Last year I took part in a ‘NFC West fantasy draft’ on Hawk Blogger, where four of us took turns to pick a roster made up of players from the division. The second edition of this takes place on Saturday at 8am PT. You can watch below:
Could the Seahawks be active in the trade market?
OverTheCap says they’ve got $29m in effective cap space to play with — an unusually high amount for the Seahawks at this time of year. It makes you wonder if they could be active in the trade market down the line.
They’ve done this in the past. Jadeveon Clowney was added on the 31st August in 2019 just before the season started. The Jamal Adams trade was finalised on the 20th July a year later. Is it beyond the realms of possibility they make a similar move between now and the start of the new season?
The pass-rush could still use some X-factor. Trey Hendrickson’s situation warrants monitoring. The Bengals are notoriously difficult to do business with and are unlikely to be reasonable in any trade talks. However, Hendrickson’s contract runs out in less than a year and if there was a deal to be done on an extension, you’d think they would’ve done it by now. Furthermore, the drafting of Shemar Stewart at least hints at some forward planning by Cincinnati.
They may decide that simply keeping Hendrickson this year and running his contract down is the best option, rather than getting a draft pick now. The Bengals finished last season on fire and if they can pick up where they left off, would be a serious contender in the AFC.
Hendrickson turns 31 in December which is part of the issue. Any team acquiring him will be expected to give him a big extension, yet he’s coming to an age where his production could tail off. That said, he’s also been one of the few elite edge rushers in the league over the last few years. He has 35 sacks in the last two seasons alone. Since 2020, he’s recorded 70.5 sacks.
The Seahawks spent a second round pick on Leonard Williams when he was 29 and in a contract year. They then gave him a substantial extension. If they thought Hendrickson could guarantee his level of production for another three seasons, they might be willing to do a deal here. Particularly if he ends up being the finishing touch for the defense. They have the cap space to do it.
Even if it’s not him, the Seahawks have the financial flexibility to be buyers later in the year. They could easily be sniffing around struggling teams before the deadline who are willing to part with players to guarantee draft stock for 2026.
Other potential targets could include Zach Allen with the Broncos. There’s been no movement on a new contract in Denver and he’s a player the Seahawks reportedly showed interest in when he was a free agent. Apparently they at least touched base with Bryce Huff before he joined the Eagles a year ago. He’s seemingly available and could be quite cheap. The Browns also appear motivated to move cornerback Greg Newsome, who was described by one anonymous scout pre-draft as “a great kid” with “pro height/weight/speed, pro instincts (and a) pro mentality.”
Explosive traits matter
Since 2016 we’ve been using our TEF formula (explained here) to measure explosive traits for offensive linemen entering the league. It was illuminating to hear John Schneider speak openly about something similar the team uses. He referenced a ’30/30/30′ preference — where players achieve a vertical jump of +30 inches, deliver 30 reps on the bench press and score +30 on the wonderlic (or some other form of similar test).
Unfortunately we have no means of learning wonderlic data so we can’t do anything with this information specifically. However, it does show that they are paying attention to some of the testing features we’ve looked at for years.
In this draft class they added the fourth and fifth most explosive testers among the offensive linemen. The only players who performed better were Armand Membou (unavailable to Seattle as the #7 pick), Luke Kandra (undrafted) and Luke Newman (sixth rounder for the Bears). It certainly appears that explosive traits are very much part of Seattle’s approach and that should reassure fans because most of the top offensive linemen in the league are explosive testers (TEF scores in brackets):
Braden Smith — 3.52
Trey Smith — 3.49
Tristan Wirfs — 3.47
Armand Membou — 3.45
Lane Johnson — 3.44
Rashawn Slater — 3.40
Peter Skoronski — 3.37
Bernhard Raimann — 3.37
Quinn Meinerz — 3.34
Cam Jurgens — 3.34
Zach Tom — 3.33
Drew Dalman — 3.31
Kolton Miller — 3.31
Frank Ragnow — 3.29
Creed Humphrey — 3.25
Cesar Ruiz — 3.25
Bryce Cabeldue — 3.25
Grey Zabel — 3.23
Donovan Jackson — 3.19
Chris Lindstrom — 3.18
Alijah Vera-Tucker — 3.16
Trent Williams — 3.11
Tate Ratledge — 3.10
Will Fries — 3.10
Quenton Nelson — 3.07
Will Campbell — 3.07
Tyler Linderbaum — 3.05
Erik McCoy — 3.05
Penei Sewell — 3.04
Joe Thuney — 3.04
Joe Alt — 3.02
Elgton Jenkins — 3.01
Cody Mauch — 3.01
Garrett Bolles — 3.00
This isn’t a coincidence. For all the talk of just getting someone based on good tape or whatever, the difference makers up front in the trenches are typically players with explosive traits.
