The Seattle Seahawks are struggling with depth in the secondary, especially at safety. Nick Emmanwori hasn't practiced yet after having ankle surgery just before training camp, and rookie Bud Clark broke his ankle in preseason Week 2. There has never been a better time than now for Maxen Hook.
Hook, mind you, hasn't yet played a down of regular season football. He went undrafted out of Toledo in 2025 and spent the preseason with the Philadelphia Eagles before Seattle signed him to the practice squad. This preseason, he has looked like the second coming of Ty Okada.
Hook hasn't been targeted by a pass yet, perhaps implying his sticky coverage is too good to test, but he has been brilliant against the run. In two games, he has had two run stuffs. While he is 6 feet and 205 pounds, he plays with the physicality of a player much bigger than he is.
Maxen Hook is perhaps the biggest surprise of the Seattle Seahawks preseason
He offers positional flexibility where he can line up in the slot or at deep safety. Against the Tennessee Titans, he hit would-be receivers and ball-carriers with the force of a child who has just had his lunch money stolen by a bully he is tired of backing down to.
His athleticism is solid, as he was timed at 4.55 in the 4-yard dash at the 2025 NFL Combine, and his vertical leap was 34.5 inches. Not elite either way, but not terrible either. What he has needed is a chance to prove he belongs on an NFL roster, and with so many injuries to other Seahawks, Hook might now have his opportunity.
In college, he was a star. He was named First-Team All-MAC in his last three years at Toledo, even though he missed five games in 2024. He was also a team captain in his final two years, so he clearly earned the respect of his teammates.
He probably has earned the respect of his Seattle Seahawks teammates with his play this preseason, too. Hook plays with a chip on his shoulder, and the organization loves those kinds of guys. Most of the players do, too, because they have played the same way.
Does Maxen Hook still face an uphill battle to make the roster after final cuts are made on August 30? Yes, but he also has another preseason game to prove he is worthy of still getting paid by the team in the Pacific Northwest. He should get more reps in preseason Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs. If Hook plays well again, he will make it difficult to keep him off the active roster.
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