By Jared Stanger
The Seahawks will be playing their final preseason game in a matter of hours, and tomorrow marks week zero of the college football season, so I’ve done some tape grinding for the last week to get us a mock draft for the upcoming 2027 Draft.
The Seahawks have stacked themselves one hell of a draft board for this year after scoring compensatory picks for the loss of Nolan Teasley to Minnesota GM as a minority candidate, plus projected comp picks for the loss of Boye Mafe, Ken Walker, Riq Woolen, and Coby Bryant. They lost their native 4th round pick for trading into the 2026 Draft to get Beau Stephens, but they may earn an additional 7th rounder for the trade of Mike Jerrell two years ago. The current capital adds up to twelve picks. I’ve done some research (with the help of OTC), and this work has yielded an overall Seahawk draft board that will look something like this:
#1.28
#2.60
#3.92
#3.100c (Teasley)
#4.135c (Mafe)
#5.165
#5.175c (Walker)
#5.176c (Woolen)
#6.208
#6.213c (Bryant)
#7.226 (Atlanta/Jerrell)
#7.247
I used a mock draft simulator parallel to my theoretical mock, but the simulator is not accurate to the number and placement of the Seahawks’ picks. But I don’t mind it as I expect Seattle to use some of that capital for player trades now, before the regular season starts, and/or during the trade deadline. Coming out of the draft with ten total picks seems reasonable.
The next piece of information to consider going into the scouting season, for me, is the impending free agents Seattle will potentially be losing. This list currently includes: Uchenna Nwosu, Dante Fowler, Mike Morris, Zach Charbonnet, Emmanuel Wilson, Drew Lock, Anthony Bradford, Olu Oluwatimi, Noah Igbinoghene, Trevon Diggs. After extending Leonard Williams this week; there are really only 1-3 starters the team might need to replace. Which is wild.
The combination of huge draft capital and hardly any dire needs is why I think the Seahawks will win Super Bowl #3 in 2028 and not 2027 after this season.
I like Seattle to start the draft by trading down their first pick and moving up their second. I like drafting twice in the #35-55 range.
I tend to think the Seahawks’ first pick this year will be an Edge Rusher. I suspect the scouting department had taken a peek at the 2026 Edge class, and then looked ahead to the 2027 class, and decided they could get their long-term replacement for Boye Mafe in 2027 (and after signing Fowler as a stop-gap).
#2.43 – Edge, Louisville, Clev Lubin
As I alluded to earlier…this is essentially the replacement for Boye Mafe who was temporarily replaced by Dante Fowler. This needs to be a speed rusher for quick wins. Lubin is being listed by Louisville at 6’3″/260lbs currently, which is perfect size for the role Seattle needs to fill. In 2025 Lubin posted 13.5 TFL and 8.5 sacks after transferring from Coastal Carolina where he had 12.0 TFL and 9.5 sacks. He also had 11.5 sacks and 23.5 TFL in 2023 at JUCO Iowa Western. So he’s had success every year, every time he has leveled-up.
#2.55 – Guard, Cincinnati, Evan Tengesdahl
Arguably, the biggest need for the Seahawks will be to replace their starter at right guard, Anthony Bradford. Maybe somebody currently on the roster will earn promotion to the starting role, but I haven’t really seen enough from anyone to think that. Plus, I think there are some strong options in the draft. This could be a tackle they move inside to guard, but I like Tengesdahl quite a bit and he will simply need to move from left guard to right.
Tengesdahl is listed 6’3″/325lbs, which marks a nice middle point between the 335lbs of Bradford, and the 307lbs of Mason Richman or 308lbs of Bryce Cabeldue. I think he’s got the perfect temperament for replacing Bradford, as well. He’s got some of that “warrior in the garden” that Mike Macdonald has said he is looking for. Plus, he’s outstanding in zone scheme.
#3.79 – Quarterback, Miami, Darian Mensah
Not only is Drew Lock about to be a free agent, but I suspect we’re about to see Jalen Milroe get a full preseason game to showcase how little he has developed. I look at the 2027 QB class, and I think there’s a ton of depth, so locating a backup QB should be relatively easy. I think we could be looking for a backup with upside.
I loved Mensah before the 2025 season after he transferred from Tulane to Duke. Now, after transferring from Duke to Miami; Mensah could, honestly, be in the pole position for the Heisman after following in the portal footsteps of Carson Beck last year and Cam Ward in 2024. I think he might be closer to the Cam Ward tract. But for now; Mensah is available in the middle of the 3rd round, so I’m taking him there. Not far off from the Russell Wilson pick in 2012.
Mensah is listed at 6’3″/218lbs. He was the #21 passer in the country last year, and he will be joining a stacked roster with better OL and better weapons on the Hurricanes. I like him to climb from his already respectable draft projection.
