Today I am publishing the first draft of my 2026 Horizontal Board. There are 144 players graded so far. I will continue to add names as we go along. It should also be noted that there’s ample time for things to change, especially when we get to the Senior Bowl and combine.
Here are some short headlines:
— Arvell Reese (LB) and Caleb Downs (S) are the top two players in the draft, both from Ohio State
— I currently only have four players with legit first round grades and only 33 graded in the first two rounds
— There isn’t a single quarterback I would personally draft in the first round
— I really like Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald
— There are lots of appealing zone-blocking specialists, many play tackle but are projected to guard (like Grey Zabel)
— The depth in this class is so thin, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that the fifth round pick used to acquire Rashid Shaheed could’ve ended up being a priority UDFA on Seattle’s board
— This is one of the most challenging drafts in recent memory, if not the most challenging, due to the lack of top-end quality and weak depth
I want to explain the way I’m grading. The top tier of players are prospects who would legitimately go in the first round in any draft. Tier two are fringe first round prospects — essentially players I can imagine going in round one but there are question marks (lack of production, more upside than proven quality, good players but not necessarily game-changers). The rest of the tiers are self-explanatory.
How this class will impact the Seahawks
If the season finished today, they would own the 27th pick in round one. I would suggest it’s going to be nearly impossible to draft a player with a first round grade in that slot in 2026. Their second pick would be #58. I don’t think it’s very likely a player with a second round grade would be available there either.
I’ve discussed this quite a lot already — and we’ve been pretty good at reading the tea leaves over the years — but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Seahawks aggressively pursued a high-profile veteran trade in the off-season. The name I keep coming back to is Maxx Crosby.
The Raiders clearly tried to fast-track relevancy by hiring Pete Carroll and it’s backfired. Increasingly it looks like they will be forced to embrace a longer-term build when the season ends, including potentially another coaching change.
Crosby’s contract extension is set up with great flexibility. Trading him in March would only cost the Raiders $5m in dead money. The move would create $30.8m in cap space. I would suggest it feels increasingly likely they will trade Crosby for picks to kick-start a rebuild.
The Seahawks will need to replace Boye Mafe somehow. Seeing his name circulated the way it was by Adam Schefter makes me assume he won’t be re-signing with the Seahawks. The 2026 draft class is poor at EDGE rush.
I had previously suggested Cleveland’s Alex Wright as a free agent target but he signed a new deal with the Browns today. I think the Seahawks will be working the floor at the combine, seeing what is possible, with the idea they might be willing to trade their top pick in 2026.
The Horizontal Board
Those marked in red either have current injuries or reported injury concerns/injury history. Click the image to enlarge:
Position-by-position breakdown
Quarterback
None of the quarterbacks this year have the upside to be franchise leaders in my opinion. Fernando Mendoza is the trendy choice in the media but I’m not convinced. If he’s drafted by a team with an existing foundation and a proven offensive leader, fine. Those teams don’t pick early in round one. His arm is reasonable not great, he’s not a creative improviser and he plays in a clockwork-like system that emphasises a lot of back-shoulder and high-percentage throws. His big win, on the road at Oregon, was not a particularly impressive display.
Ty Simpson has shown technical quality and an assortment of NFL throws on tape. However, in recent games some rough edges have also been exposed. He’s only a one-year starter and should consider, even at his age (23 next month), returning for another year at Alabama.
Garrett Nussmeier has had an injury-impacted season where he has struggled along with LSU. There’s a lot to like with Nussmeier and this could work to his advantage. If he falls into the rounds 3-4 range, he could end up on a better team with less pressure to start quickly. There could be value to be had.
Taylen Green reminds me of Colin Kaepernick to a degree. For most of this season he excelled despite playing for an Arkansas side that was doing its best impression of the 2025 Cincinnati Bengals (explosive offense, no defense). Recently though he’s turned the ball over too often with some ugly interceptions. Even so, I would rather draft to develop him in the middle rounds than spend a top-10 pick on another QB from this class.
Some people still believe Carson Beck has something to offer. After two years of horrendous turnovers, I’ll let someone else take that chance.
Running back
It’s not how it was a year ago in terms of depth but there are good players to be had here. Jeremiyah Love is a truly dynamic playmaker but I do think he’ll need to be paired with a more physical runner. The Lions did this with Jahmyr Gibbs and took him in the top-15. In this class, there’s a chance someone will do the same with Love.
