Two Seahawks named to CBS Sports' Preseason All-Rookie team
By Lee Vowell
After the putrid Seattle Seahawks draft of 2021 when Seattle only had three total picks and only one in the first three rounds, the team has had what looks like three straight productive drafts. In the 2022 and 2023 NFL drafts alone, Seattle took players such as Boye Mafe, Devon Witherspoon, Kenneth Walker III, Charles Cross, and Riq Woolen. This year, Seattle might have landed a stud with Byron Murphy.
CBS Sports believes so anyway. Murphy is one of two Seattle rookies to be named to the site's Preseason All-Rookie team. Of course, preseason all-star teams mean absolutely nothing. They at least give fans an indication of who some NFL analysts believe will be good so expectations could be higher for those players.
Murphy is not a surprise to be listed, of course. He was the second defensive player chosen, and the first interior defensive lineman where Seattle certainly needed help. His quickness and strength should translate to immediate NFL production. He could be a Week 1 starter along with Leonard Williams and Dre'Mont Jones. That could be a formidable defensive line.
Seahawks' Byron Murphy II and Christian Haynes named to preseason All-Rookie team
The Los Angeles Rams also had a defensive tackle listed - on the Second-Team - but let's just hope Brandon Fiske doesn't work out. No offense to Fiske personally. He just plays for the Rams.
Perhaps more surprisingly, CBS Sports also named right guard Christian Haynes to its First-Team preseason squad. Haynes should be good for Seattle one day. He is an aggressive guard who is strong and quick and plays with a mean streak. The problem is that in minicamp he was playing second fiddle to backup second-year pro McClendon Curtis.
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In other words, Haynes might play more in 2025 than in 2024, especially if part-time 2023 starter Anthony Bradford returns at some point from an ankle injury and looks, well...decent. Teams are a bit leary about starting a rookie on the offensive line if that team thinks it can make the playoffs. Better to have veteran cohesion than unproven talent. At least, that is the thinking.
CBS Sports has high praise for Haynes, however. The site writes, "Haynes is a certified butt-kicker inside, blessed with light feet, a wide frame, and an unshakable equilibrium." That's pretty good, right?
The hope is that both rookies will make immediate impacts, though it might take longer for Haynes. Murphy needs to be very good right away for Mike Macdonald's defense to work at the top level. Possibly Haynes as well for the offensive line to be good. Let's hope that CBS Sports is correct.
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