2025 NFL draft: Seahawks linked to breakout Miami tight end prospect

Seattle should be in the market for a tight end - and there's a deep TE class to take advantage of.

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - NOVEMBER 02: Miami tight end Cam McCormick (84) celebrates his touchdown in the first quarter with tight end Elijah Arroyo (8) and tight end Riley Williams (88) as the Miami Hurricanes faced the Duke Blue Devils on November 2, 2024, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. | (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Unless he bucks tradition and splurges on guards in free agency, Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider will be expected by most folks to draft one in Round 1. That would go against his history in the draft as well as the public comments that he's made about the position. Still, it won't stop every outlet from projecting a tackle-converted-guard to go to Seattle with the 18th overall pick between now and the end of April.

Perhaps too much is made of roster needs compared to the strengths of an individual draft class, where NFL teams tend to focus more than the average mock draft. On that note, one of the greatest strengths of the 2025 draft class is tight end, where teams may be able to land difference-makers late into Day 3. The Seahawks don't have a huge "need" here, but if they do wind up cutting Noah Fant for cap savings then they should definitely have tight end on their list, anyway.

According to an analysis by Bleacher Report, the ideal target for Seattle on Day 2 of the draft is TE Elijah Arroyo from Miami.

B/R on Seahawks - Elijah Arroyo

"It would make sense for the Seahawks to target a dynamic tight end to pair with emerging receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Elijah Arroyo has shot up our big board with Dame Parson highlighting his ceiling after he struggled with injuries in 2022 and 2023. The 6'4", 251-pound tight end is a good enough blocker and presents a real issue for opposing secondaries as a vertical route runner."

Arroyo probably wasn't on anyone's radar going into the 2024 season, but he broke out with 35 catches for 590 yards and seven touchdowns. This was after totaling just 11 catches the previous three seasons combined.

Elijah Arroyo Miami highlights

Not much went right for Seattle offensively last year, especially at this position. One exception to the rule was the performane of rookie AJ Barner out of Michigan. In relatively limited action, Barner caught 30 of 38 targets and scored four touchdowns, far better production than Noah Fant.

If Arroyo does get drafted by the Seahawks, he'd likely project as the second tight end on the depth chart beneath Barner. It may not take him long to rise to the top, though. It's a deep class at this position and Arroyo is ranked third behind Penn State's Tyler Warren and Michigan's Colston Loveland.

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