Burning Questions: How Will 2025 NFL Draft Unfold For Seahawks?
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Alabama quarterback Jalen Monroe, Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, and Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan could all be potential targets for the Seahawks in the 2025 NFL Draft. [/caption]
Preparing for his 16th NFL draft as general manager of the Seattle Seahawks, John Schneider will have no shortage of options at his disposal to improve the football team with 10 selections, including five in the first 92 picks, the most of any team in the first three rounds.
Heading into Thursday’s opening round in Green Bay, it remains unclear what direction Schneider and the Seahawks will choose to go with the 18th overall pick or how they will utilize their boatload of draft picks on Day 2.
Hours away from making their selection, how will the 2025 NFL Draft unfold for Seattle? Diving into five key questions with the first round set to kick off in Titletown:
Could this be the draft where Seattle either trades up in the first round or trades back into the first for a second pick?
Over the years, Schneider has been one of the most active trade artists in the NFL during draft weekend, executing 35 separate deals over the previous 15 drafts. But during that time, he has never moved up in the first round, either sticking and picking or sliding down when the team has had a selection on the opening night of the draft. He also hasn’t ever moved back into the first round to make a second selection.If there is a draft where the Seahawks have the ammunition to be able to afford to make either of those moves, the 2025 NFL Draft has been set up favorably for Schneider to be aggressive if the right player falls into striking distance before they are on the clock in the first round or remains available late in the round to package picks to move up for.Looking at teams sitting in front of Seattle on the board, Miami, Indianapolis, and Atlanta from picks 13 to 15 could be the prime spot for a possible trade up maneuver. The Dolphins only have two selections in the first 96 picks, the Colts have only seven picks for the entire draft, and the Falcons have only five picks for the entire draft, so if they have interest in sliding down to recoup a day two selection, the Seahawks have the draft capital to be able to facilitate a move while still having three picks remaining on day two.But due to the nature of this year’s draft class that doesn’t feature many blue chip talents and great depth in the middle rounds with future starters, Schneider may not feel inclined to trade up a couple of spots and prefer to keep his selections in the second and third round. It’s more likely that he could consider jumping back into the end of the first round if someone such as Grant or Ezeiruaku remains available or they want to snag Jackson as their upgrade in the interior offensive line.
What positions will be prioritized with an abundance of day two draft picks?
It remains to be seen what the Seahawks will do with their first selection on Thursday night, but that decision will inevitably have a domino effect on how Schneider and the scouting department approaches the start of day two from a positional standpoint. If they make the fan base proud by selecting Zabel, Booker, or another offensive lineman to slide to guard, the second round stands out as a prime spot to attack the receiver and cornerback positions with two picks in a three-pick span.Among potential wideout options who could be on the board, Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins offers great size and downfield capabilities as a strong alternative to McMillan and Utah State’s Jalen Royals brings dynamic vertical and after the catch ability as a big play threat in the short and deep passing game. At cornerback, East Carolina’s Shavon Revel Jr. likely would have been a first-round pick if he didn’t tear his ACL last season and may still be available for that reason, while Iowa State’s Darien Porter has a rare blend of size, athleticism, and ball skill as an intriguing candidate to pair with Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon.Defensive line could also be on the table for one or both of those picks due to the depth at defensive tackle and edge rusher. In the interior, Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams, Toledo’s Darius Alexander, and Texas’ Alfred Collins could all be options at pick 50 or 52, while Arkansas’ Landon Jackson, Ole Miss’ Princely Umanmielen, and Ohio State’s J.T. Tuimoloau likely will come off the board in that time at the edge position, providing a bevy of talented, starter-caliber players to snag early on day two.In an alternative universe, Schneider opts to stick to his past trends and doesn’t invest pick 18 into a guard, but that scenario isn’t necessarily a bad one in this year’s draft class. Among the guard options projected to still be available entering Day 2, Ohio State All-American Donovan Jackson, Georgia standout Tate Ratledge, and Purdue’s Marcus Mbow would all be strong fits for Klint Kubiak’s zone-heavy offense
Which wild card options could be on the table with the 18th selection?
