There’s a lot of chit-chat around what might happen in the draft at the moment — with various reporters, insiders and analysts hearing the same things (probably, largely, from the same people). History tells us though that by next week, things will change again.
I’m not interested in doing the same old mock everyone else is doing. So this is my best guess at how things will switch around next week…
Round one
#1 Las Vegas — Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana)
Klint Kubiak is an excellent appointment by the Raiders and he will give Mendoza every chance to succeed. They need to keep surrounding him with weapons and protection though.
#2 NY Jets — Arvell Reese (LB/EDGE, Ohio State)
All the talk at the moment is about David Bailey to the Jets but Reese is the better player and arguably a better fit in the defense the Jets are now running.
#3 Arizona — David Bailey (EDGE, Texas Tech)
I’m a little bit surprised he’s emerged as a top-five lock. Yet the feeling is he will go in the first three picks and if it’s not the Jets it’ll be the Cardinals.
#4 Tennessee — Rueben Bain (DE, Miami)
For all the talk of what happened in 2024 and his short arms, there are people in the league who just think Bain is a big-time arse-kicker — and the Titans don’t have enough of those.
#5 NY Giants — Francis Mauigoa (T/G, Miami)
John Harbaugh called his offensive line a “work in progress” and they do have players already at safety and linebacker. They need to build around Jaxson Dart.
#6 Cleveland — Spencer Fano (T/G, Utah)
It feels like this could be a trade-down spot with the Cowboys coming up for Sonny Styles but if Dallas sits tight they’ll need to make a pick. I do think Fano can play left tackle.
#7 Washington — Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
According to Tony Pauline, the Commanders are smitten with Love. Adam Schefter has also said this is his floor in the top-10.
#8 New Orleans — Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State)
Rather than go with a cornerack like Mansoor Delane, the Saints opt to build around second-year quarterback Tyler Shough.
#9 Kansas City — Blake Miller (T, Clemson)
There’s going to be a shock or two in round one and this is my pitch. Miller’s testing profile is through the roof and the Chiefs love traits.
#10 Cincinnati — Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State)
The Bengals scoop up the value on offer, with Downs — arguably the best player in the draft — lasting to #10 due to needs elsewhere for the other top-10 teams.
#11 Miami — Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU)
Delane is smart, healthy and could provide really good value for the Dolphins as they kick-start their rebuild.
#12 Dallas — Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State)
I’ve long thought Styles’ combine has been counted twice. He was a *possible* round one pick because we knew he tested well. Then he was a top-five pick merely for confirming what we already knew — he can run and jump. His tape is fine but not special.
#13 LA Rams (v/ATL) — Jordyn Tyson (WR, Arizona State)
There’s been a lot of buzz about Tyson going in the top-10 and he’s a good player — but I’m not sold he goes as early as some are saying.
#14 Baltimore — Vega Ioane (G, Penn State)
A classic Ravens pick — a big, brutish guard who can start immediately. You only had to watch a half of Penn State football last season to know this guy was legit.
#15 Tampa Bay — Akheem Mesidor (DE, Miami)
They might try to trade down before tapping into the pass-rushers — or they might want to make sure they get their guy to address this huge need.
#16 New York Jets (v/IND) — Denzel Boston (WR, Washington)
There’s a ton of smoke connecting the Jets to interest in Boston. I believe it. And Geno Smith will need someone who can catch some 50-50 balls.
#17 Detroit — Kadyn Proctor (T/G, Alabama)
I’ve spoken to people who are concerned about Proctor’s ability to manage his weight but increasingly it feels like this might be his floor.
#18 Minnesota — Dillon Thieneman (S, Oregon)
The perfect match. Thieneman is one of my favourite players in the class and if he lasts to #18 the Vikings should be doing cartwheels.
#19 Carolina — Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon)
It’s hard to place Sadiq. I understand why people think he could go as high as #9 but it’s also not so unrealistic that he lasts into the 20’s.
#20 Dallas (v/GB) — Colton Hood (CB, Tennessee)
He’s a terrific player who can really mix it up in close coverage. He might not be a star corner but he’ll do a job and have every chance to earn a big second contract.
#21 Pittsburgh — Monroe Freeling (T, Georgia)
He’s not strong enough and needs time and development. That could keep him on the board even if the traits are impressive.
#22 LA Chargers — Chris Johnson (CB, San Diego State)
There’s just so much buzz around Johnson, it’s easy to imagine him going a bit earlier than people think. Could he end up staying in California with the Chargers?
#23 Philadelphia — Max Iheanachor (T, Arizona State)
With his light feet and explosive traits, Iheanachor would be a strong investment in the future at right tackle for the Eagles.
#24 Cleveland (v/JAX) — Makai Lemon (WR, USC)
I like Lemon — but it’s hard to shake the weirdness around his combine interviews. I’m not sure it’ll help him that it’s such a deep receiver class too.
#25 Chicago — Keldric Faulk (DE, Auburn)
They signed Dayo Odeyingbo but sadly he suffered a torn achilles. Faulk is the same kind of player and they might need to consider alternatives.
#26 Buffalo — CJ Allen (LB, Georgia)
They need more at linebacker and while Allen is hardly Luke Kuechly, his hard-nosed, downhill style will go down a storm with Bills Mafia.
#27 San Francisco — Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (S, Toledo)
The 49ers have a relatively rounded roster so can probably let the draft come to them. Will they try and mimic the Seahawks with a long, versatile safety?
#28 Houston — Caleb Lomu (T, Utah)
The Texans have bolstered their line but could do with investing for the long-term. They need to get CJ Stroud right if they’re sticking by him and that starts with pass-protection — Lomu’s speciality.
#29 Kansas City (v/LAR) — Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee)
McCoy’s knee has apparently been flagged during medical checks and it makes you wonder if he’ll last well into round one — possibly even into round two.
