Final Mock Draft: Seahawks Plug Immediate Holes, Keep Eyes on Future With Added Picks
After months of preparation for everyone from scouts to coaches to executives, the 2026 NFL Draft will finally kick off in Pittsburgh on Thursday, April 23, ushering in the latest crop of college talent jumping to the pros.
Still basking in the glow of a Super Bowl LX championship, general manager John Schneider, coach Mike Macdonald, and the Seattle Seahawks will roll into the annual event lacking much firepower to work with, as the team currently holds only four selections after trading away a fourth and fifth round pick for receiver Rashid Shaheed at the trade deadline last October. That’s quite the departure from the past three drafts where they built a championship foundation with 29 total picks, including 11 last spring.
Down to the final couple days before the first round kicks off with the Raiders on the clock, Schneider and company undoubtedly have already been working the phones looking for potential suitors to trade up for the 32nd overall pick to recoup a selection or two, planning ahead with hopes the dominos fall right to be able to slide down.
How will Seattle’s 17th draft under Schneider’s watch unfold? And how many picks will the Seahawks ultimately make on the heels of capturing the Lombardi Trophy two months ago?
Analysis: Identifying Best Defensive Tackle Fits For Seahawks’ 2026 Draft Picks
On the way to a 17-3 overall record and their second Super Bowl title in franchise history, no positional group may have had a greater impact than the Seattle Seahawks’ talented defensive line anchored by All-Pro Leonard Williams, budding star Byron Murphy II, and ever-so-reliable veteran Jarran Reed.
As they prepare to defend their title in 2026, the Seahawks fortunately will have all three of those foundational players as well as nose tackle Brandon Pili back, while second-year defender Rylie Mills will be fully healthy after missing most of his rookie season recovering from a torn ACL and ready to take on a bigger role in the rotation. From that standpoint, the defensive line looks to be set for the franchise heading towards the upcoming draft, and in the short term, they certainly have more pressing needs.
With that said, Williams and Reed both are now well into their 30s and the former will be entering the final year of a three-year extension signed in March 2024, creating some potential questions beyond this season. Well-ran football teams must consider both the present and the future with draft-related decisions, and if the right prospect remains on the board as early as pick No. 32 in the first round on April 23, nobody should be surprised at all if general manager John Schneider decides to reinforce a strength with another quality young player who can jump in to provide early contributions and possibly be a replacement for Williams and/or Reed down the line.
Looking at this year’s latest crop of defensive tackles, which players stand out as the best potential fits to boost an already loaded defensive line for 2026 and beyond with each of their four selections?
Seahawks Attack Lingering Needs in Post-Free Agency Mock Draft
The new NFL league year hasn’t even hit the week mark yet, but free agency already has slowed to a relative crawl after signings were announced in bunches during the annual two-day tampering period, meaning the Seattle Seahawks and all 32 teams have already shifted their attention primarily back to the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.
As things stand, after dealing away a fourth and fifth round pick to the Saints for Rashid Shaheed last October, the Seahawks currently hold only four picks in the draft. Three of those selections are on the first two days, however, providing the ammunition for general manager John Schneider to be able to potentially facilitate a deal or two to slide down the board and recoup a few extra picks on Day 3, where the team doesn’t have a fourth, fifth, or seventh round pick at the moment.
Looking towards the draft, which now sits a mere six weeks away, how may things shake out for Schneider and the Seahawks in the aftermath of the first few waves of free agency?
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