I will be interested to see which running back the Seahawks take in the draft. I think it’s a safe assumption they’ll need to pick one early.
Ideally, Zach Charbonnet (pictured) will be operating at something close to 100 percent in the second half of the season, but I don’t think they can plan on that. After tearing his ACL in January, the expectation is that he’ll be sidelined at that beginning of the year, perhaps not getting back to top form until 2027.
Maybe they can get something out of George Holani. He was shockingly effective as their starter in the preseason last year, averaging 9.2 yards per carry in his two games. But he averaged only 3.3 on his 22 attempts in the real games – looks more like a backup than a candidate for much of a workload.
I am a fan of Emanuel Wilson. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry in his three seasons with the Packers, mostly as their No. 2 back. But there are some limitations to his game. The Packers, after all, weren’t really interested in re-signing him. Wilson wasn’t drafted back in 2023, playing his way onto the roster with a strong preseason.
So safe to assume the Seahawks will be adding a guy. Probably not in the first round, unless there’s a back they quietly love. The Seahawks, it should be pointed out, value the running back position more than most. Both Kenneth Walker and Charbonnet were second-round picks, and they selected Rashaad Penny late in the first round in 2018.
Mike Vorel, the Seattle Times writer, pointed out a few days ago that the Seahawks could be interested in Jonah Coleman, who played his college ball at nearby Washington. Coleman isn’t fast enough, but he’s a well-rounded back who operates like a bowling ball – 5-foot-8 and 220 pounds, and with quick feet. Coleman is very good in pass pro and also catches the ball well. Perhaps a lesser version of Cam Skattebo.
Probably Jadarian Price, Mike Washington or Emmett Johnson will be the second running back chosen. Price and Johnson are both smaller – 203-205 pounds. Washington weighs 223 and ran 3.33 at the combine, but he’s a taller, leaner back, perhaps without enough elusiveness.
Whichever back winds up in Seattle will have some opportunities, but expectations should be modest. Typically, there are a lot more misses than hits with speculative choices at the position.
In the last 10 years, 73 running backs have been chosen with third- and four-round picks. Only four of those players finished with top-20 numbers in their first season. Alvin Kamara and Kareem Hunt were top-5 backs (using PPR scoring), while Antonio Gibson and Bucky Irving cracked the top 15.
But only eight other backs made the top 30, and only six others finished with top-40 numbers. It’s hard.
