The Seattle Seahawks did what everyone thought they would do in the first round, only not. Many expected the team to trade back, but maybe they couldn't find a trade partner. Instead, as many mocks suggested, the team chose Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price.
In doing so, the team officially ended the Kenneth Walker era. Walker signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency after winning the Super Bowl MVP award with Seattle last season. Walker was a second-round pick and became everything Seattle hoped he would by year four.
Price will need to do the same thing, only sooner. The issue is that with Walker gone, Zach Charbonnet would have been the presumed starter, but he tore his ACL in the playoffs and might not be ready for Week 1. Charbonnet is also entering the final year of his rookie deal and could be a free agent next year.
Seattle Seahawks take Jadarian Price in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft
Price might not have timed in the 40-yard dash as well as Walker did, but he has proven his explosiveness in college. He is a smooth runner and a patient one, just as Walker was. The only issue with Walker, in fact, was that many times he was too patient. He searched for holes in the offensive line that weren't there to begin with, and often got tackled for a loss.
Price needs to be a more straightforward runner, and he appears to have the ability to be so. What he can also do, unfortunately, is fumble. He coughed up the ball three times within his opponents' 10-yard line this past season, costing his team points.
With the Seattle Seahawks, he will absolutely need to have better ball security, or he could cost the team games, much in the same way that former quarterback Geno Smith cost his team games by throwing red-zone interceptions. Price will probably be a much better teammate than Smith was, but the outcome of their mistakes would be the same.
Still, while many mocked Jadarian Price to the Seahawks, the move should be a wise one. Kenneth Walker and, likely, Zach Charbonnet will need to be replaced, and the powerful and fast Notre Dame product was the best possible running back at the time Seattle was set to choose at No. 32 in the 2026 NFL draft.
Add us as a preferred source on Google