It was certainly a heartbreaker to see the Seattle Seahawks part with Kenneth Walker III during the offseason, especially right after he won the Super Bowl MVP award.
But, that’s how things go in the NFL. When a player becomes too expensive for their franchise, it’s inevitable that they’ll have to part ways, as much as it hurts.
Now, the Seattle Seahawks are going to need a solid ground of running backs to try to fill the void left by Walker, and they can do that at the NFL draft.
With the NFL’s free agency period pretty much over, the next big event on the league’s calendar is the 2026 NFL draft. The 91st annual NFL draft is set to take place from April 23 through 25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The event has a long history, with its roots dating back to the 1930s, according to the NFL. The draft got its start in 1934, when Philadelphia Eagles co-owner Bert Bell felt that his team was at a disadvantage in getting the best players.
In a Monday, March 16 feature for USA Today, Nate Davis and Ayrton Ostly make their draft projections. In it, they have the Seahawks going for a running back early, with their No. 32 pick in the first round. That running back is Jadarian Price out of Notre Dame.
“While they would have liked to retain Walker, other priorities – like re-signing WR/KR Rashid Shaheed – took precedence,” they state in the feature. “But Seattle doesn't have the luxury of standing pat in the run game, either, given RB2 Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL in January.”
They add, “Price is a slasher who starred in a timeshare with Love at Notre Dame and could nicely fill Walker's role – maybe one of Shaheed's, too, if the Seahawks opt to make him a bigger part of the offense in 2026.”
His NFL draft profile says that he running back is a “tempo-driven back with smooth hips, elite vision and a nose for the end zone.”
His profile adds, “Price is a more natural runner than his heralded teammate, Jeremiyah Love, but Price lacks Love's pure explosiveness and pass-catching talent. Price is highly instinctive, stacking moves to contour to run-lane spacing and avoid tacklers for as long as possible.”
So, the Seahawks may be able to craft another game-winning running back in Price if they choose to draft him.
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