What Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said about breakout WR Dareke Young

The Seattle Seahawks' wide receiver corps looks drastically different now than it did last season, with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett both departing and Cooper Kupp coming in.

As if that wasn't enough, the Seahawks' receiver room may end up looking even more different than previously thought.

Heading into the offseason, Dareke Young, a 2022 seventh-round pick from Division II Lenoir Rhyne, appeared to be on the outside of the roster bubble. While he has played a notable role on special teams, he was ultimately the sixth wide receiver on a team that probably wouldn't need that many.

Now, though, Young's outlook is looking much brighter. The 26-year-old caught three passes for 52 yards and picked up three first downs in last week's preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs, the latest strong performance in what's been a good summer for him.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald believes Young to be a great fit for Klint Kubiak's offense, but he also gave the wideout credit for working to better himself.

Seahawks' Dareke Young draws praise from Mike Macdonald

“I think this is a great system for him because he can show his physicality in the run game and he’s really fast, so all the vertical, stretch stuff,” Macdonald said, per Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune. “And then just him in and out of his breaks is just way more decisive. You feel the burst, feel the flexibility, which is a tribute to his work ethic and the work he put on his body.

“The guy looks like a figurine out there, man. It’s impressive.”

Quarterback Drew Lock, who played most of the game against the Chiefs, also praised Young's growth over the past year and change. Lock returned to the Seahawks after spending last year with the New York Giants, so the growth is especially noticeable for him.

“I’ve talked to him one on one about his progression from mainly special teams to becoming a reliable receiver for us,” Lock said. “(He’s) miles ahead of what I remember.

“That’s just a testament to how hard he works. He’s one of those guys who just puts his head down, grinds, works. You’re not going to get a ton of hoorah out of him. He’s going to come out and play his butt off.”

In order to make the roster, Young will likely have to beat out veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who signed with the Seahawks this offseason but has been underwhelming throughout the summer. With a strong performance in Saturday's preseason finale against the Green Bay Packers, he may just do it.