We are years away from knowing for sure if the Seattle Seahawks' 2025 NFL draft is going to turn out really well. 12s should expect the class to do well, but no one truly knows until the players start performing in real games. When they do, let's hope they dominate the competition.
There were some risks taken, of course. A third-round pick on quarterback Jalen Milroe might be the biggest. The Seahawks could have chosen another interior offensive lineman to add to first-round choice Grey Zabel, and that would have been just fine.
Of course, who knows? Maybe Milroe shocks everyone with his short and middle range accuracy, and he quickly becomes Seattle's long-term QB1. If that happens, he will be a third-round steal, much in the same way that Russell Wilson was a third-round steal in 2012.
ESPN's Matt Miller loves the 2025 Seahawks draft
Overall, though, general manager John Schneider chose for need and got the best player available at that position most of the time. The team even moved up 17 places to grab safety Nick Emmanwori, a Kam Chancellor clone. The safety should be a preeminent presence on Seattle's defense for many years, and likely immediately impactful.
ESPN draft guru Matt Miller adored what Seattle did in the 2025 draft. Among his recent ranking of what he saw as the top 100 picks in the draft, five Seahawks rank in the top 71. Emmanwori ranks 11th, with Zabel next best at 28th.
But there are steals for Seattle throughout the draft, according to Miller. Third-rounder Milroe is 51, fifth-round wide receiver Tory Horton is 70th, and seventh-round running back Damien Martinez (a Chris Carson-type player) is 71st.
Miller wrote about Emmawori, "Mike Macdonald has his Kyle Hamilton-like safety." And he said of Milroe, "He'll be an immediate factor as a running threat in sub packages." Before adding of Martinez, "Martinez is a powerful, punishing runner who could be an NFL starter in the right offense. Klint Kubiak's scheme qualifies."
Second-round tight end Elijah Arroyo does not crack Miller's top 100, but he easily should have. He was among the best tight ends available, and Seattle found him at pick 50. He could turn out to be the most productive player the Seahawks took in this year's draft.
Again, we won't know how good the class is until at least 2027. Fans cannot judge whether a player is a bust after just one season, and often not even after two. Injuries and the depth chart could hold a player back before they suddenly break out the following season.
One thing we can be sure of is that NFL pundits universally like what Seattle did. With so much potential, at least two are going to hit and be foundational players for Seattle. Maybe even good enough to get the Seahawks deep enough in the playoffs to challenge for a Super Bowl.