A quick note — I wouldn’t assume Anthony Bradford won’t be part of the right guard competition in a serious way. His TEF score was a 3.17 and he comfortably fits the 30/30/30 approach in two of the segments (30 inch vertical, 34 bench press reps). Also, he surprisingly ran a brilliant 5.08 forty at 332lbs with a 1.73 10-yard split. Physically he fits the bill and perhaps with better coaching he can take a step in 2025?
Why the national coverage of the draft was worse than it’s ever been this year
It was a slog to get through the NFL Network’s coverage of the draft a year ago (I don’t have access to ESPN). Rich Eisen went to Michigan and is a big Wolverines fan. There’s nothing wrong with a playful nod to that during three long days of coverage. However, it took over the event — just as it did the combine. Coupled with Ian Rapoport tipping the stunning Michael Penix Jr pick seconds before it was announced, it was a rough experience.
This year things got worse and it extends beyond the NFL Network.
The Shedeur Sanders fall was the biggest story of the draft and rightly garnered a lot of attention. However, Eisen’s coverage of the story was incredibly frustrating. His constant questioning as to why it was happening — when multiple reporters had gone into great detail as to explain why — became torturous to watch. He started to resemble a sulking teenager. This, I can see from social media clips, was only surpassed by Mel Kiper’s similar reaction on ESPN.
Clearly in Eisen’s case it was at least partly influenced by his relationship with Deion Sanders. It became too personal though. Instead of a serious discussion about why he fell, it became a giant three-day whinge. Not enough time was spent discussing the actual players being selected, as they were robbed of their moment in the sun as the Sanders obsession continued. It got to a point where a player came off the board and you just knew in your head, ‘Eisen’s going to bring up Sanders again isn’t he?’ and low and behold, he would.
I’ve always argued that by day three of the draft you’re only clinging on to the true die-hards and it’s weird that neither network caters for those people. They barely discuss the players being taken, they often skip over 5-10 picks before a quick recap and it’s frustrating that following the online draft tracker is more useful than actually watching the TV broadcast.
Eisen’s sulking, surly disbelief made it worse this year. Particularly as he continued to ignore the now public reasons why Sanders had turned teams off. For a man who once felt like broadcasting perfection personified, he’s started to resemble an opinionated fan with a microphone — whether that’s discussing the Jets, Michigan or in this instance, the son of a friend.
There’s something else I want to mention. On the networks, podcasts and articles I’ve read about the draft, I wish we could end the auto-pilot response of praising the same GM’s and teams every year.
Take the Eagles. Their selection of Jihaad Campbell has been described as a masterstroke by Howie Roseman. I really like Campbell and thought he was one of the 10 best players in the draft based on talent. However, the reason he lasted to the end of round one is because he’s had labrum surgery on one shoulder and reportedly might need the other shoulder doing. There are also reportedly other concerns with a knee issue.
There’s nothing wrong with saying it’s worth a gamble given the state of the Eagles’ roster. They are the kind of team who can afford to take a shot to nothing. But let’s at least acknowledge that’s what this is rather than make out like the Eagles are playing 4D chess.
Roseman is an exceptional GM but it doesn’t mean we have to assume everything he does is great. Let’s not forget, he’s the same decision maker who took Jalen Reagor one pick ahead of Justin Jefferson.
It’s even worse in the case of the Ravens. There’s a reason Mike Green fell to the 59th pick after most considered him a top-20 lock. The allegations that led to his departure from Virginia, which he discussed openly at the combine, clearly took him off many boards. A not unfair assumption to make here, given how long he lasted, is teams were at the very least unconvinced by his explanation of that period in his life.
Baltimore ended his fall and I’ve seen the pick described as a ‘miraculous steal’ online in one article. I’m sure some questions have been asked about it but I’ve not seen much fuss on a broader scale. This is a team who later drafted a kicker because they might have to dump Justin Tucker for a number of serious allegations. Of all the teams to select Green, the Ravens were an eyebrow raiser.
I wonder what the reaction would’ve been had the Cleveland Browns made this pick instead? Would it have been called a great selection? Would they have been given any benefit of the doubt? Would they have been allowed, as Eric DeCosta and the Ravens have been, to just say ‘we fully researched Mike Green’ and basically that just be accepted?
