The Seattle Seahawks rookies combined for 137 snaps in Week 18 against the San Francisco 49ers. Once again, only Grey Zabel and Nick Emmanwori played meaningful snaps. Robbie Ouzts logged his third-highest snap count of the season, while Rylie Mills and undrafted rookie Amari Kight combined for just five snaps.
Let’s dive into the tape and break down the key rookie performances from Seattle’s NFC West championship victory.
Grey Zabel — Offensive Guard (69 snaps)
This was Zabel’s best game of the season — and arguably one of the best individual
offensive line performances the Seahawks have put on tape in quite some time. He posted a 93.4 PFF offensive grade (best in Week 18), a 91.6 run-blocking grade (also best of the week), and did not allow a single pressure.
The improvement is clear on film. Zabel played with a much stronger base and better balance throughout the game. On similar reps earlier in the season, he was getting walked back at the point of contact. Here, he absorbs the defender’s momentum, stays square, and preserves the integrity of the pocket.
Hand placement was another major step forward. On one rep, Zabel mixes in a jump set, completely disrupting the defensive tackle’s timing. His right hand lands cleanly under the pads — textbook placement — allowing him to control and steer the defender.
Play-action reps can sometimes flatter offensive linemen, but the growth still matters. Go back a few weeks to the sack he allowed against the Rams on a similar push-pull attempt. This time, Zabel avoids leaning forward, keeps his weight centered, and eliminates any chance of the defender countering back inside.
One of the most impressive snaps came on a screen. Zabel shows patience, delaying his release just enough to avoid an ineligible man downfield penalty, then absolutely levels the linebacker to spring Ken Walker. That’s awareness and discipline paired with violence.
Watch Zabel’s footwork compared to the rest of the line. When he’s already into his third step, other linemen are still finishing their first. That get-off speed gives him excellent angles on reach blocks and consistently puts him in position to win early.
There was a questionable holding call against him that doesn’t fully match what the tape shows. Zabel helps Josh Jones at the first level, then climbs quickly to the linebacker. The 49ers defender does a good job attacking low and slipping, which creates the illusion of a hold more than an actual one.
This snap encapsulates why the Seahawks’ run game finally clicked. All five linemen are in sync, and the angles at the second level are clean. Given the athletic profile of this offensive line, this kind of execution had been surprisingly inconsistent all year. Here, Jalen Sundell and Zabel reach the second level with ease, sealing key blocks on a long third-down conversion.
Nick Emmanwori — Defensive Back (42 snaps)
Seattle’s defensive performance was close to flawless, and Emmanwori played his role to near perfection. He consistently erased checkdowns and was a critical piece in the run fits that severely limited San Francisco’s ground game. He finished with two pressures (including a QB hit), seven tackles, three stops, and allowed just 38 yards when targeted.
His usage was diverse:
- 1 snap on the defensive line;
- 22 snaps in the box;
- 18 snaps in the slot;
- 1 snap at outside corner;
Even when the 49ers leaned into heavy personnel packages, the Seahawks stayed in nickel. A big reason for the success was Emmanwori’s ability to function as a hybrid defender. On this rep, he lines up across from Kyle Juszczyk, one of the league’s most physical lead blockers. The rookie not only holds his ground, but controls the block, closes the gap, and helps finish the tackle.
On another snap, San Francisco’s motion creates a favorable blocking angle against him. In theory, this should spring the play. Instead, Emmanwori shocks the blocker backward, forcing the ball carrier to widen his path and fall short of the first down.
Seattle shows a dime look with a three-safety shell and sends Emmanwori as a blitzer. His primary job isn’t to sack the quarterback, but to attack the outside shoulder of the guard and open space for Leonard Williams on the stunt. The impact is so forceful that Emmanwori creates his own lane and gets a clean QB hit, disrupting the throw.
Note: Excellent patience from Riq Woolen on this rep, staying disciplined against a potential double move.
Discipline was the foundation of this defensive performance. Staying true to assignments and limiting mistakes prevented San Francisco’s checkdowns from turning into explosive plays. Emmanwori’s tackle on Christian McCaffrey in space is a perfect example — technically sound, decisive.
My favorite play of his game came against a classic 49ers misdirection. Two-back formation, McCaffrey motions, the action suggests a jet pass, the quarterback carries the fake toward the right side — all designed to pull eyes away so George Kittle can slip out on the backside. Emmanwori doesn’t bite. He doesn’t freelance. He trusts his assignment and makes an outstanding tackle for a loss.
Elijah Arroyo — Tight End (0 snaps)
Injured Reserve.
Jalen Milroe — Quarterback (0 snaps)
Inactive.
Rylie Mills — Defensive Lineman (3 snaps)
After flashing some promising reps in recent weeks, Mills played just three snaps and had no real impact on the game.
Tory Horton — Wide Receiver (0 snaps)
Injured Reserve.
Robbie Ouzts — Fullback (21 snaps)
Ouzts may have played his best game as a rookie. There’s still room to grow, particularly with target accuracy in the blocks and consistently imposing his 270-pound frame, but his movement skills stand out. He’s exceptionally quick for a player of his size.
Technically, he needs to fix one recurring issue: he often attacks only half of a defender’s body. That habit makes it harder to sustain blocks, as defenders can slip free.
On one rep, Ouzts shows excellent processing. He recognizes Abe Lucas losing leverage, comes off his initial path to help, puts the defender on the ground, and then climbs to block another player — all on the same snap.
The Seahawks clearly trust him as a blocker. On a key run, they essentially run a trap concept, leaving the defensive tackle unblocked while Zabel and Jones climb. Ouzts arrives right on time to seal the play and make it work.
Bryce Cabeldue — Offensive Lineman (0 snaps)
Inactive.
Mason Richman — Offensive Lineman (0 snaps)
Inactive.
Nick Kallerup — Tight End (0 snaps)
After being active every week since Week 9, Kallerup was inactive. Seattle opted to use Brady Russell as the situational third tight end instead.
Final Thoughts
Seattle’s two highest rookie selections were central to this win — Zabel anchoring the offensive line and Emmanwori setting the tone defensively. Robbie Ouzts also played an important role within his fullback responsibilities, helping fuel the run game.
With injuries limiting the rest of the rookie class (and little optimism that Tory Horton or Elijah Arroyo will return), contributions will likely continue to be concentrated around Zabel and Emmanwori. Ouzts should remain a useful piece, Kallerup may resurface in select blocking situations, and the only potential wild card down the stretch is whether Rylie Mills can earn a larger role.
