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The Seattle Seahawks broke a 23-year streak to replace an underrated free agent in the 2026 NFL draft.

They dedicated most of their 2026 NFL draft class to replacing key players from their Super Bowl LX win, but the most intriguing pick for the Seattle Seahawks wasn’t the successor to running back Kenneth Walker III, nor the potential replacements for safety Coby Bryant and cornerback Riq Woolen.

Instead, the pick to keep an eye on is the late-round selection that broke a 23-year streak for one draft observer. A pick capable of replacing an underrated star lost during free agency.

That’s the expectation Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune has for sixth-round pick Emmanuel Henderson Jr. Bell revealed why the former Kansas wide receiver being the 199th player taken surprised him so much.

As Bell explained, “I’ve been covering NFL drafts since my first one on the Oakland Raiders for the Sacramento Bee 23 years ago. I can’t remember anyone drafting a punt-team gunner, specifically for that role. The Seahawks did this weekend. They lost their gunner, wide receiver Dareke Young, in free agency to the Raiders last month.”

Bell has mapped out a key role for Henderson. A responsibility set to make him more than a throwaway pick, despite other draft scribes being less than impressed with Seattle’s selection strategy.

Emmanuel Henderson Jr. Already ‘Elite’ in Niche Role

Young reuniting with former offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak left the Seahawks short of a sneaky good contributor in football’s third phase. Fortunately, Henderson “was elite at being a gunner in college,” according to Bell, who pointed out general manager John Schneider “noted Henderson clocked almost 23mph in GPS tracking sprinting down the sideline outside closing in on and tackling opposing punt returners. He’s also a punt returner.”

So Henderson is “a punt returner who also tackles punt returners. Henderson isn’t breaking into a wide-receiver rotation among Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp, Rashid Shaheed, Jake Bobo and Tory Horton. But he’s got a job waiting for him on the 2026 team as a gunner.”

Unleashing a speed demon and genuine downhill force in kick coverage is an obvious asset for winning the field position battle. Particularly when the Seahawks need to maintain the strength of special teams that proved more than useful at several points last season.

Smart football and splash plays became common in the kicking game for the would-be champions. Like when placekicker Jason Myers made franchise history to beat the Indianapolis Colts back in December.

Myers had already been making clever use of the NFL’s “dynamic kickoff” rules to create negative plays for opposing returners. It worked a treat against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2, when George Holani recovered a loose ball in the end zone for an unlikely touchdown.

Touchdowns weren’t in short supply in the return game thanks to 2025 fifth-round pick Horton and All-Pro trade acquisition Shaheed. The latter burned multiple teams, but his best work might’ve been this 59-yard punt return for six in a critical game against NFC West rivals the Los Angeles Rams.

The Seahawks couldn’t ignore the importance of staying dynamic in the third phase, so Schneider was smart to use a draft pick to replace Young. Especially when another of Henderson’s core skills also gives him an outside chance to see the field as a receiver.

Seahawks Still Have Room for Wide Receiver Help

Shaheed, veteran Kupp and last year’s league-leading receiver Smith-Njigba ensure the Seahawks remain strong at a key position. Yet, there’s still room for a young burner who can stretch the field.

Henderson fits the bill after recording “four catches of 50-plus yards in 2025,” per Dane Brugler of The Athletic. He might be raw, but Henderson possesses the core attribute to become a viable target when strong-armed quarterback Sam Darnold wants a sudden chunk play or needs help in long-yardage situations.

Perhaps earning his share of deep targets is setting the ceiling too high for Henderson. Maybe he doesn’t take catches away from Shaheed and Co., but the 23-year-old still looks like a good bet to make sure Young won’t be missed.