Final Seahawks Seven-Round Mock: Who Will Seattle Land in 2025 NFL Draft?
Armed with 10 total selections and five in the first 92 picks, the Seattle Seahawks will have a great opportunity to infuse their roster with young talent in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Following months of anticipation building up around the Senior Bowl, NFL combine, pro days, and official visits, the 2025 NFL Draft will finally kick off in Green Bay on Thursday, April 25, providing a crucial opportunity for John Schneider and the Seattle Seahawks to bolster their roster for next season and beyond.
Already having eight picks heading into the start of the new league year, Schneider acquired two additional day two selections by trading quarterback Geno Smith and receiver DK Metcalf to the Raiders and Steelers in separate March trades, giving the front office five total picks in the first 92 selections at their disposal. In his first 15 seasons at the helm, Schneider has never made five picks in the first 92, so this year’s draft presents a unique opportunity for him to cash in on a class that offers great depth and talent at several positions of need, including guard, receiver, and edge rusher among others.
Of course, Schneider has never been afraid to move up and the down the board with trades, and considering the amount of valued ammunition he has to work with, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if he makes several moves on draft weekend to either trade up for a desired prospect or move down to recoup additional selections.
In my final seven-round mock draft for the pre-draft cycle, Schneider enjoys one of his most active drafts in recent memory on the trade front, starting with a deal to slide down from pick No. 18 to 22 with the Chargers, who slide up to reunite coach Jim Harbaugh with Michigan tight end Colston Loveland while swapping pick No. 55 for 92. One round later, he orchestrates a deal with the Falcons to slide up from pick No. 50 to 46, sending a fourth-round pick to Atlanta to complete the deal, while a third trade with the Giants recoups a fourth rounder.
Seahawks trade picks No. 18, No. 92 to Chargers for picks No. 22, No. 55
Seahawks trade picks No. 50, No. 137 to Falcons for pick No. 46
Seahawks trade picks No. 55, No. 223 to Giants for picks No. 65, No. 105, and No. 246
Just four days away from the Tennessee Titans being on the clock with the first pick, who will the Seahawks bring on board as part of their latest draft class in the aftermath of this flurry of draft weekend deals? Here’s my final stab at projecting who Schneider will draft and where these incoming rookies fit into the team’s plans:
Round 1, Pick 22* - Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College
*Acquired from Chargers
An early contributor for the Eagles upon arrival in Chestnut Hill, Ezeiruaku registered three sacks as a rotational edge and followed up with a strong sophomore campaign, nearly hitting double digit sacks. Though his numbers plunged to just two sacks in a disappointing 2023 campaign, Ezeiruaku bounced back nicely as a senior with a new coaching staff in town, terrorizing quarterbacks in the ACC by stacking 16.5 sacks, 60 pressures, and three forced fumbles, finishing in the top six among edge defenders in all three categories. Adding 21 tackles for loss for good measure as one of the nation’s most disruptive playmakers, he secured All-ACC First-Team and All-American honors before starring in the Senior Bowl in Mobile.
Though he’s on the smaller side at 247 pounds and has been prone to being overpowered in the run game while trying to set the edge, Ezeriuaku compensates for that slighter build with long arms, elite bend and ankle flexion to turn the corner on opposing blockers, and active, slippery hands to shed. He regularly tied tackles into knots slanting back hard inside off speed rushes, mixing in an array of counter moves to free himself and crash down on the pocketgets , where he excels at punching down on the football once he gets home. A true student of the game who drew rave reviews from former NFL head coach Bill O’Brien, he also will be an immediate asset in the locker room, and coupled with his innate ability to wreak havoc as a dynamic rusher from out wide, he has the goods to be an immediate impact player and long-term starter at a premium position for the Seahawks.
