Standout rookie named Seattle Seahawks' breakout candidate for 2026

The Seattle Seahawks have been one of the most consistent and productive franchises in the last 20 years. One big reason why is that the front office, led by general manager John Schneider, knows how to build its roster. This includes the NFL Draft, where the most recent draft class looks like another solid set of long-time stars.

Left guard Grey Zabel, nickel/safety Nick Emmanwori and fullback Robbie Outzs represent the biggest stars of the 2025 NFL Draft class for the Seahawks. Tight end Elijah Arrayo and wide receiver Tory Horton have a great chance to shine once they get healthier.

Emmanwori is already a star on the Seahawks’ elite defense. Pro Football Focus believes it won’t be long until Zabel is the same way with the Seahawks’ offense.

PFF released all 32 teams’ breakout candidates for the 2026 season. They have Zabel has the breakout candidate for his second season in the NFL.

When Zabel came into the league after getting drafted 18th overall by the Seahawks, he became an instant starter at left guard, next to left tackle Charles Cross. Going from the FCS to the NFL, there was going to be a slight adaptation to the much-more aggressive level of competition. There were some learning curves with Zabel, but he was able to be the most consistent interior offensive lineman this season.

Seahawks guard Grey Zabel and tight end AJ Barner celebrate after a touchdown in the Week 17 win over the Carolina Panthers. — Dec 28, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88) celebrates with guard Grey Zabel (76) after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers during the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

PFF wasn’t a fan of Zabel for most of the season and even had him graded lower in certain games than right guard Anthony Bradford. As the Seahawks started to get closer to playoff time, Zabel got more comfortable with the flow of the game. Zabel was more active late in the season as he dominated some one-ones and reached on outside run blocks.

Through all 17 regular season games and the two playoff games, Zabel has allowed 24 pressures, four quarterback hits and two sacks allowed. It should be worth noting that a good portion of those negative stats were earlier in the season. He has gotten better and it has been in a drastic way.

Zabel reportedly got an overall grade of 80.6 since Week 14 of the season. That is the ninth best among all qualified guards in the league. He also reportedly had an 80-plus grade in Seattle’s 13-3 road win in Week 18 and the 41-6 win in the Divisional Round, both against the San Francisco 49ers.

This late-season push from Zabel and the grades from PFF are great ways to show that he is well ahead in creating one of the most reliable offensive lines in the league. If Zabel can cap off his tremendous late-season run with an impressive performance in Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots, he will have more solid momentum going into the offseason and into the 2026 NFL Season.

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