Good morning, 12s. Here's a look at what's happening today – Monday, June 28 – for your Seattle Seahawks.

Two Seahawks Players Make NFL Rising Stars List

Drafting well in the NFL is essential to team success. Without good drafts, a team falls behind due to a lack of young talent and often isn't able to catch up for years. Luckily for the Seahawks, John Schneider and Co. have selected some high-level players in the draft -- especially recently.

Last week, NFL.com's Nick Shook revealed his All-Under-25 Team and two key Seahawks players made the list -- WR DK Metcalf and OG Damien Lewis. The criteria for making the list was simple: the player must be under 25 years old entering this season and he must be one of the best rising stars at his position.

Metcalf was one of three receivers selected, along with his college teammate A.J. Brown of the Titans and Justin Jefferson of the Vikings. Selected 64th overall in the second round back in 2019, Metcalf has been a star since he stepped on the field in Seattle. The Ole Miss product had 58 receptions for 900 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie before breaking the NFL rookie record and Seahawks record for receiving yards in a playoff game (160) against the Eagles. He was even better in Year 2, totaling 1,303 yards on 83 catches for 10 scores while making Second-Team All-Pro.

Here's what Shook wrote about Metcalf:

"The 2020 season very quickly became a breakout year for the big-bodied receiver who once broke into tears while asking Pete Carroll why the Seahawks took so long to draft him. Defenders tasked with covering Metcalf were the ones doing the crying in 2020. He racked up 1,303 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last season, finishing as one of four players with 1,200-plus receiving yards and 10-plus receiving touchdowns. Metcalf's yardage total topped Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Largent's single-season mark of 1,287, breaking Seattle's franchise record. He's also one of only three players in the Super Bowl era to post 2,500-plus receiving yards and 20-plus receiving touchdowns through their first two seasons (including playoffs). The other two players in that group: Hall of Famer Randy Moss and superstar Odell Beckham Jr."

Lewis joined the Patriots' Michael Onwenu as an offensive guard selection. The 69th pick in the third round during the 2020 NFL Draft vastly outplayed his draft position during his rookie season. Lewis won the starting right guard job in training camp and started all 16 games on Seattle's line. After the season, the former LSU standout was named to the Pro Football Writers Association’s All-Rookie Team.

Here's what Shook wrote about Lewis:

"Like (Patriots guard Michael) Onwenu, Lewis was a bit of a revelation in his first season. He started all 16 games, becoming one of two rookie O-linemen to play 500 or more pass-blocking snaps and allow three or fewer sacks in 2020 (joining fellow All-Under-25 Team member Tristan Wirfs). Lewis was excellent as a road grader, earning the fifth-best run-blocking grade (83.5) among guards in 2020, per PFF. Lewis' strong debut drew praise from the Pro Football Writers of America, who selected him as a member of their All-Rookie Team."

Bobby Wagner Praised By Pro Football Focus, CBS Sports

Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner has dominated the NFL since entering the league in 2012. He has topped 100 total tackles in nine straight seasons to start his career, leading the league in tackles twice and being named First-Team All-Pro six times. The accolades are endless for a player widely considered to be among the league's best.

With the offseason in full swing, many media outlets are releasing player and positional rankings to fill time. Wagner has recently gotten some shine from Pro Football Focus and CBS Sports as they conducted their respective rankings.

PFF's Sam Monson ranked the top 50 players in the NFL, and he placed Wagner at No. 8 overall -- the highest-ranked linebacker.

"The veteran linebacker notched 23 total pressures on the blitz last year but also broke up seven passes in coverage and racked up a massive 61 defensive stops," Monson wrote. "Wagner has been the class of the linebacker position for years and will only look better if Seattle can reinject talent around him."

CBS Sports' Jordan Dajani ranked the NFL’s top 10 linebackers and -- you guessed it -- Wagner topped the list.

"While he just turned 31, Wagner is still the best inside linebacker in football," Dajani wrote. "Whether it's stopping the run or making an impact in defending the pass, Wagner can do either at a high level. His consistency is another reason he earns the No. 1 spot on our list, as he has missed just one game over the last five seasons."

Wagner also celebrated his birthday on Sunday, June 27. Various players and friends took to social media to send him their warm regards:

Social Post Of The Day

Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs had the perfect response to the extreme heat in Seattle over the weekend:

More From Around The Web

Former Seahawks WR Michael Bumpus breaks down rookie wide receiver D’Wayne Eskridge’s game in the latest “2021 Film Session” for Seahawks.com.

Jake Heaps of 710 ESPN Seattle believes these two young Seahawks could make the lead to the Pro Bowl this season.

Ty Dane Gonzalez of Sports Illustrated predicts five Seahawks players who will exceed their 2020 numbers.