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NFL Draft: A first-round RB option for Seahawks

Running back figures to be a position the Seattle Seahawks can try to upgrade in the upcoming NFL Draft, potentially with their first-round pick.

Seahawks may open ’26 on a Wednesday, but there are 2 problems

The Seahawks suffered one of their biggest free agent losses at the position when Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. On top of Walker’s departure, Zach Charbonnet’s status for 2026 is uncertain after he tore his ACL on Jan. 17 in the divisional round of the playoffs. He’s expected to miss at least part of next season.

Seattle did add to its running back stable earlier this week when it signed former Green Bay Packer Emanuel Wilson, but the three-year pro has never been a full-time starter and is more likely a candidate for complimentary role in the backfield.

NFL Network draft analyst Eric Edholm discussed this year’s running back class when he joined Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy on Tuesday. While he does think drafting a running back in the first round at No. 32 overall would make since for the Seahawks, he warned that this year’s crop of talent might make that difficult.

“You don’t want to reach for a position that may not be the strongest this year. In fact, I would say just in terms of depth and overall talent, the running back class is a little bit lacking,” Edholm said.

The top running back prospect in this year’s draft is Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, but he’s a projected top-five pick who should be off the board well before the Seahawks pick. Love’s backup with the Fighting Irish, however, could be an option at No. 32 overall.

Daniel Jeremiah, a regular guest of Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk and colleague of Edholm’s at NFL Network, has the Seahawks taking Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price in the first round in his latest mock draft. Jeremiah wrote he sees “a steep drop at the running back position this year after Price.”

A closer look at Jadarian Price

Despite being a backup, Price earned numerous All-America nods for his 2025 season. He was a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player) and Jet Award (best return specialist).

Price rushed for 674 yards and 11 TDs while averaging 6.0 yards per carry over 12 games in 2025, adding another 87 yards and two TDs on six receptions. He also led the country with two kickoff return TDs and a 37.5-yard average on 12 kickoff returns.

In 16 games in 2024, he ran for a career-high 746 yards with nine TDs while averaging 6.2 yards per carry.

Price’s NFL.com draft profile notes he is a “more natural runner” than Love, but that he lacks the explosiveness and pass-catching abilities of his former college teammate. It also mentions he runs like a zone back, which makes a him a match for Seattle’s wide-zone run scheme.

At the combine, the Denison, Texas, native ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash with a 1.61-second 10-yard split, posted a 35-inch vertical jump and reached 21 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press.

Below is a look at the full scouting report on Price from NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein.

Tempo-driven back with smooth hips, elite vision and a nose for the end zone. 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. He moves like a zone back but has average downhill burst for a one-cut runner. Price is an average run finisher, but he has the leg strength and contact balance to carry on when hits aren’t flush. His feel for finding the right path is rare and helps bolster his touchdown totals. Limited third-down value could cap his draft slotting, but his talent as a runner should make him an excellent complementary back.

Find the full conversation with NFL Network’s Eric Edholm here.