Factoid

July 27, 2026

Will Jadarian be catching on?

Seattle back wasn't receiver in college

Believing or not believing in Seattle rookie Jadarian Price seems to be a key debate entering fantasy drafts this summer. Either you're in or you're out, and there are arguments that can be made for both sides.

Opportunity is in his favor, with Kenneth Walker gone and Zach Charbonnet coming off a torn ACL. Draft capital (he's a first-round pick) also operates on his behalf.

The concern, at least for him having a heavy-duty role, is that Price wasn't used as a pass catcher in college. At all: 15 receptions, and just 6 all of last season. Notre Dame also had Jeremiyah Love, of course, so was there was no reason to give Price those chances. But until he shows he can do it, there will be questions. Seattle has second-year back George Holani, probably the initial favorite for that role, and former Packer Emanuel Wilson.

Seattle is reportedly throwing Price passes in camp so far (pictured!), trying to get him comfortable and up to speed in that area. We don't know he can't handle those duties, of course, just that he hasn't. And catching the ball is only part of the job; pass protection is arguably more important. The team might be more comfortable with Wilson or Holani protecting Sam Darnold.

I thought I'd take a look at how other similar prospects have fared in their first NFL seasons. I looked at all running backs drafted in the first two rounds (since 2000) who caught fewer than 15 passes in their final year of college. It gave me a field of 32 players -- including, coincidentally, three former Seahawks. How did they do in this area as rookies?

Five of those backs were hurt most or all of their rookie seasons. I included them in the table, but they're not really relevant -- who knows how many passes they'd have caught if healthy.

Of the other 27 rookie running backs, six did just fine catching the ball their first seasons. LaDainian Tomlinson stands out: not used as a receiver in that final year of college, but he immediately caught 59 passes as a rookie. Five other backs caught 25-plus passes, including Kenneth Walker.

Exactly half of the other 22 followed up their final college season of catching fewer than 15 passes by doing the same as rookies. LenDale White, Ronald Jones, Sony Michel, AJ Dillon.

Table is sorted by rookie-year receptions. First four columns show their final year of college numbers. Last four show their rookie year numbers.

RBS WHO DIDN'T CATCH IT IN COLLEGE, ROOKIE SEASONS (1ST-2ND RD)
Year	Rd	Player	Run	No	Rec	TD	Run	No	Rec	TD
2001	1	LaDainian Tomlinson, S.D.	2158	10	40	22	1236	59	367	10
2002	2	Clinton Portis, Den.	1200	12	125	11	1508	33	364	17
2006	1	DeAngelo Williams, Car.	1964	12	78	19	501	33	313	2
2001	1	Michael Bennett, Minn.	1598	4	23	10	682	29	226	3
2004	1	Kevin Jones, Det.	1647	14	161	21	1133	28	180	6
2022	2	Kenneth Walker, Sea.	1636	13	89	19	1050	27	165	9
2001	2	Anthony Thomas, Chi.	1551	13	239	17	1183	22	178	7
2001	2	Travis Henry, Buff.	1314	13	65	11	729	22	179	4
2010	1	Ryan Mathews, S.D.	1808	11	122	19	678	22	145	7
2010	2	Toby Gerhart, Minn.	1871	11	157	28	322	21	167	1
2015	1	Todd Gurley, St.L.	911	12	57	9	1106	21	188	10
2013	2	Montee Ball, Den.	1830	10	72	22	559	20	145	4
2018	2	Nick Chubb, Clev.	1345	4	30	15	996	20	149	10
2007	1	Adrian Peterson, Minn.	1012	10	136	13	1341	19	268	13
2004	2	Julius Jones, Dall.	1268	10	53	10	819	17	107	7
2006	2	LenDale White, Tenn.	1302	14	219	26	244	14	60	0
2016	2	Derrick Henry, Tenn.	2219	11	91	28	490	13	137	5
2009	1	Beanie Wells, Ariz.	1197	8	47	8	793	12	143	7
2002	1	T.J. Duckett, Atl.	1236	12	80	11	507	9	61	4
2018	1	Sony Michel, N.E.	1227	9	96	17	931	7	50	6
2018	2	Ronald Jones, T.B.	1550	14	187	20	44	7	33	1
2004	2	Tatum Bell, Den.	1286	9	60	16	396	5	80	3
2000	1	Ron Dayne, NYG	1834	1	9	19	770	3	11	5
2002	2	Maurice Morris, Sea.	960	12	99	9	153	3	25	1
2004	2	Greg Jones, Jac.	618	9	52	7	162	3	13	3
2020	2	A.J. Dillon, G.B.	1685	13	195	15	242	2	21	2
2002	2	DeShaun Foster, Car.	1109	9	129	13	0	0	0	0
2005	2	Eric Shelton, Car.	938	6	35	20	0	0	0	0
2007	2	Kenny Irons, Cin.	893	10	78	4	0	0	0	0
2011	2	Ryan Williams, Ariz.	477	10	109	10	0	0	0	0
2013	2	Christine Michael, Sea.	417	8	48	12	79	0	0	0
2026	1	Jadarian Price, Sea.	674	6	87	13	?	?	?	?

So, not enough to say for sure either way. A decent number of guys who came out of college and had a large pass catching role right away. And plenty who didn't as rookies, and who we can also look at in retrospect and say, they never did.

--Andy Richardson

Jadarian Price

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