Seahawks Sign Undrafted Rookie DT Buddha Jones Following Minicamp

Shining in his brief audition as a tryout invitee at rookie minicamp, the Seattle Seahawks have signed Buddha Jones as another competitor to add to the nose tackle mix.

Sep 3, 2022; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels offensive linemen Eli Acker (left) and / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Following the conclusion of rookie minicamp, the Seattle Seahawks added depth to their defensive line by signing former Troy defensive tackle Buddha Jones to the 90-man roster on Saturday.

Participating in Seattle's minicamp on a tryout basis, Jones clearly impressed alongside the likes of first-round pick Byron Murphy, earning a contract immediately after the conclusion of Saturday's final on-field practice. With his addition, the team has one spot open on the 90-man roster with OTAs set to begin next week, though no other signings have been announced to this point.

Originally starting his college career at Kent State, Jones played in 12 games as a true freshman, producing 10 combined tackles. Due to the COVID pandemic, he only appeared in two games in 2020, recording two tackles before opting to transfer to Troy, playing closer to his hometown of Tallahassee, Florida.

A three-year starter at Troy, Buddha Jones will now test his mettle in a crowded, talented Seahawks defensive line competition this summer. / Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

In three seasons with the Trojans, Jones recorded 64 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss while primarily seeing snaps as a nose tackle. Per Pro Football Focus, in his final season, he posted a strong 82.0 run defense grade. While he didn't produce any sacks in his college career, he did generate 20 combined pressures in 2022 and 2023, providing decent internal pressure on limited passing down reps.

Listed at 307 pounds on Seattle's rookie minicamp roster, Jones will now enter the competition for a roster spot at nose tackle with veteran Johnathan Hankins and Cameron Young ahead of him on the depth chart. With Murphy and veteran Jarran Reed also capable of playing inside in 0 or 1-tech alignment, he will have a difficult trek ahead of him trying to make the roster, but he's already off to a strong start after earning his first NFL contract this week.