Seattle Seahawks: 5 Best players under 25 on the roster

Over the past several years, the Seattle Seahawks accumulated young talent. Now, several of the team’s best players are under 25 years old.

The Seattle Seahawks hit the jackpot with a string of draft classes at the start of the 2010s. Those players carried the franchise to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances. However, the team currently seems stuck between contending for championships and retooling. Several young additions from the past few years might correct the team’s course and bring Seattle another title.

There are several Seahawks under 25 years old who won’t appear on this list because of when their birthdays are. To meet the parameters for this article, players must still be under 25 on Sept. 10, when the 2020 season kicks off. This rule disqualifies Pro Bowl cornerback Shaquill Griffin, who would’ve appeared at No. 1 otherwise.

Rasheem Green, the 23-year-old defensive end who led Seattle in sacks this past season, barely missed the cut. If not for one impressive addition in the 2020 NFL Draft, Green would’ve claimed the fifth spot in this article. However, the former third-round pick must settle for an honorable mention instead.

Now, let’s kick off the list with an injury-prone draft pick from 2018.

5. Will Dissly, TE

Seattle selected Will Dissly in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. The former Washington Husky initially caught the eye of Seattle’s scouts because of his run-blocking prowess. The Seahawks rely heavily on the running game, often trying to grind down opponents in the first three quarters before unleashing Russell Wilson in the fourth. So, adding a run-blocking specialist at tight end made sense.

Dissly joined Nick Vannett, a tight end Seattle selected out of Ohio State with a third-round pick in 2016, as an important piece in Seattle’s running game. Neither Dissly nor Vannett flashed much versatility in college, and both tight ends played limited roles in the passing game for their respective schools. However, Dissly quickly separated himself from Vannett at the pro level.

The Washington product burst onto the scene in Week 1 of his rookie season, catching three passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. Dissly’s production did slow down over the next several weeks until he suffered a season-ending patellar tendon injury in Week 4.

In 2019, Dissly returned as Seattle’s starting tight end. Through the team’s first five games, he averaged 52.4 receiving yards per game while catching 23 of his 26 targets. The second-year tight end also reached the end zone four times. Unfortunately, Dissly tore his Achilles in Week 6, ending his season early.

When he’s healthy, Dissly plays a significant role in Seattle’s offense. However, if the third-year pass-catcher doesn’t get healthy soon, he could lose his starting job. The Seahawks signed Greg Olsen this offseason and drafted two more tight ends. Seattle also brought back Luke Willson last year and got passable production from Jacob Hollister in Dissly’s absence.

Seattle’s tight end room is one of the deepest in the NFL.