Most Concerning Question Mark Seahawks Face With Rookie Jadarian Price

With the Seattle Seahawks using the No. 32 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price, the hope is that he can take over for Kenneth Walker III as the team's leader in the backfield.

While Zach Charbonnet remains on the roster, his late-season ACL tear and the sheer draft capital invested in Price suggest a shift for the Seahawks.

Considering the fact the Seahawks spent a first-round pick on Price, who did not start in three years at Notre Dame, the team is taking a risk and hoping he can develop from college backup to NFL bellcow.

Price Had Quiet, But Effective College Career

Most scouts focus on Price’s modest college counting stats (only 113 carries in his final season), but those carries were efficient.

• Price led all qualified running backs in 2025 with 19 percent of his carries resulting in double-digit gains.
• Despite not being a primary starter at Notre Dame, Price posted a 118.6 Elusive Rating per Pro Football Focus, ranking 8th among all qualified running backs. This suggests that his lack of production was a result of a shared backfield with No. 3 overall pick Jeremiyah Love, not a lack of individual talent.
• Price averaged 4.28 yards after contact, proving that despite his 203-pound frame, he finishes runs with NFL-caliber power.

Bounce Back From Achilles Injury

Price ruptured his Achilles in 2022, which set him off on a rough start to his collegiate career. However, his 2025 season provided the proof that NFL teams needed that the injury was behind him.

• Price ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, confirming that his injury is long behind him.
• His elite special teams play, where he averaged 37.5 yards per kick return in 2025, demonstrated the agility and top-end speed required for starting NFL duties.

How Price Becomes Seahawks' Long-Term Starter

While the talent is evident, Price must overcome three specific hurdles to avoid being a mere rotational piece.

• Pass protection is Price's biggest weakness. Price finished with a 38.5 PFF Pass Block Grade, ranking 126th out of 137 qualified running backs. In an offense that needs to protect quarterback Sam Darnold, he likely won't see third-down snaps until this improves.
• With only 15 career receptions at Notre Dame, Price is largely an unknown in the passing game. While he hasn't dropped a pass, his lack of production in this particular facet of his game doesn't provide much confidence that he can succeed on an NFL level.
• Price's 1.4 percent fumble rate is higher than the NFL prospect average at 0.9 percent. In the NFL, fumbles are the easiest way to go from being a starter to the bench.

The Verdict

With Walker now in Kansas City and Charbonnet sidelined with an ACL surgery, the Seahawks' depth chart is wide open. Price's elite vision and ability to generate explosive plays make him the frontrunner for 15+ touches per game in Week 1.

If he can refine his pass protection during training camp, he has the ceiling of a Miles Sanders or Jerome Ford type as a highly efficient runner who can anchor a productive NFL ground game.

The Seahawks are betting that his fresh legs and explosive metrics will translate into a high-volume starting role within 1-3 years.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Super Bowl champions from Seattle Seahawks On SI —

Sign Up For the Seahawks Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Seattle Seahawks Newsletter

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow