2025-nfl-draft

Seahawks draft targets: Edge Rusher

/ seattleseamocks

By Jared Stanger

As I’ve been locating, cataloging, documenting various aspects of this draft cycle; it started to occur to me there might be a post, or series of posts, illustrating various tiers of draft capital investment. In a big-picture view, this can help to establish positional priorities, and it may also lock in the tiers of talent across all positions that can help evolve a general draft strategy of when to focus your draft picks vs when to bail from draft ranges.

The first position group I’ve decided to take a closer look at is one that draft media has long said is a strength of this year: the Edge rushers. As I dug into the position in as comprehensive a manner as I could; I discovered multiple new names to add to my board, which I think supports the idea that this is a deep group.

Edge also feels particularly relevant to the Seahawks due to the news/rumors that came out during the trade deadline build-up where-in impending free agent Edge Boye Mafe was being floated as a trade away candidate. Seattle may be anticipating a good Edge draft and willing to let Mafe walk as a free agent for a potential compensatory draftpick, and replace Mafe with youth.

The format for these pieces, which I’m currently planning to do for all position groups, will be to identify a candidate(s) at a high price point (1st-2nd round), a mid price point (3rd-5th round), and a low price point (6th round-UDFA). These candidates will be weighted as much to what I believe to be current Seahawk traits under John Schneider as the buyer for a Mike Macdonald menu.

High round:

I did some pretty intensive research into what I think Macdonald likes in his Edge players. I tried to be pretty objective to the traits I think he likes, I allowed each player to have one category where they fell below standard, but they could not have two strikes against, and this led to some interesting eliminations, and certainly to some VERY interesting additions.

After going through multiple levels of eliminations; I only came away with one name still in consideration that currently has projection in the top 64 picks/top two rounds: Missouri Edge Zion Young. It should be noted there are five names that survived my process, and Zion finished fifth of five of those names.

Young has 15.0 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 11 hurries in 11 games so far this year, and he has projection in roughly the middle of the second round.

Mid round:

Again, I only came away with one player in this range: Miami Edge Akheem Mesidor. Mesidor had some interesting pings in studying the group. He has posted 12.0 TFL, 7.0 sacks, 4 hurries, 4 forced fumbles in 10 games. His consensus draft ranking puts him in the third round. I think this is an interesting idea. A trench player from a blue chip program is never far from Schneider’s heart.

Low round:

This is where I felt things got really interesting. This is where I came away with three names that survived all rounds of elimination without accruing two strikes. All three of these guys currently are projecting as undrafted free agent types. Some of that will change with decent athletic testing at the Combine. Some of that will change simply because the media is less aware of these guys than NFL teams actually are.

#1 – From SMU we have Edge Cameron Robertson, who has missed three games this year, but was back in the lineup for SMU’s most-recent game vs Louisville on November 22nd. In the eight games Robertson has played, he has posted 9.0 TFL, 5.0 sacks, 3 hurries.

#2 – From Central Michigan, we have Edge Michael Heldman. There’s something about the recent chatter about the Seahawks acquiring Maxx Crosby, a highly productive college player that came from Eastern Michigan and was drafted in the 4th round, that makes me intrigued with Heldman and the next guy I will talk about. Heldman has recorded 13.0 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 9 hurries in eleven games this year.

(Just for reference…Crosby in his draft year posted 19.0 TFL, 7.5 sacks, 7 hurries in twelve games.)

#3 – From Western Michigan we have Edge Nadame Tucker. Tucker was part of my recent mock draft that was primarily tape-based, and he looks even more intriguing after seeing him come out as still highly relevant in this more analytics-based study. He has 18.0 TFL, 12.0 sacks, 12 hurries, 4 forced fumbles in twelve games. He did come up short in one of my metrics, but in every other category; he really looked like a potential fit for Macdonald.

This is a very exciting player that draft media is not caught up on…yet.

