Big Board: Ranking Top Running Back Targets for Seahawks in 2026 NFL Draft
With the deadline come and gone for teams to bring prospects into town for official visits, it’s full steam ahead for the Seattle Seahawks and the rest of the league heading towards the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.
In the aftermath of winning Super Bowl LX MVP honors, Ken Walker III took advantage of his stock never being higher by signing a record-setting free agent contract for a running back with the Chiefs, leaving the Seahawks with major questions in the backfield. Aside from losing the speedy back, Zach Charbonnet underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in February and likely will miss at least the first two months of the 2026 season, meaning the team will have to weather the storm early without their top two rushers from their title run with limited starting experience on the current roster.
Which ball carriers stand out as the best of the best for Seattle to potentially choose from?
Official 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?
Seahawks’ Desire to Boost Backfield Worst Kept Secret Heading Into 2026 NFL Draft
With a microphone in front of them, Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider and Mike Macdonald haven’t been shy voicing their confidence in a running back room that has drawn plenty of questions from outside the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Even after letting Ken Walker III leave for a record-setting free agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs and choosing not to make any external additions aside from taking a one-year flier on former Green Bay Packers backup Emmanuel Wilson, with the knowledge Zach Charbonnet likely will miss at least half of the 2026 season recovering from a torn ACL, both members of Seattle’s brain trust have suggested critics may be overlooking the talent still remaining on the roster.
But while Schneider and Macdonald may be higher on Holani, Wilson, and the Seahawks’ current stable of backs than those who aren’t in the building, reading deeper into their comments in recent weeks and reported pre-draft visits, they’re also clearly looking for upgrades to help offset the impact of Walker’s exit and Charbonnet’s injury.
Analysis: Identifying Best Running Back Fits for Seahawks’ 2026 Draft Picks
Expectedly losing several key starters from their Super Bowl-winning squad in free agency, the Seattle Seahawks arguably took their greatest hit in the backfield with four-year starter Ken Walker III departing to join the Kansas City Chiefs on a three-year deal.
Losing Walker alone would have stung, but the Seahawks also face the prospects of being without Zach Charbonnet deep into the 2026 season after he suffered a torn ACL in a playoff win over the 49ers in January, leaving them without their top two rushers from a year ago. In the aftermath of the Super Bowl MVP’s departure, general manager John Schneider waited out the free agent market before eventually signing former Packers backup Emanuel Wilson, pairing him with returning reserves George Holani and Kenny McIntosh as the top three backs on the depth chart.
Based on recent comments from Schneider, Seattle may be more comfortable with that trio than others outside of the organization, ready to give Holani or McIntosh a more extended run while thrusting Wilson into the mix with the potential to be more than just a complementary power back. But with Charbonnet only having one season left on his rookie deal, even with the team having just four picks currently, tabbing a potential long-term starter in April’s draft feels like a strong possibility, if not a guarantee.
Looking at this year’s latest crop of backs, which runners stand out as the best potential fits to succeed Walker and/or add juice to the Seahawks’ stable of backs with each of their four selections?
Seahawks Attack Lingering Needs in Post-Free Agency Mock Draft
The new NFL league year hasn’t even hit the week mark yet, but free agency already has slowed to a relative crawl after signings were announced in bunches during the annual two-day tampering period, meaning the Seattle Seahawks and all 32 teams have already shifted their attention primarily back to the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.
As things stand, after dealing away a fourth and fifth round pick to the Saints for Rashid Shaheed last October, the Seahawks currently hold only four picks in the draft. Three of those selections are on the first two days, however, providing the ammunition for general manager John Schneider to be able to potentially facilitate a deal or two to slide down the board and recoup a few extra picks on Day 3, where the team doesn’t have a fourth, fifth, or seventh round pick at the moment.
Looking towards the draft, which now sits a mere six weeks away, how may things shake out for Schneider and the Seahawks in the aftermath of the first few waves of free agency?
2026 NFL Combine: 6 Potential Seahawks Targets Who Impressed on Day 3 of Workouts
Ushering in the next stage of the NFL offseason for the Seattle Seahawks and all 32 teams, the annual NFL Scouting Combine kicked into full throttle with running backs and receivers participating in on-field athletic testing and drill work on Saturday.
Which players who could be on Seattle’s radar heading into the 2026 NFL Draft improved their stock the most? Here are six prospects who starred on Day 3 at Lucas Oil Stadium:
Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas
Fitting the bill of a late bloomer, at least by college standards, Washington toiled for three seasons in Buffalo as a backup, though he did rush for seven touchdowns as a sophomore in 2022. He jump-started his career by transferring to New Mexico State, where he became the focal point of the Aggies’ run game with 725 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, making him a coveted transfer portal recruit as a grad transfer in the spring of 2025. Making the massive jump to the SEC, the back enjoyed the finest year of his collegiate career for the Razorbacks, eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark with eight rushing touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry to garner Second-Team All-SEC honors.
ALL SEATTLE SPORTS, ALL THE TIME
Explore our latest Seattle sports content by clicking on your favorite team(s) below!