#30 Miami (v/DEN) — Zion Young (DE, Missouri)
The Dolphins have very little working the edge. Adding someone who can also bring alpha energy also helps as they start to build.
#31 Arizona (v/NE) — Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama)
The Cardinals decide to take a chance on Simpson, moving up three spots. New England gets pick #143, while Arizona also gets #212 in the deal.
#32 NY Giants (v/SEA) — Brandon Cisse (CB, South Carolina)
The Giants badly need a cornerback and after addressing their offensive line with their top pick, they move back into round one for a player one source described as a player with #1 corner potential. The Giants give the Seahawks #105.
Round two
Seahawks seven-rounder
#38 Treydan Stukes (CB/S, Arizona)
With his size and speed, the Seahawks could use Stukes as their third cornerback in certain situations, while also retaining the ability to have him play safety. His incredible quickness and playmaking ability are intriguing but what really makes him a fit are A+ character, exceptional leadership qualities, grit and toughness.
#64 Beau Stephens (G, Iowa)
I’ve just got a sense the Seahawks want to add competition at guard with one of their first three picks. Stephens is the third best zone-blocker per PFF’s 2025 grading and he’s been hailed for his leadership qualities by Iowa. It’s very easy to imagine the Seahawks viewing him as a potential plug-and-play right guard, if he can beat out Anthony Bradford.
#96 Jonah Coleman (RB, Washington)
I think the Seahawks will be determined to come away with Coleman and could manipulate their board to make it happen. He had an injury-impacted 2025 season but his 2024 campaign was excellent — with extremely high numbers for explosive run-rate, missed tackles forced rate and yards after contact per carry. The Seahawks need big plays and toughness and that’s what he brings to the table.
#105 Wesley Williams (EDGE, Duke)
I only watched Williams for the first time this week and was blown away by his relentless motor and aggression. He’s another player the Seahawks might be keen to make sure they come away with. His straight-line testing speed isn’t good but he managed a 1.62 split at his pro-day at 260lbs and ran a 4.47 short shuttle. Personality wise, he and Stukes are 1a and 1b for the all-star character award.
#188 Andre Fuller (CB, Toledo)
The Seahawks had Fuller in for a visit and he has the kind of size they’ve lost in Riq Woolen (if not the amazing length or traits). He’s competitive in press-man, battles well and competes for the ball. His blitzing potential is evident on tape and he has very good grades for his run defense (89.8).
R1 — #32 >>> #36 — Trade with the Cardinals
The Seahawks do a deal with their division rivals, who move up two spots into the late first. A fifth round pick exchanges hands, with the Seahawks getting #143. There’s a 30 point difference between #32 and #34 on the trade value chart and #143 is worth 34.5 points.
R2 — #34 >>> #40 — Trade with the Chiefs
Another deal, this time moving down an extra six spots. In 2014, the Seahawks moved from #32 to #40, then down to #45 before picking Paul Richardson. Something similar could happen in this draft. The Seahawks get the 109th pick in the deal. There’s a 60 point gap between #34 and #40, while #109 is worth 76 points.
R2 — #40 — Treydan Stukes (S, Arizona)
Smart, tough, reliable. Stukes ticks all of those boxes. I watched several of his interviews this week and was blown away with how impressive he is. It’s very easy to imagine the Seahawks rating him very highly. Then you take into account his gritty backstory (walk-on, coming back from injuries), how evident his mental processing is, his physical style of play, his range (4.33 speed) and overall athletic profile, production (four interceptions in 2025) and his commitment to staying at Arizona when he had options to leave.
The Seahawks were prepared to pay Coby Bryant to stay, so it’s plausible they will invest in a replacement. Stukes screams Seahawks — and while the medicals will need to be checked given his ACL injury in 2024, if he gets the all-clear it’s possible he’ll be high on Seattle’s wanted list.
R2 — #64 Beau Stephens (G, Iowa)
Many people expect Stephens to last possibly into day three but I’m not sure. With the third best zone-blocking grade in the draft he might be higher on boards than people think. It’s been reported that Iowa is really pushing Stephens and that he won the Hayden Fry Award twice for exemplary leadership and dedication on and off the field. This all sounds like the kind of player the Seahawks would be interested in.
Stephens sinks his hips well to anchor, he’s adept at getting on the move and reaching up to the second level. He has the brawling mentality you expect from an Iowa lineman and there are examples on tape of him turning defenders and finishing his blocks to the turf.
I have a hunch that they’ll want to keep adding to their line and we could see a trenches pick early on. If they decide against taking Emmanuel Pregnon or Keylan Rutledge with their top pick (as some have hinted at), Stephens could be an option later. He has experience playing right guard.
R3 — #92 <<< #96 — Trade with the Cowboys
The Seahawks get aggressive (sort of) moving up four spots in round three to make sure they get their guy. They give up their sixth round pick, #188 overall, in a deal with Dallas. The points difference between the two picks is 16 and the 188th pick is worth 15.8 points.
R3 — #92 Jonah Coleman (RB, Washington)
I just have a feeling that Coleman is the man for Seattle. His personality and running style fits the team identity. They seemingly showed some interest in David Montgomery before he was dealt to Houston and Coleman’s running style is similar.
Anyone brought into Seattle’s locker-room is going to have to fit. Coleman already has relationships with players on the team.
His 2024 production is the thing to note here. A 19.8% explosive run rate would’ve ranked second among all players in the draft this year. His 34.9% missed tackle forced rate would’ve been well ahead of everyone else. A 4.34 yards after contact per attempt would’ve been second only to Jeremiyah Love.
The Seahawks might find a way to make sure they get Coleman on their roster rather than just sitting and hoping. That’s why I have them moving up four spots when he gets into range.
