Top-30/Local Visits Tracker: Who Have Seahawks Met With Leading Up to 2026 NFL Draft?
With the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine in the rearview mirror and free agency well underway, the Seattle Seahawks and all 32 NFL teams are in the midst of scheduling and conducting their pre-draft top-30 visits.
In this process, each NFL team can bring in up to 30 players to their respective facilities for interviews and meetings with coaches as well as medical examinations and physicals. In addition, teams can also bring in local players for official visits, which do not count as one of the top-30 visits. While these on-site meetings are only part of the evaluation process leading up to the three-day event, they can play a critical role in determining where each player ends up on draft weekend.
Which players have already met with the Seahawks or are scheduled to come to town for top-30 visits and local visits before the 2026 NFL Draft?
Analysis: Why Cole Young’s Spring Training Improvements Will Continue in 2026 Mariners Season
Cole Young had the second-lowest hard hit rate on the Mariners last year at 31.1%, about 10th percentile among major leaguers. He also hit the longest home run of any Mariner.
Well, not counting Cal Raleigh’s absolute tanks in the Home Run Derby. But even as the Mariner catcher hit 60 bombs in 2025, he never cracked 450 feet on any of them; his longest shot went 448 feet. Young, meanwhile, took poor Rangers starter Kumar Rocker 456 feet with a line drive to the second deck on the last day of July. It was one of just four home runs during Young’s rookie campaign, but it gave some indication that Seattle’s biggest prospect graduation of the year might have some serious pop in the tank.
But with 12 extra-base hits in 257 plate appearances, Young didn’t give much of an indication that he could do such things consistently. Indeed, while that exact nuke left the bat at 114.1 miles an hour - a maximum exit velocity in the 83rd percentile - Young hit so many weak grounders and lazy fly balls that the rest of his batted ball profile was markedly unimpressive.
Hitting six home runs in 63 plate appearances, however, is very impressive. That’s what Young did in Spring Training this year - but does that mean anything come Opening Day?
Top 5 Home and Road Series on Mariners’ 2026 Schedule
The 2026 baseball season is upon us. The Mariners kick off the slate by welcoming the Cleveland Guardians to Seattle, starting Thursday. Opening Day is always a special time as the saying goes, “hope springs eternal.” For the Mariners, that’s especially true. It’s not very often that the Mariners open a season with the thought process of “World Series or bust.”
With that in mind, the Mariners will certainly clash with the best of the best MLB has to offer as they hope to be considered in that group themselves. Let’s take a look at the marquee series of the 2026 schedule, including the top five series at T-Mobile Park as well as the top five series on the road.
The top series could mean a combination of playing the best teams in the league but also key promotions or events surrounding that series.
Longer Seasons Incoming For WNBA, Seattle Storm Fans
Longer WNBA seasons are on the near horizon for Seattle Storm basketball fans.
The WNBA board of governors unanimously ratified the new collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players union on Tuesday, per the Associated Press, leaving just the long-form document to be written up before the agreement is finalized.
Included in the new CBA, in addition to the landmark increases in salaries for players, is the framework for substantially longer seasons, per ESPN’s Alexa Philippou and Kendra Andrews.
Transfer Portal Strikes Early for Washington State Cougars
Even though the college basketball transfer portal doesn’t officially open until April 7 and the NCAA Tournament still has a ways to go before crowning a new champion, a couple of Washington State Cougars have already announced their intentions to explore other opportunities and depart Pullman.
With the portal closing on April 21, it remains unclear how the rest of the roster will shake out heading into next season, but it’s possible other Cougars could decide to at least test the waters before the portal opens next month.
Seahawks Maintain Present/Future Cap Flexibility Amid Receiver Spending Spree
Kicking off a busy Monday in late March with a bang, the Seattle Seahawks worked swiftly to reward Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba with a record-setting extension, making the superstar receiver the highest-paid player at his position in NFL history with a four-year, $168.6 million contract.
Only a few hours later, weeks after locking up speedy wideout/return specialist Rashid Shaheed a three-year, $51 million contract on the first day of free agency, general manager John Schneider dipped even more financial assets into the receiver group, as the Seahawks opted to match the Jaguars’ two-year offer sheet for special teams ace Jake Bobo. Between those three contracts, the franchise has shelled out north of $220 million at the position this month, including over $120 million in guarantees for Smith-Njigba’s market-setting extension.
