Draft season is upon us.
The Seattle Seahawks have pick No. 18 in the first round, the 50th pick in second round and the 82nd pick in the third round. According to Over the Cap, they are projected to receive compensatory picks in the fourth round (for losing Damien Lewis), fifth round (Jordyn Brooks) and sixth round (Bobby Wagner), in addition to their other Day 3 picks. Until those picks are official, let’s just focus on the first three rounds.
This Seahawks big board will be shaped assuming that all of the following statements are true:
- The Seahawks believe Charles Cross is their left tackle of the future and intend to extend him now that he is eligible for a new contract.
- Seattle has no concerns about right tackle Abe Lucas’ long-term health.
- Quarterback Geno Smith will be on the roster on draft weekend.
- Inside linebacker Ernest Jones IV will re-sign with Seattle.
These assumptions will make this exercise easier by allowing for a cleaner assessment of Seattle’s needs within the first few rounds. There aren’t as many “what ifs” to factor in if we consider the team to be settled at offensive tackle — Lucas is also extension-eligible — and without an immediate need for a new starting quarterback. This doesn’t mean Seattle won’t draft any offensive tackles or a quarterback in the first three rounds, to be clear. Those statements just help with the framing of the board.
Also, the draft is often as much about planning for the future as it addressing immediate needs. So, here’s a reminder of notable players entering the final year of their contracts, and their ages at the start of the 2025 season: Smith (34), Lucas (26), receiver DK Metcalf (27), running back Ken Walker III (24), outside linebacker Boye Mafe (26), cornerback Riq Woolen (26), safety Coby Bryant (26), tight end Noah Fant (27), outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones (28), receiver Tyler Lockett (32) and quarterback Sam Howell (24).
Now, here’s the board.
Round 1
- Will Campbell, OT/G, LSU
- Mykel Williams, Edge, Georgia
- Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
- Kelvin Banks Jr., OT/G, Texas
- James Pearce Jr., Edge, Tennessee
- Shemar Stewart, Edge, Texas A&M
- Donovan Jackson, OT/G, Ohio State
- Mike Green, Edge, Marshall
- Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State
- Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas
- Malaki Starks, S, Georgia
All but three of these prospects play on the line of scrimmage, which is where Seattle’s focus should be in the first round. It’s too early in the draft process to know which of the top prospects could be available when Seattle is on the clock, but for this big board, the assumption is that quarterbacks Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders will be long gone, as will receivers Tetairoa McMillan and Luther Burden III, edge rushers Jalon Walker and Abdul Carter, cornerback Will Johnson, defensive tackle Mason Graham and receiver/cornerback hybrid Travis Hunter. The top tackle-only prospects are left off the board here because of the above notes on Cross and Lucas.
Campbell and Banks are tackles who might play guard in the NFL, a transition that could apply to several prospects in this class. In my colleague Dane Brugler’s mock draft, Campbell went to the Dolphins with the 13th pick, and Seattle drafted Banks. The guard-tackle versatility makes them very attractive prospects given how many teams want to improve up front. For Seattle, the plan would be to slot either of them in as a starting guard with tackle flexibility.
Jackson is a guard who had to play tackle in the second half of the season due to injury. He brings the same versatility as Campbell and Banks, but he’d probably be more of a natural at guard since that is where he played most of his career at Ohio State.
Ohio State LT Donovan Jackson (📈) continues to be the unsung MVP for this team. Zero pressures allowed vs. UT.
In 3 Playoff Games (175 snaps vs. 3 very good DLs)
Pressures: 1
Sacks: 0
Penalties: 0 pic.twitter.com/5yw62gAvKg— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) January 11, 2025
It might not feel like Seattle needs another edge rusher, but a team with a bunch of good pass rushers shouldn’t be afraid to take swings in search of an elite guy. Pearce is probably my favorite of the bunch here, but all four guys bring high-end traits to the table. Stewart seems like a natural fit to replace Roy Robertson-Harris or Jones — two potential offseason departures for cap-saving reasons — in that big defensive end role.
