Will Nick Vannett have a better season than Jimmy Graham?

Nick Vannett is already turning heads with the Seattle Seahawks which puts Jimmy Graham’s future in question.

The Seattle Seahawks drafted Nick Vannett in the 3rd round of the 2016 NFL Draft because of his obvious talent and upside. His a big target who has the athleticism to attack the seam and also contributes as a blocker.

This selection also has something to do with how poorly things went in Jimmy Graham’s first season in Seattle. He was never able to get on the same page with Russell Wilson and struggled to make a major impact.

It got worse when he suffered a pateller tendon injury. This injury isn’t the easiest to recover from which makes it tough to know how Graham will perform this year. Reports are that he’s expected to be ready for the season opener, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be back to his old self.

Seattle will obviously give Graham every opportunity to get on track to ensure they get value for the money they are paying him and the assets they traded to get him. However, Pete Carroll has shown that he won’t hesitate to go with a younger player.

Vannett entered the 2016 draft process as a sleeper thanks to the fact that Ohio State didn’t target him much in the passing game. He was mainly used as a blocker both at the line of scrimmage and from a H-back position.

However, taking a deeper look at Vannett’s college career would show that he has the skills necessary to be a pass-catching threat. He features strong hands and is a natural pass catcher who always plucks the ball away from his frame.

Vannett is a balanced athlete who can effectively change direction and run crisp routes. He doesn’t have elite speed, but has enough to attack the seam and outpace linebackers. Seattle has already noticed his potential to help in the passing game.

The fact that Vannett is a strong blocking tight end and that the Seahawks like to run the football also bodes well for his chances to see plenty of playing time.