Everyone knew Seattle needed to address the interior of its offensive line, and that is exactly what it did when they came on the clock at pick 18 of the first round.
The interior offensive line of the Seattle Seahawks struggled at times during the 2024 season. Whether it was issues with high snaps from center Conor Williams, penalties from right guard Anthony Bradford, pressures allowed by Laken Tomlinson or a perplexing inability to get on the field from Christian Haynes, there was no shortage of issues.
General manager John Schneider hopes to have addressed at least one spot Thursday evening in Green Bay, using the 18th overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft on offensive lineman Grey Zabel of North Dakota State.
It all starts up front. With the 18th pick, we’ve selected G Grey Zabel!#GoHawks x @lumentechco pic.twitter.com/sXVtH9gHBi
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) April 25, 2025
Time to celebrate, Grey. pic.twitter.com/btUGV2nGQ1
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) April 25, 2025
The moment @GreyZabel got drafted… mayhem in South Dakota#probison pic.twitter.com/1N7OjzX8Ha
— Sam Goetzinger (@sam_goetzinger) April 25, 2025
The selection of Zabel made history for multiple reasons.
Grey Zabel is the first non-quarterback to be selected in the NFL Draft first round in North Dakota State football history
— Oliver Hodgkinson (@ojhodgkinson) April 25, 2025
The pick did not just make history at the school level, though, as Zabel now holds claim to the title of the highest drafted offensive lineman in the history of FCS.
The highest drafted offensive lineman in #FCS history, Grey Zabel goes to the Seattle Seahawks with the 18th pick of the 2025 #NFLDraft. #ProBison pic.twitter.com/LJxUbH3AS1
— NDSU Football (@NDSUfootball) April 25, 2025
Grey Zabel has become the third-highest drafted player in North Dakota State football history, behind Carson Wentz (2nd) and Trey Lance (3rd).
He’s the sixth straight #NDSU left tackle to be drafted into the NFL (Turner, Haeg, Radunz, Volson, Mauch). pic.twitter.com/OIN03Gj8Aa
— Dom Izzo (@DomIzzoWDAY) April 25, 2025
Many fans were understandably excited about the selection, but we’ll get to that. It was not just fans though, as more than one veteran of the trenches in the NFL weighed in positively on the pick on social media.
.@Seahawks @NDSUfootball @GreyZabel can line up and play anywhere. Center might be his best spot at the NFL. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/y71g3abujO
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) April 25, 2025
Grey Zabel. @Seahawks pic.twitter.com/dvgBplBF9k
— Ray Roberts (@BigRayRoberts) April 25, 2025
As for the analytics of Zabel and his on field performance, they certainly help explain why Zabel was selected in the first round.
Seattle Selects North Dakota State OL Grey Zabel 18th Overall
93.1 Pass Block Grade in 2024 (1st Among All OL) pic.twitter.com/hka2VV2XFj
— PFF College (@PFF_College) April 25, 2025
Grey Zabel was drafted in round 1 pick 18 in the 2025 draft class. He scored a 9.49 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 78 out of 1507 OT from 1987 to 2025. https://t.co/3jhQefClF8 pic.twitter.com/xMOG3Lm468
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 25, 2025
Multiple members of the media also weighed in on the selection.
NDSU’s Grey Zabel isn’t just the NFL Draft’s top-rated center… he’s also got an arm that once delivered low-90s fastballs. On The Insiders, we got the footage. pic.twitter.com/96KiPEuIxC
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 12, 2025
“Grey Zabel is a great kid and he’s a great competitor..
We were hoping that he was gonna be there and we love the pick” ~ John Schneider #PMSDraftSpectacular https://t.co/HO2MCs8NIH pic.twitter.com/xDwCIFbhMm
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 25, 2025
Dane Brugler on Grey Zabel
“Football, farming and his family — not sure he cares about much else.”
The #Seahawks got their cornerstone next to Charles Cross pic.twitter.com/hwAlaQS2Re
— pop (@imightbepop) April 25, 2025
Grey Zabel says he was mentored by Seahawks center Jalen Sundell in college and he’s excited to reunite with him in Seattle.
“It’s going to be awesome.”
— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) April 25, 2025
Grey Zabel said he trained this offseason with Abe Lucas at Excel Sports Management.
And he played with center Jalen Sundell in college at North Dakota State, who is a really good friend.
— Curtis Crabtree (@Curtis_Crabtree) April 25, 2025
“offensive line is offensive line”
Grey Zabel says he can’t wait to do it in a #Seahawks logo
— Niko Tamurian (@NikoTamurian) April 25, 2025
I didn’t think John would do it. I preferred Jackson over Zabel as big school bias but I like T/G versatility over G/C but I’m cool with it.
— Mookie Alexander (@mookiealexander) April 25, 2025
Grey Zabel is going to be a massive fan favorite in Seattle.
Unless he struggles, in which case the Seahawks fans will turn against him hard and call for John Schneider to be fired.
— Seaside Joe: Daily Seahawks Newsletter (@seasidejoenews) April 25, 2025
that jacket is perfect for Seattle @GreyZabel pic.twitter.com/pk2s3XKuLJ
— FCS Nation Radio (@FCSNationRadio1) April 25, 2025
Grey Zabel is a Seahawk pic.twitter.com/w5n58Ed8IY
— Baker Breadman (@NFLonBread) April 25, 2025
Honestly, Grey Zabel was a Ravens-style pick and I’m all for it.
— Weapon Next/Logan Lynch/Ted Zahn (@WeaponNext) April 25, 2025
Very safe, solid pick
— Seahawk Tuah (@insider_seattle) April 25, 2025
Wrote this two days ago re: Zabel https://t.co/uDiGIdZ1pO
— Seahawk Nerd (@SeahawkNerd) April 25, 2025
“My hat says all you need to know about why we picked Grey Zabel”- Mike Macdonald pic.twitter.com/BC4mnhLf5D
— Baker Breadman (@NFLonBread) April 25, 2025
stock through the roof https://t.co/NMLfRqoZgY
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) April 25, 2025
It’s not just a football player, though, that the Seahawks added with their first round pick. By all accounts, Zabel is just a good person, including this note from sports reporter Zach Borg of Dakota News Now.
1/2-if you want to know what a good dude @GreyZabel is, I packed up to leave (family watching privately, I’m heading to downtown watch party). Unprompted kid who in a few hours could be an NFL player & millionaire carried my camera bag with 40-50 pounds of gear to my car in rain https://t.co/4mKZ5Htxc4
— Zach Borg (@IceBorg) April 24, 2025
And now it’s just a matter of waiting until September to see Zabel in action on an NFL field.