In 2023, Seattle chose to strengthen already strong position groups by drafting cornerback Devon Witherspoon and receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. They both just played in the Pro Bowl Games over the weekend. There’s logic behind simply acquiring very talented prospects even if the need doesn’t appear urgent. That’s how Starks, Barron and Warren end up on the board. Seattle is strong at all three spots, but there’s nothing wrong with bolstering an already strong group.
Round 2
- Princely Umanmielen, Edge, Ole Miss
- Wyatt Milum, G/C, West Virginia
- Grey Zabel, G/C North Dakota State
- Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
- Deone Walker, DT, Kentucky
- Tyleik Williams, DT, Ohio State
- Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan
- Gunnar Helm, TE, Texas
- Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama
- Matthew Golden, WR, Texas
- JT Tuimoloau, Edge, Ohio State
Some players here might end up being first-round picks. Draft boards are fluid this time of year, and the prospects playing in all-star games have the potential to boost their stock. This might be the case for Senior Bowl participants such as Umanmielen, Walker, Zabel and Milum. Egbuka could hear his name called on Day 1 as well. The focus here is less on nailing the round projection and more on potential fits for Seattle.
The emphasis remains on the trenches, which will always be the key to building a contender. Seahawks general manager John Schneider has a recent history of targeting edge rushers in the second round — Darrell Taylor, Derick Hall and Mafe — and this is another draft where he might benefit from following that pattern. Of the defensive linemen listed here, the name I’m most intrigued by is Umanmielen, who has good size and length at 6-foot-4 and 264 pounds and recorded 10.5 sacks last season.
If the Seahawks want to pivot from the offensive and defensive lines, I like the pass catchers in this class, both at tight end and wide receiver. Free agency will determine whether Seattle has urgent needs at either of those positions, but with so many notable players on expiring contracts, the team can plan for the future with a selection in this round as well. Egbuka and Golden have the skill sets to be immediately impactful receivers in the NFL. Seattle can’t go wrong with either one.
Matthew Golden👀
— PFF College (@PFF_College) December 7, 2024
Round 3
- Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
- Jonah Savaiinaea, OT/G, Arizona
- Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse
- Miles Frazier, G, LSU
- Ozzy Trapilo, OT, Boston College
- Jackson Slater, C, Sacramento State
- Quincy Riley, CB, Louisville
- Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ohio State
- Andrew Mukuba, S, Texas
- Carson Schwesinger, LB, UCLA
- Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon
- Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas
This quarterback class is hard to get a bead on beyond Ward and Sanders. It’s anyone’s guess which quarterbacks come off the board next and in which round. The uncertainty surrounding the class is why I don’t have one on Seattle’s board until the third round. In this range, the Seahawks could take a chance on a young passer without the pressure of throwing him into the fire early. The later you draft a passer, the better your supporting cast should be if you plan on having him play meaningful snaps.
New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has a quarterback-friendly scheme, but over the last few seasons, Smith has had to overcome his supporting cast instead of being lifted by it. Until there’s evidence that Kubiak will change those circumstances, I’m not sold on Seattle taking a quarterback early in this class; all of them are going to need excellent supporting casts to be productive on their rookie contracts.
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“The Klint Kubiak era”
Live now: Our reaction to the Kubiak hire + a visit from @FB_FilmAnalysis, who details how Seattle’s offense/scheme may look in 2025!
Video https://t.co/HmLwpmHo2j
🍎 https://t.co/QYB6dzlQtQ pic.twitter.com/PvFjLLiGeA
— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) January 28, 2025
Schneider enjoys acquiring standout players from the Senior Bowl, which is where prospects like Slater, Riley and Johnson might have just boosted their draft stock. Seattle has needs at all three positions. The Senior Bowl is especially valuable for small-school prospects, making Slater a name to keep in mind as the pre-draft process continues.
