The next step for the Seattle Seahawks is rookie minicamp, which is set for Friday to Sunday.
For the 11 draft picks, the weekend of meetings, introductions and a few on-field workouts marks the beginning of what they hope is a long career in the NFL.
The weekend may be even more important for what are reported to be up to 16 undrafted rookie free agents who will be on hand.
For them, it is the first step in trying to show that they belong with the draft picks and can maybe even force their way onto the roster.
There’s plenty of NFL and Seahawks history of UDFAs doing just that.
Among the key players on the Seahawks’ 2013 Super Bowl champs were UDFA receivers Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse, defensive lineman Michael Bennett and defensive back DeShawn Shead.
More recent UDFA success stories include defensive tackle Poona Ford, offensive tackle George Fant, running back Thomas Rawls and receiver Jake Bobo.
This year’s UDFAs all sign standard three-year contracts with a base value of $2.965 million that is not guaranteed, but which can include some guaranteed bonus money and a portion of guaranteed salary.
Here are seven UDFAs that loom as particularly intriguing.
Edge rusher Connor O’Toole, Utah: The Seahawks appear to have made an aggressive move to get O’Toole, guaranteeing him $264,000, including a $30,000 bonus, which according to Spotrac.com is the largest of the reported guarantees they have handed to a UDFA this year.
Listed at 6-4, 252, O’Toole began his career as a receiver before moving to the defensive line. Injuries held him to a combined 16 games his last two seasons. But he impressed at the Big 12 Pro Day with a 4.66-second 40-yard dash, and he had two sacks to key an early-season win over Baylor.
Tight end Nick Kallerup, Minnesota: Kallerup got $259,000 guaranteed, according to Spotrac.com, the second-highest guarantee the Seahawks have reportedly handed out. A Pro Football Focus scouting report assessed the 6-foot-5, 270-pounder this way: “Kallerup was rarely used in the Gopher passing game, but his 81.8 run-blocking grade ranked second among all draft-eligible tight ends in 2024.” The Daily Gopher called Kallerup “a beast of a blocker for the Gophers over his four seasons (who) showed some pass catching ability.”
Those assessments make you wonder if the Seahawks could also try Kallerup in a fullback role as they are doing with Robbie Ouzts, the Alabama tight end they drafted in the fifth round.
Center Federico Maranges, Florida Atlantic: Maranges got a reported $250,000 guarantee. The Sporting News gave this scouting report: “Maranges appeared in 42 games over six years with Florida Atlantic and shined as a run-blocker and pass protector. He posted an impressive 82.4 PFF run-blocking grade, which ranked 26th among centers.’’
The Seahawks have just two other players listed as centers on the roster in Olu Oluwatimi and Jalen Sundell after waiving Mike Novitsky earlier this week, seeming to give the 6-foot-4, 300-pounder a chance to make an impression.
Edge rusher Jared Ivey, Ole Miss: Ivey was generally considered among the top-ranked players who did not get drafted. He was 61st on Pro Football Focus’ Big Board.
PFF wrote of Ivey: “Ivey is a physically gifted player with devastating power in his hands to hold the point of attack and stack and shed consistently. He lacks the speed and lower body flexibility to be a speed threat as a 4-3 defensive end, so his best fit is likely more inside for a 3-4 front that would maximize his special strength every play. At 6-foot-6 and 280 pounds, he is built for the NFL. His size and strength create versatility as a defensive end in odd or even fronts. He doesn’t have a ton of pass-rush moves, but the ones he does know (bull rush, swim, club-rip) can be very effective, especially anything with a club-arm over that he pairs with getting across a blocker’s face.’’
It hasn’t been reported what guarantees the Seahawks gave Ivey, but it likely was similar to others on this list given that some thought he could go as high as the third round.
Cornerback Zy Alexander, LSU: Alexander got a reported $249,000 guaranteed and was another player many thought could go in the middle rounds — he was 160th on PFF’s Big Board. PFF wrote of Alexander, who is listed at 6-foot-1, 187 pounds: “Alexander is a fundamentally sound cover cornerback whose limited athleticism will likely make him either a zone-specific cornerback or a potential safety convert due to how reliable he is when tackling and in run defense.”
The Seahawks didn’t draft a cornerback, but likely had its eyes on Alexander all along to fill that void, and the lack of depth there will give him a shot to make a run at a roster spot.
Inside linebacker Jackson Woodard, UNLV: The 6-foot-3, 230-pound Woodard was the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year in helping lead the Rebels to an 11-3 record. He arrives at a position where the Seahawks don’t have a lot of proven depth behind starters Ernest Jones IV and Tyrice Knight. Woodard, who played three years at Arkansas before transferring to UNLV in 2023, had the 11th best run defense grade of all linebackers in 2024 from Pro Football Focus. He also was solid in pass coverage, allowing the 16th-lowest percent of targets to be caught among linebackers (63.3%).
Receiver Tyrone Broden, Arkansas: The 6-foot-7 Broden will literally stand out among all of those on the field this weekend.
That alone stamps him as intriguing. So does a 4.37 40 he ran at Arkansas’ Pro Day. His Arkansas bio summarized his career this way: “In two years at Arkansas, Broden caught 30 passes for 306 yards and four scores. Prior to joining the Razorbacks, he spent three seasons at Bowling Green State where he caught 74 passes for 1,199 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also served as a key member of the Hogs’ special teams in his two seasons. He impressed scouts at Arkansas’ Pro Day, running a 4.3 40-yard dash.”