Whether by design or not, the Seattle Seahawks haven't adequately replaced star running back Kenneth Walker III since losing him in free agency — yet. However, it seems as though the club won't pass up the opportunity to bring in a rookie in the coming weeks.
Seattle is predicted to select Notre Dame's Jadarian Price in the first round of Peter Schrager of ESPN's first 2026 NFL mock draft. The analyst's projections are "based on what [he's] hearing," not personal preference, so this isn't speculation; it's an educated guess.
For what it's worth, this isn't the first time Price has been identified as a fit for the Seahawks with the No. 32 overall pick. Taking him that high may be a slight reach, but the reigning Super Bowl champions probably won't have another chance to do so, barring a trade up. With that in mind, Seattle doesn't mess around and lands their answer to Walker's decision to join the Kansas City Chiefs.
Seahawks land Notre Dame RB Jadarian Price in Round 1 of new 2026 NFL mock draft
Football fans are probably more familiar with Price's Consensus All-American backfield mate at Notre Dame, Jeremiyah Love. The latter was arguably the country's most dominant player last season and established himself as one of the best running back prospects in recent memory. Nevertheless, the former thrived as the Fighting Irish's change-of-pace option.
Interestingly, Price sits behind his collegiate counterpart as the consensus No. 2 back in this year's class. It's rare to see a pair of guys from the same school enter the pros as the top two names at the same position. Regardless, his talent and skill set "would provide some nice pop to the Seattle offense" following Walker's exit, as Schrager highlighted.
Despite head coach Mike Macdonald's optimism, Walker's departure creates a massive hole the Seahawks must fill to defend their throne. The Super Bowl LX MVP amassed 1,700 scrimmage yards and scored nine touchdowns in 2025 (including the playoffs). Moreover, Seattle is built to win with stout defense and a strong ground game.
Across 12 games in his final campaign at Notre Dame, Price turned 113 carries into 674 yards and 11 scores. His vision, playmaking, and pure rushing ability were on full display, as evidenced by his efficient 6.0 yards per attempt tote.
He also finished tied for 36th in the nation, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), in explosive runs (10-plus yards) among tailbacks with at least 25 attempts.