Then there’s Les Snead of the Rams, another media darling. Their best move was to coax a first round pick out of the hapless Falcons who showed once again they don’t really know what they’re doing. Yet their draft class looks incredibly thin and low-impact. It’s hard to imagine, short of Davante Adams having a career resurgence as he approaches his 33rd birthday, how the Rams have actually improved this off-season. They still don’t have a future at quarterback, they didn’t address a need at cornerback or linebacker and they have other holes on the roster too. The reaction to their draft has been favourable though, almost with a ‘Les, you’ve done it again’ type reaction.
Their best move was to receive a call by the Falcons and say ‘yes’ to their offer.
It’d be nice to see a more critical eye placed on some of the usual suspects who seem to generate praise simply because of past successes.
What I think we’ll see with Seattle’s offense this year
It took things a little while to settle down on defense a year ago. There was a stretch after an easy three-game start for the Seahawks where the unit fell apart. After tweaking personnel we saw a rapid improvement. Seattle ended the season with Mike Macdonald’s group looking like a top-10 group.
I suspect we might see a similar journey with the offense. This is a very young offensive line transitioning to a new scheme. There might be some growing pains. That in turn could impact the running attack and the quarterback. However, things could similarly settle down after the first few weeks. My prediction is that by the final stretch, health permitting, we’ll see a unit that has made the same kind of strides as Macdonald was able to achieve with the defense.
They’ve appointed a really good offensive staff with proper NFL experience and everything appears aligned in a way it wasn’t a year ago. Klint Kubiak already feels like an ideal partner for Macdonald. It might be worth mentally preparing to witness those growing pains but patience could be rewarded down the line.
Closing thoughts
So there we go. My final thoughts (for now). The plan is to take a break but I don’t want anyone to think ‘that’s it’ until August. I’m not shutting the blog or the YouTube channel down until later in the year. I just want you to know that I’m going to play things by ear — respond to events that might occur, write when I feel like writing or jump on a stream when there’s something to get into.
I’ve committed more time than ever to the blog and the YouTube channel over the last year. We’re about to go into a down period for the NFL and I think this is a good opportunity to commit to some family time and recharge. If anything happens over the next few weeks relating to the Seahawks, I will definitely write something and/or do a video. I’m always open to podcast/streaming/radio requests and will let you know if I’m doing any of those. This won’t be a long break — but perhaps a needed one.
By the summer I’ll be digging deep into the tape for 2025 draft eligible players, sharing thoughts and preparing for the new season. I fully intend to travel to Seattle for a game this year. If the Seahawks are chosen to play Jacksonville in London, I would also plan to cover that extensively for the full week.
I want to take this opportunity to thank a few people. Firstly, to Curtis Allen who does such an exceptional job providing articles for the blog. His analysis on the cap, for me, is the best around. It’s been joyous to see him invited on to other shows to discuss the Seahawks. He’s a great guy and it’s a privilege to have him contribute to SDB.
To Robbie and Adam, who put up with me talking too much on the live streams and humour my long winded views. They are both so supportive and constantly raise my spirits. They have their own busy lives to deal with but still find time for SDB. Along with Curtis, I feel like I’ve made great friends through this website and I’m so grateful for that. They are also both really good at what they do and are so passionate about this team.
To the wider community — I still think this is the best place to talk Seahawks on the internet by far. That’s down to you. I’m not even sure how many blogs carry a significant comments section these days, with people instead turning to social media or Reddit forums. Yet here it’s so busy all of the time. Moderating the comments is nowhere near as difficult as it should be because of the people who contribute. You are all so supportive of what we do, you kept me going through the times where things were tough and the knives were out when I/we dared to challenge aspects of the franchise. If I didn’t write this blog, I’d still visit and comment because of the people in the community. Thank you.
To the Patrons and contributors via Super Chat on YouTube — I massively appreciate it. This is a commercial free website and I’m never going to plaster ads all over the place, making articles a chore to read. There are significant running costs though as the blog has grown and those of you assist are all heroes to me.
Finally to anyone who has helped promote SDB by having me on your shows or streams, I’m very grateful. The site and YouTube channel continue to grow and that’s in part due to the opportunities I’m given elsewhere.