Emmett Johnson at Nebraska is a hidden gem. He has good size, his change of direction skills are impressive and he has a rare ability to dodge tackles and escape into space. He can be used as a runner or pass-catcher and his production has been excellent this season. I like him a lot.
I’m not ready to give up on Penn State’s Nicholas Singleton. This hasn’t been his season and recently Kaytron Allen has taken the lion’s share of the reps. However, Singleton is the more explosive, high-upside talent.
Mike Washington Jr has a little bit of Knile Davis to him, while Raleek Brown is also very intriguing.
I get the sense the Seahawks want a slashing, dynamic runner in the mould of De’Von Achane. I wouldn’t even rule out them making a pitch to trade for him in the off-season, especially if Ken Walker departs. That’s another name to monitor.
Wide receiver
I promise this isn’t just recency bias but the more I watch of USC’s Makai Lemon the more of a Jaxon Smith-Njigba vibe I get. Let me be clear, there’s a talent difference. JSN deserves to be treated with the ‘one of a kind’ tag with the way he’s playing. Lemon will be fortunate to be two-thirds of the player Smith-Njigba is. However, they share a natural quality that doesn’t rely on blazing speed or size. They both make getting open look easier than it is. Lemon subtly gets open, tracks the ball brilliantly, has good hands, can stretch the field with shiftiness and he can be a terror running across the middle.
Carnell Tate has been one of the more impressive, improved players this year. He’s been so clean with his routes and hands. You know where he’s going to be and he’ll be there on time. He can elevate and extend to make difficult catches. His body control is superb. There will be questions about his timed forty-yard-dash though.
KC Concepcion and Jordyn Tyson seem more like day-two prospects to me but they could get elevated in a down-year for overall talent. Oregon’s Evan Stewart would’ve been in the mix to be a high pick but he suffered a serious knee injury.
Tight end
I’ve not been impressed with the class of tight ends. Eli Stowers is TE1 on my board thanks to a combination of size and athleticism. They’ve started to feed him the ball and in the right system, he could end up being a day-two mismatch steal.
Kenyon Sadiq has been underwhelming and his play inconsistent. His size and frame reminds me of Irv Smith Jr. It’s believed he will eventually have a remarkable testing session at the combine and that will help. His flashes are exciting but what is he at the next level? A big slot?
I’ve been impressed with Josh Cuevas at Alabama but he’s very much a day-three talent.
Offensive tackle
Many of the tackles in this class will need to kick inside. I have Utah’s brilliant right tackle Spencer Fano as OT1 with a legit first round grade. However, even he might be seen as a better fit at guard. He’s a devastating, tone-setting blocker who loves to finish.
Alabama’s Kadyn Proctor has been one of the most overrated players by the media this year. He’s too big and struggles to defend speed off the edge. Sure — it’s great seeing him show off incredible athleticism when they hand the ball off to him in the red zone or even ask him to catch a pass. Yet his angles and agility defending the blindside leave a lot to be desired. He might be better off as a gap-scheme guard.
If you’re looking for a franchise left tackle in this draft, good luck.
Guard
There are decent options thanks to the number of tackles projected to move inside. Francis Mauigoa at Miami is the lead dog and could find a home in the top-15. Like Fano, he plays with a lot of aggression.
Vega Ioane is a massive, athletic, mobile pass-protector who can easily work on his run-blocking skills to become a long-time starter at left guard.
Duke’s Brian Parker is an excellent zone blocker who should move inside one spot from right tackle. He could be a strong option for the Seahawks. Iowa’s Gennings Dunker has been a blog favourite for some time. He’s extremely physical and effective in the run game. I’m not sure there’s a level of upside here that should have him graded any higher than day two but he’s certainly someone who would fit at right guard — and he’s an accomplished zone blocker. I’m a big advocate for drafting Iowa linemen when you a.) want to run the ball and b.) use mainly zone blocking concepts. Ohio State left tackle Austin Siereveld is another very good operator in zone who is expected to move inside.
I was surprised how easily Georgia Tech’s Keylan Rutledge progressed to the second level. He’s a pure right guard in college. His frame says he’d be a better phone-booth blocker but he easily pulled, combo’d and operated in space. Indiana’s Carter Smith has wild technique and sometimes his arms and legs are all over the place but somehow it seems to work. There’s no denying that he handles zone concepts well and could be a very useful guard.
