Seahawks rookies Grey Zabel, Nick Emmanwori given high honor from The Ringer

The Seahawks drafted two absolute studs.

Oct 12, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne (1) runs the ball as Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (3) defends during the first half at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

It's roughly the midway point of the NFL season, which means we know a little bit about how rookies are translating to the NFL level. For the Seattle Seahawks, the early returns on the 2025 class have been good for the most part, but two players stand out.

Grey Zabel has helped transform the Seahawks' offensive line, which is no small feat. On defense, Nick Emmanwori has been the perfect Mike Macdonald weapon. Those two have been so good, they landed on the All-Rookie team from The Ringer.

Two Seahawks rookies make All-Rookie midway team

Sep 25, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks guard Grey Zabel (76) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Seahawks drafted more than just Nick Emmanwori and Grey Zabel, but those two have made this class a great one, no matter what the others do. Per Diante Lee of The Ringer, they've been two of the best rookies in the entire NFL period.

"Zabel’s had a quietly excellent season in his own right, and he’s maybe the only dependable blocker Seattle’s had in the run game this season... If this year’s strong rookie class of offensive linemen is the beginning of a trend, the quality of offenses around the league will take a big step forward in the years to come," Lee wrote.

As for Emmanwori, injuries have played a part in his season, but he's been nothing short of fantastic when on the field. He's been that good that Lee considers him one of the two best rookie safeties in the league.

"Seahawks hybrid defender Emmanwori was supposed to be a much better blitzer and tackler than coverage player early on in his career, but he’s been a key piece in Seattle’s excellent pass defense this season," Lee added. "A lofty comparison can be made between him and Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton, and his impact as a slot defender suggests that he may be able to fill that type of role for Seattle over the long term."

Those are two crucial pieces to the Seahawks' success this year, and they're each only in their first season. The sky is clearly the limit. They could end up being among the best in the NFL regardless of seasons played.

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