The Seattle Seahawks may not always know what they are doing in the first or second rounds of the NFL draft, general manager John Schneider seems to have a knack for signing undrafted free agents. UDFAs are those players who do not get drafted so are free to sign with any team they choose (or, more importantly, any team that chooses them).
As soon as a draft ends, players and their agents will start working to find a team. Some of the more notable UDFAs Seattle has signed over the years include wide receivers Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, and Jake Bobo. Each player was signed, made the team, and, especially in the case of Baldwin and Kearse made significant impacts for several years.
UDFAs are not guaranteed roster spots, of course. Many of them could find their way to the Seahawks' practice squad after final roster cuts are made, though. In other words, just because the following players were not drafted does not mean they aren't worth keeping an eye on.
That is one thing many UDFAs will have in common. They may have a chip on their shoulders from not being taken in the draft. This will drive them to play harder to make sure their name is not forgotten by the Seahawks coaches. Some of these players could at least help on special teams if not on offense or defense.
Jack Westover, tight end, Washington
The 6'3" and 243-pound Westover gives the Seattle tight end room depth. He is much more of a blocker, a bit like Will Dissly. He needs to prove himself as a pass receiver to stick on the team, most likely. He also needs to gain a little mass.
Nelson Ceasar, edge rusher, Houston
Seattle is signing Ceaser who is 6'3" and 255 pounds. He doesn't have anywhere near elite athleticism, but he did have 13.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks in 2023. He was also a team captain for the Cougars.
George Holani, running back, Boise State
Seattle must really like the 5'10" and 210-pound running back as they gave him $100,000 guarantee to sign as a UDFA. He has decent speed as he ran a 4.52 40 at the combine and did a very impressive 24 reps on the bench press.
Easton Gibbs, linebacker, Wyoming
Gibbs is not very big and that likely kept him from being drafted. He is 6 feet tall and just 232 pounds. He is a very good tackler, however, and has a bit of menace to him. He might work out well as a special teamer.
Garret Greenfield, offensive lineman, San Diego State
Greenfield is ridiculously athletic for someone who is 6'6" and 311 pounds. His vertical at the combine was 38.5", for instance. He was also captain of his team twice and started a lot of games. $195,000 guaranteed is a lot, though.
Chevan Cordeiro, quarterback, San Jose State
The Seahawks may not have taken a quarterback in the draft, but they grabbed one as a UDFA. He is a bit small at 6'1" and only 190 pounds, but he doesn't turn the ball over much. His TD:INT ratio over the last two years is 43:10.
Mike Novitsky, center, Kansas
Novitsky is big enough to play in the NFL as he is 6'5" and 300 pounds. He had a bunch of starts in college, too. He just lacks NFL strength to be very efficient currently.
Devere Levelston, defensive tackle, SMU
Levelston is 6'5" and 290 pounds so big enough to play. He is also fairly athletic as he ran a 4.8 40. He is a poor tackler, however, and no great in terms of pass rush.
Ro Torrence, running back, Arizona State
Seattle is loading up on defensive backs so I am unsure what that says about their current group. Or maybe they just want a lot of special teamers. Torrence is big at 6'3" and 208 pounds but not overly athletic.
Dee Williams, cornerback/kick returner, Tennessee
With the new kick return rules, the Seahawks are likely to take a look at several players who may be able to help. Williams was an even punt returner, though. He returned 35 punts in two seasons for the Vols and averaged 15.4 yards per return and took two of them back for touchdowns.
Aaron Beasley, linebacker, Tennessee
Beasley is not very big at 6'1" and 225 pounds. Seattle potentially may see him as a safety. He lacks elite speed, however.
Sundiata Anderson, edge rusher, Grambling
Anderson has good size as he is 6'4" and 245 pounds. He seems to be best in a 4-3 system as he has good quickness. That is a good thing for the player as Seattle is transitioning back to a 4-3 under Mike Macdonald.
Rason Williams II, defensive end, Louisiana Tech
The 6'4" and 280-pound defensive lineman must be good against the run because he does not do much in terms of chasing down quarterbacks. He had just 2.5 sacks in four seasons. Maybe Seattle wants him to add girth and become a defensive tackle.
Carlton Johnson, cornerback, Fresno State
Johnson does not weigh much and is not very strong. He is 5'11" but just 173 pounds. He was good in coverage but he would be a liability against the run.
Hayden Hatten, wide receiver, Idaho
Hatten has good size at 6'2" and 200 pounds. He also caught a ton of passes the last two season and had at least 1,209 yards receiving each year. In 2022, he caught 16 touchdown passes. Potentially, Seattle sees him as a tight end and a red-zone target.
TaMerik Williams, running back, North Dakota State
Williams has excellent size for a running back at 6'1" and 227 pounds. In each of his past three seasons he ran for over 700 yards and had 28 combined touchdowns rushing. Williams also averaged close to 7 yards per carry over the last four years.
Of note, we will keep this page updated with all the latest - and confirmed - rumors of UDFAs signing with the Seahawks.