In the 2025 NFL draft, the Seattle Seahawks had 11 selections, but nine of them were players who played offense. That likely means that with the four choices the team has in 2026, a more defensive approach will happen. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. believes so, and his new mock has Seattle taking cornerback Colton Hood in the first round.
The move makes complete sense, of course. Many mock drafts have head coach Mike Macdonald's team choosing either a cornerback or edge rusher early. Those are both significant needs for the Super Bowl champions, as the Seahawks lost cornerback Riq Woolen and edge rusher Boye Mafe in free agency.
Seattle also lost safety Coby Bryant, but the team might already have his replacement on the roster in the person of Ty Okada. Even if Okada isn't the answer, the team is unlikely to choose a safety with their first pick in this year's draft.
ESPN's Mel Kiper mocks Colton Hood in the first round of the 2026 draft to the Seattle Seahawks
Colton Hood is a Macdonald-type corner. He is 6-feet and weighs nearly 200 pounds, and is a willing and effective tackler in run support. In 2025 for the University of Tennessee, he only whiffed on 6.6 percent of his tackle attempts, a great number for a corner.
Moreover, he fixed the issue he had in that area when he played for Colorado the year before. With the Buffaloes, he missed 36.7 percent of attempts. That he quickly corrected the problem implies Hood is diligent in his work ethic and understands his areas of need. That is another thing Mike Macdonald will love.
Kiper writes in his new mock draft for ESPN, "Hood fits perfectly with the Mike Macdonald defense as a cornerback with length and decent speed...The defending Super Bowl champions returned Josh Jobe and brought in Noah Igbinoghene, but Riq Woolen is off to the Eagles."
In coverage, the cornerback only gave up one touchdown pass in his college career. That came in Week 5 last season, but he also had an interception in the same game. That last part is an aspect in which Hood will need to improve, however.
While he broke up 10 passes last season, he only had the one pick. Creating turnovers is not a strength of Hood's. At least, not yet. As quick as he was to fix his tackling issue, he might be able to address his positioning to take the ball away more.
The assumption is that Jobe will be a starter for the Seattle Seahawks next season, while Pro Bowler Devon Witherspoon continues to play the slot, where he is in a better position to disrupt opposing offenses. In three cornerback sets, general manager John Schneider, who has full roster control, might look to take a high-end cornerback early in the draft.
If he is chosen, Colton Hood could immediately play significant snaps opposite Jobe. Mel Kiper thinks so, and Kiper has made a good living out of being correct about the NFL draft.