The Seattle Seahawks' roster was pretty much set before the 2026 NFL Draft. However, watching them ignore the pass-rushing position was a bit of a surprise, given Boye Mafe's departure and the uncertainty surrounding DeMarcus Lawrence.
Ultimately, signing Dante Fowler Jr. may be more than enough to round up that unit. Nevertheless, general manager John Schneider may have found a cheaper and younger solution in the undrafted free agent pool.
Oklahoma's Marvin Jones Jr. is an intriguing pass-rusher with sky-high potential, and while undrafted free agents have to work twice as hard to find their way to the 53-man roster, he might be well worth the opportunity.
Marvin Jones Jr. gives the Seattle Seahawks another promising pass-rusher
A former five-star recruit coming out of high school, Jones struggled to find his footing in several high-end programs, spending time in Georgia and Florida State before finally establishing himself with the Sooners.
In his final collegiate season, he logged 21 total tackles, five tackles for loss, and two sacks. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) also credited him with eight hurries and four QB hits. However, as usually happens with developmental players, the numbers aren't as important as the tape and the projections.
Jones stands at 6-foot-5 and 262 pounds. The 21-year-old is an uber-athletic young man, running an official 4.69-second 40-yard dash with a 1.65-second 10-yard split. Inconsistency and failure to live up to expectations as a former five-star recruit hurt his draft stock, but the potential is still clearly there.
The Seahawks value defensive versatility, and Jones can make an impact in both a two-point and three-point stance. He's still raw and needs to do a better job with his hands, but that makes him a blank canvas for Mike Macdonald and Aden Durde to mold into the type of do-it-all pass rusher they'd want for their heavy rotation of headhunters.
Unlike most teams, the Seahawks can afford to take their time with some of their younger players. They didn't need to draft or sign players who had to contribute right away, given that they were already set at almost every position after their Super Bowl-winning campaign.
Jones' physical tools are enticing. If he shows a strong work ethic and coachability during rookie minicamp, he might as well be worth rolling the dice on. And with proven veterans like Lawrence and Fowler to mentor and coach him up, he might be one of the 'Dark Side' defense's new gems in a year or two.
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