Some might have doubted whether moving on from former head coach/Vice President of Football Operations Pete Carroll after the 2023 season was a wise move for the Seattle Seahawks. Last year's free agent group was a disappointment, and the draft wasn't much better. But 2025 is looking much different.
Of course, we won't know how well either the free agents or draftees turn out for a couple of years. They have to gel with a new team and new systems. That takes time. (Unfortunately, 12s found out far too quickly in 2024 that some free agents were busts, such as Jerome Baker and Tyrel Dodson.)
But let's be (mostly) positive. Most pundits have given the Seahawks excellent grades for their draft class, so at least most people expect the class to turn out exceedingly well. General manager John Schneider also appeared to have a better idea of what might work in free agency for head coach Mike Macdonald's defense.
As for the draft, some of the prospects expected to do well may not, and some who are not likely to produce much may. Some veterans might be upset either way, and some of those players are part of the winners and losers from Seattle's draft.
Winners and losers from the Seahawks' 2025 NFL Draft
Winner No. 1
John Schneider - Seahawks general manager
Schneider has been the team's GM since 2010, but only last year did he have the final say over all the roster moves. He finally got his chance to be the guy in charge in 2024, and he seemingly fell straight on his face. His hire of Mike Macdonald was a good move, but one of the few.
With another bad free agency group coupled with another bad draft, there could have been an argument that Schneider should be on the proverbial hot seat after 2025. With what he did in the draft, he likely bought himself another year or three.
The general manager did things differently in 2025. He took an interior offensive lineman in the first round, something he had never done before, and he drafted just the third quarterback in his tenure. Schneider also took a tight end in the second round. Nearly every guy Schneider chose in the first four rounds is expected to contribute, and almost all could be starters by 2027.
If quarterback Jalen Milroe turns out to be great, then Seattle could be set up for a Super Bowl run for many years. None of that would have been possible had Schneider not been a bit braver in the 2025 draft compared to previous years.
Loser No. 1
Sam Darnold - Seahawks quarterback
Darnold is going to be the starter in Week 1, and he should be the starter throughout the season. He can't get hurt, though. For one, his presumed backup is Drew Lock, and Lock has a history with Seattle and Schneider. The GM knows what he can give to the team, and Schneider has confidence in Lock, or he would not have re-signed him in free agency.
The biggest issue for Darnold is that if he struggles and the Seahawks need to adjust the quarterback situation, Milroe could end up getting some time later in the season. If he does well, Darnold might turn out to be a one-year rental.
He was signed for three seasons and as much as $100.5 million, but he has no guaranteed money in years two or three. The Seahawks could move on from him fairly easily after one year. He is going to need to continue to play well even into year two, though, because Milroe is younger and cheaper.
Winner No. 2
Riq Woolen - Seahawks cornerback
Woolen is entering the final season of his rookie deal. He has been inconsistent over his first three years in terms of his willingness to help stop the run, and he appears to misunderstand coverage communication at times. Two seasons ago, he struggled mightily with crossing patterns, for instance.
But looking at his raw numbers, he is a 2022 fifth-round steal. His career quarterback rating allowed is just 78.7. While he has allowed 14 career touchdown receptions, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), he has almost as many interceptions (11).
PFF also gave him an excellent run defense grade in 2024 of 76.2. The number was by far the best of Woolen's career.
The Seahawks appear to have faith in the cornerback as well. The team did not draft a cornerback in 2025. This would imply that Seattle either plans on taking one early in the 2026 draft. Or, more likely, hopes to work out an extension with Woolen before he becomes a free agent next offseason.
Loser No. 2
Coby Bryant - Seahawks safety
Bryant is probably still going to be one of the starters at safety in 2025, but he must be wondering what else he needs to do to prove he is worth keeping around as a long-term starter. The final year of his rookie deal is 2025, and he did not get much of a chance to start until midway through last year.
He began as a slot cornerback, but wasn't overly effective, and then he was hurt a couple of times. He was also transitioned from corner to safety, and that hurt his growth as well.
But he became a bit of a star after taking over for the injured Rayshawn Jenkins last season. That included winning NFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 12. He had an interception return for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals, but he was good against the run versus nearly everybody.
Fellow safety starter Julian Love is going to remain that way. He signed an extension last offseason. The Seahawks chose athletically elite Nick Emmanwori in the second round in 2025, though, and he is probably going to take Bryant's spot sooner rather than later.
Winner No. 3
Marquez Valdes-Scantling - Seahawks receiver
MVS has one great skill, and that is to beat defensive backs on fly patterns. His career yards per reception is 17.4, and that number leads all current receivers in the NFL. The problem is that he literally only catches half the passes thrown his way. He also has never had more than 690 yards receiving in any season.
His explosive ability, coupled with his underwhelming overall production, implies he is not worthy of being a true WR3. But that is what he should be with Seattle in 2025. The depth behind him is unproven or has proven to be disappointing.
The Seahawks did not choose a wide receiver high in the draft, however. The team did take two, but none until the fifth round. This implies that Seattle is content with MVS being on the field a lot and believes he could have one of his best seasons in the league. He better.
Should he fail and fellow veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp not stay healthy, teams are going to load up against Jaxon Smith-Njigba even more. That could limit the entire offense.
Loser No. 3
Noah Fant - Seahawks tight end
Fant is an interesting player. He is 6'4" and 250 pounds with good hands and speed, but he does not seem to be able to turn all of that into points. He has not had a touchdown catch since the 2022 season, and he didn't get one until the Seahawks' final game of 2024. To be clear: He went nearly two seasons without scoring a touchdown.
Maybe he will be a fantastic fit in Klint Kubiak's system. Fant is not a terrible blocker, but he is much more of a receiver. If he gets more targets, and he gets them in more effective parts of the field, he could blossom in 2025. But people have been hoping that about him for six NFL seasons now.
Seattle chose Elijah Arroyo in the second round this year, and Arroyo has the same skill set as Fant. He can run and catch, and is more of a receiver than a blocker. He is going to take some targets away from Fant, which, obviously, will limit Fant's overall productivity.
Fant is entering the last year of his contract, and there is still a chance the team could release him and save $8.9 million. But there is seemingly no point in keeping him on the roster past 2025 as the team drafted his replacement in 2025.
Winner No. 4
Mike Macdonald - Seahawks head coach
When the Seahawks hired Mike Macdonald after the 2023 season, he was signed to a six-year deal. He had never been a head coach before, however, so there was a large amount of risk involved in the hiring. Based on his first year, his addition to the team is going to be good for years.
This offseason, John Schneider rewarded Macdonald by bringing back most of the defensive players from last year. Schneider saw how well the defense had done, and wanted to keep the unit intact so that Macdonald would have less teaching to do and could tinker a little more.
Adding Nick Emmanwori is going to be a boon to the defense overall, too. Macdonald is a safety whisperer, and that should make Emmanwori more productive than he would have been had he been drafted elsewhere.
But only two of Seattle's 11 draft picks play defense. Schneider clearly understands Macdonald is going to make the defense good, and that does not mean many changes. The adjustments will happen on offense. A more efficient unit on that side of the ball will help Macdonald win more games. That should mean making the playoffs, where a Macdonald-led defense makes the team dangerous.