Super Bowl Champion Seahawks Bolster Secondary, Pass Rush in Pre-Combine Mock Draft
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="5205"]
San Diego State Aztecs cornerback Chris Johnson (1) celebrates after a play against the Washington State Cougars in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images [/caption]
On the heels of a historic Super Bowl run that brought the Lombardi Trophy back to the Pacific Northwest, the Seattle Seahawks won’t have too much time left to celebrate with the heat of the offseason now underway, including the upcoming 2026 NFL combine in Indianapolis.
Looking to fortify the roster for a title defense, Seahawks general manager John Schneider won’t have near as much capital to work with as he has over the past four drafts, as the team currently has only four selections. This includes three picks in the first three rounds at the very tail end of the round due to winning the Super Bowl and only one pick in the final four rounds, in large part due to trading a fourth and fifth-round pick to the Saints at the trade deadline in October to acquire receiver Rashid Shaheed.
Given Schneider’s track record moving up and down the draft board with trades, it would be a major surprise if Seattle doesn’t end up making more than four selections in April. But it’s too early to speculate how much movement there will be on draft weekend with the combine on tap and free agency still yet to play out next month.
Kicking off our annual draft coverage on Emerald City Spectrum, if the 2026 NFL Draft happened over the next three days without any trades, who would the Seahawks add to the mix with their four selections? Considering potential needs heading towards free agency and the overall state of the roster, here’s my first stab at a seven-round mock draft with Schneider and the defending champions aiming to maximize the value of their limited draft capital:
Round 1, Pick 32 - Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
A rare example of a star player who chose to stay at a non-Power 4 school for the entirety of his collegiate career during the NIL and transfer portal era, Johnson epitomized the term shutdown corner for the Aztecs. Targeted 123 times in coverage during three seasons as a starter, he allowed just 68 receptions and two touchdowns while reeling in six interceptions and swatting away 10 pass breakups, serving as a ball-hawking no-fly zone for opposing quarterbacks. As a redshirt junior, he elevated his game to another stratosphere allowing only a 41% completion rate and 16.1 passer rating against him with no touchdowns allowed, four interceptions, and five pass breakups to garner Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year accolades.
Listed at 6-0, 195 pounds, Johnson isn’t the biggest cornerback in a deep draft class at the position and those parameters may knock him down a peg or two for some teams on their draft boards, but he plays the game well above his weight class and he’s a feisty run defender who rarely misses tackles. In four college seasons, per Pro Football Focus charting, he tallied 117 solo tackles with only eight missed tackles charged to his name for a fantastic 5% missed tackle rate. Spry in coverage with quick feet and plenty of burst to run with speedy receivers in space and downfield, he should be able to handle man or zone coverage duties on the boundary in a variety of schemes while being an asset against the run. He had occasional issues at times in his freshman and sophomore seasons giving up explosive plays and some scouts will question his level of competition. However, after flashing his all-around skill set at the Senior Bowl, he would be a fantastic replacement for Riq Woolen and/or Josh Jobe in Seattle with Day 1 starter written all over him.
Round 2, Pick 64 - Derrick Moore, EDGE, Michigan
Another player who stayed at the same school for four years, albeit less surprisingly as a highly-decorated recruit who chose Michigan over several other blueblood suitors, Moore became an immediate contributor for the Wolverines despite joining a loaded defensive line. As a freshman, he tallied 14 pressures and two sacks on just 91 pass rushing snaps, following up with five sacks and six tackles for loss as Michigan captured a national title in 2023. His production flatlined as a junior, but he rebounded nicely to close out his fine college career with 10 sacks, 41 pressures, three swatted passes, and two forced fumbles as a senior, garnering First-Team All-Big Ten honors as a team captain for the Wolverines.