Round 2, Pick 46** - Tate Ratledge, G, Georgia
**Acquired from Falcons
Entering his senior season as one of the top guard prospects in the 2025 class after yielding no sacks as a junior in 2023, Ratledge suffered a serious high ankle sprain in September and had to undergo tight rope surgery, forcing him to miss four games in the heat of the SEC schedule. Upon his return, it took him a while to get his legs back underneath him, as he struggled before getting benched in a Week 11 loss to Ole Miss. But the 6-6, 308-pound blocker found his rhythm at the tail end of the year and finished with just seven pressures allowed on 311 pass blocking reps, still managing to earn First-Team All-SEC recognition despite the injury and landing on the Senior Bowl roster.
Built more like a tackle at nearly 6-7, Ratledge has been best known for mauling defenders off the line of scrimmage at the point of attack and when healthy as a three-year starter in Athens, he cut his teeth as a high motor agitator who loves to bully from snap to whistle. But his height creates natural leverage issues and when opponents can get their hands on him first, they can get underneath his pads. To help limit those opportunities, he may be best suited for a zone-heavy scheme like Kubiak’s where his elite athleticism showcased at the combine can be maximized blocking on the move, and he has a good track record in that department receiving 71.4 and 74.5 zone blocking grades from PFF in the past two seasons. Already a polished pass protector, his top-notch athletic traits and nastiness as a run blocker could push him into the first round or early on day two, making him a candidate worth it for the Seahawks to trade up for.
Round 2, Pick 50 - Jayden Higgins, WR, Iowa State
Somehow slipping through the cracks and landing at FCS program Eastern Kentucky to begin his college career, Higgins scored 10 touchdowns in his sophomore season with the Colonels before entering the transfer portal, taking his overlooked talents to the Big 12 with Iowa State. It didn’t take long for him to adjust to the big jump in competition either, as he finished his junior campaign with 983 receiving yards and six touchdowns while ranking among the best in the country averaging more than 18 yards per catch, and he wrapped up a fantastic collegiate career with 1,185 yards and nine touchdowns to earn Second-Team All-Big 12 honors and receive a Senior Bowl invite.
Boasting elite size at 6-4, 214 pounds coupled with outstanding athletic traits, including sub-4.5 40-yard dash speed, Higgins has all of the goods to be a dynamic downfield threat at the next level, as he can create separation consistently out of his breaks and sky over smaller defenders to bring in jump balls on go routes or fades for chunk plays. He has some limitations in terms of what routes he can run with below-average change of direction skills for a wideout, but he can do damage in the short and intermediate game as a possession target who occasionally breaks a tackle to pick up extra yardage and plays tough as a blocker in the run game. Needing a big receiver who can create in the vertical passing game to offset the loss of DK Metcalf, landing with the Seahawks in mid-round two would be a perfect arrangement for the team and player.
Round 3, Pick 65*** - Harold Fannin, TE, Bowling Green
***Acquired from Giants
While Fannin earned First-Team All-Ohio recognition as a defensive back, after signing with Bowling Green, the Falcons transitioned him full time to tight end and he made an instant impact as a pass catcher, tallying 19 receptions for 218 yards and a touchdown as a true freshman. Continuing his ascent as one of the top receivers at his position in college football, he tripled those numbers across the board as a sophomore and scored six touchdowns to earn First-Team All-MAC distinction. Finishing up his college career on a phenomenal note, he led the FBS division with 1,555 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last season, racking up close to 900 yards after the catch while forcing 34 missed tackles and receiving consensus All-American honors.
Fannin doesn’t possess a typical tight end’s build at 6-3, 241 pounds and he doesn’t have enough power in his britches to be an inline blocking tight end against NFL defensive ends and outside linebackers, at least at this stage of his football career. However, he’s an underrated blocker on the move, particularly in the zone blocking department where he received a top 10 grade from Pro Football Focus in 2024. Where he really sets himself apart from the rest of this strong class is his pass catching acumen, as he dropped less than three percent of his targets at the college level and averaged an insane 8.1 yards after the catch per reception, creating headaches for defenses with his ability to frequently break through tackles. His potential as a dynamic receiving weapon in Kubiak’s tight end friendly offense and possible usage as a fullback with 33 carries on his resume makes him a strong candidate for the Seahawks midway in day three after a trade down.
