With the 18th overall Zabel pick in the 2025 NFL draft, the Seattle Seahawks selected Guard Grey Zabel from North Dakota State. The 6-foot-6, 304-pound, 23-year-old played mostly offensive tackle for the Bisons. He will shift to guard in the NFL. He was ranked No. 1 among offensive tackles at the NFL Combine.
How Will Zabel Fit In With the Seahawks?
He may earn a starting role out of camp. Zabel started all 46 games at left tackle for the Bisons the past three seasons. He was named first-team Associated Press Football Championship Subdivision All-American and first-team Missouri Valley Football Conference in leading the Bisons to the FCS Championship. The Seahawks offensive line was ranked 29th in the NFL. The line was a position needing improvement for Seattle.
The Seahawks have Charles Cross at left tackle and Abraham Lucas at right tackle. They are key pieces of the line. The versatility that Zabel shows by moving to guard could be key to getting Seattle’s line shored up. The struggle for the line has been up the middle at center and guard. Seattle signed San Darnold to a huge contract. New Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak needs to find a way to protect the quarterback. Kubiak is putting in a new system, which is expected to benefit the offensive line and will emphasize zone-blocking schemes.
Zabel was frequently linked to the Seahawks in mock drafts. As a projected guard or center in the NFL, his positional versatility aligns with Seattle’s greatest positions of need along the O-line. Zabel’s stock jumped with a great showing at the Senior Bowl. He followed that up with a solid NFL Combine performance. He is the highest-drafted guard by the Seahawks since Hall of Famer Steve Hutchinson in 2001. Hutchinson helped evaluate Zabel at the Senior Bowl and Combine.
Final Thoughts
The Seahawks have only drafted four other FCS players since John Schneider became GM in 2019. All of those players were off the board no earlier than Round 5 and none since 2015. Schneider has taken more Division II players than FCS players. However, Zabel is a different story. Offensive linemen from small schools – see Cowboys Hall of Famer Larry Brown from Sonoma State – often excel in the NFL. Seattle needs interior linemen. He was by far the best in the draft.
