The Seattle Seahawks always knew 2026 was set up to not be the team's best draft year. Unlikely the previous years, the team only had four picks entering the draft. That expanded to eight, but most players chosen were in the later rounds, with little chance of making an already loaded roster.
The immediate production of the class was further hindered when second-round pick Bud Clark broke his ankle during a preseason game. The safety will miss the season, though he was having a good training camp and might be expected to play an important role beginning in 2027.
First-round pick Jadarian Price, though, flashed an ability to be potentially transformative. The running back and cornerback Julian Neal were the only rookies to play in Week 1. But Neal was far more limited.
Seattle Seahawks rookie stock report after Week 1 win
RB Jadarian Price
Price should get a B grade for what he was able to do against the New England Patriots. He could have earned an A, but his usage didn't truly allow that. He was decisive and extremely fast. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry, but only had 10 rushes. He probably should have gotten more early because he was rolling.
Price's longest run was 13 yards, so it wasn't as if most of his 52 yards came on one or two carries. He often picked up at least six yards. He also had two catches for six yards, but wasn't truly used as a receiver. He was more of a check-down option.
Ultimately, the rookie split carries with veteran George Holani, who had eight rushes. Price was considerably more dangerous than Holani, and the rookie should be used more moving forward. He will likely only get better from his first game and could be the Seahawks' RB1 for much of the next decade.
CB Julian Neal
Neal was the only other rookie to get snaps, but the third-round cornerback didn't play on defense. Instead, he was involved in five special teams reps, all on punt returns. He was fine, but unremarkable. The positive part is that the cornerbacks the Seattle Seahawks decided to go with, especially Nehemiah Pritchett, were quite good, and no reinforcements were needed.
The expectation for Neal in the near future appears to be that he plays well in the third phase of the game, but he doesn't see a lot of time on defense. As long as Pritchett and Josh Jobe continue to play well, that is just fine.
The rest
The only other rookie who could have played was guard Beau Stephens. He was a healthy inactive for Week 1, though. Starter Anthony Bradford wasn't exactly great. He allowed three pressures on 28 pass-block snaps and was flagged for two penalties.
This might mean that Stephens eventually plays this season. That said, the Seahawks have stuck with Bradford for three seasons already and don't appear to be on the verge of making a change.
Add us as a preferred source on Google