Growth of Sophomore Class Gives Seahawks Shot to Be Even Better in 2026
Like most Super Bowl winners, the Seattle Seahawks leaned heavily on their established stars on the way to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy last season. From quarterback Sam Darnold to defensive tackle Leonard Williams to linebacker Ernest Jones, the team had plenty of experienced veterans who stepped up with outstanding seasons to guide the team back to the top.
However, what made Seattle’s season truly a special one was the impressive contributions from young players in all three phases. Most notably, the 2025 rookie class played a massive role in taking the jump from a quality 10-win team that narrowly missed the playoffs one year earlier to winning the NFC West, earning the No. 1 seed, and capturing a Super Bowl title.
Continuing to be on a multi-year heater unearthing game-changing talent in the draft, Seahawks general manager John Schneider landed a Day 1 starting guard in Grey Zabel with the 18th overall pick, plugging the former North Dakota State standout into the lineup right away as a clear difference maker for a much-improved offensive line. Defensively, trading up to snag safety Nick Emmanwori with the 35th overall pick proved to be a huge steal for the franchise, as his Swiss army knife traits turned an already great defense into a juggernaut.
