It is officially draft season. The NFL draft is just four days away, so I ran a simulator and tried to fill the shoes of Seahawks General Manager John Schneider. Here is what my Seahawks Mock Draft would look like just a few days before it begins.
Round 1, Pick 18: Will Johnson, CB, Michigan
I was surprised to see Johnson still on the board at No. 18, but if he is there, he is a hard player to turn down. Johnson is considered to be the best cornerback in this year’s draft and while not as dynamic as Devon Witherspoon, he would slot in perfectly as the Seahawks cornerback of the future. He would allow Seattle to be more flexible in the ways they use Witherspoon and Riq Woolen and also take pressure off the Seahawks to commit long-term money to Woolen.
Round 2, Pick 50: Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
Milroe may not be the best quarterback in this year’s draft, but he is a solid project passer who could be a good starter in a few years. He has had a similar trajectory to that of Jalen Hurts, another former Alabama quarterback who was picked in the second round and eventually became a Super Bowl MVP. Milroe would not start year one, but he could take for Sam Darnold in two or three years. As a dual threat option who can run as well as he throws, he would be an intriguing option behind center.
Round 2, Pick 52: Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
A first-team All-SEC edge rusher as a junior, Scourton has all the tools to be a great edge rusher. He is ranked as one of the ten best edge-rushing prospects in the draft and would make a lot of sense for the Seahawks in the second round. Every team is looking for help to rush the quarterback and the Seahawks are no different. Scourton would fit in nicely with Boye Mafe and veteran Demarcus Williams on the defensive line.
Round 3, Pick 82: Jonah Savaiinaea, OL, Arizona
Waiting until pick 82 to take an offensive lineman is surely going to cause fans to get frustrated, but at this point, it is very clear John Schneider does not to prefer to take lineman in the first few rounds. Savaiinaea, despite his NFL.com rating of 6.15 (has potential to become a starter) would be a solid pick in the mid-third round. He is graded as the fifth best guard of this year’s draft class and has the fifth best athleticism score as well. The Samoan junior is big, standing at six-foot four-inches, 324 pounds. He could easily develop into a solid starter on the line in Seattle.
Round 3, Pick 92: Kyle Williams, WR, Washington State
You knew I had to throw in a Cougar, but this actually would make a lot of sense for Seattle. Williams has been a consistently productive receiver throughout his time in college and the Seahawks are likely still looking for another weapon to catch passes alongside Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp. Williams has the tools to develop into a solid WR2 and could replace Kupp once his three-year contract is up. He has always been a high-volume target, which is a good sign.
Round 4, Pick 137: Jonas Sanker, S, Virginia
Sanker is coming off back-to-back All-ACC first-team appearances in 2023 and 2024 and feels a bit underrated in the draft. He is a contact-first safety who is not afraid to jump into tackles and make plays. He might remind Seahawks fans of former star safety Kam Chancellor, and NFL.com grades him out to a 6.23, saying he will make an average starter.
Round 5, Pick 172: Malachi Moore, S, Alabama
Moore is a far less reliable option than Sanker. He is smaller and less aggressive. However, the Alabama standout was first-team All-SEC and finished the year with 70 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a sack. He did a bit of everything for the Crimson Tide. He can defend against the pass and the run effectively. Probably just a backup at the NFL level, but his versatility makes him a backup worth investing in.
Round 5, Pick 175: Jeffrey Bassa, LB, Oregon
Bassa has lots of experience, having started 42 games over the past four years with Oregon. He is a weak-side linebacker known for his leadership and his versatility to stop both the run and pass. Lance Zierlein says he is missing the “playmaking gene,” and projects to be more of a backup when it is all said and done. In the late fifth round, that is about what you are getting. A solid backup who can fill in when needed and be a leader at practices.
Round 7, Pick 223: Jalen Travis, OT, Iowa State
Travis is projected to be a backup tackle and special teams player, but he is also projected to go in the fifth round. If he lands at 223 with Seattle, it would be the Seahawks biggest steal of the draft. He started two years at Princeton before making the move to Iowa State. At six-foot, eight-inches, 339 pounds, he certainly has the size and frame to be a great tackle. He has the fourth best athleticism score of all tackles in the draft. However his production score ranked 19th.
Round 7, Pick 234: Tonka Hemingway, DL, South Carolina
Another project player, Hemingway has the best athleticism score among defensive lineman in this year’s draft class. The defensive tackle is six-foot, three-inches, 284 pounds with a 33 inch wingspan and a 32 inch vertical jump. Despite his impressive physical traits and athleticism, his production score ranks 26th, which is why NFL.com projects him to be more of a backup or special teams piece when it is all said and done. Still, the athleticism is enticing for a seventh round flier pick and with Mike Macdonald’s defensive knowledge, perhaps he could develop into something more.
Overall this draft accomplished my goals and helps the team move in a future oriented direction. We found our second cornerback of the future to pair alongside Devon Witherspoon, our QB of the future in Milroe, a future WR2 to replace Cooper Kupp and a strong edge rusher in Nic Scourton.
Ultimately the mock draft was given a grade of A and I think I agree. If this is how things shake out next weekend, I would not be disappointed.