Adding those three deals with veteran Cooper Kupp’s remaining two years with base salaries of $12.9 and $12.4 million, per Spotrac, Seattle has a league-high $83 million in combined average annual value (AAV) at the receiver spot in 2026 and nearly equaling that total at $78 million in 2027. In both seasons, they sit at least $6 million ahead of the next team behind them, illustrating tremendous investment in the position compared to the rest of the NFL.
Gonzaga Baseball Battles For Series Win Over San Diego to Open WCC Play
The WCC schedule makers definitely cooked this time. Picked to finish first and second in the conference, respectively, the San Diego Toreros (8-14, 1-2 WCC) and Gonzaga Bulldogs (9-12, 2-1 WCC) met over the weekend for a three-game set that opened West Coast Conference play for the two teams, and to say the series delivered would be an understatement.
Highlighted by rallies, lead changes, and plenty of emotion, the Zags managed to take two out of three on the road despite dropping the series opener and the Toreros scoring first in all three games. Nearly everyone in GU’s lineup contributed throughout the weekend, with clutch hits being provided to stage several comeback efforts.
How did the Bulldogs’ resiliency show in a big series win?
Seahawks Reward Jaxon Smith-Njigba With Record-Breaking Extension
Striking a deal early in free agency with a contract extension being a top priority for the organization, the Seattle Seahawks have locked up one of their biggest foundational pieces for the next half decade.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Seahawks and superstar receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba have agreed to terms on a four-year, $168.6 million mega deal worth a record-setting $42.15 million per year. Under the terms of the contract, he will also receive more than $120 million in guarantees, the most ever for a wideout in NFL history.
Enjoying a historic breakout in his third season with the Seahawks and more than earning his market-setting contract, the 24-year-old Smith-Njigba emerged as one of the league’s best weapons for the eventual Super Bowl champions, snagging 119 receptions for an NFL-best 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns from quarterback Sam Darnold. Per TruMedia, he finished with 42 explosive receptions, seven more than any other receiver in the league, while posting a remarkable 35.3% explosive reception rate on a whopping 163 targets.
Mariners Reportedly Go with Garver for Backup Catcher; Right or Wrong Move by Dipoto?
Mitch Garver already returned to the Mariners organization thanks to some advice from Cal Raleigh, but with Spring Training nearly in the rear-view mirror, it’s being reported that he’s going to make the jump back to the bigs for another year. With this decision, it’s likely that Andrew Knizner - who signed a $1 million guaranteed contract in the offseason - will be designated for assignment, though he can be outrighted to Triple-A if he clears waivers. Jhonny Pereda, who is on the 40-man roster, will probably also return to Triple-A to start the season, though this would mark his last minor league option.
Garver was quite appreciative of Raleigh’s efforts to bring him back, according to MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer.
“It means a lot that he would want me to come back and be there for him whenever he needs to take a breather,” Garver said. “So, I'm happy to do it. Happy to just put on the gear and catch guys when they need me the most and couldn't be [happier] to be where we're at.”
Bringing Garver up was a $2.25 million dollar decision, financially, as that’s what Garver was guaranteed to make if he made the MLB roster at any point. So what went into the decision to bring him back for another year?
Huskies WBB Stopped Short of Sweet 16 in Overtime Heartbreaker vs. TCU
The No. 6-seeded University of Washington women’s basketball team was on the precipice of a massive upset before surrendering its 10-point lead, allowing No. 3 TCU to force overtime and eventually end the Huskies’ season in a 62-59 second-round loss to the Horned Frogs on Sunday, March 22, at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
Had the Huskies won, they would’ve advanced to their first Sweet 16 since the 2016-17 season and just their second since 1994-95.
Fresh off a dominant first-round victory over No. 11 South Dakota State, the Huskies were hoping to pursue a historic season. Instead, UW finished its season 22-11 overall in heartbreaking fashion.
Redhawks Give Tigers Last-Minute Scare, Fall Short in 91-85 NIT Loss
In the final minutes of Seattle U’s matchup against Auburn, the Redhawks nearly sucked the life out of Neville Arena. Five straight baskets by the underdog almost secured a miraculous come from behind win in NIT action.
But Seattle needed the poise they played with late to weather the storm in the early going and it simply wasn’t there. Multiple runs by the Tigers put the Redhawks into a hole they could not fully climb out of, suffering a season-ending 91-85 loss in the second round of the NIT Sunday night.
