Seahawks Draft Grey Zabel, and Trump's Famous Handshake Moment Resurfaces

The Seattle Seahawks shook up their offensive line on Thursday, grabbing Grey Zabel from North Dakota State in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Zabel, a 305-pound lineman who played almost every spot except center during his college career, is now tasked with keeping rookie quarterback Sam Darnold in one piece. That’s no small feat for a Seahawks front that allowed 54 sacks last season—yikes, third most in the league. The offensive line was basically a turnstile in 2024, so fans are understandably hoping Zabel is more brick wall than swinging gate.

While Zabel’s future is front and center, his past brush with presidential fame is suddenly trending again. Back in April, Zabel and his North Dakota State teammates visited Washington, D.C. to celebrate their latest FCS national championship. Amid speeches and photo ops, President Donald Trump met the team in the East Room of the White House. When Zabel’s teammates pointed him out as the best player—well, or at least the biggest—Trump called him over for a handshake and a little classic Trump banter. "Is he that good? Wow. Boy, he’s a big sucker huh?" the former president quipped as he sized up the future NFL lineman. Zabel responded that he played on the offensive line, which, given his size, didn’t exactly shock anyone in the room.

Zabel’s resume is nothing to sneeze at. He started 41 games in five years, earning FCS All-American honors as a senior left tackle. He’s expected to compete for a starting guard spot in Seattle, likely replacing last season’s left guard, Laken Tomlinson, who’s now with the Houston Texans. Coach Mike Macdonald is optimistic: "Hopefully, we find a home for him at one position, and he lives there for a really long time for us." Versatility is Zabel’s thing—he can fill in anywhere on the line, but guard is where he’ll get his first shot in the pros.

The Seahawks went 10-7 last year and won the NFC West, but that sack total was a glaring problem. If Zabel can anchor the line and keep Darnold upright, he might just become as memorable for his football as he is for that presidential handshake.