Elijah Arroyo Signs Rookie Deal with the Seattle Seahawks

"I'm excited," Arroyo said after signing Saturday morning. "My first year in the league, so I'm ready to just go out there and get my feet wet and just prove myself.

"I love competing, so being out there in the NFL, it's the best of the best right here. So (I'm looking forward to) going out and competing."

This is more positive news for the Seahawks' latest go-to player in this draft. Taken in the second round, Arroyo was expected to play early, and after the latest waiver of TE Noah Fant on the roster, Arroyo will take center stage for what could be a great first season under his belt.

With the Hurricanes, he showed flashes of an elite-level player. Only playing one fully healthy season hurt his draft stock, but he was easily considered a top-five TE in the class and was closer to the top three than many might have expected. With Sam Darnold, he could prove to be his new best friend on the gridiron.

His head coach also knows that and looks to use him early this season.

"This guy can run an extensive route tree," Head coach Mike Macdonald said. "To have to account for a tight end body on the field and him also to be able to split out wide, do X receiver-type of things, bigger body that we probably have right now on our roster, just provides a ton of value. Then he's going to throw it in there as the actual tight end in-line and be able to create some of those bigger personnel formations is the vision that we have for him. Really exciting."