The Seattle Seahawks are currently grappling with a significant void in their running back corps, a challenge exacerbated by the departure of Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III to the Kansas City Chiefs and the unfortunate ACL injury sidelining primary backup Zach Charbonnet. While Emanuel Wilson has been brought in on a one-year deal, many view this as a depth move rather than a definitive solution. The team's immediate focus is on how to compensate for the impressive 1,757 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns collectively amassed by Walker and Charbonnet in the 2025 season. As a result, attention is now squarely fixed on the impending 2026 NFL draft as the prime opportunity to unearth a suitable replacement. Notably, Notre Dame's Jadarian Price has been frequently linked to the Seahawks as a potential first-round pick, highlighting the anticipation surrounding the team's draft strategy.
Seahawks' Legacy of First-Round Running Back Selections
Should the Seahawks opt to select a running back in the initial round of the upcoming draft, they would be adding to a rather exclusive fraternity within the franchise's history. To date, only three running backs have been chosen by Seattle in the first round, each leaving a distinct mark on the team.
The first was Curt Warner, the third overall pick in the 1983 NFL draft. Warner's impact was immediate and profound; his 1,449 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in his rookie year were instrumental in leading the Seahawks to their inaugural playoff appearance. Spending seven of his eight NFL seasons with Seattle, Warner still holds the third-highest rushing yards (6,705) and rushing touchdowns (55) in team history.
It was a 17-year wait before the Seahawks again invested a first-round pick in a running back, but the patience was rewarded handsomely with Shaun Alexander, selected 19th overall in the 2000 NFL draft. Alexander's tenure with the Seahawks cemented his status as a franchise legend, being the only player in team history to earn an NFL MVP award. He joined the elite company of Steve Largent with 100 career touchdowns, and his 9,429 rushing yards remain an unchallenged team record. The pinnacle of his career arrived in 2005 when he set a then-NFL record with 27 rushing touchdowns, guiding the Seahawks to their first-ever Super Bowl appearance.
More recently, Rashaad Penny was the 27th overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, a selection that generated considerable debate among fans. Coming off a 2017 season where the Seahawks' running game struggled significantly, Penny was brought in to rejuvenate the ground attack. However, his promising career was unfortunately plagued by a series of injuries, preventing him from consistently reaching his full potential. Despite flashes of brilliance, such as his 749 rushing yards and six touchdowns in 2021, his time in Seattle concluded abruptly with a broken fibula in Week 5 of what was anticipated to be his breakout season.
The Seahawks' historical approach to drafting running backs in the first round has yielded both monumental successes and unfortunate setbacks. As they navigate the current needs of their backfield, the team faces a pivotal decision in the 2026 NFL draft. Learning from the legacies of Warner, Alexander, and Penny, the challenge lies in identifying a talent that can not only fill the immediate void but also contribute to the long-term success and potentially carve out their own legendary status in Seattle's football narrative.