I did a separate piece of analysis this week just trying to gauge Seattle’s interest in various position groups, and it really did make it seem they may be putting emphasis on Edge rusher(s). But then the question becomes: “does emphasis mean chronological priority?” Does needing an Edge rusher on your roster mean you force a pick on one in a draft that may see some quality guys fall further down due to depth of the class? Now, I’m not saying they wait until rookie free agency to get one of the three guys I highlighted as currently projected there…I suspect that will change by April. But it might mean you can get one on day three of the draft (like Crosby).

My priority list currently goes: Tucker, Heldman, Mesidor. In that order.

Seahawk November mock

/ seattleseamocks

By Jared Stanger

We’re now a week past the trade deadline and we have an update on what picks the Seahawks have left after acquiring Rashid Shaheed from New Orleans. It is commonly being reported that Seattle has four picks left, but I think it’s five*. At the end of the preseason, we traded OT Mike Jerrell to Atlanta for a conditional 7th round pick. I did some digging and I don’t see any reason why people aren’t counting that pick other than, possibly, they’re cynical that Jerrell will hit the triggers (most likely games active or season snap count rate) to secure the pick for Seattle. But for now I’m going to include it.

So, Seattle has the picks at roughly #1.29, #2.61, #3.93, #6.207, #7.224. If we get to the draft and haven’t traded our first round pick for a veteran player; I really think John Schneider will trade back their first to get some more picks. I’m actually projecting two trades: #1.29 goes to Cleveland for picks #2.38, #4.104, #5.151 and then I have our pick #3.93 going to Denver for pick #4.103 and #4.130. Final draft pick allotment:

#2.38
#2.61
#4.103
#4.104
#4.130
#5.151
#6.207
#7.224

The next thing I’m taking a look at to inform this mock draft will be the Seahawk 2026 unrestricted free agents. We’re due to lose CB Josh Jobe, Riq Woolen, and Shemar Jean-Charles, DE Boye Mafe, LB Chazz Surratt, OT Josh Jones, RB Ken Walker, S Coby Bryant, WR Rashid Shaheed and Dareke Young. TE and DT have really good continuity into next year.

Seeing three CB as potential roster losses, and then knowing that this draft is not that strong at CB is a huge problem, to me. I’m kind of pushing a pick up for need, but it’s not a huge problem because some of the other positions we “need”, like WR and DE, have pretty good depth in this class.

#2.38 – Cornerback, San Diego State, Chris Johnson

I think we need to re-sign one of Jobe or Woolen, but then also draft a CB as early as possible. Johnson was in my previous mock but at a later round. Now I’m just cutting to the point. He’s 6’0″/195lbs, and for the year so far he has 3 INT, 7 PBU, 40 tackles, 2.0 TFL.

#2.61 – Center, Florida, Jake Slaughter

Personally, I just don’t think Jalen Sundell nor Olu Oluwatimi are the future of our Center position. We need to actually address it with some urgency. Slaughter was my favorite college center in the 2024 season, and I haven’t really seen much to move someone ahead of him. I know Logan Jones from Iowa is a touted athlete with good zone blocking experience, but I just like Slaughter’s brain more.

#4.103 – Quarterback, Duke, Darian Mensah

Obviously, the narrative has changed on Sam Darnold. But it’s probably not the last time it does. He’ll be recency biased to death based on his two most recent games for a while.

That isn’t really what this mock pick is about. I’ve never been a fan of Drew Lock, and I’ve consistently had my doubts on Jalen Milroe. I would like to take another midround shot at finding a developmental QB. Maybe Sam Darnold continues his current play and Mensah will be an inexpensive backup QB for 2-4 years, maybe Darnold reverts to his Jets’ form and Mensah becomes a starter sooner than we’d guess in November 2025. Doesn’t matter. One thing this draft does have is depth at QB. The first round may be a QB landmine, but there are a number of guys with middle round projection and yet some upside.

