Good afternoon, 12s.
Here's a look at what's "out there" for today - Friday, April 22 - about your Seattle Seahawks:
2015 RB Re-Draft
Hindsight is 20/20, so it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise to see NFL.com's Gregg Rosenthal picking Seattle's Thomas Rawls, who went undrafted in 2015, as one of the top players off the board in his re-draft of last year's running back class.
In his make-believe exercise, Rosenthal lists Rawls as the fifth running back taken. Rawls, who ran for 830 yards, four touchdowns, and recorded an NFL-best 5.6 yards per carry in 2015, goes in front of players like Melvin Gordon, a first-rounder last year, as well as T.J. Yeldon and Ameer Abdullah, second-round picks from a year ago.
Here's what Rosenthal had to say about Rawls, who's in line to take the Seahawks' starting job from retired running back Marshawn Lynch:
It's easy to remember how Thomas Rawls finishes his runs like a mini-Marshawn Lynch. It's easy to remember the monster holes Seattle's offensive line opened late in the year and how Rawls tore through them like they were the last runs he'd ever see. It wasn't as easy to remember Rawls' quick feet and change of direction as he piled up four monster games in only seven starts. It's hard to understand how this guy went undrafted, entering Seahawks training camp fourth on the depth chart.
*So why isn't he ranked higher? Rawls is coming off a broken ankle, a complicated injury to return from. His violent playing style invites injuries. He is reminiscent of a bigger Ahmad Bradshaw and it's worth wondering if Rawls can continue a long NFL career at the breakneck pace he played last season. Rawls is a perfect fit for Seattle, but he wouldn't necessarily work in every system. We're hoping that he's underrated on this list like he was underrated in the draft coming out of Central Michigan. *
Watch Sea Gals Auditions Live This Sunday
The top 55 candidates from a pool of 200 women will compete for a spot on the 2016 Sea Gals this Sunday, April 24, when final auditions will be held at CenturyLink Field.
The event is closed to the public, but 12s looking to catch an early glimpse of next year's squad can tune into a live webcast of all the action beginning at 5 p.m. PT at www.SeaGals.com. You can also keep tabs on final auditions by following the Sea Gals on Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat ('theseagals').
Tweet Of The Day
Today's "Tweet of the Day" comes from us - @Seahawks, as we share a photo of Seattle's Great Wheel and CenturyLink Field that were lit up purple Thursday night to honor Prince, the international music icon who died yesterday at age 57.
More From Around The Web
Here at Seahawks.com, digital media reporter John Boyle details general manager John Schneider and his wife Traci's autism awareness efforts and continues his 2016 NFL Draft preview with a look at the running back position.Â
Marshawn Lynch celebrates his 30th birthday today.
Here's a look at the latest players draft experts are projecting to the Seahawks with the No. 26 overall pick.
Cornerback Richard Sherman teamed up with Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski for an entertaining digital short series.
Jayson Jenks at the Seattle Times revisits the Seahawks' 1997 decision to draft left tackle Walter Jones, who enjoyed a Hall of Fame career in Seattle.Â
Bob Condotta at the Seattle Times chats with wide receiver Doug Baldwin about the start of the Seahawks offseason program.Â
Nick Patterson at the Everett Herald says it's possible the Seahawks could look for a backup quarterback in the draft's later rounds.Â
And Sheil Kapadia at ESPN.com talks with Garry Gilliam about how his switch from right to left tackle came to be.
Marshawn Lynch has reached many milestones in his NFL career, and today he celebrates 30, happy birthday BeastMode!