FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — UW Huskies standout Michael Penix Jr., the biggest surprise of the NFL draft’s first round, received a congratulatory call from Kirk Cousins on Thursday night even as Cousins’ agent was second-guessing the Atlanta Falcons adding depth to their quarterback spot. Why did Falcons take UW Huskies’ Penix when they have Cousins? Penix described the chat with Cousins as “a very good conversation,” but would not say what was discussed. Penix may have been more excited by Friday’s text message from another left-handed Falcons quarterback named Michael. In his first news confe ..read more

UW Huskies wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk was selected by the New England Patriots with the No. 37 overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Friday. WA NFL Draft Tracker: UW Huskies, WSU and local picks Polk was the fourth UW player off the board in the year’s draft. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. went No. 8 overall to the Atlanta Falcons, wide receiver Rome Odunze went No. 9 to the Chicago Bears and offensive lineman Troy Fautanu went No. 20 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. It marks the first time in program history that the Huskies have had four players taken in the top 40 of a draft ..read more

Were the Seattle Seahawks considering trading up to select Michael Penix Jr. in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night? Seahawks NFL Draft Tracker: Keep up on every pick and trade According to a social media post from NFL Network reporter James Palmer, the Seahawks were one of three teams that tried to move into the top 10 to take the UW Huskies star quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy runner-up. The #Seahawks, #Saints and #Raiders all tried to get into the top 10 for Michael Penix per sources. — James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) April 26, 2024 All three teams entered the night w ..read more

The NFL Draft here in Seattle isn’t just about the Seahawks, as there are several UW Huskies players and others with local ties also involved in the 2024 class. Seahawks NFL Draft Tracker: Keep up on every pick and trade Most of the attention has been on the Washington team that finished last season ranked No. 2 in the nation and had three players go in the first round Thursday night. And rightfully so, as many more were expected to come over the final six rounds of the draft. In this tracker, we’ll keep you updated throughout the three-day draft on every Husky taken, plus any players from the ..read more

To say there was a “run on offense player” in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft would be quite the understatement, but the Seattle Seahawks bucked the trend by taking Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II with pick No. 16. Were Seattle Seahawks’ draft day videos trolling ‘picture gate?’ Murphy was just the second player taken off the board, one pick after the Indianapolis Colts made former UW Huskies edge rusher Laiatu Latu the first. Meanwhile, a record 23 of the 32 first-round picks were on the offensive side of the ball. The Seahawks enter Friday’s portion of the draft, which features ..read more

The Seattle Seahawks did exactly what they needed to do on night one of the NFL Draft – just with a twist. Video: Top Seattle Seahawks draft pick Byron Murphy II joins Brock & Salk Ask any Seattle fan how the Rams and 49ers have been able to separate themselves from the rest of the NFC West over the last several seasons and you’ll find one common answer: the trenches. Whether it’s the now-retired Aaron Donald, 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa, or All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, both Los Angeles and San Francisco have had playmakers. And that’s exactly what Seattle had to address. There’s a ..read more

The Seattle Seahawks seemed to lean into the “picture gate” controversy on the first day of the 2024 NFL Draft. Former Seahawks RB sees both sides of “picture gate” Yes, we’re still talking about this, but it’s for a pretty good reason. The Seahawks – if this was planned, and it had to be – showed a pretty good sense of humor about the whole thing in a pair of videos they shared on social media. First, let’s catch up on the backstory. Last week, a minor firestorm appeared when media members showed up for some press conferences at Seahawks headquarters in Renton and passed along that a noticeab ..read more

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — The first draft under Mike Macdonald as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks had to start on the defensive side of the ball. And with the run of offensive players controlling the first half of the first round, the Seahawks ended up landing perhaps the best interior defensive line prospect. Seahawks Draft Reaction: Top pick Byron Murphy a ‘300-lb ball of muscle’ Seattle filled one of its clear needs on the defensive front, selecting Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II with the No. 16 pick of the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night. “To sit here and think tha ..read more

The Seattle Seahawks’ first draft pick of the Mike Macdonald era went to the defensive side of the ball. Seattle Seahawks draft Texas DL Byron Murphy II in first round Seattle selected Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II at No. 16 overall in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday night. The 6-foot-1, 297-pound Murphy was just the second defensive player off the board, taken one pick after the Indianapolis Colts picked UCLA edge rusher and former UW Huskies defender Laiatu Latu at No. 15. In picking Murphy, the Seahawks are looking to bolster a struggling defense that ranked 24th ..read more

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — The New Orleans Saints selected Tacoma native and Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga with the 14th overall pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday night. NFL Draft Tracker: Keep up on Hawks picks and trades The 6-foot-6, 324-pound Fuaga, who was named first-team All-Pac-12 last season, joins a Saints squad that entered the draft needing bodies on the offensive line, particularly at offensive tackle. Trevor Penning, the second of two 2022 first-round picks by New Orleans, was unable to hold on to a starting role at left tackle last season. His replacement in the lineup ..read more