As the Seattle Seahawks' 2026 NFL draft draws closer, we are starting to see some consensus form. And yet, this draft remains one of the most unpredictable in recent memory. After the Las Vegas Raiders make Fernando Mendoza their quarterback of the future, all bets are off. There are at least ten other players who could round out this year’s top five.
Like a lot of other writers, I continue to do my own mock drafts and read those done by others as a way of determining which players are likely to be available at various points. But that only goes so far.
If predicting who the Seahawks will take at the end of round one is difficult, it is almost impossible to say with any confidence who they will make take with their final pick, number 188 in round six.
Here’s what Seattle Seahawks fans can expect at the 2026 draft
I’m going to continue doing mock drafts … but not today. Today, I want to step back and take a wider look at what John Schneider may or may not do in a few weeks. The following predictions range from ones I feel very confident about to bolder suspicions that I would not really bet the farm on.
Still, I think there is a very good chance that all five of the following things will come true at this year’s NFL draft.
Seattle will take a defensive back in either the first or second round
John Schneder has chosen more defensive backs than any other position in his time as GM. 29 in all – one more than the number of offensive linemen he has taken. That is true even though teams traditionally have more offensive linemen on the field than DBs.
But that is no longer the case. With versatile players like Devon Witherspoon, Julian Love, and Nick Emmanwori, Mike Macdonald typically uses five DBs. To ensure maximum flexibility and create confusion for an offense, he needs a lot of them on his roster. He just lost two pretty good ones in Coby Bryant and Riq Woolen, so he will add another this year.
There are good ones available, especially in the second half of the first round. I expect Schneider to take one with the 32nd pick. But if he doesn’t see any he likes, he will grab a DB at 64.
Seattle will not trade back for a team wanting to draft Ty Simpson
I have seen this scenario put forth by several draft experts. There is zero chance of this happening. Though occasionally a QB prospect will fall as we near draft day, usually, the opposite happens. The top QB prospects tend to rise. That is exactly what is happening with Ty Simpson.
A month ago, it seemed like a real possibility that he would be on the board at the end of Round One. Now, I would not be the least bit surprised if Simpson goes in the top five. That’s just the nature of ascending quarterbacks. So such a trade involving Seattle will not happen – not because Schneider wouldn’t do it, but because he will not have the opportunity.
Seattle is not drafting a running back
I have seen Arkansas’ Mike Washington Jr mocked to Seattle in several recent projections. Washington is an intriguing player, and I suspect he will be the third back off the board, after the two Notre Dame runners. Some team will be happy to get him in round three. That team will not be Seattle.
Washington simply doesn’t make sense for the Seahawks. Yes, he has an elite combination of size and speed. But he is not quick. Despite his straight-line speed, he is not likely to cut his way through NFL defenses and reach the point where he can show off that speed.
Quite frankly, in Zach Charbonnet and Emanuel Wilson, Seattle already has runners like that. They need to replace the explosive quickness they lost with Kenneth Walker and, quite frankly, apart from Jeremiyah Love, that back is not in this draft.
(Caveat – if I am wrong and the Seahawks do take Washington – or any back – in the first three rounds, I would be very concerned about Charbonnet’s recovery.)
Seattle could take a quarterback late
With his sixth round pick, Schneider is likely looking for depth up front, or perhaps a stud special teams prospect. But don’t rule out a quarterback. Last year, I was a little surprised that he took an early flyer on Jalen Milroe.
Milroe’s virtual invisibility during his rookie campaign has me wondering if a decision has already been made about his future. Milroe needs reps and he will not get them in Seattle.
So, is it possible Schneider shifts gears and tries for another developmental QB? If Cade Klubnik is on the board, he would be a pretty good value at 188. Or might he go back to the North Dakota State well another time for the very athletic Cole Payton? It would be very tempting.
John Schneider may trade picks this year for picks in 2027
I said the Seahawks are not trading back for a deal involving Ty Simpson. That doesn’t mean they aren’t trading back. I think there's a pretty good chance Schneider will seriously consider offers for each of his first three picks.
Seattle’s roster, even with its free agency losses, is very good. Obviously, Schneider wants players this year, but if there are no prospects he really covets when his pick comes up, I expect him to stockpile picks for the future. 2027 is shaping up as a stronger draft class than this year, and he will get a premium by waiting.
That means that moving out of the 32nd pick could get him a day two pick this year and a second – or maybe even a first-round pick next year. Delaying that reward makes a lot of sense for a team like Seattle, which will be just fine this year regardless of how good their four prospective draft picks turn out to be.
There you have it. I have a remarkable ability to get exactly half of these things right. So I am wondering which of the above predictions will come half-true.