An undrafted center who won three national titles at North Dakota State and started at Super Bowl LX in just his second NFL season.
Jalen Sundell arrived in the NFL with a championship pedigree from North Dakota State but no draft selection to show for it. After a rocky start that included a brief stint in Cleveland, he found a home in Seattle, beat out a veteran for the starting center job, and started for the Seahawks in their Super Bowl LX victory.
Path to the league
Sundell played at North Dakota State from 2018 to 2023 and was part of three FCS national championship teams (2018, 2019, 2021). As a senior playing left tackle, he earned FCS First-team All-American honors. He went undrafted in 2024, briefly signed with Cleveland before being waived for medical reasons, and then signed with Seattle.
Career highlights
Sundell made Seattle's initial 53-man roster as a rookie and appeared in 12 games in 2024. He was reunited with former North Dakota State teammate Grey Zabel, whom the Seahawks drafted in the first round in 2025, giving Seattle two Bison alumni on its offensive line.
2025 season recap
Sundell won the starting center job over veteran Olu Oluwatimi entering 2025 and started nine games before a knee injury put him on injured reserve in mid-November. He returned in December for the postseason push and started at center in Seattle's Super Bowl LX win over New England, capping a rapid rise from undrafted free agent to champion.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Jalen Sundell
- Seahawks.com: From NDSU To The Super Bowl
- ESPN: Jalen Sundell
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Center
- Group
- offense
- College
- North Dakota State
- Hometown
- Maryville, MO, USA
- Age
- 26
- Status
- active
Team
