Seahawks RB Zach Charbonnet Reveals 'Biggest Adjustment' in NFL

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet is grappling with the challenges of transitioning from the collegiate to the professional level.

As the Seattle Seahawks gear up to face the Minnesota Vikings in their preseason game opener on Thursday, it marks a pivotal moment for numerous rookies who are poised to experience their first taste of NFL game action.

Among these rookies is second-round pick running back Zach Charbonnet, who is transitioning and navigating the learning curve from collegiate to professional football. While the shift from college to the professional level presents challenges across various aspects, Charbonnet has specifically highlighted the speed of the NFL as the most demanding area when asked to pinpoint a particular difficulty.

"Definitely just the speed of the play-calling and getting on the ball. In college, it's not as fast, especially now being at the NFL level. Everybody knows what they're doing. Just being prepared and reading my keys and stuff like that. That's been the biggest adjustment," Charbonnet said.

Additionally, while acquiring a sense of the game's speed, he is also utilizing the first preseason game to grasp the level of physicality in the NFL.

"The first game out there, hitting and tackling, is always different from practice," Charbonnet said. "It's important especially as a physical back continuing to develop to get my pad level down and run downhill. That's going to be important."

If Charbonnet can successfully integrate all the components before the start of the regular season for the Seahawks, he could evolve into a valuable complement alongside running back Kenneth Walker III. This backfield duo can potentially help propel Seattle's offense back to the postseason for the second consecutive year.

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