Last Thursday, Notre Dame cemented its place in NFL Draft history as the first school to feature the first two running backs selected. Although Jeremiyah Love made most of the headlines as the highest drafted running back at No. 3 since Saquon Barkley went No. 2 overall in 2018, Jadarian Price had a solid night of his own.
With the first round winding down, one team still had to pick: the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. In the last six months, the Seahawks have lost both sets of legs in their running back room. Kenneth Walker III signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency, while Zach Charbonnet went down with a torn ACL in the divisional round. That left a wide-open running back room, and many wondered if the Seahawks would go running back at pick 32.
Then, Jadarian Price’s phone rang.
“How you doing, bud?” A voice asked over the phone. “It’s John Schneider with the Seahawks. We’re getting ready to pick you here, brother.”
Schneider has become a household name among NFL general managers — he has been with Seattle since 2010 and was the primary architect in building two Super Bowl champion teams during his time there. He and head coach Mike MacDonald saw something in Price that many predicted they would.
During his time at Notre Dame, Price served as a running mate to Jeremiyah Love, as the eventual 3rd overall pick soared to unimaginable heights. Price put up impressive stats of his own, though. Over three seasons, he totaled 1,854 yards from scrimmage. He earned another 794 return yards and three return touchdowns, two of them being unforgettable ones against USC in 2023 and 2025. In fact, his 37.5 yards per return led all of college football in 2025.
That return role may be a bit diminished in Seattle, as they extended superstar return man Rashid Shaheed this offseason. Fortunately for Price, he will instead arrive in a running back room where he can finally step into the spotlight.
He also gets a prime opportunity to be the feature back with a team that values running the ball as much as any other in the league. Maybe more. In 2025, the Seahawks averaged the fourth-most rushing attempts per game among all NFL teams. Price will also have one of the league’s finest offensive lines blocking for him. After all, it’s especially difficult to win a Super Bowl without good blocking.
“The Seahawks love to run the ball,” Price explained to the media following the draft. “You see what they did in the Super Bowl and what really got them that far, winning it all, you gotta run the ball.”
Price will also be coached by a familiar face in Seattle. Thomas Hammock now serves as the Seahawks' running backs coach, but Irish fans may instead recognize him as the former head coach of Northern Illinois, which upset Notre Dame in its home opener back in 2024. They may not have known each other well then, but they certainly do now.
“Yeah, me and the running back coach, Coach Hammock, we had a couple good conversations,” Price said about the development of their relationship leading up to the draft. “One at the combine and then one Zoom where we just talked for about 45 minutes, just straight ball, and then getting to know each other.”
Price also highlighted that Hammock hasn’t let him forget that fateful September afternoon two seasons ago. “Every time we talked previously, so tonight, he’s always mentioned it,” Price said. “One thing he joked about, he’s like, ‘if I was y’all’s coach, I would have handed you the ball more and y’all wouldn't have lost.’”
For many Hawks fans, the biggest questions surrounding Price aren’t necessarily his abilities running the ball. Everyone who has watched his tape recognizes his big-play abilities. Instead, his lack of experience in the pass game and blocking, along with potential ball-security issues, have been highlighted as areas for development if he wants to be a lead back at the highest level.
Price feels that he was able to successfully show off his pass-catching skills throughout the spring at both the NFL Combine and at Notre Dame’s Pro Day. The Seahawks appear to share the same sentiment. But, the most important thing for them wasn’t anything Price showcased on the field or with the ball in his hands.
When asked about what makes Price a good fit in Seattle, MacDonald explained that “I think it comes in different forms. But, you learn about the person, about the leadership, the resiliency, the humility, just the commitment to Notre Dame by staying there.”
While Seattle may be getting a great player in Price, it’s important to note that they’re getting an even better person. Price’s loyalty to the Irish was a hallmark of his time in South Bend and was noticed by everyone around him, both inside and outside of the Irish program. It was even noticed in his draft process. Now, he finally gets his chance, and the front office and coaching staff clearly believe he is up to the task.
