2023 NFL Draft: Ex-Wildcat safety Christian Young signs rookie deal with Seahawks

Christian Young got a lot of pre-draft attention, speaking with a lot of NFL teams, but ultimately wasn’t selected in the 2023 draft.

He’ll still get a chance to make a pro roster, though, after the Seattle Seahawks inked him to a rookie free agent deal.

Young played 48 games for Arizona from 2018-22, starting 30 including every contest over the last two seasons. He started at safety last fall, recording 77 tackles (third-most on the team) and adding 6.5 tackles for loss, a half-sack and two pass breakups.

In 2022 Young played the “Viper” hybrid linebacker/safety position in Don Brown’s scheme, logging 67 tackles with two for loss. For his career, Young had 182 tackles (nine for loss).

The last former Wildcat to sign with the Seahawks was defensive tackle PJ Johnson, who was with Seattle in training camp in 2020 but did not make the roster. Ex-UA defensive lineman Earl Mitchell also signed with Seattle for the preseason in 2019 but never played for the Seahawks in the regular season.

Young is the second player from Arizona’s 2022 team to sign a rookie deal, joining defensive end Jalen Harris with the Chicago Bears. The Wildcats didn’t have anyone drafted for the second year in a row, the first time that’s happened since 2004-05.