R4 — #109 Ephesians Prysock (CB, Washington)
The pick acquired from the Chiefs is used on a long, athletic cornerback. I have a hunch that’s what the Seahawks are looking for to replace Riq Woolen.
It’s worth noting that aside from Devin Witherspoon, the earliest the Seahawks have used a pick on a cornerback was #90 overall (Shaquill Griffin). It’s entirely possible they take one earlier than this but I also think they might wait and take a chance on developing someone selected in this range.
Pryscock is 6-4, 194lbs with 33.5 inch arms. He doesn’t have the production and dropped some catchable interceptions. But his frame allows him to compete in contested situations and his run defense grade was a strong 82.3. His GPS speed at the Senior Bowl was faster than Colton Hood, Bud Clark and Malik Muhammad.
R5 — #143 Mason Reiger (EDGE, Wisconsin)
I do think the Seahawks are going to draft a pass-rusher at some point — and they might not wait until round five. If they do, and Reiger is still available, he feels like a fit in terms of playing style and personality.
He’s 6-5 and 251lbs and plays with such a competitive edge. He ran a very solid 1.61 10-yard split and consistently battles through contact, finding ways to impact the pocket. His motor doesn’t stop and he does a good job getting off blocks. He also puts a lot of effort into his run-blocking.
Reiger isn’t necessarily going to come in and elevate Seattle’s pass-rush — but he could provide some youth and depth following Boye Mafe’s departure, without the pressure of needing to find a higher pick more reps to justify the investment (especially if they intend to sign someone like Von Miller after the draft).
Full seven-round projection
#40 Treydan Stukes (S, Arizona)
#64 Beau Stephens (G, Iowa)
#92 Jonah Coleman (RB, Washington)
#109 Ephesians Prysock (CB, Washington)
#143 Mason Reiger (EDGE, Wisconsin)
“They were physically tougher and stronger”
Those are the words of Cris Collinsworth on the NBC Broadcast, towards the end of Seattle’s Super Bowl win over the Patriots.
There were many reasons why the Seahawks won including excellent coaching, inspired roster construction and having the most rounded roster in the league.
Being better in the trenches — the embodiment of physicality in this sport — was as important as anything though. The offensive and defensive lines won most of their battles throughout the season and both units became a team strength.
I think the Seahawks should build on that strength in the draft next week by focusing their top picks on the best offensive linemen and front-seven defenders.
I subscribe to the theory, clichéd as it may be, that games are won in the trenches. It’s my understanding that Ron Wolf’s mantra was very much ‘trenches, trenches, trenches’ and I buy into that. Consistently adding talent up front will keep you competitive.
I think it’s the main reason the Steelers and Ravens were so difficult to play against for so long, it’s why the Eagles have hung around as contenders, and even the Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs could rely on great line play when they won Super Bowls (and the two they lost were inspired by struggles in the trenches).
If you have a strong supply of quality offensive and defensive linemen, you are always going to be tough to beat.
The Seahawks lost key players at running back, cornerback, safety and EDGE during free agency. They’ve added at every position apart from the pass-rush.
This team can find solutions. Look at what they’ve achieved already. They won a title with Sam Darnold at quarterback. That seems perfectly reasonable today — but imagine saying those words 12 months ago. They helped Josh Jobe become a solid starter at cornerback and did such a good job switching Cobe Bryant to safety, given he’s now a newly minted Chicago Bear.
They gave Drake Thomas an opportunity to shine. Jalen Sundell, a former UDFA, fits nicely into the middle of their offensive line. AJ Barner, a fourth round pick, has become one of the more dynamic tight ends in football.
I back their ability to turn Noah Igbinoghene into a solid contributor. If it’s not him, I think they can draft one of these big, athletic cornerbacks in the middle rounds to replace Riq Woolen.
I wouldn’t draft a cornerback early unless you’re convinced they’ll be a difference maker. When I interviewed Drew Fabianich from the Senior Bowl, he admitted the cornerbacks in Mobile were a collection of #2 types. Among those in attendance were the likes of Colton Hood and Chris Johnson.
I think this staff can fill that role. Daylen Everette, Will Lee, Hezekiah Masses, Chandler Rivers, Julian Neal, Keith Abney, Devin Moore, Davison Igbinosun, Ephesians Prysock, Malik Muhammad, Charles Demmings, Tacario Davis, Andre Fuller. There’s so much depth here.
The first pick of the Mike Macdonald era was Byron Murphy. Last year, their first pick was Grey Zabel. I would continue this trend at #32, or whenever they use their top pick — short of an unmissable opportunity at a different position presenting itself.
Continuing to bolster your offensive line and defensive front seven is, for me, the key to continued success. The Seahawks need to continue to be the toughest, most physical, most unpleasant team to play against.
You do this by adding more talent to the trenches.
Not everyone will agree — but this is my preference with eight days to go.
Looking at the ‘big mocks’ released today
Mel Kiper has published his final mock draft already. Dane Brugler today put out a seven-round projection. Todd McShay has revealed a new two-round mock.
Kiper gave the Seahawks Jadarian Price and Malik Muhammad. McShay went with TJ Parker and Jalon Kilgore. Brugler gave them Colton Hood, Keyron Crawford, Mike Washington Jr and Robert Spears-Jennings.
My first takeaway is this shows how difficult it’s going to be to pair the Seahawks with ‘the right player’ before next week. They’re picking too late in the first round to get any ‘insider’ feel for it and there are multiple players set to be in range at several different perceived ‘need’ positions.
In all three mocks, Kayden McDonald lasts into round two. That’s interesting. The Seahawks had him in for an unexpected official-30 visit. It suggests they were very aware of this possibility and wanted more intel.