Fans have been clamoring for the Seahawks to draft an offensive lineman with their first pick since the 2024 season ended in Los Angeles, but it’s far from a guarantee Schneider will go that direction with the 18th pick or even after a trade down if one surfaces. In particular, he hasn’t used a first round pick on a guard or a center in his 15 previous drafts, so past precedent wouldn’t suggest he’s eager to break that trend this year.As far as value positions go, the 2025 draft class features great depth along the defensive line at both defensive tackle and defensive end/edge, while tight end, receiver, cornerback, and safety also have solid depth with first-round caliber talents at the top. Depending on what direction Seattle decides to go, it’s possible Schneider could prefer selecting Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell, Boston College edge Donovan Ezeiruaku, and South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori pursuing the best player available rather than forcing a need by picking a guard.There’s also always the chance that a prospect falls further than anticipated, and the Seahawks reportedly have high grades on Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan and Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, who both met with the team on official visits. If either of those players or Penn State tight end Tyler Warren somehow falls to 18th overall, Schneider may be rushing to the phone to make a selection on a top-10 caliber player who falls into their lap in similar fashion to Byron Murphy II a year ago.
Is a quarterback still in the cards after signing Sam Darnold and Drew Lock this spring?
After deciding to part ways with Smith and dealing him to Las Vegas for a third-round pick, the odds of Seattle drafting a quarterback looked to be quite high, and even after investing a three-year, $100.5 million deal in Sam Darnold, speculation persisted about the organization taking a close look at quarterbacks in this draft cycle. Official visits with uber-athletic dual threat signal caller Jalen Milroe of Alabama and Louisville gunslinger Tyler Shough only put fuel on the fire.But then the Seahawks made the unexpected move to re-sign Lock, bringing him back on a two-year, $5 million deal with $2.5 million guaranteed. With Sam Howell remaining on the roster after being acquired via trade from the Commanders in March 2024 along with ex-Vikings draft pick Jaren Hall, the team currently has four quarterbacks under contract, making it seem more probable that they will look to move a quarterback out of town rather than invest a draft pick on another one.Still, Schneider has maintained publicly that Lock’s return will not alter Seattle’s draft plans from a quarterback standpoint, and if the board falls the right way, it’s possible a selection could be used at the position at some point. Most likely, such a move would come at some point on day three for a developmental signal caller such as Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke, though Milroe dropping into the second or third round could create some interesting conversations in the war room due to his off the charts athletic ability and cannon for an arm.
How much draft capital will the Seahawks invest to address their maligned offensive line?
As has been the case for the majority of the past decade, Seattle struggled in the trenches on offense last season in all facets, as the run game couldn’t get untracked finishing 29th in total yards and former starter Geno Smith found himself under constant siege as the second-most pressured quarterback in the NFL behind only Jalen Hurts. Youth proved to be one of the biggest issues, as the team rotated Anthony Bradford, Christian Haynes, and Sataoa Laumea at right guard, rookie Mike Jerrell was forced into action as a fourth tackle option until Abraham Lucas returned from the PUP list, and center Olu Oluwatimi had to replace veteran center Connor Williams following his abrupt midseason retirement.Due to that youth with Haynes, Oluwatimi, Bradford, and Laumea all still on rookie deals, Schneider has been bullish on the prospects of the group with a new coaching staff to help them develop, including long-time offensive line coach John Benton, using that rationale as part of the reason for no guards or centers being signed in free agency. Considering his confidence in the unit with Benton taking the wheel, fans who want to see four or five picks used on offensive linemen will undoubtedly leave the weekend disappointed.With that said, the Seahawks can’t go into a new season without investing at least one of their early picks on a guard, taking advantage of a deep draft class at the position. In the first round, Texas tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. could be a strong candidate to slide inside if he’s still on the board at No. 18 overall, while rising North Dakota State prospect Grey Zabel has played all five positions and brings a combination of athleticism and physicality that the team badly needs. Alabama mauler Tyler Booker isn’t the same caliber of athlete as those two players, but he’s a fantastic pass protector who thrived in Tuscaloosa both in zone and gap run concepts, making him well worth consideration.