The (kinda) only negative on the fit for Mensah and the Seahawks is that Darian isn’t much of a runner, and I think Macdonald wants a QB that can run. At least he hasn’t been asked to do that to this point. He kinda looks more like Sam Darnold in that regard.
#3.94 – Running back, Georgia Tech, Justice Haynes
Similar to QB; I’m already a little skeptical about the type of runner I’m projecting for Macdonald. I think he might want a bit of a bigger back that will be more complimentary to Jadarian Price, who is only 209lbs. Haynes is listed 5’11″/210lbs by the Yellowjackets. Zach Charbonnet is more the profile I think we may need, and he is listed 6’1″/220lbs. That may not seem like a huge difference, but I tend to think it is. At 220lbs, you’re bigger than most modern safeties, and with proper momentum; you can put a hurting on many modern linebackers. But I just really like Haynes’ overall profile.
Last year, at Michigan, Haynes had one of the better explosive-run rates in the country.
#4.110 – Wide Receiver, Miami, Cooper Barkate
The wide receiver room is actually in pretty good shape going into next off-season in terms of club control. But they could, potentially, look to get out ahead of cutting some of their less-healthy, less-productive receivers at the bottom of the depth chart. Jake Bobo will be coming back from major knee surgery. Tory Horton has had multiple injuries. Ricky White has only played in two games and has yet to see a target as a pro. Emmanuel Henderson might be more of a return specialist so that Rashid Shaheed can focus on offense. I just think any of these guys can be upgraded.
Barkate actually made the same transfer that Mensah made, as both were playing for Duke last year. Barkate, however, transferred to Duke from Harvard the year prior. So, yeah, this is a very smart player. And I love his tape. Listed 6’1″/195lbs, Barkate had 72 catches for 1106 yards last year.
#4.135 – Cornerback, Michigan, Zeke Berry
I think Corner is a pretty high want/need for the Seahawks right now. I think they wanted a corner at the trade deadline while Riq Woolen was under contract, I think they wanted a corner in free agency, I think they wanted a corner early on draft weekend, I think they wanted a corner before agreeing to deal(s) with Terrion Arnold and Trevon Diggs, and I think they want a corner after agreeing with Arnold and Diggs. The only reason I’m waiting until the fourth round to draft one is because I happen to really like Zeke Berry, who is insanely under-ranked to start the year. He probably won’t get out of the 2nd round by the time the draft actually rolls around.
Listed 5’11″/196lbs, Berry had 1 INT, 10 PBU last year, but more importantly…he’s got some of the best pure coverage skill I’ve seen this early in the cycle.
#5.165 – Center, Nebraska, Justin Evans
The Seahawks need, at minimum, a replacement for backup Center next offseason. Listed 6’2″/315lbs; Evans will slide into the opening vacated by Oluwatimi hitting free agency.
#5.175 – Safety, Kentucky, Ty Bryant
Safety may not be a need for Seattle at all, but when you have 12 picks; you can draft pretty much every position group. I wasn’t even, technically, looking for safeties when I found Bryant. I was actually looking at a teammate of his, but then Ty popped on the tape.
Listed 6’0″/198lbs, Bryant had 4 INT, 1 PBU, 76 tackles, and 2 TFL last year.
#5.176 – Defensive line, Notre Dame, Francis Brewu
I’ll be curious if the Seahawks look to address more positions along the defensive line. They could double down on Edge with both Nwosu and Fowler becoming free agents. They could target a bigger hybrid DT/DE profile with Mike Morris becoming a free agent. They could look to finally address nose-tackle in a more substantive way. I’ve got Seattle taking Brewu who is listed 6’1″/285lbs as more of the Mike Morris profile. Better yet…let’s dare to dream on Brewu being the Mike Bennett profile.
#6.209 – RB, Miami, Mark Fletcher
There is NO way that Fletcher is available this late, but for now I’m psyched to get a second RB that could actually start this late. Fletcher is listed 6’2″/225lbs and would immediately slot in as a replacement for Emanuel Wilson, who is a similar size.
In 2025, Fletcher ran for 1192 yards and 12 TD’s. He has some of the best contact balance in the country.
#7.247 – Quarterback, Auburn, Byrum Brown
The Seahawks could be looking to add two QB’s this offseason. It’s unlikely they would add two that were rookies, but if you’re drafting one in the 7th round, you probably can sneak him to the practice squad. Then, you sign a vet QB on a one-year deal to be the actual 2027 backup.
Brown is a unicorn in this QB class. Listed 6’3″/235lbs…Brown is an absolute tank of a man at QB. In 2025, he passed for 3158 yards, 28 TD, 7 INT, and he RAN for an additional 1008 yards and 14 TD on the ground. That is the real lede of the story. Macdonald wants this profile. But it’s gotta work.
Seattle Seamocks 