Later on, Beau Stephens — Iowa’s left guard — will provide some day-three value. I think Oregon transfer Emmanuel Pregnon is a bit overrated.
Center
It’s a bit of a one-man show at this position at the moment. Iowa’s Logan Jones is a Tyler Linderbaum-level athlete but lacks the refinement of his former team-mate. He’s put together back-to-back strong seasons and could be strongly considered by the Seahawks as a long-term fixture at center, ending the annual change at the position.
I haven’t seen any other center so far that I’d covet for Seattle’s scheme. Alabama’s Parker Brailsford certainly has talent and he’s a scheme fit but he hasn’t played well enough.
EDGE
I’m really surprised at the way the EDGE class has been portrayed in the media. To me it just screams ‘meh’. I don’t see a first round pure edge rusher. There’s nobody who lights up the tape with a blazing bend-and-straighten. The 2027 draft will feature the incredible Dylan Stewart and Colin Simmons. There’s nobody like that here.
I’ve got Oklahoma’s R Mason Thomas at the top because I like his effort and hustle but he’s nothing like former blog favourite Nik Bonitto as a speed rusher. Clemson’s TJ Parker has been one of the biggest disappointments of the season. Cashius Howell’s production has been great but he has short arms and I’m not convinced his 2025 success translates to the NFL. David Bailey and Romello Height are a great combo for Texas Tech but I don’t see special qualities. Michigan’s Jaishawn Barham, converted from linebacker, has raw tools that could be developed.
I don’t see the next great NFL rusher in this class — unless a team successfully turns Arvell Reese into a full-time EDGE.
Defensive end
If the EDGE group is overrated, the DE group takes things up a notch. It’s incredible how much hype there’s been for Rueben Bain Jr — a bulky run defender with 30-inch arms. It feels like some of the steam has cooled on the ‘best player in the draft’ rhetoric from a few weeks ago — but still. He’s a day two prospect.
Keldric Faulk is long and big with athletic upside but the production isn’t there. In a weak draft he still likely goes in the first round because, frankly, you need to take someone and he has growth potential. Dani Dennis-Sutton has played in flashes this year and while he doesn’t have Faulk’s frame, he could go earlier than some think with good testing.
Anthony Smith at Minnesota could play with more aggression and he’s not consistent. Yet he’s stacking up the sacks this year (9.5) and that can’t be ignored. Matayo Uiagalelei and LT Overton look like typical day two bigger ends. I’m not convinced either will be a pass-rush threat at the next level.
Missouri’s Zion Young is a bit off the wall and plays with an all-out motor and plenty of physicality and aggression. However, there’s a lot of stiffness to his movements. I think Miami’s Akheem Mesidor is a fairly average prospect.
When Tyreak Sapp can be arsed he looks really good. But there’s too much tape where he’s going through the motions.
Defensive tackle
Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald is among the six best players eligible for the draft next year. He’s an absolute wall against the run and pummels opponents with a jolting punch to disrupt and control blocks. The difference making quality, however, is the way he disengages. He’s not just a space-eater absorbing double-teams. There’s plenty of evidence of him ripping off blockers to break free into the backfield. The problem is he’s so big that having released from the block he hasn’t got the quickness to be a devastating pass rusher. For me, it doesn’t matter. Players like this who are huge yet in proportion with minimal body-fat, who can over-power pretty much any blocker they come across and find a way to get off blocks and get into the backfield — you can win in the trenches with players like this. I really like Kayden McDonald.
Peter Woods is expected to have an excellent combine and his 2024 tape showed flashes of top-10 potential. However, like most of the Clemson team, he’s been poor this year. Woods has been a non-factor in every game I’ve watched in 2025 (most of them) with no signs of a difference making, versatile defensive lineman. If he runs and jumps as well as expected, teams might chalk his bad year down to a Clemson thing. As with Keldric Faulk, you have to take someone. Betting on developing Woods is a better option than most other alternatives available.
Caleb Banks’ injury situation at Florida has prevented him from having any momentum but he is athletic and disruptive. Domonique ‘Big Citrus’ Orange is another big-bodied disruptor who can anchor and yet still break through blocks. He’s not close to McDonald’s potential but he’s noticeable on tape.