Measuring in at 6-3, 254 pounds, Moore has adequate size and athleticism to play defensive end with his hand in the dirt or outside linebacker in a two-point stance. Though he has enough length and power to set a firm edge, his run defense has been inconsistent throughout his college career, as he doesn’t always have a quick read on when to shed blocks and rally to a ball carrier. But his pass rushing talents have been much more evident on a persistent basis, starting with a powerful bull rush that left many Big Ten tackles plowed backward on their heels. He’s an excellent closer once he collapses the pocket and his development with counters off his bull rush resulted in a dramatic spike in sacks, which should bode well for his future in the league. Whoever drafts him will be tasked with squeezing out better all-around play for him to be a three-down starter, but with Boye Mafe heading to free agency, the Seahawks would present an intriguing landing spot for him to step in right away as a situational pass rusher with room to grow into a larger role in quick fashion.
Round 3, Pick 96 - Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington
Beginning his career at Arizona after being recruited by coach Jedd Fisch, Coleman saw action right away for the Wildcats, rushing for 372 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman. He broke out as a sophomore, leading the team with 871 rushing yards while averaging a gaudy 6.8 yards per carry and scoring five touchdowns, quickly transferring to Washington once Fisch accepted the head coaching position replacing Kalen DeBoer. He eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time as the Huskies’ bell cow back in 2024, scoring 10 touchdowns on the ground while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Banged up for a decent chunk of his senior season, he saw his production diminish with 758 rushing yards, but he did score 17 combined touchdowns while setting new career-bests in receptions and receiving yards.
Built with a stocky 5-9, 220-pound frame, Coleman isn’t the type of back defenders want to see coming at them full speed downhill, as he regularly shucks off would-be tacklers to rack up yards after contact in bunches and rarely goes down to arm tackles. He finished fourth in the nation among qualified backs averaging 4.34 yards after contact per carry during his standout junior season. He’s also far more explosive and slippery than would be expected given his size, as he ranked in the top 12 in the country in runs of 10-plus yards (38) that season. At the next level, he’s not likely to be as consistent of a home run threat without elite speed, but his combination of punishing running, reliable hands, and blitz pickup savvy in pass protection should set him up for early success as a three-down back. With Ken Walker III approaching free agency and Zach Charbonnet likely to miss time next season recovering from an ACL tear, he would be an excellent candidate to keep in town and jump in as a quality change of pace back at minimum, if not starting early.
Round 6, Pick 187 - Keagan Trost, T, Missouri
Well-traveled in the era of the portal, Trost began his college career at FCS program Morgan State in 2019, but due to the COVID pandemic, he didn’t play again until 2019 when he transferred to Indiana State. He spent three seasons with the Sycamores, including allowing only six total pressures in 2023, drawing attention from bigger programs with remaining eligibility. He took his talents to Wake Forest in 2024, yielding two sacks as a full-time starter at right tackle, only to transfer again with a coaching change for the Demon Deacons. He wrapped up his college career with the Tigers by turning in a dominant campaign, giving up just seven pressures and a sack with a personal-best 99.0 Pass Block Efficiency Rate to earn First-Team All-SEC recognition and All-American honors from Pro Football Focus.
A fluid mover in space with light feet at 315 pounds, Trost dominates in the zone blocking game, consistently winning on reach blocks and beating his opponents to the spot to create running lanes for backs to work with. He posted PFF’s highest zone run blocking grade (91.6) among qualified tackles at the FBS level last season. As a pass protector, his mobility plays to his advantage as well, as he rarely got beat by opposing rushers via speed upfield and excelled mirroring defenders with sound footwork. If there’s a vulnerability to his game, stronger defensive linemen had success overpowering him at the point of attack as a run and pass blocker when they got hands into his frame, leaving him especially susceptible against bull rushes and power counters. Set to turn 25 years old before the draft after spending parts of seven seasons on a college campus, the late bloomer likely won’t be off the board until Day 3 unless he absolutely lights up combine workouts. But with veteran swing tackle Josh Jones potentially departing in free agency, the Seahawks could use another talented bookend with the athletic traits and polish to jump right into that role behind Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas.
