2025 NFL draft buzz: Seahawks expected to start run on WRs in Round 1

In addition to their big swap at quarterback, the Seattle Seahawks have almost totally turned over their wide receiver room this offseason. DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are out. Coming in are Cooper Kupp, Marquez Valdez-Scantling and several other new faces on the bottom end of the rotation.

The makeover likely isn't done yet, either. Given their history, Seattle is expected to add another wide receiver early in the 2025 NFL draft. Thanks to the Metcalf and Geno Smith trades, the Seahawks have two more top-100 picks to use in this hunt, but some think they will go WR even sooner.

According to Tony Pauline, there were some present at Ohio State's pro day who believe that Seattle will start a run on wide receivers at number 18 overall that won't stop until the Rams are on the clock with the 26th pick.

Ohio State is where the Seahawks got their new number one wideout, Jaxon Smith-Njigba. If they go back to the Buckeyes' well, their top target could be Emeka Egbuka, who's generally ranked the fourth-best receiver in this class behind Arizona's Tet McMillan, Matthew Golden from Texas and Luther Burden III from Missouri.

Egbuka may or may not still be on the board when Seattle is on the clock. If not, they could begin to target some of the second-tier wide receiver prospects in is this class. That includes Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel from Iowa State, Tre Harris from Ole Miss and Jalen Royals from Utah State.

In the past under former head coach Pete Carroll, the Seahawks tended to target 5-foot-10 receivers who were strong route runners, can stretch the field, had soft hands and could function as a security blanket on third down. Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett's time has past, so it would make sense if they tried to fill that particular prototype again. Prospects who fit that mold include Luther Burden, Jaylin Noel and Isaiah Bond from Texas, to name a few.

Now going into his second draft with full roster control, if general manager John Schneider decides to go in a different direction it would open up the board at wide receiver for them quite a bit.

Seattle fans will probably (understandably) boo any pick that isn't an offensive lineman, but it would go against their usual method of operating in the draft. Wide receiver is a big long-term need given Kupp's age and Sam Darnold will need all the weapons he can get if he's going to outscore the Matt Staffords and the Kyle Shanahans that he has to get past.