Let’s see how it plays out, but I will guess this new Seattle back, whoever he may be, probably won’t be getting selected among the first 40 running backs in drafts this summer.
| RUNNING BACKS SELECTED IN ROUNDS 3-4 (last 10 years) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Pk | Run | Rec | Tot | TD | PPR | Rk |
| 2017 | Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 67 | 728 | 826 | 1554 | 14 | 322.4 | 3 |
| 2017 | Kareem Hunt, K.C. | 86 | 1327 | 455 | 1782 | 11 | 297.2 | 4 |
| 2020 | Antonio Gibson, Was. | 66 | 795 | 247 | 1042 | 11 | 206.2 | 14 |
| 2024 | Bucky Irving, T.B. | 125 | 1122 | 392 | 1514 | 8 | 246.4 | 15 |
| 2019 | David Montgomery, Chi. | 73 | 889 | 185 | 1074 | 7 | 174.4 | 24 |
| 2023 | DeVon Achane, Mia. | 84 | 800 | 197 | 997 | 11 | 192.7 | 25 |
| 2022 | Dameon Pierce, Hou. | 107 | 939 | 165 | 1104 | 5 | 170.4 | 25 |
| 2017 | Tarik Cohen, Chi. | 119 | 370 | 353 | 723 | 4 | 154.4 | 28 |
| 2018 | Nyheim Hines, Ind. | 104 | 314 | 425 | 739 | 4 | 160.9 | 28 |
| 2021 | Michael Carter, NYJ | 107 | 639 | 325 | 964 | 4 | 156.4 | 29 |
| 2025 | Woody Marks, Hou. | 116 | 703 | 208 | 911 | 6 | 151.1 | 29 |
| 2016 | Devontae Booker, Den. | 136 | 612 | 265 | 877 | 5 | 148.7 | 29 |
| 2019 | Devin Singletary, Buff. | 74 | 775 | 194 | 969 | 4 | 149.9 | 33 |
| 2023 | Tyjae Spears, Ten. | 81 | 453 | 385 | 838 | 3 | 153.8 | 34 |
| 2017 | Jamaal Williams, G.B. | 134 | 556 | 262 | 818 | 6 | 142.8 | 34 |
| 2022 | Rachaad White, T.B. | 91 | 481 | 290 | 771 | 3 | 145.1 | 35 |
| 2021 | Chuba Hubbard, Car. | 126 | 612 | 174 | 786 | 6 | 139.6 | 36 |
| 2025 | Cam Skattebo, NYG | 105 | 410 | 207 | 617 | 7 | 129.7 | 37 |
| 2024 | Ray Davis, Buff. | 128 | 442 | 189 | 631 | 6 | 116.1 | 41 |
| 2022 | Brian Robinson, Was. | 98 | 797 | 60 | 857 | 3 | 112.7 | 43 |
| 2017 | Samaje Perine, Was. | 114 | 603 | 182 | 785 | 2 | 112.5 | 43 |
| 2017 | Wayne Gallman, NYG | 140 | 476 | 193 | 669 | 1 | 106.9 | 46 |
| 2018 | Royce Freeman, Den. | 71 | 521 | 72 | 593 | 5 | 103.3 | 46 |
| 2024 | Isaac Guerendo, S.F. | 129 | 420 | 152 | 572 | 4 | 96.2 | 47 |
| 2021 | Rhamondre Stevenson, N.E. | 120 | 606 | 123 | 729 | 5 | 116.9 | 47 |
| 2023 | Roschon Johnson, Chi. | 115 | 352 | 209 | 561 | 2 | 102.1 | 47 |
| 2016 | Kenneth Dixon, Balt. | 134 | 382 | 162 | 544 | 3 | 102.4 | 47 |
| 2017 | Marlon Mack, Ind. | 143 | 358 | 225 | 583 | 4 | 103.3 | 48 |
| 2020 | Zack Moss, Buff. | 86 | 481 | 95 | 576 | 5 | 101.6 | 49 |
| 2018 | Ito Smith, Atl. | 126 | 315 | 152 | 467 | 4 | 97.7 | 50 |
| 2024 | Braelon Allen, NYJ | 134 | 334 | 148 | 482 | 3 | 85.2 | 51 |
| 2019 | Tony Pollard, Dall. | 128 | 455 | 107 | 562 | 3 | 91.2 | 53 |
| 2025 | Bhayshul Tuten, Jac. | 104 | 307 | 79 | 386 | 7 | 90.6 | 53 |
| 2025 | Dylan Sampson, Cle. | 126 | 175 | 271 | 446 | 2 | 89.6 | 54 |
| 2020 | Joshua Kelley, LAC | 112 | 354 | 148 | 502 | 2 | 85.2 | 58 |