With the game tied at 15 in the first half, Auburn went on a 19-5 sprint to blow the game open early. Multiple Redhawk turnovers led to baskets on the other end and Auburn fed off its rowdy home crowd. While Seattle struggled to find a rhythm offensively, Auburn established control inside that led to easy looks throughout the entire contest. The Tigers had a 38-24 advantage in points in the paint and shot 32 free throws compared to 11 by the Redhawks.
Sounders Draw with Minnesota in Scoreless Grudge Match
The Seattle Sounders played to a 0-0 draw with Minnesota United on Sunday morning, which eliminated Seattle in a dramatic three-game series last season.
The Seattle Sounders went into Allianz Stadium looking for a fifth consecutive win away from Lumen Field. They got about a third of what they bargained for, playing to a 0-0 draw with the Loons to move to 3-1-1 on the young season.
Minnesota played its usual low block, dropping five defenders back and daring Seattle to beat them without giving up transition chances. Both sides generated around one expected goal, as there were moments of brilliance, especially toward the end of the game.
In the end, the Sounders kept their fifth clean sheet of the year as they head into a short international break in the middle of the Western Conference standings.
Analysis: Identifying Best EDGE Fits for Seahawks’ 2026 Draft Picks
Expectedly losing several key starters from their Super Bowl-winning squad in free agency, the Seattle Seahawks allowed former second round pick Boye Mafe to walk, as the three-year starter took his talents to the Cincinnati Bengals on a three-year, $60 million deal.
Losing Mafe, who only had two sacks and four quarterback hits in 17 games last season for Seattle, may not seem like a significant departure. But those numbers didn’t fully illustrate his impact in coach Mike Macdonald’s defense, as he still managed to eclipse 40 pressures and posted a 19% Pass Rush Win Rate that ranked eighth among EDGE defenders via ESPN, providing plenty of disruption even if the tangible statistics hitting quarterbacks didn’t translate from that.
In addition, the Seahawks have other questions at the position without Mafe, starting with the immediate future of Demarcus Lawrence, who has been at the center of retirement speculation since Super Bowl LX. Uchenna Nwosu, who finally overcame a rough two-year run of injuries to bounce back with a strong 2025 campaign, as well as Derick Hall, each have only one year remaining on their current contracts, making the EDGE spot a significant area of need short and long term for the franchise.
Looking at this year’s latest crop of EDGE defenders, which players stand out as the best potential fits to succeed Mafe and help reinforce the Seahawks’ defensive line for 2026 and beyond with each of their four selections?
Analysis: All Eyes on Caden Pinnick, Cougars’ Quarterback Room Entering Spring Ball
Though the Washington State Cougars managed to reach a bowl game in the lone season under former coach Jimmy Rogers, they did so with uneven play from multiple quarterbacks, as Jaxon Potter opened the season before being benched in favor of Zevi Eckhaus.
Potter began the year as Wazzu’s starter under center, but a horrendous performance in a blowout loss to North Texas cost him the job, and Eckhaus took the reins from there. The senior signal caller provided a lift for the Cougars by throwing 15 touchdowns and rushing for eight scores, but he still battled turnover issues, throwing 12 interceptions in 11 games.
Under new head coach Kirby Moore, the Cougars bring a mix of proven production, returning experience, and intriguing young talent into 2026, but it remains to be seen who will start. As spring football approaches in Pullman, with Eckhaus graduating and Potter transferring, who has the edge in a Washington State quarterback room featuring an exiting newcomer and two returning signal callers?
Gonzaga's Defense Slips, Season Ends in Upset Loss to Texas in Round of 32
Since forward Braden Huff went down with a dislocated knee in the middle of January, the Gonzaga Bulldogs have been able to cover up the holes in their playstyle, primarily by dominating on the defensive end.
But in the second round of the NCAA tournament, the Texas Longhorns pieced together an excellent offensive performance against the Zags. They shot 51.7% from the field, the best mark an opponent of GU has posted since Portland downed Gonzaga on February 4, and the fourth-highest clip it’s allowed all season of the year. Texas also only turned the ball over five times, the lowest forced turnover total from the Bulldogs’ perspective.
