The Seattle Seahawks are staying committed to scouting offensive linemen ahead of this year's NFL Draft, and there is now a fourth player from that position group reportedly visiting the team.
Sacramento State guard Jackson Slater will have a local visit with the Seahawks on Friday, as originally reported by KPRC 2 Houston's Aaron Wilson. Slater played his prep career at Newport High School in Bellevue, WA, so he doesn't count against Seattle's official allotment of 30 visits.
Any player who either played college football or is originally from an NFL team's "metropolitan area" does not count against the limit, which means the Seahawks can bring in Slater and 30 other players. So far, excluding Slater, 11 players have been reported as having 30 visits with the franchise.
Slater started 44 games over four seasons at Sacramento State. He missed the end of the 2024 season due to injury, which has to be at least a slight concern for NFL teams. But Slater was still named a First Team AP FCS All-American and earned a First Team All-Big Sky nod in his final campaign.
NFL.com projects Slater as a fifth-round pick. The Seahawks have five picks in the first three rounds, but they also have two in the fifth round. Seattle likely wouldn't have to reach on Slater if they wanted to add him to their offensive line room.
The guard spots remain Seattle's biggest weakness along the offensive line. Left guard Laken Tomlinson left in free agency (Houston Texans) after a rocky single season with the Seahawks. Second-year guards Christian Haynes and Sataoa Laumea will both be in contention for starting jobs heading into 2025.
Training camp competition and the potential to find a long-term starter makes drafting the position worth it. Haynes and Laumea aren't solidified options, but more so raw talents with the potential to keep growing. Slater could bolster a room that desperately needs depth.
