I have no problem with general manager John Schneider’s selection of Grey Zabel in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. But the fact is, Schneider didn’t have a choice. His mishandling of the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive line, especially on the interior, meant that he was forced into taking the best interior lineman on the board.
Fortunately, Zabel is a mature, quality presence who can play either guard or center. I think there were higher-upside talents when the Seahawks’ pick arrived, but Schneider had more or less painted himself into a corner.
That is not the case with the wealth of picks he has coming up, beginning with two in the middle of the second round. With Zabel in hand, the Hawks’ GM can be a little bolder in what he does on Friday. Need will still figure into his thinking, but it won’t be the only factor.
Seahawks shouldn't say no to these Day 2 prospects
There are plenty of excellent prospects still on the board. Some will be gone by the time the Seahawks’ first pick in round two (number 50) comes up. But several very promising choices will be there at both 50 and 52. Here are four whom John Schneider will have to consider seriously in the second round.
Nick Emmanwori, Safety, South Carolina
I don’t think Emmanwori lasts until 50, but you never know. Many scouts (myself included) had a first-round grade on the Gamecocks’ star. His rare physical skills are not found every day. Size, length, and speed are all elite. And he has shown that he is far more than a gifted physical specimen.
Emmanwori translates his blazing speed and power into on-field plays. Malaki Starks, the only safety who went in the first round, may have even better instincts, but Emmanwori is not very far behind and boasts rare athleticism.
I have long seen Emmanwori as the type of player who can impact the game in the same way that Kyle Hamilton did for Mike Macdonald in Baltimore. He is by no means a carbon copy of the Ravens’ standout, but he can make plays all over the field.
Seattle doesn’t desperately need a safety, but any defense could use a player like Emmanwori. Someone will take him early in round two, so this pick only makes sense if Schneider is willing to sacrifice some of his plentiful draft capital to move up.
Jayden Higgins, Wide Receiver, Iowa State
Higgins is 6’4”, 214 pounds, and runs a 4.47 forty. That may not be quite as freakish as what D.K. Metcalf could do, but it’s pretty close. Add to that the fact that Higgins didn’t seriously focus on football until relatively late, and you have the makings of a difference maker in the NFL.
He made great strides in his first two years at Eastern Kentucky and then continued that upward trajectory when he transferred to Iowa State for his final two seasons. In 2024, he showed an expanded route tree that led to 87 catches, more than 1,000 yards, and nine touchdowns.
Throughout his four seasons, Higgins was credited with just seven drops – three in his freshman year. Higgins has already shown marked improvement, and with his athletic prowess and skill set, he has a long way to go. Playing behind a veteran like Cooper Kupp for a year would be an ideal situation.
Shemar Turner, Defensive Tackle, Texas A&M
Turner fits right into the middle of the Seahawks' defense while having the athletic versatility to move outside in specific packages. 6’3” and 290 pounds, he shows excellent speed and agility for a big man. He was always productive for A&M, but he took on a variety of roles and never seemed to settle into one position in which he could grow.
Turner added a fair amount of bulk for his final year. It didn’t seem to slow him down, but it may have led to some inconsistency as he developed a feel for doing different things across the line.
Turner is a very gifted prospect who plays hard and produces, but also can be out of control at times. Seattle would be an ideal landing spot because he wouldn’t have to be a star right away, but could sit behind veterans like Leonard Williams and Jarran Reed and learn the finer points of line play.
Plus, in an odd twist of fate, should he eventually assume a starting spot on the line, he would probably be lining up alongside his former youth football teammate, Byron Murphy, who played with Turner when they were kids growing up in and around Dallas.
Aireontae Ersery, Offensive Tackle, Minnesota
This is a good year for offensive linemen. There may not be a future Hall of Famer in the lot, but there is great depth extending into the middle rounds. So, even though Schneider addressed one of the concerns on the offensive line with the selection of Zabel, he should not stop there.
Ersery is a first-round talent who slipped in part because there are plenty of other excellent tackles, and in part because he is not quite as polished as some of the other prospects.
Like Jayden Higgins, Ersery was a late arrival to football. He has shown exceptional growth over the past several years, and there is every reason to believe that he will continue that evolution with more technique work in the NFL.
Unlike some of this year’s prospects who played tackle in college but profile better inside (like Zabel), Ersery is a true tackle. He has the length and base strength to anchor while also showing the feet to mirror rushers and get out in front of running plays. His arms are slightly undersized, so he may be moved inside, but I don’t see a guard.
He looks like a tackle. As such, he could provide immediate insurance behind Charles Cross and Abe Lucas while projecting forward as a starter should Lucas leave down the road. And if he had to move inside, well, every Seahawks fan knows Seattle still needs help at guard.