The Seattle Seahawks have a history of finding hidden gems, but an undrafted free agent from this year’s class, Jared Ivey, may be one of the most impressive yet. As training camp approaches, Ivey’s name is generating buzz and has many believing he could be the not just a candidate to make the Seahawks roster, but contribute was well.
Jared Ivey, an edge rusher out of Ole Miss, went undrafted despite being ranked as the No. 66 prospect on Pro Football Focus’s (PFF) big board. Ivey demonstrated quality production, maturity, and playmaking ability against top competition in college. All of this makes his draft slide even more remarkable. His surprising fall that has turned into a golden opportunity for the Seahawks. Because of all this, PFF has already listed Ivey as Seattle’s top undrafted free agent to watch.
Most of the criticism levied against Ivey has to do with concerns about his pass rush technique and occasional inconsistencies. Some scouts worried about how his skills would translate to the NFL, pointing to moments where he could be bullied by top offensive tackles or where his moves seemed too mechanical. Even so, most didn’t have him sliding outside of the draft altogether. Even conservative projections of Ivey had him going in the 5th round. This makes the value Seattle received even greater.
When it comes to production, Ivey’s college numbers are hard to ignore. Below are the high points:
- 16 sacks over the past two seasons—tied for 10th most among Power Five defenders.
- 40 quarterback pressures, 8 sacks, and 21 stops in his final season at Ole Miss.
- Consistent improvement each year, with sack totals rising from 1.5 in 2021 to 7 in 2024.
He played 58 games at the collegiate level between Georgia Tech and Ole Miss. Ivey began his career at Georgia Tech before transferring to Ole Miss, gaining experience against top-tier competition in both the ACC and SEC. This extensive experience is rare for undrafted free agents. Most UDFA come from either the small college ranks or had very limited playing time in major college conferences. It’s very rare that an undrafted rookie has this much game experience with top competition.
This potential steal for Seattle doesn’t just look good in isolation. When compared against top pass rushers from the 2025 first round, Ivey measures up very well. And keep in mind, these aren’t fellow UDFA or late round draft choices. Ivey has good numbers when compared against the best of the best.
From an analytical perspective he’s just as good if not better than Shemar Stewart, James Pearce Jr, and Mykel Williams (all 1st round picks).
From a production perspective, Ivey also holds up well statistically. Keep in mind, Ivey went undrafted, the other three rookies shown were first round picks.
Sometimes players go undrafted due to height, weight, or other “dimensional” concerns. That wasn’t the case with Ivey. Standing at 6’6” and 275 pounds, Ivey has the prototypical NFL frame for an edge rusher. Scouts agree that his size and strength are not in question. While some have pointed to his relative athletic score (RAS) as a minor concern, his on-field production and physicality more than compensate for any perceived limitations.
The main knocks on Ivey revolve around the finer points of his game: pass rush technique, consistency, and occasional lapses against elite tackles. These are undeniably fair concerns and would be a major reason for him to be available in the 5th round. But there is no logical reason Ivey went underfed completely. The Seahawks’ leadership, led by head coach Mike Macdonald and GM John Schneider, clearly saw this opportunity and pounced.
Seattle’s defensive front is already solid, but Ivey’s ability to make an impact in a rotational role could be invaluable. He doesn’t need a high volume of snaps to be effective. In fact, his knack for making big plays in limited action could be a strategic advantage, keeping opposing offensive linemen off-balance and unable to adjust to his moves. One of the bigger concerns with Ivey is that the more reps opposing lineman get on him the worse he tends to perform. That won’t be an issue since he likely will be a rotational player while he develops further in the NFL.
Barring injuries or unforeseen setbacks, Ivey is a strong candidate to not only make the Seahawks’ final roster but also contribute meaningfully as a rookie. Ivey doesn’t need to start and likely won’t. But his experience against top competition paired with his production and physical tools make him a rare find among undrafted free agents. If he continues to develop and adapt, Ivey could become one of the biggest steals of the 2025 NFL season.
Disclaimer: The content of this article was originally published as a YouTube video on the Saturday Morning Inspection YouTube channel. With AI assistance, the publisher of the video created this article based on the content of that video.