Round 3, Pick 82 - Dorian Strong, CB, Virginia Tech
After seeing significant snaps rotating into the lineup as a true freshman, Strong became a full-time starter for the Hokies in 2021, producing an interception and seven pass breakups in coverage with 10 starts. Unfortunately, an injury limited him to four games the following season, but he bounced back with a tremendous redshirt junior campaign, holding opposing quarterbacks to an ugly 11.8 passer rating when targeting him while picking off three passes with seven additional pass breakups. He wasn’t quite as dominant in his final season in Blacksburg, but he still only allowed one touchdown in coverage with two picks and six pass breakups, garnering Honorable Mention All-ACC honors.
Though Strong doesn’t have the longest arms for a cornerback, he offers quality size at 6-1, 185 pounds and hits harder than his weight class, as he exhibited improved tackling proficiency by cutting his missed tackle rate to under six percent in 2024. He’s an instinctive player whose aggressiveness undercutting routes has paid major dividends in the ball production department, but teams have burned him and taken advantage of his average speed from time to time with double moves, as he gave up three receptions of more than 40 yards last season. Capable of playing press or off coverage from the boundary and a physical enough run defender, he fits the mold of the type of corners Mike Macdonald has preferred in the past and his ability to turn the ball over frequently makes him worth a day two investment to push Josh Jobe for a starting role as a rookie.
Round 4, Pick 105*** - CJ West, DT, Indiana
***Acquired from Giants
Lightly recruited coming out of high school with a few Big Ten programs having mild interest, West opted to attend Kent State instead, becoming a starter during his redshirt freshman season and producing four sacks to pace the Golden Flashes’ front line on defense. After three stellar seasons in Kent, he hit the transfer portal and became a catalyst for a remarkable turnaround at Indiana, racking up 40 combined tackles, eight tackles for loss, and two sacks primarily deployed as a nose tackle, helping the Hoosiers win 11 games for the first time in program history and advance to the College Football Playoff. He earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors and participated in the East/West Shrine Bowl.
Though West isn’t the prototypical 330-plus pound nose tackle and has short 31 1/2-inch arms, he’s compact and incredibly powerful at 6-1, 317 pounds, regularly winning the leverage battle with a low center of gravity and the ability to set anchor against double teams as well as penetrate gaps. At the next level, his lack of length and overall size may force him to play most of his snaps as a 3-tech defensive tackle and his modest pass rushing numbers in college cast questions about his capabilities as a three-down lineman, but he packs a punch athletically with a quick first step and boasts active hands, making him an intriguing early fourth round pick prospect to immediately rotate into the lineup behind Leonard Williams, Jarran Reed, and Byron Murphy II in Seattle.
Round 5, Pick 172 - Jaylin Conyers, TE, Texas Tech
After playing his first three years at Arizona State and catching 74 passes and six touchdowns for the Sun Devils, Conyers put together a steady final college season in Lubbock as an underrated cog in the Red Raiders’ passing arsenal, catching 30 passes for 320 yards and five touchdowns while being a key part of the run game as well and garnering Second-Team All-Big 12 recognition. Despite that production and improved blocking over the course of his collegiate career, even after a stellar week at the East/West Shrine Bowl, he entered the combine viewed as a day three prospect in a crowded tight end group, only to turn in a fantastic performance in athletic testing in Indianapolis to boost his stock.
While Conyers won’t be crashing the party in the first 32 picks, he’s a quality all-around tight end with soft hands who can win vertically while also creating after the catch and can play multiple positions on offense, including H-back and potentially fullback in the backfield. At 260 pounds, his blocking can be hot and cold and at least out of the gate, his reps as an inline tight end will likely be limited until he can demonstrate improved consistency in that regard. Flashing elite change of direction skills, he led all tight ends with a 6.94 3-cone drill and a 4.27 short shuttle. With Kubiak expected to use extensive multi-tight end sets, his athleticism and versatile skill set would be a fun fit to pair with Noah Fant and AJ Barner in Seattle.
