Typically on the final day of the year I publish a mock draft. Regulars will know I’ve been avoiding doing so this time.
It’s such a preposterous draft class. Typically for a mock there are players you want to highlight who deserve to go early, beyond the obvious cast of blue-chippers. This year there’s just such a dearth of those types.
If I was doing a full mock today, I’d be putting players with third round grades in the first frame. There’s a total lack of excellent left tackle prospects, edge rushers or quarterbacks. We might see receivers pushed into round one based mostly on the fact they cost so much on the veteran market. We might see interior linemen and tackle converts over-drafted because of rampant league-wide needs.
We have massively overrated players, such as Miami’s Reuben Bain Jr, who spent most of the college football season being touted as a possible #1 overall pick — yet he might not even go in the first round.
And then we have the likely red-hot trade market come March. Maxx Crosby might have double-digit teams chasing him. AJ Brown could be on the block. There’s talk Trent McDuffie might be available. The Dolphins might continue to sell-off assets. We could see multiple quarterback trades for players like Mac Jones. There could be a few surprises too — just as we saw with Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams a few weeks ago.
We’ll likely see the top ranked quarterback go first overall again but as with a year ago, many teams might not even have a true first round grade on Fernando Mendoza. I think we might see linemen prioritised early, followed by a run on the best available receivers and cornerbacks.
Here’s what I think a top-10 could look like:
#1 Las Vegas — Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana)
#2 NY Giants — Arvell Reese (LB, Ohio State)
#3 NY Jets — Caleb Downs (S, Ohio State)
#4 Tennessee — Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame)
#5 Arizona — Spencer Fano (T/G, Utah)
#6 Cleveland — Francis Mauigoa (T/G, Miami)
#7 Washington — Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
#8 New Orleans — Kayden McDonald (DT, Ohio State)
#9 Kansas City — Caleb Banks (DT, Florida)
#10 Cincinnati — Keldric Faulk (DE, Auburn)
Arvell Reese, Caleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love and Spencer Fano are the best four players eligible for the draft. I don’t think Francis Mauigoa is that far behind, although I think he has to kick inside to guard. I’m not sure any would’ve been sure-fire top-10 picks in previous years.
Peter Woods has had a very disappointing season at Clemson but teams will need to take someone in the top-10. If he runs a 4.8 at +300lbs as has been reported, combined with his better 2024 tape, some team is going to roll the dice on 2025 being merely a down year. This is where we’re at though. A player who would’ve sunk down the board typically after a majorly disappointing season is probably going to retain a place in the top-10.
Kayden McDonald reminds me of Derrick Brown and he’s the best run defender in the draft, with room for further growth. I think in this draft he will go earlier than people are currently projecting.
Caleb Banks — despite his injury — has highly impressive size and length and shows consistent disruptive ability on tape when available. Again, you’ll have to get comfortable with the medical checks. In a class with limited options, he probably still goes earlier than many think because the tools are there.
Keldrick Faulk also has great size, length and potential. He’s in the same boat as Woods and Banks. High upside, not much in the way of 2025 results. But in a draft where you ‘have’ to select someone, that’s a shot you probably take.
After that — I think it could be anyone’s guess. My early thought is the receivers and cornerbacks start coming off the board. Typically Makai Lemon and Carnell Tate would go in the 20’s or 30’s but probably go earlier in this class. KC Concepcion, Jordyn Tyson, Chris Brazell II and Denzel Boston are all day-two players for me. Would it be a shock if all are gone by pick #25? Nope.
The hopelessly expensive market at receiver, the ability to provide early impact and the number of teams picking in the second half of round one who need weapons will likely lead to some kind of rush on the position.
Cornerbacks always tend to get pushed up. Testing could move Mississippi State’s Kelley Jones right up boards and into contention to be CB1. Jermod McCoy, who didn’t play a down for Tennessee due to injury, is going to go in the top-20 anyway. I enjoy watching Mansoor Delane and he’s a savvy, intelligent player who can be sticky at the college level. I’m not sure he has the deep or recovery speed to be great at the next level — but I’m going to sound like a stuck record by saying he’s another player who should go on day two but probably goes way earlier.
Brandon Cisse will also have a very good shot to go in the top-32 as teams like to draft for this position early.
The player who probably intrigues me the most at cornerback is Avieon Terrell. I think he’s got a lot of potential, has a versatile skill-set allowing him to play deep, cover running across the field, execute scheme-specific requirements coming off coverage and play better against the run than expected. With good coaching he might be able to develop into a player as good as his brother.
To me it feels like a very overrated EDGE class — with a bunch of prospects who lack length, ideal size, twitch or upside. It just looks like a bunch of round 3-5 picks who might end up going earlier. Nothing about the R Mason Thomas, David Bailey, TJ Parker types feel like round one picks. Cashius Howell can potentially act as a specialist rusher but lacks any kind of length and good luck leaving him on the field for running plays in the NFL.
I’d rather roll the dice on Romello Height on day two than draft these guys to be impact first round rushers.
The Matayo Uiagalelei, Rueben Bain Jr and LT Overton types always get overrated in the media. Bigger rushers without ideal traits. They struggle to make much of an impression at the next level and become average at best players.
Kenyatta Jackson is someone who has the necessary size, length and burst and it feels like the Ohio State EDGE is only scratching the surface of his potential. It won’t be a surprise if he jumps many of the names listed above. Ditto Dani Dennis-Sutton if he tests well.
I do think we’ll see a bunch of offensive linemen pushed up because the need is so enormous. There’s a decent collection of zone-blockers but they might be gone by the time Seattle picks, depending on how the next few weeks go. Brian Parker, Emmanuel Pregnon, Gennings Dunker and Kadyn Proctor are all good in the zone system. You do have to balance out how much greater these players are compared to say Iowa’s Beau Stephens who will go later but equally excels in the system.
I genuinely believe the Seahawks will aggressively pursue the trade market, as I’ve repeated many times over the last few weeks. I think the big target will be Maxx Crosby but they’ll probably have backup plans too because he’s the kind of player many teams will be desperate to acquire (and I think it’ll take two high picks to get him, one in 2026 and one in 2027 — a price I’d be willing to pay).
There are some players I would keep an eye on with the idea of finding value. Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green had some ugly turnovers this year but I just can’t help but shake the thought that he has a lot of the things needed to be a very useful project with future starting potential. If you want to keep taking shots at QB — and I would do — he’s someone I’d look at. I feel the same way about Garrett Nussmeier, particularly in this offense.
Gracen Halton the Oklahoma defensive tackle just plays his arse off every week and has some pass-rush productivity. He’s not the biggest but he’s someone who kept catching my eye. Running backs Emmett Johnson and Mike Washington Jr caught my attention — and the Seahawks might be in the market given Ken Walker’s contract situation (although I’d like to find a way to add top-end speed and suddenness at the position).
I like the idea of working out how Dillon Thieneman could be used in Mike Macdonald’s defense, even with Nick Emmanwori on the roster already.
And while many talk-up the linebacker position — I think there are overrated bigger names who won’t go as early as some think (Anthony Hill Jr, Dontae Lawson). I do not think Sonny Styles is a first round pick but maybe his testing will mean someone takes a shot on his athleticism. I’ve been on a bit of a journey with Georgia’s CJ Allen and he’s growing on me.
Bryce Boettcher, Jake Golday and Cade Uluave could provide value at the position later.
Happy New Year to you all. Here’s to, hopefully, a great 2026 for the Seahawks.