Why would he fall? Probably the same reason Jarran Reed fell to #49 in 2016 despite many people (myself included) seeing him as a top-25 player. He was viewed as a pure run defender with limited pass-rushing upside. The Seahawks traded up from #56 to go and get Reed, declared he was a consideration with their top pick and that they couldn’t believe he lasted.
They might see a similar opportunity here, especially given Reed is 34 in December and has a very manageable contract situation in 2027. However, Reed is also one of the key souls of the team. Frankly I’d let him play on for as long as he wants to. He is a legit alpha — the type every team needs in the trenches.
Do you need to set up the future? I’m not sure, especially for a run-blocking defensive tackle — as much as I like McDonald as a player.
Going back to my original point in this piece though — I want the best trenches players to be added early. McDonald, if available, could easily be that guy.
The key to the visit might’ve been to see if he has the ability to fit into a positional group which is virtually the voice of the team. Reed and DeMarcus Lawrence were the ones barking at team-mates in the tunnel before games. If you want to play D-line for these Seahawks, you better be ready to bark and bite.
TJ Parker is an interesting one. His tape was underwhelming. There aren’t enough counters, he doesn’t threaten the outside shoulder enough and he feels quite one-dimensional (plays off the straight arm all the time).
His pass-rush win percentage in 2025 was 15.4%. If you want to blame that on a down-year for Clemson, his win percentage was even lower in 2024 (15.3%).
However, I did a little research yesterday. I made a list of every edge rusher in the NFL who has finished in the top-10 for pressures over the last five years. There are 26 players in total.
The average 10-yard split for those 26 players was a 1.61. The average weight was 257lbs and the average short shuttle was a 4.28.
Not a single edge rusher ran a shuttle this year, which is staggering. But most ran a split and were weighed. Parker ran a 1.61 at 263lbs.
This does need to be noted. As boring as his tape can be at times, within his physical profile is a very good 10-yard split with matching size.
Consider these numbers from the list of 26:
Will Anderson — 1.61 at 253lbs
Jared Verse — 1.60 at 254lbs
Aidan Hutchinson — 1.62 at 254lbs
Jaelan Phillips — 1.59 at 260lbs
Jonathan Greenard — 1.71 at 263lbs
Trey Hendrickson — 1.59 at 266lbs
George Karlaftis — 1.65 at 266lbs
Nick Bosa — 1.62 at 266lbs
Maxx Crosby — 1.60 at 255lbs
TJ Watt — 1.61 at 252lbs
Von Miller — 1.62 at 246lbs
The thing is — most of these players ran unbelievable short shuttles. The average of these 11 players was a 4.21. If we had a shuttle from Parker in that range, it’d be a lot easier to talk about his upside.
Let’s look at the speed angle even more closely. Here’s how he compares to some of the other pass rushers in terms of GPS max-speed during the 2025 college football season:
Malachi Lawrence — 18.8
Dani Dennis-Sutton — 18.6
Joshua Josephs — 18.4
Cashius Howell — 18.3
Romello Height — 18.1
Zion Young — 17.8
TJ Parker — 17.4
Gabe Jacas — 16.6
This is confusing. Why are Parker and Jacas so slow? They both ran far better 10-yard splits in the pre-draft process than Zion Young, Romello Height, Joshua Josephs and Dani Dennis-Sutton.
Let’s look purely at max-speed over 0-10 yards:
Malachi Lawrence — 16.1
Cashius Howell — 16.0
Gabe Jacas — 15.6
Romello Height — 15.5
Joshua Josephs — 15.2
TJ Parker — 15.2
Zion Young — 15.1
Dani Dennis-Sutton — 14.8
Again — for someone running a 1.61 10-yard split at near enough the same weight as Zion Young, why on the field is he running so slowly in pads? Is it something to do with scheme discipline which means he can’t just pin his ears back? Or is he simply better at running in shorts?
At the Senior Bowl his max-speed was 17.41mph. That’s quite a way behind Gabe Jacas (18.19mph) but well ahead of Dani Dennis-Sutton (16.38mph), Romello Height (16.29mph) and Zion Young (15.04mph).
He’s a confusing player to judge. There were flashes in 2024 of real potential that were never even hinted at in 2025. He’s both fast at the combine and slow on the field.
His run defense grade (77.5) is reasonable — it’s in the same range as Dani Dennis-Sutton and R Mason Thomas. It’s very hard to know how the Seahawks, or anyone else for that matter, will feel about him.
For me — that more than likely means he lasts into round two.
We’ve talked a lot about Kiper’s top pick of Jadarian Price already. Daniel Jeremiah similarly this week said that Price’s floor was Seattle at #32, and ceiling was Seattle at #32 (so it’ll be interesting to see if his final mock sticks to that view).
Here’s the situation. Teams stack their boards with players in graded ranges. You then have collections of players you’d be prepared to take in certain spots. You then piece together how to address certain areas, if that’s your intention rather than just going pure BPA.
If Price is within their top stack of options at #32, given the total dearth of quality running backs this year, Kiper and Jeremiah could be right. It just comes down to how they grade him. Some see him as a player worthy of going in the #32 range (including people I’ve talked to who know what they’re talking about, inside the NFL) and others think he’s more of a middle day-two pick. I personally think he’s comfortably a top-40 player in this class.
I can imagine the Seahawks taking Price at #32. I can also imagine the Seahawks waiting on a player like Jonah Coleman, too, and going in a different direction with their top choice. But they do run the risk of missing out completely, so it’ll be interesting to see how they approach this.
Hood is a curious one. He’s very talented. He matches up well man-to-man, competes, hits opponents and he’s aggressive. I think there’s every chance he won’t last to #32 and might even be the second cornerback drafted.
I do think the Seahawks would be interested and they’ve had him in for an official visit. It’s worth noting he played for three different schools in three seasons though — the Seahawks have not drafted a player quite so NIL-active as Hood.
