Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald and the rest of the front office made some bold moves this offseason by trading away both QB Geno Smith and WR DK Metcalf this offseason, which makes this a very important draft cycle for this regime entering the upcoming season.
One draft analyst has the defensive-minded head coach investing on the offensive side of the ball in one of the last mock drafts of this cycle.
Seahawks Select North Dakota State OL Grey Zabel in Final PFN Mock
Using your first-round pick on an interior of the offensive line prospect may not be the most exciting pick for your fan base, but it is hard to dispute that there is a bigger need on the roster entering the upcoming 2025 NFL season.
Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network has the Seahawks addressing this need with the No. 18 overall pick in his final mock draft by selecting North Dakota State OL Grey Zabel.
Cummings wrote, “The Seattle Seahawks have needs at all three interior offensive line spots, and Grey Zabel is a prospect who could feasibly project to all three iOL spots. It feels like a fit that’s too good to be true, but from a value perspective, Zabel matches up as well.”
Sataoa Laumea was pushed into a starting role his rookie year. While the Utah product performed admirably at times, he was exposed a bit when he faced off against New York Giants DT Dexter Lawrence, who recorded three sacks when these two teams faced off in 2024.
Cummings added, “Zabel is a top-25 talent on my board, with the mix of size, twitch, flexibility, hand power, football IQ, and finishing physicality to be a true staple at center or guard. He’ll have to up his play strength a bit more, but he’s too good a blend of need and BPA to pass on.”
Zabel was a standout performer at both the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine, which has helped elevate his draft stock to one of the better interior offensive line prospects in the class entering the draft.
The transformation of this offense would start to take shape with Zabel joining the new additions of QB Sam Darnold and WR Cooper Kupp, who all feel like scheme fits in new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s scheme.
Other Prospect the Seahawks Could Target at No. 18 Overall
If the Seahawks elect to pass on addressing the offensive line in round one, another direction Seattle could go is wide receiver, which could make Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan, Texas WR Matthew Golden, or Ohio State WR Emeka Egbuka all potential options.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba had a breakout year in 2024 with 100 receptions for 1,130 yards and six scores, but is most effective as a slot option. Kupp falls into the same category, which could put Seattle in the market for an outside vertical threat who can operate effectively on the outside.
Additionally, we can never rule out the Seahawks selecting a top defensive prospect with a defensive-minded coach in charge. A versatile safety like Georgia’s Malaki Starks or South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori could be in play if Seattle passes on addressing the offensive side of the ball in round one.
