Seattle Seahawks training camp kicks off Saturday with the first of 10 public practices, and all eyes are on the battle for roster spots, especially within a smaller-than-usual undrafted free agent class. GM John Schneider has a legendary track record of unearthing UDFA gems like Jake Bobo, George Holani, and Patrick O’Connell, and this year, one name stands out with a surprisingly big payday: Aidan Hubbard.
Aidan Hubbard’s Unexpected Opportunity Rocks the EDGE Room
Hubbard, the former Northwestern star, was a shocker not to hear his name called on draft day. The dude racked up 13.5 sacks in his final two seasons at a pretty mediocre power conference school. While he isn’t going to blow you away with blazing speed, his quick first step and effectiveness defending the run are for real. What’s even wilder is the guaranteed money the Seahawks dropped on him: $267,500. That’s *by far* the highest for any Seattle UDFA, and it screams that the front office is serious about him competing for what’s essentially the fifth EDGE spot.
The competition won’t be easy, though. He’s up against guys like Jared Ivey, Connor O’Toole, fellow UDFA rookie Marvin Jones Jr., and Jamie Sheriff, not to mention trying to prove himself behind established vets Derick Hall, Uchenna Nwosu, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Dante Fowler Jr. But honestly, with that kind of upfront investment and his college production, I think Hubbard has a very real shot to crack the 53-man roster. This is the kind of underdog story the Emerald City lives for.
Uso Seumalo Faces a Numbers Game at Nose Tackle
Then there’s Uso Seumalo, the 330-pound big fella from Kansas State. Nose tackle isn’t glamorous, right? You won’t see him lighting up the stat sheet with sacks or tackles. His job is the dirty work: taking on double teams, clogging those running lanes, and disrupting the pocket to create interior pressure. If you wanna see a fun preseason watch, this guy is it.
Last year, Brandon Pili was the only true nose tackle on the roster, averaging around 11 snaps in his 13 appearances and even being inactive for the Super Bowl. While Coach Mike Macdonald loves big bodies, the biggest hurdle for Seumalo isn’t Pili so much as it’s just a pure numbers game. There’s no guarantee either Seumalo or Pili ends up on the active roster for 2026. Still, you gotta love watching these battles.
As training camp kicks into full gear, all eyes will be on these UDFAs during those public practices and upcoming preseason games. Every snap is a chance to prove they belong, and Schneider has shown us time and again he knows how to find those diamonds in the rough. Go Hawks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Field Gulls.
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