The Seattle Seahawks have some glaring issues this offseason that, even if one was new to being a football fan, one could see. it The offensive line was not good. The run-blocking was mostly atrocious, and quarterback Geno Smith got sacked 50 times, second-most in the league. Only left tackle Charles Cross was consistently what many would call "decent."
The issue is that while the team needs to start over at both guard positions and maybe center, does any 12 really expect general manager John Schneider to choose a player at one of those positions high in the draft? Last offseason, Schneider said he thought guards were over-drafted and overpaid, so why would he change his mind this offseason?
He needs to, of course, but that does not mean he will.
Mel Kiper, Jr.'s latest 2025 mock draft might be a pipe dream for Seattle Seahawks fans
This is why what ESPN's draft expert, Mel Kiper, Jr., has proposed for the Seahawks in the first round of the 2025 draft is likely very wrong. Kiper is not incorrect in his thinking, though. Seattle needs help along the interior of the offensive line, and Kiper has Seattle taking a player who fits that role. The issue is that John Schneider might not think the same way Kiper does.
In other words, what Kiper proposes is more likely a 12s dream than what the general manager will actually do. Let's hope he shocks Seahawks fans, though.
At pick 18 overall, Kiper thinks Seattle should choose University of Missouri offensive lineman Armand Membou. Membou was almost solely a right tackle for the Tigers and only played one down in his college career at a position that wasn't RT. That was at left guard this season.
Still, offensive tackles in college often get moved to guard in the NFL. Membou transitioning to the interior is certainly not out of the realm of possibility. Kiper also believes the lineman could start at guard and then swing out to right tackle should Abraham Lucas not stay healthy again.
There is little doubt as to Membou's success at Missouri. This season, he played on 410 pass-block snaps and did not allow one sack. He only allowed nine total pressures. Those were all hurries instead of quarterback hits. This means that in 410 pass-block snaps, the player opposite Membou never touched the Missouri quarterback.
Kiper begins his write-up of what the Seahawks will do in the first round by writing, "Membou can play tackle or guard, but Seattle will be fixating on the interior."
Is the team doing that? More specifically, will John Schneider? Schneider has full control over all roster moves for the team, and not head coach Mike Macdonald. If Schneider doesn't want to choose an interior offensive lineman, then the Seahawks won't. Based on his history, Kiper is wrong about what Seattle will do. It would be better if Schneider actually did what Kiper suggested.