Seahawks Bolster Offensive Line, Select Versatile Grey Zabel With 18th Overall Pick
The Seattle Seahawks made their biggest investment on a guard under general manager John Schneider, using the 18th overall pick on Grey Zabel out of North Dakota State. Credit: Grey Zabel/Instagram
Attacking the offensive line early in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks selected versatile offensive lineman Grey Zabel with the 18th overall selection, landing one of the most athletic blockers in this year’s draft class to boost the trenches.
One of the stars of this year’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, the 6-6, 316-pound Zabel proved he could hold his own against elite competition after starring as a multi-year starter at multiple positions at North Dakota State at the FCS level. He spent the majority of his time at right tackle during the 2022 and 2023 seasons before switching to the left side as a senior, earning consensus FCS All-American honors after allowing just seven pressures and one sack for the Bison.
A smooth mover with elite athleticism, Zabel excels blocking in space and possesses top-tier lateral quickness for an offensive lineman, fluidly finding his way to the second level off combo blocks and on pulling assignments. Though he didn’t do most of the testing at the NFL combine, he posted a 36 1/2-inch vertical jump in Indianapolis and turned in a fantastic pro day workout, including a blazing 4.60 short shuttle that showcased his change of direction prowess, which plays well into what the Seahawks want to accomplish in offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s zone-centric scheme.
While Zabel played most of his snaps at tackle in college, he has short 32-inch arms, and he’s best equipped to slide inside to guard or center at the NFL level where his reach won’t be a significant obstacle to overcome. He held up well playing both positions during the Senior Bowl, rarely losing one-on-one battles against top defenders from Power 4 conferences, but improving leverage will be his biggest area of improvement for early success in the NFL, as he has a tendency to play a bit upright as a taller, leaner guard, and his narrow shoulders may make it tougher to stop defenders from winning with counters against him.
With that said, Zabel plays with a nasty demeanor and has a finisher’s mentality, looking to drive defenders not only off the ball, but into the ground. After winning the positioning battle, he has a strong track record of maintaining his hands on defenders and sustaining the block, opening extended creases for running backs behind him. His light feet also come in handy mirroring against defenders in pass protection and he has powerful legs to anchor against bull rushes as well.
Looking at his fit with the Seahawks, Zabel likely will compete right away at either left or right guard against returning youngsters Anthony Bradford, Christian Haynes, and Sataoa Laumea, though it’s possible the team could take a look at him at center as well. By investing such an early selection in him, expectations will be set for him to jump into the lineup early, especially in an scheme well-suited to accentuate his strengths as a run blocker and pass protector as he continues to develop his all-around game and add strength in the weight room.