Mensah is listed 6’3″/205lbs, and currently playing to a 69.8% completion, 8.7 ypa, 24 TD to 4 INT, and a 165.07 passer rating. Basically, top 15 numbers for all QB’s this year. He is a redshirt sophomore this year after spending two years at Tulane, the most recent of which he started 13 games.

#4.104 – Linebacker, Texas Tech, Jacob Rodriguez

I think we’ve seen enough of the Mike Macdonald defense over the last year and a half to recognize it can be massively impacted by not having the right kind of guy playing linebacker. Ernest Jones really stabilized that position when he was acquired last year…Drake Thomas has been doing some really interesting things since becoming a starter a few weeks ago…Tyrice Knight had probably the best game of his career this week with Jones inactive with his injury. All of those guys have team control for at least another year. Rodriguez is just gonna be a guy we use to take the roster spot of Surratt, while also believing Rodriguez could slip into that green dot player a year or two down the road.

Rodriguez is listed 6’1″/235lbs, and he’s putting together an impressive 2025 campaign with 91 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 3 INT, 5 PBU, and he leads the country with 7 forced fumbles.

#4.130 – Offensive Line, Boise State, Kage Casey

I like this class of Guards, with a few that are college Tackles that likely kick in to Guard. For me, I’m drawn to a guy that CAN play tackle so that we have a de facto replacement for Josh Jones, but then you also get another warm body to challenge for the starting Right Guard job.

Casey is listed 6’5″/311lbs and he’s a very Northwest guy…college in Idaho after high school in Oregon. It’s a fun story to close the circuit going pro in Washington.

#6.151 – Wide Receiver, Duke, Cooper Barkate

After trading for Rashid Shaheed, and the subsequent press conference commentary that it seems Shaheed and the Seahawks will look to create a contract extension for him; I think we can look for a different type of WR in the next draft. In a literal sense, we’re looking to replace Dareke Young on the roster, but watching Barkate’s tape I also found myself thinking of a different receiver.

Barkate is listed 6’1″/195lbs, and so far he has posted 50 catches for 824 yards, 16.48ypc, and 5 TD in 9 games.

#6.207 – Edge Rusher, Western Michigan, Nadame Tucker

I have this idea of what Mike Macdonald covets in his Edge Rushers. Tucker is not that. After including the Macdonald type guy in my outline prior to writing this mock; I kind of abandoned it and went with the guy that looks like a potential future NFL contributor that was available late in the draft. This is a draft with some projected depth at DE, so we’re hoping to hit on one from that depth.

Tucker is listed 6’3″/250lbs with 38 tackles, 15.0 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 8 hurries, and 3 FF for the year. There have been numerous reports that Seattle was close to trading away Boye Mafe last week, so it seems we need to be expecting that he won’t be back for 2026 once he enters free agency next March. The big question going forward is: “what is their idea for replacing him?” Do they have a DE trade in mind that they may revisit after the season? Is there someone on the roster or practice squad that they see upside in, and will look to elevate next year? Or, are they thinking they could trade Mafe away and find someone in a deep DE draft?

#7.224 – Running Back, Miami, Mark Fletcher

Ken Walker is another impending free agent, and it’s really not clear what Seattle might intend to do with him. For the first half of the season, they’ve really been closely monitoring K9’s pitch counts. Are they simply trying to maintain his health to get him to the postseason? Or, maybe, more cynically, they may be trying to keep his free agent price lower so as to allow them to re-sign him cheaper.

Fletcher is listed 6’2″/225lbs, and has 636 yards rushing and 9 TD’s for the year.

The only free agent I haven’t really addressed via draftpick is Coby Bryant. I do have a short list of priority free agents, one of which is Nebraska Safety Deshon Singleton. In a down draft year; it’s tough to expect much, if any, talent to fall to undrafted free agency, so these names can be taken with a grain of salt, but right now I’ve got names like Singleton, LB Jack Kelly, OG Justin Pickett that would be amazing to sign after the draft.