None of the mocks have the Seahawks taking an offensive lineman at #32 or #64. I suspect it’s more likely than some think.
Todd McShay made an interesting point on one of his recent podcasts. He suggested teams at the end of round one just want to make a solid pick in this class. He brought this up specifically when talking about the prospect of Chase Bisontis, Emmanuel Pregnon and Keylan Rutledge going early.
If the Seahawks want to hit a double and carry on their recent positivity around their first round picks — they could do a lot worse than giving John Benton another guard to work with.
It was also interesting they had Beau Stephens in for a late official visit this week. Stephens is someone we talked about often during the season — but a poor Senior Bowl and combine took some of the air out of his balloon.
However, Bob McGinn’s O-line article projected him as a second or third round pick. McGinn has been pretty accurate with these projections over the years. He noted that Iowa has been really pushing Stephens and that he won the Hayden Fry Award twice for exemplary leadership and dedication on and off the field.
He had the third best zone blocking grade in this draft. My reading of that visit wasn’t necessarily that he would be a late-round option or a player for #96. I wonder if he’s a possibility at #64 if they don’t take a guard with their top pick.
Finally, Emmanuel Pregnon, Keylan Rutledge and Gennings Dunker need to be noted again because they tick so many boxes. They have strong explosive traits, good grades as zone blockers and based on the information we have, they are contenders to tick the 30-30-30 ideal John Schneider talked about a year ago.
Remember, when you look at John Schneider’s history as Seahawks GM and the first two picks in each of his drafts, 19 of the 32 players have been either an offensive or defensive lineman.
The evolving way the draft is covered
I’ve spent the last few days contemplating this topic. At some point draft analysts have switched to become more ‘draft insiders’ — or, if we want to be more accurate, ‘draft gossipers’.
Back in the day, the likes of Mel Kiper and Todd McShay used to argue about players they had graded on their boards. Now, a lot of the analysis seems to be rooted in what draft media is hearing from sources.
A lot of the big names talk to teams, legitimately. And they get information and opinions. But is it right, for example, to call your rankings ‘a big board’ — including attaching grades to players — if you’re basing some of it on sources?
I am a huge fan of McShay. He clearly puts in the work, watches tape and for me — his podcast is very entertaining.
He has taken recently to calling people “scumbags” for taking note of what he says about certain projections, then pulling him up when things change. I hope he doesn’t think that’s what I’m doing here, in the unlikely event that he would actually read this. As I said, I am a big fan of Todd and watch all of his shows with the excellent Steve Muench.
However, he keeps mentioning his desire to get his top-100 board a high score from the Huddle Report again this year. I think this is indicative of the problem. The board is no longer purely being created to assess talent. It feels as if it’s being manipulated to align with what league sources are saying, in order to be ‘accurate’.
Is that the aim of a board though? To be accurate? Or is it to just give your take on the draft class based on tape?
For example, how can Keylan Rutledge jump about 30 spots on Todd’s board this close to the draft unless it’s because he’s hearing from sources he had him too low? That in turn means adjusting his grade so he slots into the 40’s instead of the 70’s. Should a grade shift if three or four GM’s tell you a player like Rutledge will go earlier than you think?
Isn’t this what a mock draft is for? Projection? Shouldn’t the board strictly be about your personal grade and ranking based on tape?
The information has been quite inconsistent too.
Recently it was said on the McShay show that Peter Woods was extremely likely to go in the first round. I can’t remember the exacting wording but off the top of my head, I think it might’ve even been guaranteed. In Todd’s mock today, he’s at #38 and outside of round one. Meanwhile, there’s been a recent discussion theme on the receivers Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion and Omar Cooper going in round two, probably in that order. In his mock today, Cooper is the #16 pick and all three go in round one.
I get it — new information sparks new ideas and a different looking mock. But if you’re hearing things two weeks ago that are now being directly contradicted, what’s actually true? Will it change again in a few days? And how much, as consumers, do we want to hear and read handbrake-turn projections?
Is it all just part of the fun? Does it pull back the curtain of how things are behind the scenes, with NFL teams thinking one thing one week and something completely different the next? If so — great, that makes sense.
Or does it all just get a bit confusing? And would people prefer draft analysis rather than draft gossip?
Some thoughts on Rueben Bain Jr
As you probably know by now, Ollie Connolly, who is a fellow Brit, revealed that Bain had been involved in a car accident in 2024 that led to the death of a passenger. It has since been reported by Trey Wallace that Bain was again cited for careless driving in 2025.
A lot of people have had an opinion not on this story but the actual journalism. So I’m going to have my say too.
I think it’s excellent work by Connolly.
The draft is next week and this is something that could impact Bain’s stock. It is something, clearly, that teams have had to look into. If he drops — like other players have in the past — we have further insight into why it might’ve happened.
He made a point of contacting the family of Destiny Betts, whose life was tragically lost, and they provided a statement. Speaking as a journalist myself, nobody ever wants to contact someone to bring up a topic like this, because it’s going to be very difficult for the people you need to speak to. Unfortunately, that’s the job. Handling it sensitively, and appropriately, is key. I’m guessing seeing as a statement was provided, that great care has been taken with this.
As for the timing so close to the draft — big deal. It might’ve taken a long time to gather all of the information, give people like Bain a reasonable timeframe for a right of reply, and get all of the details you need to report this difficult story.
We need to know this information before next week. It’s important. And by all accounts, Connolly appears to have spoken to people in the league who are suggesting to him they retain some concern (“We are waiting for the other shoe.”)
I’ve seen a handful of insider types stating they already knew this information and had known it for weeks or even months. Why didn’t you report it then? Nobody wants to hear that you have an inside track on stuff that you keep to yourself. By all means reveal information about how teams have handled this matter — but we don’t need anyone to say it’s old news when it’s new news to virtually everyone who follows the NFL.
