Dec 8, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight (48) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Seahawks Rookies Making Strong Impression

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Dec 20, 2024 10:00 AM ET

The Seattle Seahawks didn't know exactly what to expect with this year's rookie class on defense, but they have made an impact early.

While fifth-round cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett has only seen the field sparingly, the Seahawks have gotten a decent amount of value from defensive tackle Byron Murphy II and linebacker Tyrice Knight.

Murphy, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has started in seven of his 11 appearances for the Seahawks, and he is slowly coming into his own.

"I think [Byron Murphy II] is playing really good football right now," Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said. "I think we're narrowing down where his sweet spot is in terms of what we're asking him to do on a week-to-week basis. But this guy prepares really hard, not like a rookie, it's kind of like a vet. He's been doing that since he walked in the door and he's playing really physical, and decisive, but to take this game to the next level, we’d like to get him some more pass rush opportunities ... Maybe a couple more clean wins when he has the two-way go on guys, but he'll get there. I mean those are on tape, it's just a matter to getting more reps."

Murphy isn't the only rookie earning praise from Macdonald. Knight made his fifth straight start in Week 15 against the Green Bay Packers and played in 98 percent of the team's defensive snaps on Sunday Night Football.

Knight is beginning to emerge as an important part of the defense.

"I think it's reflective of the rest of our football team," Macdonald said of Knight's journey in his rookie season. "Just keep growing, man. Keep plugging away, keep battling every day, keep figuring out new stuff to grow and get better from, and find new stuff to screw up. He's doing a great job of preparing, we've got a lot of faith in him. But, this is just the beginning for Tyrice Knight. There are things in his game that he knows that we want to work on from play to play, and I know he's going to get those things fixed and grow from it. But yeah, it's been quite a journey for him since he walked in the door. From when we couldn't find him when we were drafting him, that was crazy. Literally went from couldn't find the guy to now he's starting at linebacker for us. Pretty cool."

The Seahawks can get a lot of value out of their rookies both at the tail end of this season as they chase the playoffs and beyond, giving the defense a bright future.