Instant Grade: Seahawks Trade Back, Add Kansas WR Emmanuel Henderson Jr.

The Seattle Seahawks made yet another NFL Draft trade on Saturday, sending pick No. 88 to the New York Jets in return for pick Nos. 199 (sixth round) and 242. Seattle used the sixth-round pick on Kansas wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr.

Henderson is just the second offensive weapon the team has selected in this year's draft and third offensive player overall. The Seahawks took Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price in the first round (No. 32) and Iowa guard Beau Stephens in the fifth round (No. 148).

Was Henderson a good pick by Seattle, which originally had just four picks in this year's draft before making multiple trades?

Why the Seahawks Targeted Henderson

Henderson is a lengthy, slender receiver (6-foot-1, 185 lbs, 31-inch arms) who ran a 4.44 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He only had one productive season, which was with Kansas in 2025, after seeing minimal action in two previous seasons at Alabama — totaling 45 catches for 766 yards and five touchdowns last season.

Wide receiver wasn't a need for the Seahawks, especially after bringing back Rashid Shaheed and Jake Bobo, but it does offer another preseason option depending on how long Tory Horton will be sidelined during the offseason program.

New offensive coordinator Brian Fleury appears to want plenty of options, but Henderson's frame and skill set are very similar to Ricky White III, Seattle's 2025 seventh-round pick that spent most of the season on the practice squad.

Nov 8, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Kansas Jayhawks wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. (1) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Do Seahawks Have Room For Henderson?

It does seem like there were other positions the Seahawks could have prioritized, but it's obvious they weren't in love with anyone at the top of the sixth round, and thus the trade happened.

The Seahawks currently have 10 receivers on the roster with the addition of Henderson, and it's unlikely they would keep more than six. Five of those spots (Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Rashid Shaheed, Jake Bobo and Tory Horton) are practically locked up at this point. That creates stiff competition for Henderson in training camp.

The major boon to Henderson's skill set is he is a premium gunner on special teams and has experience as a kick returner. That could keep him around.

Bottom Line

Henderson projects as a practice-squad player or special-teams contributor, as the team already has a ton of options at pass-catcher. The question remains, however, about how much longer Kupp will play, and Seattle could be planning to try and have younger options available beyond 2026 to make up for that.

The former Kansas receiver has a lot of room to grow, and he could surprise a lot of people with his catch radius in training camp. His best chance of making the roster, though, is as a special teams ace.

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