There is little chance the Seattle Seahawks address their biggest need in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. The idea of general manager John Schneider taking a guard seems ridiculous. Perhaps he shocks 12s and takes Gray Zabel at pick 18, but that is unlikely based on Schneider's draft history and comments about how guards are overdrafted.
Seattle will probably take who they see as the best player available, and that player very well might play on the defensive side of the ball. It would be wise to keep building head coach Mike Macdonald's defense. The unit was much better in 2024 and could be elite in 2025.
This might imply that Schneider chooses an edge rusher or cornerback in round one. One edge prospect might be off the board when Seattle makes their selections. The NFC rival San Francisco 49ers are also interested in the player, and San Francisco holds the number 11 choice.
49ers visit with elite edge rush draft prospect that would be a great fit with the Seahawks
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, University of Tennessee edge rusher James Pearce, Jr., is visiting the 49ers ahead of the draft, and he not only would be a fantastic choice for San Francisco, but he would be a good fit with San Francisco or the Seahawks. He is 6'5" and 245 pounds, and very athletic.
At the NFL combine, he ran a 4.47 40-yard dash. He didn't lift while there, but his strength shows up on tape.
His numbers dropped a bit last year for the Vols, but he still led the team with 13.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. In 2023, he had 10 sacks, so his consistency in chasing down quarterbacks is impressive. He will probably be a better pro than a college player because coaches such as Macdonald will find the best way to use Pearce's best traits.
The 49ers have shown a way of getting fantastic production from their pass rushers. Pearce should be an immediately impactful player for San Francisco, and the idea of the Seahawks facing him twice a year is not fun. But if Pearce falls to Seattle, he would be part of a good rotation and could take Boye Mafe's reps if Mafe leaves in free agency in 2026.
Just as with quarterbacks, teams don't need to draft an edge rusher when they absolutely need one, but rather when it is a bit of a luxury. Pearce would help Seattle immediately, but he could be elite by 2026. He still might be with the 49ers by that season, but that obviously would not be good for the Seahawks.