It's never too early to talk about the NFL Draft, right, 12s? Okay, maybe it's a bit premature to worry about who the Seattle Seahawks will take in 2030 with their third annual 32nd pick. But as for 2026, yeah, let's talk!
The way-too-early grades are in for the 2025 draft class, and of course, I participated in that fun but ultimately pointless exercise, too. We won't know how well the Seahawks drafted until at least a few weeks into the season, if not until sometime next year. But it is fun, after all.
What's even more fun is projecting next year's draft. We may have a decent idea of where Seattle will be drafting and what positions they'll need to reinforce. As for the players, their 2025 seasons could send some skyrocketing to the top while others crash and burn. So, let's get on to my ridiculously early projections!
Seahawks would find great value in any of these three 2026 draft picks
Let's start with the obvious. Unless John Schneider made three terrible decisions this offseason, the Seahawks won't be looking for a quarterback in 2026—certainly not in the first round. So there will be no Arch Manning, Drew Allar, or Garrett Nussmeier on this list.
Unless John Schneider makes some wild trades to move up, I don't see him calling his first selection until around the mid-20s. We agree that the Seahawks will be a playoff team in 2026, right?
So you won't see defensive lineman T.J. Parker or safety Caleb Downs here, either. Parker was an absolute monster for Clemson last year. Just a sophomore, he was the only player who ranked in the top 10 in sacks, tackles for loss, and forced fumbles. So it would be a miracle to get him. Assuming his performance doesn't fall off a cliff this year. Downs is just as dynamic at safety, so he's out, too.
So, barring more Schneider magic, we'll look at three players the Seahawks could get with their first selection of the 2026 draft. Don't get too bummed out, 12s. Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the 20th pick, after all. Then again, L.J. Collier was 29th. But let's focus on the positive, shall we?
L.T. Overton, Edge Rusher, Alabama
The 6'5" 283-pound defensive end is projected as the 20th overall pick by Draft Buzz, and 27th overall by the NFL Mock Draft Database. His range there is from the 12th to the 29th. Overton played his first two seasons for Texas A&M before transferring to Tuscaloosa. His numbers aren't eye-opening - yet. Three TFL, two sacks, and nine hurries aren't ground-shaking.
But he just had three starts and is bound for a full slate at Alabama as a senior. He'd be a perfect rotational fit as a rookie for Mike Macdonald and Aden Durde.
Malik Muhammad, Cornerback, Texas
I might be pushing things a bit with this projection. While he's a consensus 24th pick according to the Mock Draft Database group, Draft Buzz has him at 15. Taking a CB with their first pick worked pretty well for John Schneider the last time, though.
At 6'0" and 190 pounds, Muhammad's 4.47 speed is more than adequate. He started all 16 games for Texas as a sophomore—that's the college playoff system prepping him for the next level. He broke up eight passes last year and was a standout on special teams as well.
Caleb Banks, Defensive Tackle, Florida
Since the Seahawks went so heavy on offense in 2025, I figured we'd pay Coach Macdonald some respect and go all defense for these three picks. Listed at 6'5" and 325 pounds, the future destroyer of worlds is all over the map on the projections.
Draft Buzz sees him as the 12th-best defensive lineman, while CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso has him as the number two overall defensive player. The consensus ranking is 19th. Five sacks and a pass-rush win rate of 12.1 percent is terrific for a player of his size. And Jarran Reed is going to get old someday. Maybe.
If you're interested in more, look at a full draft for 2026, which is probably more accurate than what I've concocted here. Although I must say, I'm not a fan of that 15th overall position. The pick is fine, but no way the Seahawks are dropping this year. Prognosticators be damned - other than ourselves, of course.