Keep checking the blog because like I say, I’m not shutting things down. Things will slow for a while though as we head into the quiet period in the NFL. Yet by training camp, we’ll be back at it — providing constant analysis on everything Seahawks and draft. Although many people find the blog in the March/April months — I always think the best stuff we do is August to December when we’re studying the 2026 prospects long before mainstream media get involved. So please do join us for that and continue to be part of this great community.
If you’ve enjoyed the work we’ve done during this draft cycle and want to contribute to the blog, you can do so via Patreon by clicking here or email me at rob@seahawksdraftblog.com for alternative options.
I’m not a fan of way too early mock drafts. They tend to be lists of players who either appeared on Bruce Feldman’s last freaks list or ESPN’s top-300 recruits from yesteyear. What started as a fun annual exercise by Todd McShay, consulting with sources in the league, has become an ‘everyone must do one of these’ and they’re all mainly rubbish.
Many of the names I’ve seen on the lists are just unproven highly recruited athletes. Most of the mocks have Arch Manning included, when anyone who knows anything about football knows he isn’t going to turn pro after one college season as a starter.
In this piece I’m just going to give a few general predictions and thoughts on the class 12 months out and note a few players I think are worth highlighting, based on tape study over the last two years.
What is the class?
There is potential depth at quarterback, that’s absolutely true. We could even see a top-10 dominated by quarterbacks depending on how they play in 2025. We’ll come back to the QB’s in a moment.
Caleb Downs the Ohio State safety is the best draft eligible player for next year. He is an obvious future NFL starter who deserves high grades based on what he’s shown in college already. He is a complete safety — impressing in coverage, versus the run, blitzing and completing a high percentage of his tackles. Every time you watched Ohio State last season, Downs jumped off the screen.
The other player I have watched that I absolutely love for the next draft is Spencer Fano the right tackle at Utah. I studied his tape a couple of months ago because he had the highest zone-blocking grade (93.5) in college football last season and I wanted to use his tape as a means for comparing to everyone else. I was blown away by the way he attacks opponents and engages contact, how when he’s latched on he leverages and then re-sets his feet constantly to maintain position and he’s a violent finisher. I can’t wait to watch him play again in 2025.
Two Clemson defensive linemen warrant a mention. TJ Parker doesn’t have a typical lean frame and his agility testing and burst will be critical. However, he just wins in so many different ways. He has an excellent, powerful bull-rush working the edge. His inside stunt, even when engaged in contact, can be deadly. He has such forceful power in his hands and it feels like he’s only scratching the surface in terms of how he can use that to his advantage. As a speed-rusher there is evidence of him attacking the outside shoulder and bending the arc. He had some big wins, most notably against Pittsburgh. Parker recorded 12 sacks last season. He only had a win percentage of 15% though and that’s why I wonder whether he’s quite dynamic enough to challenge the front end of round one.
There’s no such concern for Peter Woods. He has plenty of speed and dynamism and combines it with a bull-in-a-china-shop mentality to getting through blockers. Clemson used him as a big-end and there’s High School recruiting tape where he’s defending the edge and playing read-option plays like a linebacker. It’d be good to see him used more conventionally as a full-time three-technique to add to his 13.5% win percentage and show the league what he can be.
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, brother of Jordan, is also a special talent who could really promote his stock high into the first round this year. On the subject of running backs, Nicholas Singleton — provided he can shine through a time-share with Kaytron Allen — is also an incredibly dynamic runner.
Thing to note
Two years ago Jayden Daniels was considered a day three pick. A year ago, Cam Ward had just transferred from Washington State and was being given day three grades by the NFL. He wasn’t invited to the Senior Bowl and he reneged on a decision to turn pro because he was going to be a late round selection. I’d seen Ward play live and there was nothing — absolutely nothing — to suggest he could be a future first round pick, let alone the #1 overall selection.
Things can change quickly, particularly with mature quarterbacks who reach a comfort level from their experience.
The quarterbacks
There’s a lot of potential within this group but every single player has to take a step forward in 2025. That’s typical for any draft prospect of course, particularly at quarterback. But there are several players here where it could genuinely go either way, determining whether they end up declaring or staying in school.
Garrett Nussmeier could’ve been a first round pick this year if a team was willing to overlook the avoidable turnovers that blotted his copybook. He lacks elite physical tools but he’s in the ‘good enough’ category in terms of arm strength. He made more NFL-style throws than any other quarterback last season and his technical ability is excellent and unsurprising given his family background. His ability to read the field, throw with timing and anticipation and make difficult throws on the move was highly impressive at times.