This is real reporting from Connolly and he should be applauded for it. He broke this story to the masses. Real reporting is not going on Pat McAfee and speculating who the Chiefs might take at #9.
Here’s my latest Seattle Sports appearance with Bump & Stacy. I am going to write something for tomorrow that digs into the idea of drafting for the trenches, so stay tuned for that. In the meantime please check the video out, give it a like on YouTube and leave a comment if you can. And if you missed it earlier, also give my interview with the great Tony Pauline a listen too.
For 12 draft seasons, I’ve had the great pleasure of sitting down to speak with Tony Pauline (now of Essentially Sports). Tony has been a great inspiration over the years — and his dedication and passion for the draft is rarely matched. I always look forward to this conversation and hope you check it out below…
One of Seattle’s official-30 visits was with Oklahoma pass-rusher R Mason Thomas. It got me thinking about how they might use him.
A year ago Brady Henderson mentioned possible interest in Jalon Walker if he fell into range. He was taken by the Falcons three picks before Seattle selected Grey Zabel. Walker was a linebacker/EDGE hybrid. He was 6-1, 243lbs and had 32-inch arms. He did no pre-draft testing.
Walker had a productive rookie season, operating mostly as an outside linebacker. He had six sacks and graded well against the run.
Thomas is not the same kind of player on tape and certainly wasn’t used in the way Georgia used Walker. However, he is very similarly sized (6-2, 241lbs, 31.5 inch arms).
Is it possible the Seahawks earmarked a possible role for Walker and they could look to use Thomas in the same way?
When I asked a league source about Thomas recently, I was surprised by the reaction. “What do you do with him?” It was put to me that while he’s a good player, some people don’t know whether he’s a linebacker or a situational rusher. I wasn’t expecting that, given I figured he’d just be an EDGE.
He was described as not an easy study for the purpose of working out what his role is. Rather than be put off by this, I’m now wondering if the Seahawks think he can be what Walker would’ve been. What might be confusing for some might feel like a great opportunity to the ever creative Mike Macdonald.
Thomas’ range was projected as R2/3 — which is also the range Bob McGinn’s sources project. There are some people, however, who rate him so highly they think he could go in the top-40.
I think it’s something to consider. The Walker interest might be a red-herring but the similar sizes and the question marks over role do sound very similar. Thomas in a hybrid linebacker/EDGE role is an interesting thought.
Here’s my scouting report for him:
Obviously he’s undersized and lacks length. He’s only 6-2, 241lbs with 31.5 inch arms and nine inch hands. He also ran a 1.63 10-yard split which isn’t ideal for his size.
At his pro-day he jumped a 34 inch vertical and a 9-11 broad. His 3-cone was a 7.40. As an athletic profile this isn’t great but he plays with twitch the testing doesn’t show.
Thomas is tough and physical with some explosion to his play. The lack of ideal height and length can work to his advantage in leverage situations.
His cross-face move works a charm. There’s a surprising amount of power on show for his size and he can drive tackles back into the pocket. He packs a punch as a hitter and will leave a mark.
He can get around the edge thanks to lower body flexion and balance. A low centre of gravity seems to help him when rushing. He drove back the Auburn right tackle back into his own end zone with a straight arm for a safety. He also beat the highly touted Texas left tackle Trevor Goosby for a big sack through sheer determination.
Thomas plays with an all-out motor, non-stop energy and aggression. He consistently gets around the edge — he can bend despite the lack of traits. He might be the best at bending around the edge along with Cashius Howell.
His run defense grade (79.4) and pass-rush win percentage (20.3%) are both strong. He has shown take-on ability against bigger linemen vs the run. He can shift along the line to find gaps and then penetrate. He shows excellent timing and quickness on stunts.
I’m not convinced he won’t just be smothered at the next level in certain games. It certainly happened in college at times — the Michigan tape is a good example of this.
He’s had injury issues in his career. He doesn’t have an assortment of counters. He’s at his best when his only responsibility is to get upfield. He will likely need a wide alignment at the next level.
There aren’t many players with his physical profile succeeding in the NFL. It doesn’t mean he can’t thrive — but there’s not a lot of examples you can point to for undersized, squatty pass-rushers only running a 1.63 split.
He has the personality of a Seahawks defender and his interviews are extremely impressive. A very likeable, down-to-earth person. He also talks about the game with a lot of understanding — not only of his role but also his limitations. His are some of the best interviews I’ve watched in this draft cycle.
I think he’s a day-two player who if nothing else is going to come in and give you everything he’s got. It’s just a question of whether the bending and power still translates when bigger and stronger pro’s get their hands on him.
Should the Seahawks consider a quarterback?
I’ve deliberately tacked this on to another article because I don’t want this to become some big deal. I’m just throwing it out there.
Sam Darnold’s current contract is worth a very reasonable $33.5m a year. He won’t be offered a new one in 2026 but this time next year, he’ll be approaching the final season of his deal.
There are nine NFL quarterbacks on a salary worth $52-60m a year at the moment. None of them are Super Bowl champions.
The point I’m making is even if Darnold has a modest 2026 season, he will be able to use his status as a proven winner to max out his value. I doubt he will be unreasonable but it will not be unfair for his representatives to say the minimum salary he should earn per year should be more than the $55m being given to people like Trevor Lawrence and Jordan Love.
I’m sure a lot of fans, fresh off a Super Bowl win, simply won’t care and would pay Darnold whatever he wants. The team can’t think that way though. Darnold’s value needs to be judged carefully. Even with the success of the 2025 season, managing the situation financially is important. You have to be sure you want to commit $55-60m a year on a player over multiple seasons.
