Why I'm Buying the Early Seahawks Hype Around Jadarian Price

There might not be a player catching more attention at Seattle Seahawks training camp than rookie running back Jadarian Price.

Price has big shoes to fill as the potential starting running back for the team, replacing Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, who signed with the Kansas City Chiefs during the offseason. Price was viewed as a Day 2 prospect by many evaluators in the draft, but the Seahawks wanted to make sure they brought him in and made him a first-round pick.

Price was a backup at Notre Dame to Jeremiyah Love, so he never logged more than 800 rushing yards in a season, but there's reason to believe that he could be a long-term starter in the NFL.

Jadarian Price is Quieting Doubters

Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarian Price interacts with fans after the first training camp. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 2026 running back class in the draft was criticized at the top, mainly because they weren't as flashy as the previous year. The previous draft had five players selected in the first two rounds, compared to just three in the first 100 picks in this year's draft (Love, Price and Kaelon Black of the San Francisco 49ers).

Price had some weaknesses in his draft profile, including his receiving skills and pass protection. He only had 15 catches in three seasons at Notre Dame, but those exact red flags are coming up Seahawks green in training camp so far.

“I can tell you everything I’ve seen [in training camp] is he’s going to be a very good receiver," Seahawks insider Brian Nemhauser said. "The pass protection looks like a real work in progress. So I think that could be something that limits when he can be on the field, might have some effect on what kind of plays they can run when he’s on the field.”

HC Mike Macdonald on rookie RB Jadarian Price:

"Nobody has covered him yet." pic.twitter.com/HTv1HdeuH1
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) August 6, 2026

From watching his segment on this week's episode of Hard Knocks, it's clear that Price has the skill set that's needed to be a strong running back in the NFL. If he's already performing well against the league's best defense from a year ago, he should be okay once he trots out against weaker defenses during the season.

What Training Camp Development Means for Price

Price is off to a strong start in training camp, but that doesn't mean he's going to be a surefire star for the Seahawks. Seattle prefers to have a running back committee. The introduction of new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury, who has spent the past seven seasons with the 49ers, suggests that the team will operate as such once again in 2026.

Zach Charbonnet is recovering from a torn ACL and could be sidelined for the start of the season, which opens the door for Price to have more carries. The Seahawks could also see what they have in George Holani and Emanuel Wilson, who signed with the team on a one-year, $2 million contract in the offseason.

It's a positive sign to see your first-round pick thrive to start training camp, but Price must continue to stack days of strong practice in order for him to see his hard work translate in the regular season.

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