The Seattle Seahawks entered the 2025 NFL Draft with 10 total picks, including five in the top 100. For now, Seattle has just four selections in the 2026 draft. This year’s approach to acquiring impact rookies will be a bit different.
The Seahawks have their own selections in the first three rounds and a sixth-round pick from the Cleveland Browns. Seattle hasn’t been this short on picks since 2021, when it drafted only three players because of trades to acquire safety Jamal Adams, right guard Gabe Jackson, defensive end Carlos Dunlap and tight end Stephen Sullivan. Seattle’s pick shortage this year stems from trades that brought in receiver Rashid Shaheed and defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris, who was released after the 2024 season.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, general manager John Schneider was asked how the lack of draft capital would shape the offseason.
“You have to evaluate every class,” Schneider said, adding that this year’s class might not be as strong as the 2025 group. “It’s not individual players; it’s kind of the collective, the whole group. That’s why you saw us make some of the decisions we made.”
In 2021, Seattle selected receiver Dee Eskridge (56th), cornerback Tre Brown (137th) and offensive tackle Stone Forsythe (208th). The class wasn’t very impactful, and none of the players signed a second contract with Seattle. If the Seahawks end up with only a handful of selections this time around, they’ll hope to have better luck landing high-end contributors.
This Seahawks-specific mock draft will be the first exercise in trying to project which rookies would fit the defending Super Bowl champions. Note that exact pick numbers beyond Round 3 won’t be known until compensatory picks are announced.
Round 2, No. 34 (via Arizona Cardinals): Zion Young, Edge, Missouri
Projected trade: Seattle sends No. 32 to Arizona for No. 34 and a 2026 fourth-round pick
The Seahawks have traded out of this area of the draft before, and they’ve even done it by dealing with a division rival. In 2017, Seattle traded No. 31 to the San Francisco 49ers for Nos. 34 and 111. This deal would be similar, with Arizona giving up its fourth-round pick to get back into the first round. Let’s assume the Cardinals, who will release Kyler Murray, have eyes on a quarterback.
Seattle’s starting outside linebackers in 2025 were Uchenna Nwosu and DeMarcus Lawrence. Derick Hall and Boye Mafe were their backups. Mafe will be an unrestricted free agent next week. Nwosu and Hall have only one year remaining on their contracts. Lawrence is under contract through 2027 but turns 34 in April. The Seahawks have an incentive to use their top pick on an edge player, even if they re-sign Mafe or add a veteran to replace him.
The 6-foot-6, 262-pound Young had 16.5 tackles for loss (including 6.5 sacks) and two forced fumbles at Missouri. Young is tall, long and strong, and his skill set should fit nicely in Mike Macdonald’s defense. Young was a Senior Bowl standout as well, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.
“Though he won’t stand out with his cornering speed, his violence at the point of attack and rangy presence consistently popped,” Brugler wrote. “Young had a silky cross-chop that created a rush lane to the quarterback during the team period, and it will stick with me.”
Round 2, No. 64: Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State
On Monday, the Seahawks tendered safety Ty Okada on a minimum salary for the 2026 season. In the event free safety Coby Bryant leaves in free agency, Seattle has an experienced player ready to step up (Julian Love would then be penciled in as the free safety, and Okada the strong safety). If Bryant signs a multiyear deal to stay in Seattle, then safety is less of an urgent need, but let’s operate as if it is.
Wheatley (6 feet 3, 203 pounds) is a rangy safety with good size for the position. He had 74 tackles (two for loss) and an interception last season at Penn State. Wheatley was also a Senior Bowl participant, and he ranked 55th on Brugler’s list of the top 100 prospects.
“A lean, stretched-out athlete, Wheatley needs to be more consistent with his run-fit angles and finishing skills, but he is a willing run defender with a decisive downhill trigger,” Brugler wrote. “In coverage, he plays with outstanding balance and ball skills, and he has a solid feel for route concepts.”
Round 3, No. 92: Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke
The Seahawks seem likely to take a swing on someone from this cornerback class, barring a scenario in which both Josh Jobe and Riq Woolen re-sign in free agency. Rivers is only 5-9 and 185 pounds, and it’s fair to question whether a cornerback at that size can cut it in the NFL. Rivers was a playmaker in college — eight passes defensed, 3.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions in 2025 — flashed at the Senior Bowl and tested well at the combine. He might have positional flexibility as well. As Brugler wrote when listing Rivers No. 88 in his top 100, size might be an issue, but he otherwise checks a lot of boxes as a prospect.
“He transitions cleanly in press-man coverage to stay in phase, annoy receivers and position his body to contest throws,” Brugler wrote. “He is a missile in run support, too, although his lack of size severely limits his margin for error as a tackler.”
Round 4 (via Cardinals): Kejon Owens, RB, Florida International
The Seahawks tendered exclusive rights free agent George Holani on Monday. They also retained the rights of running backs Cam Akers, Velus Jones Jr. and Jacardia Wright. Kenny McIntosh, a seventh-round pick in 2023, suffered a torn ACL in the summer but might be ready to play by the start of the 2026 season. Zach Charbonnet recently had surgery to repair his torn ACL, and his timeline to return is unknown.
If Ken Walker III signs elsewhere in free agency, running back would become a more pressing need. The question is whether it would be considered more of a need than some of the spots on defense, depending on the results of free agency.
Regardless, Owens (5-11, 210) is an explosive player who was very productive in college. In 2025, he rushed for 1,334 yards and averaged 6.3 yards per attempt with 11 touchdowns on the ground. He’s worth a Day 3 swing.
Round 6 (via Browns): Febechi Nwaiwu, IOL, Oklahoma
Nwaiwu (6-4, 319) played guard in college but might also have the potential to play center in the NFL. He appears to be a limited athlete but might have some upside in pass protection. The Seahawks are returning their entire starting five up front and all of the backups, with the potential exception of free-agent swing tackle Josh Jones. That’s rare continuity for any team, let alone the Super Bowl champs.
Still, the benefit of hitting on a Day 3 offensive line prospect is too high not to at least take a chance. Plus, right guard Anthony Bradford and backup center Olu Oluwatimi are entering the final year of their rookie contracts, so there’s some planning for the future to be done at this spot.
Brandon Thorn is the creator of the Trench Warfare newsletter, which focuses on analysis of offensive and defensive lines at the college and pro levels. In a recent conversation with Brugler, he spoke highly of Nwaiwu.
“He’s clearly a limited athlete in terms of his ability to recover, but I think the size, the sturdiness and how heads-up he plays — he’s very quick-thinking, and I think that increases his play speed to a serviceable level,” Thorn said. “It raises that limited athletic ceiling because of how quick of a processor he is on film, especially when you watch him at center. … I think that’s his home in the NFL, where he could potentially carve out a starting role or at least be a high-quality swing interior backup.”