Do you need to prepare for all eventualities? Should that include being open-minded about drafting another quarterback this year?
I don’t think the selection of Jalen Milroe should automatically mean you don’t keep adding. I’m not that confident Milroe is a future NFL starter anyway. That doesn’t mean you add more competition now just for the sake of it. There has to be a player you want to take a shot on. But what if there is?
Taylen Green is an incredible physical specimen. There aren’t many players who are 6-5 and 227lbs with 10 inch hands, capable of running a 4.36 and jumping a 43.5 inch vertical — especially at quarterback. He has a big arm and supreme running ability. As a physical profile, he’s Josh Allen-level interesting. He’s reminiscent of Colin Kaepernick in terms of style of play.
Now, admittedly, the turnover issues and mistakes on tape are concerning. But that’s why he’s going to potentially be available at #96. You’re not bringing him in to start right away. You’d be buying a lottery ticket for the future — and the flexibility to decide whether you want to spend $55-60m on one player.
Here are my notes on Green:
Great size (6-6, 227lbs) and big 10-inch hands. Runs like a gazelle with long strides chewing up yards quickly. He was the sixth fastest player at the Senior Bowl (20.48mph) regardless of position.
If you give him a crease he’s difficult to stop. He is a huge X-factor as a runner and can make big plays consistently. Hs running style, frame and athleticism are reminiscent of Colin Kaepernick. I would argue, however, he’s technically a better passer but more mistake-prone in college.
He’s elusive enough to scramble away from heavy pressure to extend plays. When everything works he’s a very capable passer. There’s ample evidence of him attacking the middle of the field. He has shown some poise from the pocket at times. Green has shown he can go through progressions and run pro-concepts.
He doesn’t show much evidence of throwing late on key passes. He’s very creative and only scratching the surface of what he could be.
However — an awful season for Arkansas, led by a horrifying defense, made his life difficult. He pressed too often and threw some of the worst interceptions you’ll see. He had the third highest number of ‘turnover worthy plays’ (tied with Marcel Reed) compared to only 11 ‘big time throws’ in 2025.
It’s a shame because for large parts of the season he actually led college football for QBR and EPA. This tailed off at the end big time and he ended up ninth among draft eligible QB’s for QBR — still ahead of the likes of Brendan Sorsby, Carson Beck & Dante Moore. He finished 16th for EPA.
Going into the season there was a belief among evaluators that he could be a second round pick. He’s not ready to come in and take the league by storm but there’s definitely enough physical potential here to be interesting.
A source I spoke to recently predicted, however, that he would end up at receiver after two years of trying to be a quarterback.
Cole Payton is another interesting prospect. He’s nearly 6-3, 232lbs with 10 inch hands. He ran a 4.56 and jumped a 40 inch vertical. This is another fascinating physical profile — a big armed quarterback who made some remarkable plays for North Dakota State, with the talent to emerge into a very interesting player in time.
The interesting thing about Payton is he’s such a dynamic, strong runner he could easily be a plus-version of Taysom Hill for a creative-minded team.
Here are my notes on Payton:
He has a big frame and large hands — although he throws with his left hand.
Payton has ‘easy’ arm strength and doesn’t need to exert everything to generate power. His release is whip-like and quick, generating a high spin-rate and the ball flies out of his hand. Talk of his release being elongated are overstated — the ball comes out quickly and I’ve seen pre-draft footage where he looks great throwing the ball.
He flicks the ball to difficult areas of the field and can drive it deep down the sideline.
He’s a big burly runner with shocking quickness who can break off highly explosive runs. He’s a major red-zone threat as a runner and passer.
He has shown he can throw off his back-foot with accuracy 50-yards downfield.
Payton threw 26 ‘big time throws’ — three more than Fernando Mendoza. His 11.3% ‘big time throw percentage’ leads all quarterbacks in this draft class. He only had six turnover worthy plays in 2025. All but one of his big-time throws were +20 yard deliveries. His 62.5% completion rate on downfield throws is way above the rest of the class.
It should be noted his time-to-throw average was 3.33 seconds — far higher than anyone else’s.
If nothing else, his physical potential could make him a very useful Taysom Hill type.
Payton threw catchable passes into tight windows in close 1v1 coverage with accuracy. It’s so impressive the way he puts the ball in advantageous positions for the WR to make the play. He gets the ball out quickly on the deep-ball and throws with a good level of loft.
Poise is a plus point despite his lack of starting experience. He didn’t have a ton of tight-window throws over the middle but there are some if you look closely.
He can be creative and make things happen on the move. He showed incredible athleticism with a remarkable hurdle over a North Dakota opponent in one game.
He will need to have continued technical work on his base and footwork. However, he has been receiving strong coaching on this pre-draft and you can see improvements.
He only has 13 career college starts which is an issue.
We know John Schneider likes tools. These two quarterbacks have top-level traits and upside.
The Seahawks have a settled quarterback room and I don’t think they’re likely to spend a late third round pick on a QB. I wanted to throw it out there though. Both Green and Payton are very gifted players with a lot of upside. They have the tools to start. Could they be interesting enough to consider with what amounts to a fourth round value pick, giving you further options for the future when you inevitably come to make a decision on the most important position in the sport? Maybe we shouldn’t rule it out.
If they had more picks in this class, I think it would be a more distinct possibility.
If you missed my conversation with HawkBlogger on the draft earlier today, check it out below:
Three more official visits were confirmed today. Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson, NC State defensive tackle Brandon Cleveland and Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter are spending time in Seattle. Meanwhile, Tony Pauline reported that a prior suggestion that Chris Johnson had visited the Seahawks was inaccurate.
