The NFL preseason kicked off this week, and while helmets were cracking and pads were popping around the league, a tough 17-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys definitely wasn’t the start the Seattle Seahawks and the 12s were looking for. It may be exhibition football, but that score still stings, especially when other young players across the NFL are already making serious noise.
FCS Rookies are Making Big-Time Impressions
While we were watching our Hawks, a few former FCS players really threw their hats into the ring for roster spots, proving they belong. Take Houston’s Treyvhon Saunders, an undrafted wide receiver out of Colgate. This dude was everywhere in the Texans’ 27-7 loss, getting touches in almost every facet of the game. He carried the ball, caught it, and even got a shot at both kickoff and punt returns. When the dust settled, Saunders had racked up 111 all-purpose yards, including a sweet 34-yard kick return early in the second quarter. For an undrafted rookie, a preseason start like that is huge, and he’s going to need every chance he can get to stick around. Houston takes on Las Vegas next, and you can bet Saunders will be seeing more significant action.
More New Faces Catching Eyes
Over in Minnesota, Charles Demmings, a fifth-round corner out of Stephen F. Austin, has been impressing all summer, but he really turned it up against the Giants. Demmings saw the field a ton and held his own even when matched up with guys like Odell Beckham Jr. His stat line, just two solo tackles, actually tells you how quiet he kept his side of the field. As he keeps improving, he’s definitely pushing for more playing time on the back end of that Vikings defense. Then there’s Cole Payton, the Eagles’ fifth-round quarterback from North Dakota State. Even though Philly lost to Baltimore, Payton made a real case for himself to be in the QB room behind Jalen Hurts. He led the Eagles in both rushing, with 45 yards on three carries, and passing, throwing for 37 yards on four completions, and was responsible for their only touchdown of the night. NDSU fans know all about his speed and elusiveness, and he flashed it multiple times.
It’s awesome to see these young guns fighting for their spots during these most intense, three-week tryouts. For our Hawks, though, a 17-7 preseason opener has us thinking about what kind of team form we’ll see emerge under Coach Macdonald and OC Fleury as we get closer to cutting down to 53. We want to see that fire, that execution, because August is just the warm-up before it all counts. The Emerald City will be watching every snap, ready to see the improvements!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply