Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider fooled us all. Last offseason, he said he thought guards and centers were over-drafted and overpaid. He isn't saying that anymore.
After not taking a pure interior offensive lineman in more than a decade, Schneider addressed Seattle's most glaring need in the 2025 NFL draft by selecting red-hot prospect Grey Zabel. Zabel is 6'6" and 312 pounds with great strength and fantastic athleticism. He appeared tailor-made for new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak's scheme.
But while many national pundits had mocked Zabel to Seattle, the expectation among 12s was still low that the move would happen. This was based on Schneider's draft history, and he has a long history with the Seahawks. He has been the GM since 2010.
John Schneider choosing Grey Zabel was brilliant and likely shocked Seahawks fans
No longer can fans complain that Schneider does not try to fix the offensive line. If Zabel is as good as expected, and he is inserted on the left side next to offensive tackle Charles Cross, that side of the Seahawks' offensive line could develop into one of the better tackle-guard duos in the NFL. Zabel might have been good no matter where he was taken, but Seattle might be the best fit for him.
The North Dakota State product also plays with the kind of nasty streak that head coach Mike Macdonald is bound to love. Former head coach Pete Carroll had some all-time great defenses, but no one would say that most of his teams were tough. That is changing under Macdonald, and Zabel is going to help remake the team's image.
By acquiring Zabel, Schneider likely got a player who is capable of making multiple Pro Bowls and will have an immediate impact. 2024 starting left guard Laken Tomlinson left in free agency. Zabel should be his immediate replacement. Zabel could immediately be an upgrade over Tomlinson.
He had developed into probably the best interior offensive lineman available in the draft. Alabama's Tyler Booker was surprisingly the first guard taken when he went to the Dallas Cowboys at pick 12. Zabel will be better. Schneider bought himself a few more years on the job by taking him, too.