We know now 20 of the 30 permitted official-30 visits:
Andre Fuller (CB, Toledo)
Jalen Kilgore (CB/S) South Carolina
Daylen Everette (CB, Georgia)
Coleman Bennett (RB, Kennesaw State)
AJ Haulcy (S, LSU)
Chip Trayanum (RB, Toledo)
Zion Young (DE, Missouri)
Mike Washington Jr (RB, Arkansas)
Keyshawn James-Newby (EDGE, New Mexico)
Kayden McDonald (DT, Ohio State)
Keyron Crawford (EDGE, Auburn)
R Mason Thomas (EDGE, Oklahoma)
Brandon Cisse (CB, South Carolina)
Colton Hood (CB, Tennessee)
Malachi Lawrence (EDGE, UCF)
Cashius Howell (EDGE, Texas A&M)
Treydan Stukes (S, Arizona)
Josiah Trotter (LB, Missouri)
Emmett Johnson (RB, Nebraska)
Brandon Cleveland (DT, NC State)
The Trotter visit is really encouraging — because it suggests the Seahawks are being very open-minded about value.
This is important. The Seahawks can’t resort to drafting for need, just for the sake of replacing lost talent. It’s absolutely critical they just keep adding the best possible players.
Kayden McDonald isn’t a big need but would present tremendous value at #32. Trotter isn’t a big need but would be a very solid pick at #64. If they’re the highest graded players on your board, well above the players at positions considered bigger needs, they should be considered.
They wouldn’t be visiting with either player unless they were considering non-obvious, yet appealing, opportunities within a challenging draft class.
When I spoke to a source within the league recently, he raved about Josiah Trotter. He was called “a hell of a player”, was compared to Nick Bolton and it was expressed to me by this extremely well respected talent evaluator that Trotter could be one of the steals of the draft. It was said he could easily fit into a 4-3 or 3-4 system and was considered a very solid second round prospect.
I don’t think he’ll last to #64 and I highly doubt the Seahawks would consider taking him whenever they make their first pick. He’s still an excellent football player though — one with an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of his father and have a very strong, illustrious NFL career.
If he did last to #64 and the Seahawks were looking for great value in a draft where it’ll be difficult to find, he would provide it.
Here’s my scouting report on Trotter:
He’s an old-school, run-defending linebacker. He squats in his stance and uncoils to make contact. When he diagnoses screens he will make a beeline for the ball-carrier.
Trotter is possibly a little bit flat-footed initially when he isn’t moving forwards. He flows to the ball-carrier well when the play reveals itself.
He does chase potential lost-causes but lacks difference making acceleration. He definitely plays with a level of intensity that will be attractive to teams wanting to play with an edge.
He’s adept at dodging blocks to break to the ball, sneaking through gaps.
He had a stand-out play vs Texas A&M in 2025 — engaging the center and throwing off his block. The running back came in with late cover in protection — but Trotter easily threw him off too, only for the center to recover and put his body in front of the quarterback again. Trotter dodged the second attempted block by the center and broke free to tackle Marcel Reed as he scrambled from the pocket.
This play encapsulates the incredible effort and motor he possesses, plus the ability to get off multiple blocks and then make the play. If you want a good game to watch aside from this, he wreaked havoc against Alabama too. Trotter flashed a violent arm/over move vs Alabama and consistently escaped their blockers.
If given the opportunity he can shoot a gap and explode to the runner. You do want him moving forwards, not backwards and like most linebackers his coverage work needs development. Even then, he’s not going to be a coverage dynamo.
He missed nine tackles in 2025 (10%). There’s some bend when he attacks blockers and his angles are typically good (a plus for blitzing). He packs a punch as a take-on man and is willing to do the dirty work.
There were times were he dumped linemen on their arse. I enjoyed watching his tape more than I expected, especially given his brother’s final year at Clemson.
He’s only 20-years-old (he turns 21 this week). He didn’t do any pre-draft testing apart from the bench press at the combine (registering an impressive 27 reps).
Form the sources I spoke to recently, the feeling was Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson would go in the third or fourth round — the same range was pitched for Mike Washington Jr. They were seen as the third and fourth best runners in the class behind the Notre Dame pair of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. I’d put Jonah Coleman into this group too, personally.
You can read my scouting report for Emmett Johnson by clicking here.
Here are my notes on Brandon Cleveland:
He’s 6-3, 307lbs and has 32.5 inch arms. He ran a decent 5.12 forty plus a 1.78 10-yard split. He is not an explosive tester, only managing a 26.5 inch vertical — however, explosive traits have been typically seen as less vital here than agility. He only ran a 4.91 short shuttle though — so we aren’t talking about a player likely to go early.
He’s a large, round human who can disrupt vs the run. He gave Duke’s interior O-line a torrid time, using a straight arm to leverage the center and play off it. He also showed some quickness to run around him too and break into the backfield for a sack.
Cleveland can engage, two-gap and then shed to make the play. There is nothing flashy about his game — he’s just a battler up front who is a pain to play against.
He showed a little bit of sparkle to jump-step two linemen vs Notre Dame and burst into the backfield. He plays with balance and it helps him stand tall and hold his ground. He’s very capable of splitting double teams.
Does it all translate to an impact run defender at the next level? Maybe. I’m not overly convinced but as a late round pick it’s not much of a gamble to find out.
His lack of pure size, length and explosive traits raise a question mark about his upside. Yet there’s enough power and control on tape to think he can make this work.
I think we should be very open-minded about the positions the Seahawks target in this draft. The only position they didn’t add to in free agency was pass-rush — and it seems fairly likely they will draft an EDGE rusher at some point. Aside from that, the board should always do the work. They don’t need to force anything here.
I’ll also add — this team won with physicality and by beating opponents up with great defense and winning in the trenches. Players who bring even more quality and physicality to the defensive front seven and the offensive line — to me — feel like the best opportunity to continue building the team you want to be.
