If you’re looking for a reason why the Seattle Seahawks have such a dominant defense, you might start with the sheer volume of high-end, blue-chip talent they put out on the field. More than half of the starting defense is comprised of players chosen in the first two rounds of the NFL draft.
That includes top-ten picks like Leonard Williams and Devon Witherspoon. In fact, the entire starting defense has just one player – safety Julian Love, who was drafted on day three. And Love just missed going on day two by six picks.
Then again, that explanation does not account for the three projected starters who weren’t drafted at all. Cornerback Josh Jobe, safety Ty Okada, and linebacker Drake Thomas – all currently penciled in as starters – were signed as undrafted free agents. (UDFAs)
Young veteran hopes to continue his unlikely journey by assuming a bigger role with the Seattle Seahawks
If Mike Macdonald has made anything clear, it’s this: if you perform on the field, you will play. That applies on offense as well, where UDFA Jalen Sundell took over the starting center job last season. All of that bodes well for a player like Patrick O’Connell.
It didn’t look like Patrick O’Connell was on an NFL trajectory when he began college. He started school at the D2 University of Mary in Bismarck, ND, before transferring to the University of Montana. He was a standout at Montana but was not drafted.
However, shortly after the final round of the 2023 draft, Lofa Tatupu sent him a text. O’Connell, who grew up a Seahawks fan, certainly knew all about Seattle’s former All-Pro linebacker. But he did not know he was working in the front office. He was reaching out to O’Connell to tell him the Seahawks wanted to sign him.
O’Connell once again beat the odds by simply making the practice squad as a rookie. In his first two seasons, he bounced up and down between the practice squad and the roster, appearing in a handful of games, entirely on special teams.
2025 was different. Though he began the season on the practice squad yet again, he played in more games – nine – and recorded more tackles – 19 – than he had in his first two years combined. He got his first NFL sack in a Week 12 win over Tennessee. He was playing in relief of the injured Ernest Jones IV, and he finished second on the club in tackles – one behind Drake Thomas.
Thomas, of course, is the ideal role model for O’Connell. His trajectory is almost identical. Another UDFA, he arrived shortly after O’Connell in 2023. Thomas contributed immediately on special teams but did little else in his first two seasons. However, when projected starter Tyrice Knight struggled with injuries in the run-up to the 2025 season, Thomas seized his chance and took over as a starter.
Is it possible that Patrick O’Connell could do the same thing in 2026? Both Thomas and Jalen Sundell got the chance to play with the starters due to injuries, and O’Connell is not likely to leap ahead of Jones, Thomas, or Knight unless one of those players has to miss time.
If that were to happen, Patrick O’Connell would be ready. That game he played in relief of Jones was the best of his career, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). His overall grade was in the elite range. He has the athletic tools to succeed.
At the Montana Pro Day, he impressed scouts with his agility and quickness. His times in the short shuttle and 3-cone drill were near the top of his entire draft class. Â
He just needs a chance. The fact is, no one wants to get a job because a friend got hurt, but that happens every day in the NFL. And even if O’Connell does not grab one of the precious starting jobs, his growing experience suggests he will be able to take on a greater role as part of special packages or simply to give the starters a little extra rest.
The Seahawks are as good as they are because they identify and develop very good football players – whether they are first-round picks or unknown UDFAs. Patrick O’Connell looks to be the next in a long line of such players. Â
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