SEATTLE — It’s NFL Draft week, which is something of a holiday for most football fans and certainly takes on extra meaning in Seattle on the heels of the epic Super Bowl 60 win.
It also carries a ton of intrigue for 12s.
The Seahawks hold a low number of picks, just four between the seven rounds (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th round picks), which lends to the idea that deals are to be made.
There are also the spots the Seahawks could choose to add to, like running back, right guard, edge rusher, cornerback, and/or safety.
Ahead of Round 1 Thursday, Seahawks General Manager John Schneider and Head Coach Mike Macdonald took questions. Here are three things that stood out to us:
About that trade talk…
It’s true that the Seahawks are a franchise known to be active. In many years, they’ll move down to accumulate draft capital. In 2025, they made a splashy trade to move up and draft Nick Emmanwori.
As for this year? John Scheider had no problem shedding light on the goals for his team.
“It’s the pick that everybody wants (#32). A, you’re blessed enough to win the Super Bowl, right? The fifth-year option right there. It’s no secret with us, guys. We have four picks, so we’ll be looking to move back.”
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – FEBRUARY 11: Head coach Mike McDonald of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with fans during the Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl LX victory celebration and parade at Lumen Field on February 11, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
It doesn’t come as a surprise with the lack of capital, but it does appear the Hawks are open for business.
Think about in recent years, teams have traded back into the first round for a quarterback (the Giants did it for Jaxon Dart, trading for the #26 pick).
You could foresee a team trying to trade for #32 if, say, Ty Simpson is available. It’s worth monitoring because the Seahawks thrive in the mid-rounds and would love more capital there.
Who is the Seahawks’ draft foil?
Like any good superhero, there’s a villain on the other side.
OK, that’s probably too strong a word for it, but John Schneider was asked about a team that always seems to take guys he was targeting. He offered unique insight with an AFC team that always seems to be in the same mindset.
“It sounds corny, but it’s basically like when you’re going through a draft, and the names keep coming off, like, with a specific team where you are, like, ‘Man’. I think I’ve talked to you before, especially I have with Mike (Macdonald), that it happened with Ozzie (Newsome) all the time in Baltimore, and then Eric DeCosta, and then there’s several others. Baltimore — for one or another, has always been a team that the names start coming off, and you are, like, ‘Dang, it hurts.’ It ends up being the Seahawks draft board and the vision for these players. Not necessarily the National Football League. There are players that are at a certain level on the board. It might be a little bit lower that we still really like, but maybe the vision is not quite as clear as people who are taken higher. But, man, you respect that, ‘Wow, that’s a great pick. That’s a 6’2″ corner running 4.3,’ and stuff like that.”
So, when Baltimore makes their pick ahead of the Hawks, there’s at least a decent chance it’s a player that was high on Schneider’s board.
What about running back?
Back in January, running back was hardly a position of need for the Hawks.
Now? Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III is a Kansas City Chief and his tag team partner Zach Charbonnet is recovering from an ACL injury that could keep him out at the start of the season.
So it appears to be a need, but one that the Seahawks are in the belief could potentially be filled internally.
“Signing (Emanuel) Wilson really helps us in this year’s draft as well. Kind of gives us some freedom. We’ve talked about George (Holani). Charbs (Zach Charbonnet) is doing great,” Schneider said.
“Well, the guys were back in today, so we got to see everybody. They’re all here. On record, I believe in our guys, and there’s a process too where, thankfully we don’t have to play for another five or so months. We have a lot of training to do,” Head Coach Mike Macdonald said.
The Seahawks are no stranger to selecting running backs with higher capital. In 2023, they took Charbonnet in the second round, the same round they selected Kenneth Walker III in 2022. Back in 2018, it was a very late first-round pick used on Rashaad Penny.
When it’s all said and done, there’s one mission for the Seahawks regardless of position or team need.
“Well, you’re working with a personnel department that’s been together for a long time. They’ve got a really clear understanding about what makes a Seahawk a Seahawk. This isn’t their first rodeo. That’s constantly being discussed from the meetings that I’m in. Like John said, there’s clarity there. There’s alignment. Whether we won the Super Bowl or not, it would have been the same criteria, the type of person we’re looking for to join our team. It’s pretty consistent, honestly,” said Macdonald.
“No matter what draft you’re in what year, it’s our responsibility to the organization to be able to find true Seahawks all the way through it. So that means if we did have that fourth, fifth, and we’re moving around and we acquire more draft picks, we’re still going to be focused on making those guys true Seahawks,” said Schneider
Round 1 begins Thursday night. You can watch the NFL Draft on KOMO.