The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off later this month in Pittsburgh, and for the Seahawks, this year's draft represents a chance to add to a roster mostly made up of the players who were part of the team that won Super Bowl LX in February.

Because of the talent, depth and youth on Seattle's roster, players added in this year's draft will have to come in willing to compete for playing time, something Seahawks general manager and president of football operations John Schneider saw young players struggle with last decade during the peak of the Legion of Boom era. That eventually led to an adjustment in Seattle's evaluation process to make sure they were bringing in the type of players who had the right mindset to compete with established stars, and that trait will again be key for the 2026 draft class.

"Yeah, we'll be way more cognizant of it," Schneider said last month at the NFL Annual Meeting. "How do they feel about (Devon Witherspoon), how do they feel about Leonard (Williams), (Byron) Murphy? There's got to be a level of confidence, self-efficacy that we have to dig deeper into… Not just being fans of these guys, but like, 'I want to take their jobs.' The competition just rises to the top."

Things could change before or during the draft, but as things currently stand, the Seahawks hold only four picks, having traded their fourth and fifth-round selections to the Saints in exchange for receiver and return specialist Rashid Shaheed, and having sent their sixth-rounder to Jacksonville in a 2024 trade for defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris. But even with limited draft capital, the Seahawks head into this year's draft looking to add tough, smart and reliable players who can help the team in 2026 and beyond.

And with the draft coming up soon, Seahawks.com is taking a position-by-position look at where things currently stand for the Seahawks, as well as draft analyst Rob Rang's top draft prospects at each position. We'll also look at Seattle's draft history at each position over the past 16 drafts under Schneider.

Yesterday, we kicked things off with quarterback, and today we take a look at where things stand at running back. Check back tomorrow when we turn our attention to receiver.

Seattle's 2026 Draft Picks: Round 1, No. 32 overall; Round 2, No. 64 overall; Round 3, No. 96 overall; Round 6, No. 188 overall (from Cleveland).

Running back/fullback draft history under John Schneider: Robert Turbin (No. 106 overall, 2012); Christine Michael (No. 62, 2013); Spencer Ware (No. 194, 2013); Kiero Small (No. 227, 2014); C.J. Prosise (No. 90, 2016); Alex Collins (No. 171, 2016); Zac Brooks (No. 247, 2016); Chris Carson (No. 249, 2017); Rashaad Penny (No. 27, 2018); Travis Homer, (No. 204, 2019); DeeJay Dallas (No. 114, 2020); Kenneth Walker III (No. 41, 2022).; Zach Charbonnet (No. 52, 2023); Kenny McIntosh (No. 237, 2023); Robbie Ouzts (No. 175, 2025); Damien Martinez (No. 223, 2025).

Where The Seahawks Stand

When the 2026 season kicks off, the Seahawks will have a different backfield than the one they featured in 2025. Kenneth Walker III, Seattle's No. 1 back for the past four seasons and the MVP of Super Bowl LX, left in free agency, signing with Kansas City. Zach Charbonnet, who split playing time and touches pretty evenly with Walker last season, would head into 2026 as the presumed starter, but he tore his ACL during Seattle's divisional round win over the 49ers. The Seahawks are expecting to get Charbonnet back at some point during the season, but it is unlikely he will be back in Week 1.

That means the Seahawks will open the season without either of their top backs from the past three seasons, though again, Charbonnet is expected back at some point. So one of the biggest questions heading into the 2026 season will be that of, who steps up at running back? Currently the top options on the team are George Holani, who took over the No. 2 role in the postseason following Charbonnet's injury; Kenny McIntosh, a 2023 draft pick who showed flashes late in the 2024 season and who was having a strong camp last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury; Cam Akers, a former Rams starter who finished last season on Seattle's practice squad; and Emanuel Wilson, a free-agent addition who spent his first three seasons with the Packers.

There are, of course, still opportunities to add to that position group, most notably the draft, and Schneider's draft history shows the Seahawks are willing to use draft picks, including high ones, on running backs, having selected Walker and Charbonnet in the second round in 2022 and 2023, respectively, and Rashaad Penny in the first round in 2018. But while the Seahawks very well could add to that position group in the draft, they are also very high on the players already on the roster.

"I'll tell you this, I think people are kind of sleeping on the guys we have a little bit," Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said at the NFL Annual Meeting. "I mean, George Holani played great for us down the stretch. What was the number on Charb's touchdowns? I mean Zach's a great player. He's not going to miss the whole year. And then Kenny Mac will be able to come back and then the guys we added. So, I'm excited about how that room goes from here, and then, obviously, just like the rest of the team, any opportunity to take our team to the next level, we're going to look at it. So that's how John (Schneider) rolls."

Rob Rang's Top 5 Running Backs

Overview: The Seahawks have invested a first or second round selection on a running back in three of the past eight drafts and I think there is a strong chance of that occurring again this year. The 2026 draft is not as rich at the position as last year, but I agree with Schneider – running back is a position where good players can be found. I like the value and fit in Seattle, specifically, that several of the backs listed below would offer. I can appreciate if some are skeptical of my top two running backs both coming from Notre Dame. Back in 2013, I remember when Auburn had three backs – Ronnie Brown, Carnell "Cadillac" Williams and Brandon Jacobs – all get drafted and enjoy strong NFL careers. There is an old scouting maxim of "evaluate the player, not the helmet" and that applies with the two Notre Dame backs. Both are future NFL standouts. A few other mid and late round candidates not listed below that I am intrigued by include Clemson's Adam Randall, Indiana's Kaelon Black and Oregon's Noah Whittington.

1. Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame, 6-0, 212, First Round

Blessed with a rare combination of size and joystick moves, Love ranks right there with Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley and Bijan Robinson as one of the elite running back talents to enter the NFL in the past decade. He's my top-rated overall prospect on offense, beating opponents with elusiveness, power and breakaway speed. He shows McCaffrey-like versatility as a pass-catcher, showing savvy as a route-runner with excellent hands.

2. Jadarian Price, Notre Dame, 5-11, 203, First-Second Round

It is often said that when every other team in the NFL has a tendency to "zig," Schneider and the Seahawks "zag." Price runs with a similar style, showing rare feel for defenders around him, with subtle changes of pace and direction. Price deserves kudos, not questions for committing to Notre Dame for the duration of his college career. He is the most instinctive runner in this class.

3. Mike Washington, Jr., Arkansas, 6-1, 223, Second-Third Round

While I'm personally higher on the smoother (but undeniably slower) Price, Washington offers an intoxicating combination of size and breakaway speed. He generated a lot of buzz at the Combine by running the 40-yard dash in a jaw-dropping 4.33 seconds and that pursuit-angle-busting breakaway speed was apparent against Texas and Texas A&M earlier this year, as well.

4. Jonah Coleman, Washington, 5-08, 220, Second-Third Round

I think part of Schneider's confidence that a back can be found in this draft may very well stem from the belief that one of the country's best starred just a few miles down the road from his office. Coleman's compact frame, balance through contact and ball security remind me a lot of former UCLA and NFL standout Maurice Jones-Drew.

5. Emmett Johnson, Nebraska, 5-10, 202, Second-Third Round

Johnson was among this year's biggest breakout stars in college football, jumping from three touchdowns in 2024 to 15 this past season as the focal point of former NFL head coach Matt Rhule's offense. Like with Price earlier, Johnson plays faster than his workout numbers would suggest, showing the lateral agility and stop-start quickness to make defenders miss.