Gracen Halton at Oklahoma is smaller but highly aggressive and very disruptive. Tim Keenan from Alabama is another big-bodied nose tackle with a fair amount of potential. He can make a NFL rotation. A’Mauri Washington at Oregon is a great athlete for his size and he has some good reps on tape — but nowhere near enough to justify the first round hype.
Linebacker
I’ve said for a few weeks now — I would take Arvell Reese first overall. I don’t think anything will change that unless character concerns emerge, an injury issue or a bad testing session. His sideline-to-sideline ability, heat-seeking missile approach to the ball-carrier and his range are impressive enough. Then you see him lined up off the edge and just handling +300lbs blockers with power. It’s astonishing.
Pittsburgh’s Kyle Louis is undersized but frankly, I don’t care. The guy flies around the field with reckless abandon, hits people in the face and he’s an excellent cover linebacker. In the modern NFL you can use a player like this in so many different ways. By all accounts he’s also described as highly committed to his craft, someone who leads by example and a perfect pro.
Then we’re back to overrated players unfortunately. I don’t see why people have Anthony Hill or CJ Allen as high as they do. I’m not sure about Hill’s athletic upside while Allen just looks like a two-down thumper with limitations.
Sonny Styles’ athleticism is really intriguing but how does this translate to linebacker in the NFL, having already switched positions from safety? Does he move back? Can he be a hybrid? Harold Perkins is an enigma — showing little flashes of brilliance but also a whole lot of nothing at times too. It’s hard to work out what his best position is.
Jake Golday has major athletic upside and good size, while Cade Uluave just puts his body on the line to fly around and hit people.
Cornerback
I was really surprised by how much I liked Kelley Jones at Mississippi State. He’s massive and has a DK Metcalf-esque physique. I expected him to look a bit stiff in transition but he actually does a good job sticking in coverage. On top of that, he seems to have good speed and length. His run support is good enough and his completion percentage in coverage is one of the best in college football. Mississippi State runs more zone than man. He’s played well in both — but a little bit better in man. I think that’s his best fit at the next level with his size.
Jermod McCoy is also a talented player — although he face-guards way too much. An injury has kept him on the sidelines all season and that impacts his stock.
Brandon Cisse is a better fit, I think, for Seattle’s defense. He’s shifty and more agile. He’s not a physical corner in coverage and that’s surprising, because for the most part his run defense is decent. Avieon Terrell similarly is probably a better fit too and he’s performed a lot better in zone than man for Clemson. He’s the brother of AJ Terrell, the 16th pick in 2020 by Atlanta. Given the way he’s played this year I’d be surprised if the younger Terrell matches that — he feels like more of a day two pick. He has some talent though.
Safety
I think there are some good options here, headlined by Caleb Downs who will probably be a top-five pick. Testing will be interesting for him and could cap his upside. Yet on the field you can use him in so many different ways and the natural talent is off the charts.
Dillon Thieneman the Purdue-to-Oregon transfer is very interesting. He has good size yet his range playing deep is very impressive. He covers ground quickly and has an eye for the football (he had six interceptions as a freshman at Purdue). He can also line up in different areas and he’ll deliver a hit when needed. If he declares, he could end up being a fast riser. The expectation is he’ll be a top tester. He has an opportunity to be one of the best players in this class.
Earl Little Jr at Florida State (ex-Alabama) also intrigues me as a playmaker and cover supremo. Keon Sabb is a solid if unspectacular prospect. Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is long and rangy but it’s hard to truly judge him on the limited tape access I have to Toledo. Testing and the Senior Bowl will be big for him.
What does it mean for the Seahawks?
As noted earlier, I wouldn’t be shocked if they pull a 2021 and punt on this draft — opting for the trade market instead. Sure, it’s possible for me to list players I like who fit the Seahawks. Yet if you’re having to draft those players a round or more earlier than your board dictates, that’s not a place you want to be in.
That said — if the trade market isn’t an option — they will have an opportunity to further add to their offensive line if they wish. Options at cornerback and the defensive line also exist. It’s not a total lost cause — but this won’t be a draft to really get the juices flowing in the off-season.
Those numbers are nearly identical. If Darnold can find his quick-twitch targets like Cooper Kupp and A.J. Barner, they can move on this defense with ease.
