Nov 18, 2023; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Nick Emmanwori (21) celebrates a play against the Kentucky Wildcats in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium. Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

Key pair of Seahawks second-round picks remain unsigned

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Connor Benintendi | Last updated May 13, 2025 5:37 PM ET

The Seattle Seahawks have signed all but two of their 2025 NFL Draft picks. Eight signed on Monday, May 12, including first-round guard and No. 18 overall pick Grey Zabel. Third-round quarterback Jalen Milroe signed his rookie deal on Tuesday.

Both of the Seahawks' unsigned players were drafted in the second round: safety Nick Emmanwori (No. 35 overall) and tight end Elijah Arroyo (No. 50). It's not unusual for draft picks to take this long to sign, but it is curious those two are specifically the last two to finalize their deals.

According to Spotrac's 2025 NFL Rookie Scale, Emmanwori's total four-year contract value should be around $11.588 million. Arroyo's deal should be around $8.805 million. The specifics are likely still being negotiated, such as guaranteed money.

Emmanwori might be the difficult one, as he was just the third selection of the second round. The two players picked ahead of him, linebacker Carson Schwesinger (Browns) and wide receiver Jayden Higgins (Texans), have each received fully guaranteed deals, per The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar. That's a trend that hasn't been frequent for second-round picks in the past, providing Emmanwori some more leverage at the bargaining table.

Additionally, with Arroyo only 15 picks behind, Seattle's conversations with its second-round picks may be more complicated than any of its other selections in this year's draft. In fact, they might be some of the toughest negotiations Seahawks general manager John Schneider has had with second-round picks in general.

There's still no reason to panic. Former Seahawks 2023 No. 5 overall pick Devon Witherspoon held out until a few days into training camp during his rookie year while he and the team negotiated the terms of his rookie contract. He still put pen to paper before any significant time was missed.

Both Emmanwori and Arroyo are expected to be key pieces for the Seahawks this season, even as rookies. Emmanwori projects as the team's third safety, while Arroyo will likely be the third tight end. They will want to maximize their offseason preparation before stepping into those roles.

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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