I don’t know about you, but after a three-day period that saw the Seattle Seahawks add 23 prospects to their roster, I can’t think of anything more fun than doing a 2026 mock draft.
General manager John Schneider made a flurry of trades (one of which provided the penultimate chapter in the epic Shedeur Sanders saga), drafted eleven players, and signed a dozen more in the immediate aftermath of last weekend's festivities.
Maybe Schneider and crew are taking a day or two off to catch their collective breaths. But not here at 12th Man Rising. We never sleep. (I have insomnia, so that’s no lie.) As soon as the ink was dry on the 2025 NFL draft, Pro Football Network had its draft simulator updated for 2026. So you know how I spent last night.
Seahawks too-early 2026 mock draft has a surprise pick in the first round
I tried to take into account all the moves Schneider just made. He added five offensive linemen through the draft and the UDFA route. Multiple defensive backs, linebackers, edge rushers, wideouts, and tight ends have to be fitted for Seahawks’ practice jerseys.
Not all of them will be on the roster or even on the practice squad by opening day in 2025, but we can make some educated guesses early on.
We are also guessing at draft order. There are no compensatory picks figured in. We don’t know exactly which college players will declare, or more importantly, which will rise or fall throughout the 2025 season.
But we’re still gonna give it a shot. You have to start somewhere.
For our purposes, PFN has given Seattle the 15th position in the 2026 draft, a slight regression from this year, but still squarely in the middle of the league. Picks in the first five rounds are native. The sixth-round pick has moved up a few spots due to trades involving Nick Harris and Roy Roberston-Harris. Seattle does not currently own a seventh-round pick.
Round 1: Jeremiyah Love, running back, Notre Dame
- Height: 6’0”
- Weight: 206 pounds
I have to admit, I went into this mock thinking defense. That’s entirely based on the fact that of John Schneider’s eleven picks last weekend, nine of them came on offense. He will have to work on the defense next year. Then, Jeremiyah Love fell into my lap.
Love is a bulldog with sprinter speed. He can run. He can catch. You can line him up anywhere. I suspect he will have an exceptional 2025 with the Irish, and with the league’s newfound interest in dynamic backfield weapons, Love should be at the top of a lot of wish lists.
I love Kenneth Walker, but he hits free agency next year, and Schneider has to be ready. Love is the closest thing you will find to Jahmyr Gibbs in next year’s draft.
(Of note: I had multiple attractive trade offers for this pick. A lot of quality quarterbacks were on the board. If the Seahawks do find themselves picking in the middle on the first round, a trade back is a real possibility.)
Round 2: Matayo Uiagelelei, edge, Oregon
- Height: 6’5”
- Weight: 270 pounds
Yes – this is the younger brother of QB DJ Uiagelelei, and even though it means I will make a thousand mistakes as I learn to spell that last name, I’m game. This is a giant projection because until now, Uiagelelei has not performed on the field. He was hurt for much of the 2024 season at Oregon.
If he stays healthy in 2025, the sky is the limit. The length, power, and agility are already NFL-caliber. He has to put it all together in a productive season. If he can do that, Seattle has a bigger, younger replacement for DeMarcus Lawrence waiting in the wings.
Round 3: Xavier Scott, cornerback, Illinois
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 190 pounds
I love Xavier Scott. He is the kind of smart, tough corner who will thrive playing the slot. He makes tackles and reads pass patterns at an advanced level. Scott will enter the NFL as one of the most experienced, durable, and versatile cornerbacks in the 2026 draft class.
Seattle has a good supply of big defensive backs, and they just added a premier talent in Nick Emmanwori. They are set on the outside. Scott can either play the slot or drop back to safety, further cementing the secondary’s elite status.
Round 4: Kage Casey, offensive lineman, Boise State
- Height: 6’5”
- Weight: 316 pounds
Casey considered leaving Boise State this year but decided to return. He has been a stalwart at left tackle, starting every game for two straight years and registering outstanding grades throughout.
Casey projects as a true tackle. In this year’s draft, the Seahawks chose three college tackles, but all are likely to move inside to guard or center in the pros. They need a realistic edge protector in case the team moves on from Abe Lucas. Casey may not shine from day one, but he will arrive with experience and talent, and should develop into a plus tackle at the next level if properly developed.
Round 5: Aaron Graves, defensive lineman, Iowa
- Height: 6’4”
- Weight: 300 pounds
Graves is another player who considered entering the draft before returning for his final season at Iowa. He has been a rock-solid performer for the Hawkeyes, playing alongside 2025 draftee Yahya Black. The upcoming season will give him a chance to step out of Black’s enormous shadow.
Graves casts a pretty large shadow himself. He is a classic nose or one-technique tackle that should fit right into Mike Macdonald’s defense. He has all the character accolades you could want, having been selected to multiple all-academic teams and winning Iowa’s team hustle award.
He is also durable and produces on the field. The Seahawks already have impressive three-techniques and outside rushers. Graves would give them a presence in the middle.
Round 6: Isaiah Horton, wide receiver, Alabama
- Height: 6’4”
- Weight: 209 pounds
Horton transferred from Miami to Alabama for the upcoming season. He has all the tools to be a standout – length, power, speed. With the Crimson Tide, I suspect he might find a real home, which will push him farther up draft boards than round six. But he was here for the taking. So I took him.
Horton never built on his 4-star recruiting pedigree at Miami. He didn’t play as much as was expected. That may have been a bad fit or signs of a deeper issue. Whatever the reason, he has the chance for a restart with one of the nation’s elite programs.