Four bona fide draft-day steals for the Seattle Seahawks

I recently wrote about Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider’s best moves in the 2025 NFL Draft. Now I want to look at a slightly different topic. What were Seattle’s biggest steals this year?

There is some overlap in those two topics, but fortunately for me, Schneider made enough intriguing picks to allow for a different list. In case you’re curious, the best moves take into account any trades and other options that the Hawks could have made. Steals are just that – players whom Schneider was able to choose a round or two after their consensus projections.

I am much more confident that the players on the “best moves” list will have a positive impact in the coming season. The steals are a bit hit or miss. However, should a few of them hit, these could be the moves that seriously elevate the 2025 draft class above where we currently have it graded.

Which players did Seahawks' John Schneider steal in the 2025 draft?

Players fall on draft boards for a variety of reasons. There will always be a difference of opinion about an individual player’s ability. Then there is the question of scheme fit. A linebacker may be an excellent downhill run-stopper, but if his team’s defensive scheme calls for him to drop into coverage, he simply may be unsuited to perform at his normal level.

Character issues and injury concerns also cause slides.

For instance, Seattle drafted Robbie Ouzts in the fifth round, in part because not every team employs an H-back the way we expect offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to in 2025. Rylie Mills may have fallen a round due to an injury. Those two players were included in my “best moves" article and don’t appear here. But the following four players do.

These are the biggest potential steals John Schneider made in the 2025 draft.

4. Bryce Cabeldue, Round six

Cabeldue is a durable, experienced offensive lineman with quick feet and solid power. He played a lot of tackle at Kansas, and it is not totally out of the question that he could play outside in the NFL. But most scouts agree his best position will be at guard.

That works out nicely for the Seahawks because we all know they need guards. Based on his production and decent athleticism, many scouts rated him as a fifth-round talent. I suspect he slid a bit because he never played inside in college, and there are legitimate concerns about how he will fare with a position change. Still, his skill set and versatility make him a good value in the sixth round.

3. Tory Horton, Round five

I have questions about Horton’s play strength against NFL corners, but getting a 6’3” receiver with 4.41 speed in the fifth round is a definite steal. He’ll need to get stronger and develop his technique. If he does, he could be a valuable part of Seattle’s receiver rotation.

Even if he struggles to do that, Horton showed off some serious punt return skills at Colorado State. I saw some draft boards have him as high as late in the third round, though I think the fourth round was a better projection. I would have hesitated in the fourth. In the fifth, another strong value pick.

2. Jalen Milroe, Round three

Let me get this out of the way up front. I don’t think Jalen Milroe will ever develop into a quality starting NFL quarterback. His combination of processing and accuracy (which are almost certainly linked) is not very good at this point, and I don’t think those things will improve significantly. Now that he’s a Seahawk, I hope he proves me wrong.

But other things that go into this pick. Milroe can be a genuine weapon as an NFL player. He is an outstanding runner with exceptional speed and power. Creative offenses will find ways to exploit his skill set. He should have the chance to sit behind Sam Darnold for several years as he learns the nuances of the game, so there is a chance he will become a better quarterback as well.

And with the drastic over-inflation of QB values in pretty much every draft, getting him at the end of the third round qualifies as a steal. I don’t think anyone would have been shocked if some other team hadn’t reached for him a round earlier.

1. Damien Martinez, Round seven

This could end up being one of the biggest steals in the draft. I don’t think Martinez will ever be a star, but he has a good chance of being a solid, move-the-chains, early-down back. He reminds me a bit of Detroit’s David Montgomery and Washington’s Brian Robinson, Jr. Those were both third-round picks.

I don’t think Martinez has quite the same upside as Montgomery, but he is not far behind. Based on running alone, he was no worse than a fifth-round pick. If he improves the other parts of his game – blocking and receiving – he could exceed that projection. Even if he doesn’t, he is better than a seventh-rounder.