In a flurry of recent maneuvers that will set a new course for the Seattle Seahawks, general manager John Schneider has released, traded, or made available for trade the core of Seattle’s offense over the past several years. Replacing Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett will require a sound philosophy that balances short-term success with long-term stability. Taking flyers on a big name or two or trading away future draft capital for a quick fix is almost certainly the wrong approach.
But what is the right strategy? Free agency is already upon us, and everyone in the Seahawks' front office should have memorized the basic playbook by this point. That doesn’t mean Schneider may not change direction as targets disappear and new players become available. But a lot of the free agency legwork has already been done.
The other primary tool in roster-building – the NFL draft – is still over a month away. Plans for how to approach those three days are still being formed. So, it is with the utmost humility that I offer the following declaration of principles for John Schneider and the rest of the Seahawks' management to bear in mind as they make plans in the wake of recent events.
How the Seattle Seahawks should approach the 2025 NFL draft after trading Geno Smith
The first round
Don’t worry. This is not a mock draft. You will be able to read 7,641 (just a guess) mocks prior to the actual draft in late April. There will be at least 50 mock drafts for 2026 floating around the internet before the actual 2025 draft takes place.
But, for disclosure, I did do a mock in preparation for this article. OK, I actually did 14 of them. Yes, I have a problem. Mocks take on greater significance after the combine because projections become more accurate.
Why am I mentioning mock drafts? In round one, you can target a specific player more easily than in later rounds. And I know this seems like a no-brainer, but you have to hit on your round one pick. Other than the quality of a team’s starting quarterback, first-round draft success is the single biggest factor in ensuring long-term success.
That’s why you do not reach in round one. Teams routinely violate this tenet and make exceptions when choosing a quarterback, and that is often understandable. But it’s still a bad idea, even with a quarterback. And it’s a terrible idea at any other position. In round one, you take the best player.
Therefore, if Nick Emmanwori is still on the board when the 18th pick comes up, Schneider should take him. Does Seattle need a safety? Not really. Is Emmanwori the best immediate-impact player likely to be available when Seattle picks? Quite possibly. You need a guard and a receiver and a quarterback. But most of all, in round one, you need a player who will quickly emerge as a league-wide elite.
Trades - Up or back?
It is becoming increasingly rare that a team goes through an entire draft without making at least one trade. The deal for Geno Snith provides Schneider with some extra ammunition if he wants to move up for a particular player in one of the early rounds.
I doubt this will come into play with a quarterback, but the varying opinions on Shedeur Sanders could cause him to fall far enough for the Hawks to at least consider trading a few picks. If they could move into position to take him, that would be a reasonable course of action, even if it means sacrificing multiple good picks in 2025 and/or 2026.
But it’s unlikely to happen. When the dust settles, Sanders will probably be drafted very early, and Seattle simply won’t have the firepower to move up high enough.
Trading back is a much more time-proven strategy for success. Seattle has plenty of holes to fill. This draft class offers good value at many positions in the middle rounds. Moving back and acquiring extra picks in the top 150 would probably be wise.
Of course, you still have to hit on those picks. But the draft, on one level, is really just an actuarial table. Since it is hard to project success for any one individual, you need to increase your odds by acquiring more picks. More throws at the dartboard usually mean more bull's-eyes.
Position of need versus best available player
We’re going to abbreviate – PON and BPA. Many teams employ a parabola-shaped philosophy with regard to this question. Early. Go for the BPA. In the middle rounds, fill holes with solid PONS. In the final rounds, roll the dice on high ceiling/low floor athletes.
Schneider needs to come out of this draft with multiple offensive players. Before free agency, Seattle has running back, left tackle on one receiver slot in secure hands. Tight end and center offer reason for hope. That’s about it.
Multiple offensive line and receiver spots need to be filled, in addition to finding a quarterback. In the third round of my latest mock, I took a deep-threat wide receiver (Isaiah Bond of Texas) and a high-upside interior lineman (Dylan Fairchild, Georgia).
In the second round … well, I get to that shortly. But it was a PON. Simple message – in the middle rounds, you have to find players who will fill immediate holes. At the back end of the draft, I doubled up with PONS, who are less certain but who have unique potential.
Oklahoma State tackle Dalton Cooper will need some time, but he could be a legit swing tackle early and perhaps develop into a starter down the road. Colorado’s Jimmy Horn is too small to be an every-down receiver, but his speed, savvy, and college production suggest he could be very useful coming out of the slot within a couple of years.
Injured players
Of course, there are no absolutes in the draft. But it is usually a good idea not to be seduced by a great talent who has fallen due to a serious college injury. I am not talking about a player who has proven he can return from an injury suffered a year or two ago. I’m talking about a player who is currently inured, or perhaps still showing signs of rust during recovery.
This can be difficult to resist. A young man who would have been a first or second-round pick before tearing his ACL is now on the board in the fifth round. Your medical people say there is no reason he should not get back to his previous level. Do you take him?
Not in the fifth round – and certainly not earlier. It’s possible he will come back just fine and indeed be a great value. Let another team take that bet. It’s not a high-percentage play. Last year, Michigan guard Zak Zinter was a potential first-rounder before suffering a bad broken leg around Thanksgiving. Cleveland took him in the third round. With the next pick, San Fran took Dominick Puni, another guard.
Puni started every game for the 49ers and looks to be their right guard for at least the next five years. Zinter struggled to adjust. He may still develop, but in round three, but it was a bad gamble. Every year, there are several stories like that.
Quarterback
All right – here’s the 64-thousand dollar question. Should Seattle take a quarterback in the draft, and if so, who should it be?
The first answer is easy. Yes, they should. Drafting quarterbacks is the most inexact science there is. You have to give yourself as many chances as possible to get the right one. Since Cam Ward is out of the question, and I believe Shedeur Sanders will be as well, Schneider is looking at the second tier of QBs.
Right now, Jaxson Dart is the choice. If you can draft him in the second round, you should do it. He is not a sure thing. But he can run, and he can throw. He has good experience against high-caliber competition. He has steadily improved throughout his college career. He checks every box.
Dart could probably start right away, but he shouldn’t. He should sit at least half a season – or through the bye week – whichever comes first. Signing a bridge starter (for me, it would be Marcus Mariota) would allow Dart time to learn the pro game.
There are plenty of other promising QBs who will be available in the middle rounds. Seattle needs to take whichever one they think could be their starter in two to three years. The only rationale for not picking a QB on day two would be the thought that waiting until 2026 might offer better options.
I don’t deny that could be true. Arch Manning could be coming out. Nico Iamaleava will be very enticing. With a good 2025, LaNorris Sellers could vault everyone. Personally, I’m eager to see what Aidan Chiles can show. There are a lot of intriguing prospects in the pipeline.
But we don’t know enough about any of them. We don’t even know who will be entering the ’26 draft. And if Dart proves to be a bust, you can always take another shot next year. But never use next year as an excuse to wait. (That’s true in life as well as in football.)
That’s the declaration of principles – which savvy film fans will realize I stole from Citizen Kane. The movie Citizen Kane, that is. Not Harry Kane. That’s a different kind of football.