Seahawks take a big swing in new 2025 mock draft after signing Cooper Kupp

The Seattle Seahawks are through week one of 2025 free agency, and let's be real. The team will look quite different offensively next year and beyond. If you are a 12 that prefers to sleep in a cave, you might be shocked to wake up next football season and see Geno Smith playing for the Las Vegas Raiders, DK Metcalf playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Sam Darnold starting for Seattle.

More recently, Seattle signed veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Will that all work out? Who the heck knows? Let's hope so for the Seahawks' sake.

But besides free agency, what can Seattle do in the draft to make life better? The below is based on Pro Football Focus's mock simulator, which, to be fair, did not have Seattle's 2025 draft picks updated. Still, the early rounds were really fun.

Seattle Seahawks 2025 mock draft after the first week of free agency

Round 1, Pick 18: Tyler Booker, G, Alabama

The most shocking part of the Seahawks draft comes first (and then the guess here currently is that Seattle takes another chance in the third round), but not because the player is not worthy. In fact, Booker could be the best guard available. But teams do not normally take interior offensive linemen extremely high, and general manager John Schneider definitely doesn't.

Still, everyone knows that Seattle's most glaring weakness this offseason is the offensive line. The Seahawks are only set at left tackle with Charles Cross, and every other spot could be open for competition. Booker next to Cross could turn into one of the best left sides of an offensive line in the NFL.

Booker is also a natural leader, so his value goes into the locker room as well. He isn't the quickest guard, but he is 6'5" and 320 pounds of power. Schneider shocks us all by taking a guard first.

Round 2, Pick 50: Demetrius Knight, Jr., LB, South Carolina

If Seattle wants to take the kind of player Kam Chancellor would have been had he played linebacker, Knight is the guy. He is 6'2" and 235 pounds and simply refuses to be blocked in the open field. He is also a menace to opposing teams in terms of tackling. When he hits a ball carrier, the player feels it.

Knight is also a mature player as he is married with two children. He bounced around a bit in college football, playing for three teams, and he is already 25 years old. That might make his draft stock dip, but he would be a fantastic fit in Seattle's defense and Macdonald would find a way to keep him on the field on most snaps.

Round 2, Pick 52: Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford

Ayomanor is big enough at 6'2" and 210 pounds, and he is plenty fast enough for his size as he ran a 4.44 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. What he lacks, and what might hold him back as a rookie until he adapts, is his poor technique in terms of blocking and catching. His hands do not seem to be the issue, but hand placement is. With better coaching than he received at Stanford, he should be fine.

The concern for the receiver would be if fans expect him to come in immediately and be a decent replacement for DK Metcalf. Rookies have a difficult time transitioning to the league for the most part, and Ayomanor did not play in a good system in college. Still, he has the size and speed to be impactful by his second season and well beyond. At least Seattle now has Kupp, which is going to help all the receivers.

Round 3, Pick 82: Elijah Roberts, Edge, SMU

Roberts has great size for an edge rusher at 6'4" and 285 pounds. His athleticism doesn't jump off the proverbial page, but he still produces at a high level. This implies he has a high football IQ and, most importantly when it comes to the Seahawks, simply loves to play football.

Is he the fastest player? Nope. But in the last two seasons, he has combined for 17.5 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss. In other words, opponents have major issues blocking him.

Round 3, Pick 92: Will Howard, QB, Ohio State

Seattle has no reason to choose a quarterback in the 2025 draft, as they signed Sam Darnold in free agency, and Sam Howell is still on the roster. But Schneider might decide this is the year to finally take another quarter higher than the sixth round. Seattle has only done that once since 2010, when the team chose Russell Wilson in the third round.

Howard does not have the strongest arm, and one might safely wonder if his numbers would have been far worse had he not had the receiving corps he had with the Buckeyes. Still, he was a good and poised leader for the team and did not turn the ball over much. Schneider might see him as a potentially good long-term option in an offense the kind Klint Kubiak runs.

Round 4, Pick 137: Rylie Mills, DT, Notre Dame

Seattle likes to have guys who won't back down in Macdonald's defense, and that is a perfect description for Mills. He is certainly big enough at 6'5" and 290 pounds and strong enough to be part of a defensive line rotation immediately. He also fits best in a 3-4 scheme, which is what Macdonald's system is based on.

He is not the quickest of players, though. He might become more a run-stopper.

Round 5, Pick 172: Tyler Cooper, G, Minnesota

Cooper has good length at 6'6" and 310 pounds and good reach to try to keep pass rushers at bay. He does struggle a bit against stronger defensive linemen, but once in an NFL weight training program, Cooper should be able to adjust. He is also extremely intelligent, and that is key to helping an offensive line work as a cohesive unit.

Round 5, Pick 175: Alijah Clark, S, Syracuse

Clark needs to work on his ball skills to create more turnovers, but he does offer versatility. He can line up at either safety spot, as well as play nickel, if needed. In fact, his ability to be in different spots would only help Mike Macdonald disguise his looks more, and he plays the run well. Clark's best fit might be on special teams, as he is a fantastic gunner on kickoff and punt coverage.

Round 6, Pick 185: Craig Woodson, S, Cal

In 2024, Seattle chose cornerbacks relatively close together late in the draft. Corner was not expected to be a great need, and yet John Schneider clearly thought it was. Safety appears to be more of a need this offseason as presumed starter Coby Bryant is entering the last year of his contract but first year as a full-time starter as a safety. He could go bust.

Woodson has good speed and good athletic ability, and he improved his tackling ability last season. He might be more of a special teamer to begin with, but Seattle would not need him to be a starter right away.

Round 7, Pick 234: Will Sheppard, WR, Colorado

Sheppard is 6'2" and 200 pounds, and while he is not a burner, he does run crisp routes and has good hands. He is more of a possession receiver, but Seattle needs more of that. Free-agent signee Marquez Valdes-Scantling is a pure speedster, but staying young at the position and having a player who can line up on the outside or slot is needed.

There is a decent chance Sheppard goes on Day 2 of the draft and does not fall to the seventh round, but Pro Football Focus had Sheppard available, and it didn't make sense not to take him.