caveats for a Seattle Seahawks first-round trade-up

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