After losing 1,000-yard rusher and Super Bowl MV Kenneth Walker during free agency, the Seattle Seahawks are likely to gamble on a high-upside running back in the 2026 NFL draft.
While Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love will be long gone by the time the Seahawks are on the clock at pick 32, they may just find themselves settling for the next best thing: Love’s Fighting Irish teammate Jadarian Price.
Often overlooked because of Love’s dominance, Price is considered by most scouts as the second-best RB in the 2026 class. Many have said Price will be a future star RB in the NFL, including ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., who predicted Seattle will grab Price at the end of Round 1 in his final mock draft of the offseason.
“Seattle has to make every pick count, with four total selections (fewest in the league) and picking at the end of each round,” Kiper wrote. “I originally considered projecting Arizona to trade up into this spot simply because the Seahawks would welcome any additional draft capital, but I wasn’t convinced we’d actually get an in-division trade like that involving a quarterback pick. Instead, Seattle stays home and closes out Round 1 with our second running back off the board.
“Kenneth Walker III signed in Kansas City, and Zach Charbonnet is working back from a torn ACL. Price might not have been the RB1 at Notre Dame, but he can be one in the NFL. He’s powerful and fast, averaging 6.0 yards per carry over his career and scoring 11 touchdowns last season.”
While Love got the bulk of the carries for Notre Dame, Price impressed with the touches he got. In three seasons, Price totaled 1,692 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also impressed at the combine, posting a 4.49 time in the 40-yard dash.
Price is a more natural runner than Love, and he plays more in between the tackles, using his vision to find running lanes while fooling defenders with top-notch footwork and elusiveness.
With Charbonnet, who rushed for 730 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, recovering from a major injury, Price is the kind of player who could carry the load until he gets back to full strength.
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