For many years, the Seattle Seahawks seemed to try to find gems for the interior of their offensive line in the middle rounds of the draft, but rarely did those work out. Arguably, none worked out well, and that includes three-year right guard starter Anthony Bradford. His time manning the spot might be up soon.
That is what ESPN's Field Yates thinks, at least. In an article about 2026 middle-round selections who could have quick impacts, Yates names Beau Stephens, a fifth-round choice for Seattle that Yates had a fourth-round grade on.
Yates writes, "(Stephens) should be a hand-in-glove fit for Seattle's heavy-zone-run scheme. Like many Iowa offensive linemen, Stephens is fundamentally sound. He strikes with a good base supporting him, deftly uses leverage, and moves his feet extremely well. I think Stephens can push for starting right guard Anthony Bradford's spot."
ESPN's Field Yates sees Beau Stephens replacing Anthony Bradford for the Seattle Seahawks soon
Of course, if that occurs, many Seattle fans would be happy, at least until Stephens confirms he can play right guard well. A lot of 12s have been clamouring for a change from Bradford, who continues to start even though he hasn't been very good in any aspect of his job.
He's big at 6'4" and 335 pounds, but he isn't athletic, so he doesn't move well. He is a poor fit in a heavy-zone scheme. The issue is that the Seahawks haven't had a player who could truly take Bradford's spot. Christian Haynes was a third-round selection in 2024, but he is basically a carbon copy of Bradford.
Stephens would likely already have been taught the technique needed to be successful in the NFL, as he played at Iowa, a school that teaches offensive linemen well. He played mostly left guard most recently in college, though, so there might be a slight learning curve to move exclusively to the right.
Head coach Mike Macdonald said during rookie minicamp that Stephens will get snaps on both sides of the line, not indicating he was being viewed as a long-term replacement for Bradford. Then again, he wouldn't be. Not just yet.
If Stephens had been chosen in the first round (which, to be clear, he wasn't expected to be) like Grey Zabel in 2025, he would certainly be expected to battle for the starting job right away. The Iowa product still must prove he deserves a roster spot.
His college statistics imply he does. He didn't allow a sack in his last two full seasons, was only flagged twice, and allowed just four quarterback pressures last season. He was named First-Team All-America. He could be, to the happiness of many Seattle Seahawks fans, and as Field Yates foretells, a replacement for Anthony Bradford quite soon.
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