Seahawks sign rookie tight end with a remarkably unique NFL Draft story

The Seattle Seahawks are adding undrafted free agent tight end Mitch Van Vooren to their 90-man roster. The Seahawks have not yet reported a corresponding roster cut.

Van Vooren is a fun story, as he once announced another NFL draft pick: Thomas Duarte, who went to the Miami Dolphins in 2016. Now, just nine years later, the Dolphins fan turned NFL tight end is joining the Seahawks to battle for a roster spot in this upcoming Training Camp.

Van Vooren attended St. Norbert College in Wisconsin, playing in 22 games, with 65 catches, 1,045 receiving yards, and 13 touchdowns over two years. Van Vooren was a first team-All NACC tight end in 2024 and helped lead the St. Norbert Green Knights to their first ever bowl game win this last season. Before hitting the gridiron at St. Norbert, Van Vooren participated in Track and Field at Marquette University where he earned All-Big East honors as a hurdler. After going undrafted, Van Vooren was invited to Cleveland Browns minicamp.

It is safe to say that Van Vooren is an athletic specimen for a tight end, which makes one ponder if he could also be a fullback option to compete with Robbie Ouzts and Brady Russell. Van Vooren grew up a lot in the last nine years. Despite his slender frame back in 2016, Van Vooren is now 6’5”, 245 pounds. In comparison, Outz measured in at 6’3” 274 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine. Meanwhile Russell measures in at 6’3”, 250 pounds.

Regardless of whether Van Vooren comes in as a tight end or fullback, he will be one fun story to root for this August.