There were also the moments of erraticism and some ugly interceptions to go with the positives. LSU will always have enough talent to be competitive and in year two as a starter, with plenty of experience in the system, Nussmeier can secure a first round placing with a big year in the SEC and should enter the season as the most projectable first round talent. If he fails to fix the turnover issues though, it could easily go the other way.
Drew Allar at Penn State will be planning to turn pro too. He almost declared this year and could’ve been a first round pick based on upside. He made major strides in 2024, going from a player who didn’t look draftable the prior year to someone who deserved first round buzz. Allar is big, athletic and has a good arm. He is a less creative, more structured version of what Drake Maye was at North Carolina, with less upside.
The problem with Allar is we saw a lot of ups and downs. Against Oregon he looked like he could be QB1 in this years draft. Against Notre Dame in the playoffs, he fell apart under the pressure of the situation. He also relied heavily on Tyler Warren as a go-to target and won’t have his safety net next season.
A lot of people are putting LaNorris Sellers at the top of their ‘way too early’ mock drafts. He certainly has physical tools and after an average start to last season he finished very strongly. I’m torn on whether he’d realistically declare next year. He’s a one-year starter in college only. He would be declaring, if he chose to, as a redshirt sophomore. That is quite rare at his position and with NIL money taking away the pressure to chase a NFL contract as quickly as possible, I suspect he’ll only turn pro if he has an outstanding season. That said — if he wants to be a quarterback who uses his legs a lot, he might be better off not taking the punishment in college and risking injury.
Sellers needs to develop on a technical level — learning to throw with better touch, operate from the pocket and find the balance between using his arm/legs to simply out-athletic opponents and become a genuine NFL talent under center. He can achieve this but it might take more than one extra year at South Carolina.
Aside from these three, I was surprised how much improvement Cade Klubnik showed at the end of last season. He finally seems like he’s delivering on the recruitment hype and kudos to Clemson for being patient with him. He has all the tools but now needs to become a killer — putting up huge numbers like you’d expect from an experienced quarterback with his traits playing in the ACC. There’s no reason why he can’t seriously elevate his stock into early round contention but equally, if he falls back into bad habits his stock will collapse.
Haynes King showed some serious balls for Georgia Tech last season and his combination of running and throwing is very appealing. If you’re looking for someone who could really elevate his stock in 2025 who isn’t being talked about much, keep an eye on King.
Jacob Zeno did a good job in a difficult situation at UAB. He turned down big NIL money to stick with his old team but has now decided to take one last shot to promote his NFL abilities by going to Texas A&M. As with King, he is a player with tools who could really jump onto the scene next season.
Elsewhere, let’s see how Sam Leavitt plays at Arizona State but like Sellers, he might be a player who is only really just getting started in college and might not declare. I am intrigued to see how Washington State transfer John Mateer gets on at Oklahoma while Miller Moss has landed in an excellent spot playing for Jeff Brohm in Louisville. Kansas State’s Avery Johnson has a lot of physical talent but whether he’s minded to declare early remains to be seen.
I’ve no doubt that Carson Beck will have some success in Miami but to me it’ll be hard to shake off what he showed in 2024. He’s simply too inaccurate, lacks big-time physical tools and you don’t get the sense he’s going to walk into a NFL locker room and be the alpha leader.
Other players who transferred include Tyler Van Dyke (SMU), Billy Edwards Jr (Wisconsin), Mark Gronowski (Iowa) and Conner Weigman (Houston).
A lot of names, then, and it’s possible several could push themselves towards round one by the end of the year. It’s also possible the class could be reduced to a Nussmeier and Allar first round — which wouldn’t be the ‘much better class’ vibe many were touting throughout the 2025 pre-draft cycle.
One player I’m really interested in for Seattle
Logan Jones the Iowa center was one of the most improved players in college football last season. He was night and day compared to the raw athlete we saw in 2023. Jones recorded an 84.5 grade as a zone blocker and looks tailor made for Seattle’s scheme. It was gut-wrenching when he chose not to declare.
He’s reportedly capable of jumping a near 37-inch vertical while running a 4.09 short shuttle and a 1.53 10-yard split. These are elite numbers, even better than another former Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum.
I’m secretly hoping that part of the reason the Seahawks didn’t select from a weak center class this year is because they’re eyeing Jones in 12 months time. I graded him as a fringe first round talent based on his 2024 tape. If he plays well again in 2025, there’s no reason why he can’t go in the same range as Linderbaum and be a potential first round target for Seattle.
