Adding to special teams? Seahawks 6th-round pick Kansas WR Emmanuel Henderson

The Seahawks are stockpiling speed at the back of this draft. Apparently for special teams.

They selected Kansas and former Alabama backup wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson at 199th overall, the first of their two choices in the sixth round of the NFL draft Saturday.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Henderson was also a kick returner in college. He also was on kick-coverage teams.

There aren’t many kick returners who also tackle kick returners.

Seattle had one of the league’s best special-teams units last season en route to the Super Bowl, and have since lost special-teams wide receiver Dareke Young.

“Oh, most definitely special teams is a big part of my game,” Henderson said Saturday afternoon on the phone from his family home in Gulf Shores, Alabama, amid a celebration with family and friends.

Asked to describe his game, he said: “Fast.”

Wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. #1 of the Kansas Jayhawks catches a pass against cornerback Blake Cotton #16 of the Utah Utes in the second half at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on November 28, 2025 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

(Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

The pick of Henderson was after Seahawks general manager John Schneider’s second trade down Saturday. He moved Seattle down 11 spots in round six to the Jets’ previous 199th pick. The Seahawks gained a seventh-round choice later Saturday, 242nd overall, in that deal. That gave them seven total choice in this draft.

The weekend began with Seattle holding a league-low four selections this year.