The Seattle Seahawks are free to chase edges in the 2026 NFL Draft, and won’t be dictated by needs over potential.
One edge they could chase is literally shooting for the most upside possible with another edge rusher at No. 32. While T.J. Parker would be a fun choice, he’s no sure thing to be available. Texas A&M‘s Cashius Howell played so well in college but his short arms limit his upside. However, Central Florida’s Malachi Lawrence would be no consolation prize.
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NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein lists his NFL comparison as Josh Sweat. If the Seahawks could get that type of player in this draft, it might be a perfect fit. The profile also mentions him as “enticing for pressure-hungry defenses”. Boye Mafe was a pressure monster for the Seahawks last year, but after receiving $20 million/year in free agency, the Seahawks will need to find a lot of pressures without paying as much. Lawrence could be the ideal replacement.
He has all the physical tools one could want in a next level edge rusher.
With elite explosiveness and speed testing all in the 97th-99th percentile range and extensive 33.630 inch arms, he’s in elite company as a prospect.
Of course, if he truly were projected to play at the level of a T.J. Watt or Myles Garrett, he would be taken well before No. 32. Being a smaller-school player and a little more raw actually might cause the perfect storm for Seattle to have a shot at him.
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This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks 2026 NFL Draft profile: UCF EDGE Malachi Lawrence