Keep an eye on his team mate Gennings Dunker too, who lined up at right tackle and recorded a 92.3 zone-blocking grade last season.
Another potential center target, Parker Brailsford at Alabama, also didn’t turn pro this year. He’s very experienced in Kalen DeBoer’s system now so big things will be expected of him in 2024.
Other players I’m looking forward to watching further
Jalon Kilgore (CB, South Carolina)
Malik Muhammad (CB, Texas)
Patrick Payton (EDGE, LSU)
Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State)
Dontay Corleone (DT, Cincinnati)
Josh Kreutz (C, Illinois)
Mansoor Delane (CB, Virginia Tech)
Please give the video a like and leave a comment on YouTube if you can!
If you can, please give the video a like on YouTube and leave a comment!
This wasn’t an easy off-season. The Seahawks faced a number of challenges that could easily have capsized their boat into Lake Washington. To say GM John Schneider has made it look easy is an understatement. The effectiveness with which he dealt with a testing few months is evident by the way nobody really seems to be acknowledging how difficult it was.
Let’s just remember where the Seahawks were in early January. They’d missed the playoffs again and faced the prospect of firing their offensive coordinator after a shambolic offensive performance in 2024. Everyone knew a situation was looming with Geno Smith and DK Metcalf’s contracts. The fan base and media were demanding improvements to the offensive line.
Big questions were emerging as to how Schneider would handle the decisions that needed to be made and whether he could set the Seahawks on a better path to future success.
What he has achieved has been emphatic both in execution and in the way it has come with a minimum of fuss. I’m sure internally there have been some enormous challenges, sleepless nights and fraught moments. Yet to those on the outside, they’ve got a lot done without it ever feeling like the franchise was at a crossroads.
You only have to look at other teams to see how difficult that is. The Pittsburgh Steelers have gone weeks without any clarity on their quarterback situation. They’re at the beck and call of Aaron Rodgers. If he decided at any point he didn’t want to play this year, they’d need to do a deal with the Falcons for soon-to-be 37-year-old Kirk Cousins or rely on Mason Rudolph.
Despite this, they traded away a key pick and a massive contract for a want-away receiver who is yet to deliver on his enormous physical potential. The Steelers have taken a poor end to the regular season and carried it into the off-season. They look like a franchise that is stuck in the mud.
Meanwhile, the Giants knew for weeks towards the end of the last regular season that they needed to address their quarterback problem. Yet when the market opened, what exactly was their plan? They were linked to Rodgers but that never came to anything. They eventually signed Jameis Winston because they needed a body in the building. Then they signed Russell Wilson. They knew they weren’t going to find a solution with the third overall pick so more or less talked themselves into trading up to select Jaxson Dart in round one.
Let’s compare these two situations to the Seahawks. Clearly they had a contingency plan if they were to move on from Geno Smith. As soon as the decision was made to trade him to the Raiders, everyone connected them to Sam Darnold. His signing was confirmed within minutes of free agency starting. Having moved on from a somewhat accomplished and experienced starter, they’d added the best free agent quarterback available on a contract that provides excellent flexibility and minimal commitment.
They understood they weren’t going to get a new contract done with Metcalf, who requested a trade. They got the best deal and moved on, without the situation dragging on for weeks.
A line was drawn. They were decisive and made a call.
The next issue was the offensive line. Fans — and certain sections of an over-excited local media — demanded additions to the offensive line at all costs. When they failed to sign Will Fries, purely because the Minnesota Vikings were prepared to take a massive risk on his signature without him passing a medical, the knives were out. ‘You must sign some players now!’
The Seahawks didn’t take the bait. They were patient. They understood they weren’t going to fix the line signing bad, unwanted players for the sake of appeasing a few noise-makers on social media. It would’ve been so easy to just take a punt on Tevin Jenkins but he was never going to be the answer.
Their patience paid off when they showed everyone they had a plan for the draft. That plan included addressing the interior offensive line with their top pick — landing a top-20 physical talent in the form of Grey Zabel. This is a player with an explosive testing profile to match the likes of Frank Ragnow, Zach Tom and Creed Humphrey. Unlike Jenkins, he can actually provide a solution.
There are other positives to note:
— The Seahawks needed to move on from the Ryan Grubb experiment and they promptly did, replacing him with a vastly experienced staff. This is one of the more underrated moves in the NFL off-season. Klint Kubiak, together with John Benton, Rick Dennison, Andrew Janocko and Justin Outten, bring serious NFL chops to Seattle. This isn’t to say success is guaranteed. It never is. But the Seahawks can put together the kind of offensive system that can be clear and effective, much in the way Mike Macdonald provided clarity to the defense in 2024.
