If you’re a Seattle Seahawks fan, there’s a good chance you’ve glanced at one or two mock drafts heading into the real thing at the end of this week. And if you’re a fan like me, you’ve glanced at one or two hundred of them, poring over every decision and imagining what the prospect might look like in college navy and action green.
Today, we’re going to check out a few of the consensus picks the internet has been making for the club in recent weeks. Does this mean that one of these players will be John Schneider’s choice come Thursday? I’ll say plain as day that I have no clue. Like you, I know who I’d like to see him take, but the Hawks’ GM can be tough to read, and that’s not a bad thing at all.
Many of the mocks are done by general football analysts. Often, that kind of writer covers one team or one division in depth and has a decent understanding of the rest of the league. But he may not know the specifics of how a franchise and its leadership typically act.
Who are the consensus 2025 first-round picks mocked to the Seahawks?
For instance, everyone knows that Seattle has a gaping hole on the offensive line, especially at guard. There are several excellent guard prospects projected to be available when Seattle's pick, number 18 in Round One, comes up. Put two and two together, and you get... a guard. Seems logical.
However, if you know Schneider’s history and if you follow what he has said, you also know that he has not been willing to spend a high draft pick on an interior lineman regardless of the need. This is a defensible position. With your first round pick, you want a real difference maker.
I do not mean to suggest that an interior lineman cannot be that type of player. Zach Martin was that type of player. So was Steve Hutchinson. Both were chosen in about the same spot as the Seahawks' first pick this year.
But it is less likely to find a game-changing guard than to find a wide receiver or a disruptive defender in the first round. The standout rookies chosen in the late middle of the first round last year were Jared Verse (edge rusher) and Brian Thomas, Jr. (receiver). Those are positions where you stand a better chance of hitting it big.
Of course, each year is different. Each team is different. Schneider has a lot of high-value picks this year. If it is a relatively weak year for – let’s say, for the sake of argument – cornerbacks, does it make sense to grab one of the good corners early and then wait on a guard?
Just for fun, let’s look at the three players most often associated with the Seahawks' number 18 pick in recent weeks and compare them. Then let’s toss in a few “others” – players who could be on the board but have not been showing up with Seattle in many recent mocks. Then, we’ll rank them all.
We’ll start with the players who are showing up most often as consensus picks for the Seahawks.
Tyler Booker, Guard, Alabama
- Height: 6’5”
- Weight: 321 pounds
- Strengths: Booker is a massive, durable leader. He has tremendous power and has performed at the highest college level in both run blocking and pass protection. He is also a very mature, focused young man – the type you want in your locker room.
- Weaknesses: Booker is not fast or nimble. He moves reasonably well, but if your offense is predicated on guards who can get out into space and attack the second level of the defense, he may struggle. Booker lined up at left guard almost exclusively throughout his college career, which could be a double-edged sword. He is ready to play there from day one, but doesn't offer much in terms of positional flexibility.
Grey Zabel, Versatile Offensive Lineman, North Dakota State
- Height: 6’6”
- Weight: 312 pounds
- Strengths: The virtual flipside of Booker. Zabel moves very well for a big man. He has excellent experience and polished technique. And he has played everywhere along the line for an elite FCS program. The one trait they share is that they are both considered excellent leaders.
- Weaknesses: Zabel is not undersized by any means, but he doesn’t have the thick frame that most interior linemen have. Zabel stepped into the left tackle spot vacated by current Seahawk Jalen Sundell after the 2023 season and was excellent. But his very limited wingspan makes a tackle unlikely in the NFL. Most scouts project him at center, the one position he did not play in college. I have little doubt he can make that transition. The bigger question concerns his ability to stand up to NFL interior defenders after playing FCS-level competition throughout college.
Luther Burden III, Wide Receiver, Missouri
- Height: 6’0”
- Weight: 206 pounds
- Strengths: Outstanding blend of size and speed. Burden is sensational in space. Get the ball in his hands, and he is a threat to go a long way. That is the kind of game-breaking talent teams look for in a first-rounder. He is equally dangerous as a kick returner.
