The Seattle Seahawks will have more competition for the last few roster spots this season than ever. Between their 11 draft picks and their 15 free agent signings, the heat is on for those 53 roster spots. These five undrafted rookies have the best chance to break through.
Some of those free agents are obvious locks for the 53-man roster. Sam Darnold, Cooper Kupp, and DeMarcus Lawrence aren't exactly candidates to get visits from the Turk. If you're not familiar with the term, it's the team official who tells a player to pack his bags and turn in his playbook. And if you don't like the term, blame former Rams player Don Paul, not me.
I'm more interested in the unheralded guys who are likely to make the Seahawks. From "More Bobo" to Angry Doug, it's not as if Seattle hasn't had more than its share of great players step up from those ranks. These are the five players I believe have the best chance to join that group. Or at least make the team.
The five undrafted rookies most likely to make the Seahawks
Jared Ivey, Edge
Ivey has been listed at both linebacker and defensive end by various publications. Most have him at linebacker. Don't bother checking with the official team site; they literally have no one listed at quarterback. Maybe Klint Kubiak is going to run the single wing? Jalen Milroe would be sooo nasty.
Okay, back to Ivey. At 6'6" and 274 pounds, it makes sense to group him with the defensive ends. No matter what you call his position, he's going to play up on the line and be a force. He racked up seven sacks for Ole Miss last year and a ridiculously good 23 tackles for a loss in the past two seasons. Picture Dre'Mont Jones, except, you know, productive.
Zy Alexander, Cornerback
Depending on which draftnik you follow, Alexander was expected to be picked in the fourth round (Draftbuzz's Boll Miller) or the fifth (NFL's Lance Zierlein). He compiled 11 pass breakups and four picks in his two seasons at LSU. That may not sound particularly great, but his QB rating allowed was just 68.2. And that certainly is stellar.
At 6'1 and 187 pounds, he has the size the Seahawks traditionally love at corner. Devon Witherspoon is an inch shorter and two pounds lighter. Like Spoon, Alexander has shown excellent skill in run support. Alexander sounds exactly like the kind of guy defensive passing game coordinator Karl Scott wants in his lineup.
Luke Felix-Fualalo, Offensive Tackle
There's no truth to the rumor that Seattle signed the very large (6'7", 318 pounds) University of Hawaii tackle to the roster so punter Michael Dickson would have a fellow Aussie on the roster. After three seasons of sparse play at Utah, Felix-Fualalo transferred a few thousand miles closer to home.
The change of climate agreed with him, as he appeared in eight games and got four starts. Pass-blocking agreed with him, too, as he ranked 27th among 601 offensive tackles in keeping his QB clean, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). I think Sam Darnold might appreciate him even more than Dickson will.
D'Eryk Jackson, Inside Linebacker
There was a time when you mentioned an athlete from the University of Kentucky, and you knew you were talking about basketball. On occasion, you might be talking about football these days. That's the case with the 6'1" 245-pound Jackson, who spent his entire collegiate career as a Wildcat. He was named to Pro Football Focus' All-SEC defensive squad for the 2023 season.
He only played in eight games last year, as injuries put him on the shelf for the final month. Over 21 games in his last two seasons, he made 127 tackles, 13 of those for a loss, and three sacks. He had three interceptions as well, one of those a pick-six.
Beyond starters Ernest Jones IV and Tyrice Knight, the most defensive snaps any returning LB on Seattle had was Drake Thomas's 37. The competition is wide open for Jackson.
Isas Waxter, Cornerback
Yes, 12s, I know that Seattle has three solid starters at corner already. Okay, they have an absolute stud in Spoon, a solid player in Josh Jobe, and the enigmatic Riq Woolen, who may return to his Pro Bowl level or stay merely competent. And Shaquill Griffin is back as well. At the least, he'll add much-needed depth to the defensive backfield.
So, how does the 6'1" 209-pound Villanova standout force his way into the lineup? He can't turn on the afterburners. His 40 time of 4.56 is identical to Zy Alexander's. What he can do is cover. He broke up 11 passes and picked off three more in 2023.
Last season, teams learned to stay away from him, but he still posted a sparkling passer rating allowed of just 59.0. His size translates well to a player who could move between corner and safety. And we know how much Mike Macdonald loves that.
Are they all long shots? Well, duh. But if DeShawn Shead can come out of Portland State and play for six years in the NFL—and be a beast for the Seahawks for five of those—these guys can make it, too.