— The team needed more leadership. They might be getting older but the signings of Cooper Kupp and DeMarcus Lawrence, plus Sam Darnold, were as important off the field as they were on it. Kupp is already said to be having a huge impact with team-mates while Lawrence is the kind of defensive alpha any team benefits from. Seeing Darnold out there working on the field already feels like a far cry from the stories about Geno Smith taking a few days off from training camp to make a point about how much better he is than Sam Howell for his own contractual benefit.
— They weren’t afraid to have a disruptive off-season. We talked about why this was important last year. The Seahawks could muddle along as a nine or ten win team, make the playoffs every now and again and rightly argue ‘they’re in the mix’ compared to several other franchises who never are. Clearly that isn’t good enough. You don’t make the kind of change they’ve made this year without striving for more. Again, there’s no guarantee the moves they made will succeed. However, I think it’s admirable that they are not settling for ‘good’ and want to try and least achieve ‘great’.
— They are building the kind of team they say they want to be. All of the moves, both in free agency and the draft, feel connected. You can see the vision and identity coming through. We’re starting to get a feel for what a Mike Macdonald defender looks like. We know what kind of offensive linemen they want. They are building a team, not just adding talented players. They are keeping an eye on identity and fit. You can see the blueprint, the plan. The direction of travel is clear and it’s one that should inspire belief.
That brings us on to the draft. Regulars to this blog know I don’t just praise the Seahawks for the sake of it. Whether it was criticism of the Jamal Adams trade when it occurred, complaints over the direction of the team from 2020 to the end of the Pete Carroll era and the belief that a new Head Coach was needed, I’ve been critical. I only point this out to try and make my next sentence actually mean something. I think this is the best draft the Seahawks have had since 2012.
They achieved exceptional value throughout the three days, including with their seventh round picks and UDFA signings. They addressed key needs, drafted players with massive upside potential and expertly manipulated the board to get the players they wanted.
This was a textbook example of an active draft plan executed at a high level.
Grey Zabel set the ball rolling — a plug-and-play guard with as much upside as any offensive lineman in the draft. The deliberate targeting of a player they had to have in round two was a dynamic move. Going up to get Nick Emmanwori and it only costing the #82 pick was a great trade. To move up 17 spots, the Seahawks gave up a third round pick. Compare that to the Falcons who gave up their 2026 first rounder to move up 19 spots to select James Pearce Jr.
Elijah Arroyo was excellent value at #50. One of my favourite players in the draft, he can offer the kind of ‘it’s going to him and there’s nothing you can do about it’ excitement as a pass-catcher in Kubiak’s offense.
In Zabel, Emmanwori and Arroyo they landed the #13, #32 and #17 players on my board with the #18, #35 and #50 picks.
For years people have called on Schneider to take more shots on the quarterback position. At #92 they take Jalen Milroe — a player with the physical tools to be a star in terms of his running ability and arm strength. Admittedly his current level of accuracy on a short to intermediate level isn’t good enough. You couldn’t trust him to convert a key 3rd and 7 with his arm if he had to play a game for Alabama tomorrow. However, there’s no pressure for him to start. If they can work to develop this area of his game, they could end up with a diamond. If not, it was worth a dice roll at that stage in the draft. The upside potential is enormous.
On day three they found so much value. I can only judge based on my horizontal board — which is published long before any of these players were selected by the Seahawks. I had Rylie Mills as a third round pick due to injury (he was a second rounder before that). They got him in round five. I had Tory Horton as a fringe second rounder or third rounder. They got him in round five. I had Bryce Cabeldue in round three based on the fact he was the fourth most explosive offensive lineman in the draft. They got him in round six. I had Damien Martinez in round four. He was a seventh round pick. I had Ricky White III in round five purely based on his testing profile (he was excellent on tape). They got him in round seven also.
This is a home-run class by John Schneider. It’s a group littered with leadership, high-upside athleticism, talent and starter potential.
We’ve often talked about the need for a transformational draft to elevate the Seahawks to the next level. This could be it.
Even after the draft, they were able to sign Zy Alexander — the best remaining cornerback on my board with a fourth round grade — and Jackson Woodard — the best remaining linebacker on my board with another fourth round grade. Had they taken either of these players on day three, I would’ve celebrated the pick. On Sunday they signed Jared Ivey, a player I gave a round 4/5 grade to based on disappointing testing numbers but had previously shown enough flashes on tape to think he could’ve worked into the day two conversation.
