Almost every rookie has difficulty transitioning from college to the NFL. Training camp and the preseason seem easier than when the real games begin. For the Seattle Seahawks, who have 11 rookies on the team's active 53-man roster, there could be a huge learning curve.
The good part is that Seattle has quite a few veteran leaders to help the rookies learn their way. Players such as Leonard Williams, Cooper Kupp, Jarran Reed, and DeMarcus Lawrence are not only experienced, but they are pretty good, too.
But the Seahawks' offense could be greatly augmented by one first-year player who was so good in training camp that he chased a seven-year veteran off the team. Wide receiver Tory Horton was a fifth-round draft pick, though he fell in the draft because of a knee injury his last year in college.
Seattle Seahawks rookie Tory Horton gets high praise ahead of Week 1
He played more like a first-round choice in training camp. He saw limited time in the preseason because of a minor ankle injury, but also because the team might have been trying to hide him a bit. Horton can be great, but Seattle doesn't want other teams to know that yet.
One NFL analyst who seems to know it is ESPN NFL analyst Matt Miller. In his article about what to expect from rookies in 2025, Horton is listed second among "under-the-radar" players.
Miller writes, "Were it not for a season-ending knee injury in his final year at Colorado State, Horton was a likely top-75 selection in the draft. He slid to pick No. 166, right into the hands of the receiver-needy Seahawks."
The question is whether Tory Horton is truly ready to be a third option for the Seattle Seahawks this coming season. Kupp is WR2, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the clear WR1. One aspect of the offense that could limit Horton is that offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is going to use a bunch of two tight end sets as well as a fullback on occasion.
That leaves only two receivers on the field a lot of the time, and most of the time, those receivers are going to be Kupp and Smith-Njigba. Horton will need to make the most of his chances, though the fewer reps could slow his growth.
Or, the San Francisco 49ers don't know what awaits them, and Horton is going to make an immediate positive impact for the Seahawks in Week 1. He could be the difference in the game. The wide receiver has already been better than expected, so there's no time to start expecting less from Tory Horton now.