| 2019 | Alexander Mattison, Min. | 102 | 462 | 82 | 544 | 1 | 70.4 | 61 |
| 2016 | C.J. Prosise, Sea. | 90 | 172 | 208 | 380 | 1 | 61.0 | 67 |
| 2019 | Benny Snell, Pitt. | 122 | 426 | 23 | 449 | 2 | 59.9 | 67 |
| 2024 | Trey Benson, Ari. | 66 | 291 | 59 | 350 | 1 | 47.0 | 70 |
| 2023 | Kendre Miller, N.O. | 71 | 156 | 117 | 273 | 1 | 43.3 | 72 |
| 2018 | Chase Edmonds, Ari. | 134 | 208 | 103 | 311 | 2 | 63.1 | 72 |
| 2016 | Kenyan Drake, Mia. | 73 | 179 | 46 | 225 | 3 | 49.5 | 73 |
| 2020 | DeeJay Dallas, Sea. | 144 | 108 | 111 | 219 | 3 | 56.9 | 73 |
| 2017 | D'Onta Foreman, Hou. | 89 | 327 | 83 | 410 | 2 | 59.0 | 74 |
| 2019 | Justice Hill, Balt. | 113 | 225 | 70 | 295 | 2 | 49.5 | 77 |
| 2024 | Blake Corum, LAR | 83 | 207 | 58 | 265 | 0 | 33.5 | 82 |
| 2018 | Kalen Ballage, Mia. | 131 | 191 | 56 | 247 | 1 | 39.7 | 86 |
| 2023 | Tank Bigsby, Jac. | 88 | 132 | 6 | 138 | 2 | 26.8 | 87 |
| 2024 | Jaylen Wright, Mia. | 120 | 249 | 8 | 257 | 0 | 28.7 | 91 |
| 2022 | Pierre Strong, N.E. | 127 | 100 | 42 | 142 | 1 | 27.2 | 94 |
| 2022 | Hassan Haskins, Ten. | 131 | 93 | 57 | 150 | 0 | 26.0 | 96 |
| 2020 | KeShawn Vaughn, T.B. | 76 | 109 | 34 | 143 | 1 | 25.3 | 98 |
| 2019 | Darrell Henderson, LAR | 70 | 147 | 37 | 184 | 0 | 22.4 | 98 |
| 2021 | Trey Sermon, S.F. | 88 | 167 | 26 | 193 | 1 | 28.3 | 99 |
| 2025 | Trevor Etienne, Car. | 114 | 94 | 13 | 107 | 0 | 13.7 | 102 |
| 2020 | Anthony McFarland, Pitt. | 124 | 113 | 54 | 167 | 0 | 22.7 | 102 |
| 2024 | Will Shipley, Phil. | 127 | 82 | 35 | 117 | 0 | 15.7 | 104 |
| 2021 | Kene Nwangwu, Min. | 119 | 61 | 9 | 70 | 2 | 23.0 | 105 |
| 2018 | Mark Walton, Cin. | 112 | 34 | 41 | 75 | 0 | 12.5 | 109 |
| 2024 | Sione Vaki, Det. | 132 | 14 | 37 | 51 | 0 | 8.1 | 112 |
| 2017 | James Conner, Pitt. | 105 | 144 | 0 | 144 | 0 | 14.4 | 113 |
| 2025 | Kaleb Johnson, Pitt. | 83 | 69 | 9 | 78 | 0 | 8.8 | 113 |
| 2020 | Darrynton Evans, Ten. | 93 | 54 | 27 | 81 | 1 | 16.1 | 119 |
| 2022 | Tyrion Davis-Price, S.F. | 93 | 99 | 0 | 99 | 0 | 9.9 | 123 |
| 2022 | Isaiah Spiller, LAC | 123 | 41 | 13 | 54 | 0 | 8.4 | 126 |
| 2024 | MarShawn Lloyd, G.B. | 88 | 15 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 2.8 | 127 |
| 2022 | Zamir White, L.V. | 122 | 70 | 0 | 70 | 0 | 7.0 | 132 |
| 2016 | Tyler Ervin, Hou. | 119 | 3 | 18 | 21 | 0 | 5.1 | 140 |
| 2019 | Damien Harris, N.E. | 87 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1.2 | 142 |
| 2025 | Jarquez Hunter, LAR | 117 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 | --- |
| 2019 | Bryce Love, Was. | 112 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 | --- |
| 2017 | Donnel Pumphrey, Phil. | 132 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 | --- |
| 2017 | Joe Williams, S.F. | 121 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .0 | --- |
—Ian Allan