Round 5, Pick 175 - Addison West, G/C, Western Michigan
Starring in the underrated MAC, no guard - or lineman for that matter - may be hovering more under the radar heading into the draft than the ever-reliable West, a three-year starter for the Broncos who developed from a lightly recruited prep standout into a consensus All-American selection as a senior. Over the course of his final two years on campus, he allowed a combined six pressures - yes, that’s no a typo - and no sacks in pass protection on more than 800 passing snaps, and he was nearly as dominant in the run game receiving overall grades of 83.9 and 94.4 in 2023 and 2024 respectively. Most impressively, he also slid to center for a couple of games and looked like a natural at the pivot position, further adding to his value with positional versatility.
One of the reasons West has remained on the periphery in terms of draft attention is his size, as he’s only 6-2, 300 pounds, smaller than most of the guard prospects in this draft class. Level of competition has also likely been a catalyst for him being overlooked, but he offers plenty of scrappiness as a drive blocker to go with soft feet and top-flight quickness for his position. Leading the way to his All-American selection, PFF graded him as the best zone blocking guard in the nation (93.3) last season and he finished fourth in 2023 (88.8), so he wasn’t a one-year wonder. Having played center and guard previously, the Seahawks bring on board a seasoned swing lineman with enough talent to potentially push for playing time in Klint Kubiak’s zone-heavy scheme.
Round 7, Pick 223 - Kurtis Rourke, QB, Indiana
Spearheading a historic turnaround in Bloomington after transferring from Ohio, Rourke put up outstanding passing numbers across the board while managing to play the entire season with a torn ACL. Possessing a quick release with the ability to throw receivers open with anticipation and touch, he ranked eighth among FBS quarterbacks completing 68.9 percent of his passes with an impressive 29 touchdowns to five interceptions ratio. While he wasn’t the most prolific downfield passer in the country, he threw nine touchdowns on throws traveling 20-plus yards while ranking 14th among qualified signal callers averaging 15.3 yards per attempt on such passes, showcasing more than enough arm talent to attack opponents vertically.
If not for undergoing surgery to repair his knee following a quick exit in the College Football Playoff, the 6-5, 223-pound Rourke may have been in the mix to get drafted on Day 2 as the fourth or fifth quarterback off the board. However, while his ongoing recovery likely will cause him to slide deep into Day 3, the injury could potentially be a blessing in disguise. He could be a “redshirt” candidate for the Seahawks behind Sam Darnold, recently re-signed backup Drew Lock, and Sam Howell with the opportunity to develop into a potential starter down the road when fully healthy, which would allow him the chance to demonstrate underrated mobility and pocket movement skills that he unfortunately didn’t have at his disposal for much of his lone season with the Hoosiers.
Round 7, Pick 246*** - Maxen Hook, S, Toledo
***Acquired from Giants
Previously starring at New Palestine High School in Indiana, Hook didn’t receive any scholarship offers from Power 4 programs, opting to stay fairly close to home by committing to Toledo. He saw extensive action in an abbreviated six-game season during the pandemic in 2020 before breaking into the starting lineup in 2021, finishing 12th in the MAC with 95 tackles. In his final three seasons with the Rockets, he amassed 257 combined tackles, seven interceptions, eight pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries while logging snaps as a free safety and strong safety in the box, securing First-Team All-MAC honors three consecutive years and participating in the Senior Bowl to tie up his college career.
Compared to other box safeties in this class, Hook has a slight frame at 202 pounds, but after struggling some with missed tackles earlier in his career at Toledo, he trimmed his missed tackle rate to under eight percent in his final two seasons. He had above-average ball skills for the position, demonstrated with seven career picks and 12 passes defensed with 606 free safety snaps to go along with over 1,500 snaps in the box. He offers enough physicality to be able to cover tight ends and running backs when near the line of scrimmage, but he has been susceptible to allowing big plays as a center fielder, including a 72-yard touchdown surrendered last season. In the pros, his best bet will be carving out a role on special teams and as a situational safety who can help in run support and handle big nickel duty in specific sub-packages, which makes Macdonald’s defense a sound fit for his development and trajectory.
