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Seahawks Select Guard Grey Zabel With 18th Overall Pick

North Dakota State University guard Grey Zabel was selected by the Seahawks in the 1st round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Apr 24, 2025 at 07:05 PM

The Seahawks addressed their interior line in a big way on Thursday, selecting North Dakota State guard Grey Zabel with the 18th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Throughout the offseason, offensive line, and guard in particular, was discussed as a need for the Seahawks. General manager and president of football operations John Schneider acknowledged as much, repeatedly, but he also made it clear the Seahawks wouldn't panic in free agency to force a move. Instead, the Seahawks waited for the draft and landed one of the most talented and versatile linemen in the draft in order to bolster a young interior line.

"Man, It was a roller coaster of emotion," Zabel said on a conference call with Seattle-area media after being selected. "It's just so unbelievable to, one, be drafted to an organization like the Seahawks, and two, to get that call with friends and family all around me. Man, it's a lifelong dream of playing the NFL, and I'm super excited to get to work."

Over his past three seasons, Zabel has started 38 games, starting at right tackle, left guard and left tackle, and in 2024 he earned first-team Associated Press FCS All-American honors, as well as first-team Missouri Valley Football Conference honors.

Zabel, who is 6-foot-6, 316 pounds, is the Seahawks' highest-drafted guard since they took Steve Hutchinson with the 17th overall pick in 2001. Hutchinson, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is now a part of the Seahawks' player personnel department and had a hand in the evaluation process of Zabel and other offensive linemen.

The Seahawks listed Zabel as a guard when selecting him, but given his versatility--in addition to playing tackle and guard in college, he also impressed at center at the Senior Bowl--he's ready to do whatever is asked of him when he arrives in Seattle.

"I'm assuming it's going to be somewhere on the interior," Zabel said when asked where he'll play. "I'm not sure yet, we'll have to wait until I get to Seattle and talk to the coaches. But wherever I play, whatever I do, I'm super excited to play for the Seahawks... At the end of the day, you're an offensive lineman. You've got to block somebody, and you've got to protect the quarterback and move the line of scrimmage. So whatever position that is, that's where I want to go compete and play my best football, but I'm excited to do it wearing a Seahawks logo."

Ladies and gentlemen, we got him. pic.twitter.com/5Cas5OMBde
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) April 25, 2025

NFL.com Lance Zierlein's Analysis of Zabel:

Tough-guy profile on this prospect coming out of North Dakota State. Zabel has an NFL frame with room for additional mass and possesses a good starting point in terms of his play strength. He has to play with really quick hands and good feet in order to compensate for short arms that make sustaining blocks and controlling pass rushers more challenging. Teams might ask Zabel to snap during draft season in order to project positional flexibility.

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North Dakota State linemen Grey Zabel (74) and South Dakota Mi"Quise Grace (90) engage each other during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Vermillion, S.D. (AP Photo/Josh Jurgens)

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North Dakota State linemen Grey Zabel (74) backs into pass protection against a South Dakota defender during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Vermillion, S.D. (AP Photo/Josh Jurgens)

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North Dakota State linemen Grey Zabel (74) lines up against a South Dakota defender during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Vermillion, S.D. (AP Photo/Josh Jurgens)

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North Dakota State linemen Grey Zabel (74) sits back waiting for South Dakota defenders to rush during the PAT attempt during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Vermillion, S.D. (AP Photo/Josh Jurgens)

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North Dakota State linemen Griffin Empey (62) and Grey Zabel (74) wait for center Trent Fraley (63) to hike the ball during the second half of an NCAA college football game against South Dakota, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Vermillion, S.D. (AP Photo/Josh Jurgens)

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National team offensive lineman Grey Zabel of North Dakota State (77) runs through drills during practice for the Senior Bowl NCAA college football game, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Butch Dill/2025 Associated Press

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Butch Dill/2025 Associated Press

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National team offensive lineman Grey Zabel (77), of North Dakota State, during the first half of the Senior Bowl NCAA college football game, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Mobile, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Butch Dill/2025 Associated Press

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North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel (OL50) poses for a portrait at the NFL football Combine on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025 in Indianapolis. (AJ Mast/AP Content Services for the NFL)

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North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine Saturday, March 1, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

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North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

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North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, March 2, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

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North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel lifts weights at the NFL football scouting combine Monday, March 3, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

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North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel greets tight end Joe Stoffel during the school's NFL football pro day, Thursday, March, 27, 2025, in Fargo, N.D. (AP Photo/Russell Hons)