The Seattle Seahawks made a splash by selecting former Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo with the No. 50 overall selection in the 2025 NFL draft. The Seahawks are hoping Arroyo can make an immediate impact for new starting quarterback Sam Darnold.
The Hurricanes standout got his first taste of NFL action at this past weekend’s rookie minicamp, where he met with reporters and officially revealed his jersey number choice.
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Arroyo wore No. 8 at Miami. The athletic pass catcher recorded 35 receptions for 590 yards and seven touchdowns while donning the single digit last season. Unfortunately for him, that number is taken by Seahawks starting safety Coby Bryant, who was inspired by his namesake and NBA legend Kobe Bryant. That led to Arroyo choosing No. 18, coming as close to his preferred number choice as possible.
“I’m a big target,” Arroyo told local reporters following a rookie minicamp session. The moment was captured by The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar, who photographed Arroyo donning his new No. 18 jersey.
Arroyo should immediately contend for reps at tight end alongside Noah Fant and sophomore AJ Barner. Arroyo is a mismatch nightmare for safeties and linebackers in single coverage due to route-running ability and athleticism. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak will be tasked with maximizing his potential.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Seahawks rookie TE Elijah Arroyo talks jersey number