- Weaknesses: Burden ran almost exclusively out of the slot in college, and whether he can develop the technique needed to win from other positions is a question. Had a somewhat disconcerting drop-off from 2023 to 2024, catching 25 fewer passes for 500 fewer yards. There may be explainable reasons for this, but it raises questions about how consistent a performer he might be.
Those were the consensus picks. Let’s take a quick look at three other players whose average draft position is hovering around the Seahawks' first pick and who should be of some interest to John Schneider.
Nick Emmanwori, Safety, South Carolina
- Height: 6’3”
- Weight: 220 pounds
- Strengths: Emmanwori is among the best pure athletes in the entire draft, and he has translated that onto the field in three seasons at South Carolina. He has elite size and speed, with the strength to play in the box and the speed to play deep zones. Some lucky defensive coordinator is going to be like a kid at Christmas when he starts plugging Emmanwori into his defensive schemes.
- Weaknesses: Plays with an aggressiveness that has resulted in penalties in college. His size makes it easy for him to look like he is mauling smaller receivers in coverage. He will need strong coaching to get his technique to match his physical talent.
Matthew Golden, Wide Receiver, Texas
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 191 pounds
- Strengths: Blazing speed. A dynamic playmaker who has displayed a good route tree, lining up in different spots, and generating production wherever he is.
- Weaknesses: He isn’t very big, and concerns have been raised about his durability.
Colston Loveland, Tight End, Michigan
- Height: 6’6”
- Weight: 248 pounds
- Strengths: Excellent receiving option. Made steady plays over three years against elite college competition. Can run every route asked of a tight end.
- Weaknesses: It will be interesting to see if Loveland can maintain his speed and elusiveness if he adds a little more bulk. In order to be a complete tight end, he needs to power up and improve his blocking. Though he will have a size advantage against most safeties, extra strength will help him win over the middle. He had no trouble in college, but the NFL is a different animal.
Ranking the Seahawks' consensus mock draft first-rounders
Any of these six prospects could turn out to be a star. Several will likely have outstanding pros. Sadly, it’s equally likely that a few will have mediocre success at the next level. This ranking is based on which player would fit best into the Seahawks' plans, taking into account team needs, relative position strength, and obviously, the player’s unique skill set.
6. Luther Burden, III
Burden strikes me as too big a risk to take at this point. I can’t help seeing another Kadarius Toney, another player with outstanding physical tools but just one truly elite year in college. Drafting Burden would mean that Klint Kubiak is intent on moving Jaxon Smith-Njigba to the X position. That will probably happen regardless, but it would be nice to have a little more flexibility.
5. Matthew Golden
Golden would offer that flexibility, but I worry about his durability. This is a position that provides better value in the second or third round, a trend that has been showing itself more and more in recent drafts. This year, it's better to wait for a receiver.
4. Grey Zabel
Zabel probably starts from day one in the NFL at either center or guard. I am not convinced he will ever be an elite player at either position. He would certainly fill a significant hole for the Seahawks.
3. Nick Emmanwori
This is hard for me to type because I think Emmanwori has a better chance of becoming a superstar than anyone on this list. I think he has as good a chance of being elite as almost anyone in the entire draft – a player like Sean Taylor.
The reason he isn’t at the top of the list is need, and I generally don’t like to rely on that in round one. That speaks to how inexact a science this is. You have to consider multiple factors, and even if Emmanwori improves the defense, Seattle has outstanding players at his position.
2. Tyler Booker
Booker scores big on both fronts. He is desperately needed, and he has a very good chance of becoming a dominant guard in the NFL.
1. Colston Loveland
Loveland has the best chance of making the Seahawks’ offense more dynamic immediately. With Noah Fant and A.J. Barner, you could make the case that Seattle has more pressing needs. But Fant has plateaued. Barner is much better suited to be an in-line tight end who can make plays when coverage forgets about him and leaves their slowest linebacker to mark him.
Loveland is a playmaker who makes the line better because he frees up Barner to block, and who makes Sam Darnold better because he gives him a big target who can make plays all over the field. If he’s on the board at 18, he’s my choice, though truth be told, I’d be delighted with any of the top three.