Yet, the Zags still had an opportunity to win the game, down just a point with 32 seconds to go. But another lapse defensively resulted in a crushing three from the corner out of the hand of Camden Heide, and the Zags’ response afterward was jarring. Mario Saint-Supéry then missed short on an out-of-sync three; no Longhorns were fouled, and Mark Few left the court with a timeout in his pocket as Gonzaga fell 74-68, their season coming to an end before the Sweet 16 for the second straight year.
7 Questions Facing Huskies Heading into Spring Football
The Cherry blossoms emerging in the University of Washington quad are a sign of spring for most around campus. For UW football fans, however, spring will truly begin on March 31 when spring ball begins for the Huskies.
Practices for the 2026 season begin in just 10 days as Washington starts preparing for the season-opening Apple Cup on Sept. 5, still 168 days away. The Huskies will welcome 32 new players to practice, including 20 of the expected 25 Class of 2026 and 12 scholarship transfers.
What are some of the key storylines heading into spring ball?
Fifth-Year Option Opens Gateway for Seahawks to Extend Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Devon Witherspoon
In 2023, the Seattle Seahawks possessed two first round picks in the NFL draft thanks to the Russell Wilson trade with the Denver Broncos. They used their fifth overall pick on cornerback Devon Witherspoon out of Illinois. 15 picks later, they look Ohio State star receiving Jaxon Smith-Njigba at No. 20, double-dipping on Big Ten prospects.
Witherspoon has been a Pro Bowler in each of his first three seasons and was instrumental in the Seahawks beating the Patriots in Super Bowl LX. Meanwhile, Smith-Njigba emerged as one of the best receivers in the NFL. In 2025, his NFL-high 1,793 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns earned himself Offensive Player of the Year, the first Seahawk to earn the honor since Shaun Alexander in 2005.
Not surprisingly, the Seahawks are extremely motivated to keep both stars in Seattle long-term, and now, the first shoe has dropped in that effort. On Friday, Seattle picked up the fifth-year option on both players, by virtue of them being first round picks. They were the first team to do so for members of the 2023 draft class, well ahead of the May 1 deadline.
Reign Fall in Cascadia Rivalry Despite Two Thorns Ejections
PORTLAND, Ore. — It was about as eventful of a Cascadia Clash as you can have.
Friday night saw the Seattle Reign head down I-5 to take on their fierce NWSL rival in the Portland Thorns for their home opener — which pulled in over 21,000 fans in a record-setting and raucous atmosphere at Providence Park.
After two red cards and the return of one of the biggest stars in the sport to her home pitch in Sophia Wilson, Portland came out on top 2-0 by dropping their entire squad into the box and making Seattle beat them without transition chances.
Evidently, the Reign’s service wasn’t up to par as Seattle’s offense stalled without any chance to attack against a defense that wasn't set.
Analysis: Could Seahawks Opt for ‘More Bobo,’ Match Jaguars’ Offer Sheet?
Making a last minute pivot in the final hour before free agency officially kicked off on March 11, the Seahawks decided to change course by placing a right of first refusal tender on restricted free agent receiver Jake Bobo, hoping that would prevent another team from signing the popular veteran.
But a little over a week after tendering him at a $3.52 million value for 2026 with the aim of discouraging other suitors from signing him, even after deciding not to let him become an unrestricted free agent as originally planned, Seattle still faces the prospect of losing Bobo. Still drawing interest from other teams, the Jaguars jumped into the fray by signing the former UCLA standout to an offer sheet, giving the Seahawks five days to make a decision on whether to match the offer or allow him to walk away in free agency.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Jacksonville offered a two-year deal worth $5.5 million, which would actually carry smaller cap hits than the $3.52 million value of Bobo’s tender. The deal carries $4.5 million in guaranteed salary with a big chunk of that being paid out in the second year, which goes against how Seattle typically structures contracts, especially for reserve players. The contract also has $1.5 million in additional incentives available to push the maximum value to $7 million.
Gonzaga WBB’s Late Push Falls Short in Season-Ending Loss to Ole Miss
Even after a late rally, No. 12-seeded Gonzaga women’s basketball was unable to outmuscle a stacked No. 5 Ole Miss team in a season-ending 81-66 loss on Friday, March 20, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Ole Miss held Lauren Whittaker, the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year, to just eight points on 4 of 21 shooting, completely shutting down the Zags’ offense for most of the game.
However, after 35 minutes of dominance, the Rebels began to falter and nearly let the Zags steal an upset. What previously looked like a certain blowout ended up as a contested victory for Ole Miss.
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