This off-season has energised the franchise. They can be competitive in a wide-open NFC West and start to build towards something significant. Of course there are still big challenges ahead. Can Sam Darnold play like he did at his best in Minnesota for the Seahawks? How long will it take the offense to settle down and function at a good level? Can a young offensive line create the kind of consistency that is going to be required to elevate the unit’s performance in a big way? Can they return to winning home games?
For now though, I think we should just acknowledge what has been achieved over the last four months. This had the potential to be a really difficult off-season. Schneider has navigated through it expertly and for that he deserves a lot of credit. This has been one of his best off-seasons as Seahawks GM.
This will be the open thread for day three so discuss everything in the comments section and remember, no tipping picks.
Seahawks picks
R4 — #137 — traded to New England for #144 (R5) and #238 (R7)
R5 — #142 — Rylie Mills (DT, Notre Dame)
R5 — #144 — traded to Cleveland for #166 (R5) and #192 (R6)
R5 — #166 — Tory Horton (WR, Colorado State)
R5 — #172 — traded with Sam Howell to Minnesota for #142
R5 — #175 — Robbie Ouzts (TE, Alabama)
R6 — #192 — Bryce Cabeldue (G, Kansas)
R7 — #223 — Damien Martinez (RB, Miami)
R7 — #234 — Mason Richman (G, Iowa)
R7 — #238 — Ricky White III (WR, UNLV)
Horizontal board for players available at the start of round four
Thoughts on each day two pick
#35 (Trade via Tennessee) — Nick Emmanwori (S, South Carolina)
The Seahawks gave the Titans #52 and #82 for the 35th pick. I’m surprised, given all of the character reports, that Emmanwori was selected and it perhaps speaks to a slight departure in their approach. However, Albert Breer mentioned they liked him prior to the draft and he fits into the defense. His combination of speed and size is rare and Mike Macdonald will have a lot of fun with him. Strangely he’s better in space than up at the line with his size but there’s room for development. I had a fringe first round grade on him so the value matches the deal. He was the 32nd best player in the draft on my board. Without the reported character concerns he would’ve been top-25 for sure. I think Macdonald has earned the trust of people that when he sees a player he likes enough to agree with the GM that they should trade, that it could be an exciting move. Compare this trade, costing a third rounder, to Atlanta’s baffling deal with the Rams to go and get James Pearce Jr which cost them their 2026 first round pick. I’m looking forward to seeing how Macdonald will utilise Emmanwori’s incredible physical talent.
#50 — Elijah Arroyo (TE, Miami)
Regulars will know I’m a huge Arroyo fan. He’s such a mismatch weapon and will give the Seahawks a legit opportunity to have a dynamic pass-catching tight end who puts up big numbers. He can be used in lieu of a top receiver pick. There’s untapped potential as a blocker and there’s still evidence on tape of him giving more effort there than the other tight ends drafted early in this class. Arroyo is so fluid running the seam or into second level pockets. His body control and ability to box-out in the red zone is tremendous. He has soft hands and he dominated at the Senior Bowl. I had a fringe first round grade on him and thought he was the 17th best player in the draft. We felt for a long time they would want one of these top-four tight ends and they’ve delivered. It’s a fantastic pick and while the medical history can’t be ignored, Arroyo can be a X-factor weapon for the offense.
#50 — Jalen Milroe (QB, Alabama)
There’s no doubt Milroe needs major technical work as a passer. His short and intermediate accuracy is all over the place at times and based on his Alabama tape, you’ll not trust him to throw for a key third down conversion based on his current playing level. However, his upside is tantalising and if you can improve these aspects of his game you could end up with a genuine diamond. His running ability is akin to watching a Formula 1 racing car snaking around a circuit. His ability to turn corners and accelerate is rare. He will constantly give opponents headaches with his running ability. Aside from that, he does have a genuine cannon for an arm. He made some excellent deep throws and he’ll keep opponents honest downfield, which also brings his legs more into play. They can use him as a weapon immediately as he learns how to be a better signal caller. For the sake of a late third round pick, this was well worth a roll of the dice.
If you want an idea of the value the Seahawks got in the first two days of the draft, they picked at #18, #35, #50 and #92. The players they selected were taken at #19, #22, #34 and #42 in Mel Kiper’s final mock draft.
Updated horizontal board after day two (click to enlarge) showing the remaining players available:
