Seahawks Rookie Roundup: Will bruising late-round rusher make waves in RB room?

The Seattle Seahawks begin training camp on Wednesday, July 23, officially kicking off the second season under head coach Mike Macdonald. Seattle's rookie class — draft pick and undrafted free agent alike — will be among the most closely watched additions to the team during camp.

This season, the Seahawks have 29 total rookies on their 90-man roster. Before camp begins, we will profile each of the team's first-year players and project their chances of making the final 53-man roster in early September. Seventh-round pick and former Miami running back Damien Martinez is second on the list.

Rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports out of Lewisville High School in Lewisville, Texas, Martinez averaged over eight yards per carry during his prep career en route to posting more than 4,300 rushing yards and 66 touchdowns. He committed to Oregon State out of high school, spending two seasons with the Beavers.

Martinez was a First Team All-Pac 12 selection both seasons, piling up 2,167 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on just 355 carries (6.1 yards per attempt). He was third in the conference in rushing yards as a sophomore behind Cal's Jaydn Ott and Washington's Dillon Johnson. Martinez transferred to Miami ahead of the 2024 season, appearing in 13 games and piling up 159 carries, 1,002 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in his final college campaign.

Although he was projected to be a sixth-round pick in the draft by NFL.com, Martinez slid to the 223rd overall pick (seventh pick of the seventh round) and was selected by Seattle. A bruising runner at 6-foot, 217 pounds, Martinez could potentially have a long career considering he's just 21 years old.

 

Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Miami running back Damien Martinez (RB22) during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

 

Martinez enters a deep running back room that is led by Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet and bolstered by Kenny McIntosh. Even though he proclaimed Seahawks fans can expect to see "Beast Mode 2.0 coming up there" to Seattle, Martinez does have a tough path to a roster spot this season.

With the Seahawks almost certainly keeping a fullback, there's almost no chance that the team keeps four running backs. They only kept three in 2024, and that was without a fullback on the roster. Former undrafted free agent George Holani, who ended up being kept on the practice squad, was left off the roster as the team's fourth rusher.

Martinez, McIntosh, Holani and UDFA Jacardia Wright will battle for the third running back spot in training camp, and the fourth will likely be picked back up on the practice squad if they clear waivers.

McIntosh and Holani have a head start, but it all comes down to who fits Klint Kubiak's scheme best. Seattle spent draft capital on Martinez, so the Seahawks most likely want to keep him. But Mike Macdonald also showed he's not afraid to let draft picks go (i.e. 2024 sixth-round cornerback DJ James).

Martinez has a high ceiling, especially with his contact balance and one-cut style that does resemble Marshawn Lynch. Still, he'll have to impress to be kept around in a hotly contested position group.