Seattle Seahawks 90-Man Roundup: Could Hayden Hatten Become the Next Jake Bobo?

Following in the footsteps of several undrafted receivers who have made the Seahawks roster, Hatten brings a polished skill set and elite production to the NFL.

Dec 2, 2023; Moscow, ID, USA; Idaho Vandals wide receiver Hayden Hatten (80) is stopped short of the goal line by Southern Illinois Salukis safety Iverson Brown (1) in the second half at Kibble Dome. Idaho won 20-17 in OT. / © James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

With OTAs now opening across the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in a little over two months, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.

In preparation for the new incoming season, we'll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best and worst case scenarios, and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.

Coming off an illustrious career in the Big Sky conference, will Hayden Hatten be a contender to unseat one of Seattle's veteran receivers in a loaded position group?

Background

Following a standout prep career at Saguaro High School in Arizona, Hatten committed to Idaho and began his career seeing action as an undersized tight end, catching 10 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns as a true freshman. Breaking out as one of the FCS division's best receivers in 2022, he surpassed 1,000 yards receiving for the Vandals while averaging 14.6 yards per reception and scoring 16 touchdowns. Though he didn't find the end zone quite as much as a senior in 2023, he set a new career-high with 93 receptions for 1,235 yards and still scored nine touchdowns, dropping a total of one pass in his final two years on campus. The two-time FCS All-American went undrafted and signed with the Seahawks as a priority free agent.

Scheme Fit

A dangerous possession receiver with soft hands who did damage both as an outside receiver and in the slot, Hatten logged 28.4 percent of his career snaps at Idaho playing inside. At 6-2, most of his production came lined up as an X or Z receiver, but he has enough route running savvy to play any of the receiver positions for Seattle, which should help him earn more opportunities in the offseason program and training camp.

Sep 11, 2021; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Idaho Vandals wide receiver Hayden Hatten (80) catches a pass for a touchdown above Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Reese Taylor (2) during the second half at Memorial Stadium. Indiana won 56-14. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports / Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

Best Case Scenario

Turning into this year's Jake Bobo, Hatten dazzles throughout OTAs and training camp high pointing footballs and doing damage over the middle of the field, offsetting perceived athletic limitations with his route running acumen to surpass Dareke Young and Dee Eskridge on the depth chart and earn a spot on Seattle's opening day roster.

Worst Case Scenario

Unable to compensate for his lack of burst and quickness, Hatten struggles to create separation in camp and the preseason, and his inability to contribute much on special teams prevents him from standing out in a crowded depth chart as the Seahawks release him in mid-August.

What to Expect in 2024

Of this year's undrafted crop, while he isn't playing an ideal position given the star power Seattle has at receiver, Hatten shouldn't be underestimated as a dark horse to push Eskridge, Young, or even Bobo for a roster spot. Fantastic at winning contested catches both downfield and across the middle with sticky hands and smooth route running skills, he already made several nice grabs in the first open OTA session, suggesting he plans to make his presence known as Bobo did last spring.

Due to the congestion at the top of the depth chart and his lack of experience on special teams, however, it may be tough sledding for Hatten to do enough to make the Seahawks, especially since he isn't much of an after the catch threat. With that said, his polished skill set as a receiver should make him a good bet to return on the practice squad at minimum, and if he can light it up in exhibition games snagging passes from Sam Howell and/or a third string quarterback, he has the talent to force his way onto the roster later this summer.

Previous 90-Man Roundups

Buddha Jones | Devin Richardson | TaMerik Williams | Rason Williams II | Ro Torrence | Nathan Pickering | Dee Williams | Devere Levelston | Kobe Lewis | Sunny Anderson | Mike Novitsky | Max Pincher | Easton Gibbs