Seahawks short on NFL draft picks but have young talent in Tory Horton | Commentary
SEATTLE – The Seahawks have just four picks in the upcoming NFL draft.
But a healthy Tory Horton would be a bigger impact addition than many of the league’s soon-to-be rookie receivers.
Because the Seahawks had to win their second Super Bowl without Horton, who missed the final 12 games (playoffs included) because of a shin injury. But in a tantalizing eight-game teaser, the fifth-round draft pick produced 13 catches, 161 receiving yards and six scores – including a two-touchdown torching of the Commanders and a 95-yard punt return touchdown against the New Orleans Saints.
General manager John Schneider declared: “That guy’s going to be an amazing player.”
If he stays healthy. (Hence the italics above and below.)
And if he can carve a role alongside Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed and Cooper Kupp in an increasingly crowded wide receiver room.
By Feb. 2, Horton stood a forgotten Seahawk, effectively replaced by Shaheed as Seattle’s dynamic receiver/returner. At the San Jose Convention Center, a mere 150 miles from where he was raised, Horton milled through the madness of Super Bowl media day, sporting dark-rimmed sunglasses and a persistent grin.
He could have been bitter about the injury that robbed him of a Super Bowl run, or Shaheed’s success in his vacated role, or a second consecutive season that ended early. He admitted that “it’s always going to hit deep with me, not being able to go out there and play in the Super Bowl.”
Some scars will heal. That one won’t.
But it’s everything else he said that makes me bullish about a healthy Horton’s future.
“I knew (Shaheed) was going to come in and do his thing,” Horton said six days before the Super Bowl. “Me and him used to joke around, talking about, ‘We could go with two returners, so they really couldn’t spot kick us.’ He’s doing a hell of a job. I’m more than excited for him. He deserves every moment of this. I’m very supportive of what he and this team is doing.”
Horton’s humility should not come as a surprise. He was largely overlooked as a three-sport star (football, baseball, basketball) at Washington Union High, considered the No. 186 recruit out of California in the 2020 class. He received scholarship offers from Nevada, Montana and Northern Colorado, as even local programs never came calling.
“My road was a little different,” Horton confirmed. “I didn’t get recruited by Fresno State, even though I was from Fresno. There were a lot of people that criticized my game and my build, saying I wasn’t big enough and fast enough. That’s just something you’ve got to use as fuel to better yourself.”
“You don’t want to let those things eat you up. You’ve got to let that motivate you to not even prove those people wrong, but prove yourself right.”
At Nevada and Colorado State, he proved plenty. The two-time captain combined for 167 catches, 2,267 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns in 2022 and 2023, and finished just 34 yards shy of the Mountain West’s career receiving record. Chad Savage – Horton’s wide receivers coach at CSU – told the Times last fall: “I knew (he was an NFL talent) from the day that guy stepped on campus. Because he had the long speed. He had the short-area quickness. He had strong hands. He just had the makeup NFL receivers have.”
He had everything but a clean bill of health. After appearing in 45 of a possible 46 games in his first four seasons, Horton’s college career ended abruptly due to an LCL injury in his right knee. Though he ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the 2025 NFL scouting combine, the injury questions hampered Horton’s draft stock.
And the rushed recovery came with consequences.
“(This season’s shin injury) was something that was lingering coming off a recent surgery and then rushing back for the combine. I never truly let it heal,” Horton said. “It was kind of a matter of time, when it was going to catch up to me. It was something that lingered and got worse, to where we had to shut it down.”
“That’s not what we wanted. I try to put my heart out there. It got to the point where I didn’t want to affect the team (negatively) with my game. It was the right move to shut it down and take time and let this thing heal.”
Horton’s injury, apparently, is still healing. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said last month that Horton likely won’t be full strength to begin their offseason program, but “we expect him back for training camp is a fair statement to make.”
Long term, I think it’s fair to expect much more than that. That is, if new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury finds ways to utilize Horton in an offense that also includes Smith-Njigba, Shaheed, Kupp, tight end AJ Barner and more. Considering Seattle returns quarterback Sam Darnold and its entire offensive line, that side of the ball is somewhat settled, besides the hole at running back Kenneth Walker III (who signed with Kansas City) and Zach Charbonnet (who will miss significant time because of an ACL tear) formerly filled.
Though the Seahawks’ top two draft picks in 2025 (guard Grey Zabel and safety Nick Emmanwori) starred right away as rookies, Horton, defensive lineman Rylie Mills and tight end Elijah Arroyo have only scratched the surface.
Because of both his talent and temperament, Horton seems primed to transcend his literal and symbolic scars.
If he stays healthy, the constant caveat.
“It’s not anything long term,” Horton said of the shin injury in February. “It’s actually better for me, having a true offseason, not trying to rush back for a 40 or the combine or anything like that. I can take time to just get better and be ready for next season. I’m excited and ready to get to work.”