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Seattle Seahawks rookie may be overtaking popular undrafted vet at wide receiver

Jake Bobo faces his first real challenge for the WR4 role for the Seahawks in the form of a speed-freak rookie.
Oct 6, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo (19) shake hands after the game at Lumen Field.
Oct 6, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) and Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo (19) shake hands after the game at Lumen Field. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

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There's a good reason why some folks say the NFL really stands for Not For Long. The average career in this league is only three seasons - which is ultimately a pretty painfully short time to live out a life-long dream for so many athletes.

Nobody can appreciate that better than players who go undrafted, such as Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo, who's entering his third year in the league after four seasons at Duke followed by one at UCLA. Bobo is big (6-foot-5, 215 pounds) but his RAS score is literally in the red, which clearly played a part in his not getting drafted.

Bobo put in great work his first offseason, though - and has earned himself a small but steady role as Seattle's No. 4 wide receiver. To date he only has 303 yards and three touchdowns on offese - but he's made some clutch plays and become a core special teamer.

Seahawks fans have adored Bobo since Day 1 - but now he may be facing his first real challenge for that WR4 role. According to Gregg Bell at the Tacoma News Tribune, rookie wide receiver Tory Horton Jr. was ahead of Bobo on the depth chart during Friday's training camp practice, a first.

Tory Horton takes first Jake Bobo reps

Of course this also means that Bobo has gotten the vast majority of those No. 4 reps at camp, but it could be an indication that Horton is moving up in the rotation. This isn't the only buzz about Horton, either.

Last week, Brady Henderson at ESPN included a note in his training camp notebook that Horton has made so many plays that his spot on the initial 53-man roster is already a lock.

Most draft picks do end up on the roster unless they totally bomb during the preseason, such as Seattle's sixth-round pick last year, former Auburn cornerback DJ James. So, it's never a full guarantee but it certainly sounds like Horton has already earned a real piece of the pie.

Even if Bobo is supplanted on the wide receiver depth chart, it likely won't cost him his roster spot. Bobo is a damn-good WR4 and he'd be a great WR5 option. As long as he stays healthy, he has enough value to keep around regardless of where he stands in the pecking order.

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Tim Weaver
TIM WEAVER

Tim Weaver has been writing about the NFL since the 2013 season for multiple teams and outlets, including USA Today and The Sporting News. He currently covers the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers for On SI.