2025 NFL Draft Grades: Seattle Seahawks

Best Pick: Second-round tight end Elijah Arroyo has great pass-catching skills. He should become an immediate part of their offense for Sam Darnold.

Worst Pick: I didn't love the pick of quarterback Jalen Milroe in the third round. He's a project, a wonderfully gifted project, but he will take time.

The Skinny: Getting offensive lineman Grey Zabel in the first was a good, sound pick and they followed that up by taking South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori, who I thought could go to them in the first. It was a solid draft -- if not special. I do like fifth-round receiver Tory Horton.

Top needs entering the draft: Guard, center, defensive tackle and wide receiver

Seattle made one of the biggest roster changes of the offseason, swapping out quarterback Geno Smith for Sam Darnold. But is it actually better because of the decision? I'm not so sure. If Darnold is better than Smith, it's only by a small amount. Yes, this is a team coming off a 10-7 season, but it has major holes, including at wide receiver, where DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are out and Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are in.

The good thing? General manager John Schneider had the capital entering this draft to add quality starters and solid depth. With three picks in the first two rounds -- Nos. 18, 50 and 52 -- he had a chance to come away with multiple starters.

I'm a big fan of how Schneider approached every day of the draft, but especially the first two. Grey Zabel will be an instant starter at guard. Nick Emmanwori is one of the best athletes in this class, and he should help solidify the defensive backfield. The Seahawks traded up to get him, but he's a great fit and it was a value on my board. Elijah Arroyo is my third-ranked tight end -- they got him at No. 50. Quarterback Jalen Milroe isn't ready to start, but he has unbelievable traits and could help the running game in 2025. I thought he had a chance to go at the top of Round 2. Seattle did a stellar job addressing holes but also looking to the future.

Damien Martinez is a Day 3 player to watch. Last season, he averaged 4.5 yards after contact per rush, which ranked fourth in the FBS. I wouldn't be surprised if he found a role as a rookie. I'm a fan of the versatile Rylie Mills, who can play in any defense. He had 7.5 sacks when lined up as a defensive tackle last season and is powerful at the point of attack. Wideout Ricky White III and offensive tackle Mason Richman are good players.

All in all, Schneider had a tremendous weekend, improving his roster in several areas. This class gets high marks.

The Seahawks put together one of the most athletic draft classes in recent memory, grabbing North Dakota State guard Grey Zabel (one of the most athletic offensive linemen on record), South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori (the most athletic safety on record), Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo (who was clocked at 21.8 MPH last year), and Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe (who ran a 4.4-second, 40-yard dash at his pro day) with their first four picks. Zabel fills a massive need and should start right away at guard or center. Emmanwori is a versatile chess piece that gives head coach Mike Macdonald tons of flexibility with how he deploys his secondary. Arroyo fits perfectly into the play-action, deep-shot offense that I expect Klint Kubiak to run in Seattle next year. And Milroe is the perfect developmental third-round quarterback, possessing the elite physical tools and reportedly A-plus character to develop into a starter down the line. Past that, I liked the selection of Colorado State receiver Tory Horton, who profiles as a run-after-the-catch and deep-shot option on the outside. Miami running back Damien Martinez in the seventh round also represents great value. All in all, this looks like a promising draft class full of early contributors. If Milroe somehow cleans up his mechanics and ends up as the team's starter in a year or two, that's just a massive cherry on top.

Football can be a complicated game, but sometimes the simplest solution is the right one. That was the approach the Seahawks took in the first round, nabbing their perfect schematic fit in Grey Zabel, the most versatile blocker in this class and a plug-and-play option at left guard.

This was the earliest the Seahawks have drafted an interior offensive lineman since Hall of Famer Steve Hutchinson, and I'm not sure GM John Schneider enjoyed using his first-round pick on an interior blocker. But once he forced down those vegetables in the first round, the rest of the draft was dessert, and the Seahawks feasted as well as any team in the league, landing three other prospects in safety Nick Emmanwori, tight end Elijah Arroyo and quarterback Jalen Milroe, each of whom flashed first-round traits.

Milroe, of course, won't be expected to play right away, with the Seahawks signing Sam Darnold in free agency. He does offer intriguing running ability, however, for an offensive coordinator (Klint Kubiak) who values a mobile quarterback, and a head coach (Mike Macdonald) who joined Seattle following time in Baltimore with Lamar Jackson.

The Seahawks aren't likely to get the same production out of late-round receivers Tory Horton and Ricky White III as longtime stars DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, but each does offer legitimate big-play potential as well as special teams prowess.

The Seahawks needed a splashy draft and got one. In terms of both quantity and quality, their 2025 class was as good as any in the league.

Here's why: The Seahawks chased athleticism in this draft in a big way. Grey Zabel, Nick Emmanwori, Jalen Milroe, Elijah Arroyo and Tory Horton are some of the most athletic players from this draft. Zabel will help the Seahawks patch up their offensive line immediately in a big way and Emmanwori is at least a developmental athlete for head coach Mike Macdonald to try and turn into a better player than he is right now. For a team that's resetting and looking for upside, this draft made a bit more sense than some of their free-agent signings.

Most interesting pick: Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama

Draft picks: Milroe is going to be the Seahawks' developmental quarterback prospect behind Sam Darnold. He has incredible traits, but the consistency wasn't good enough for him to go much higher than this. It'll be fascinating to see what role the Seahawks find for Milroe in Year 1 because his ability to be a gamebreaker with the ball in his hands will be too valuable to keep on the bench for 100% of the year.

GM John Schneider and HC Mike Macdonald sure have been busy transforming the roster during a frenetic offseason. That continued in a draft that should be a boon to the present and possibly the longer-range future. First-round OL Grey Zabel addresses a clear and present need at guard. Second-round S Nick Emmanwori, whom Schneider moved up for, could be the next coming of Kam Chancellor. Second-round TE Elijah Arroyo will also have a chance to be a significant presence in a new-look passing attack. But the obvious wild card is third-round QB Jalen Milroe, a tantalizing prospect whom the Seahawks should have the luxury of developing on a reasonable timeline ... especially if new QB1 Sam Darnold retains his newly found Pro Bowl form.

There are fewer concerns now about the Seahawks spending on Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp after the impressive selections they made here. Last season in Minnesota, Darnold proved he's a quality quarterback when he has a clean pocket. Seattle made strides to improve its offensive line with the versatile Zabel, who can play guard or center. The Seahawks also gave Darnold another weapon in Arroyo, insurance in case Kupp's best days are truly behind him. Speaking of insurance, Seattle gave itself another option at quarterback with the intriguing Milroe. Coach Mike Macdonald saw firsthand in Baltimore how the Ravens utilized Lamar Jackson on a daily basis, and that's Milroe's most special trait. But the best pick might be Emmanwori, who could be Macdonald's version of Ravens star safety Kyle Hamilton.

The Seahawks went six-for-six to start their draft. I've never seen anything like that in the NFL Draft where a team just keeps selecting great players six times in a row, it was like seeing Bigfoot riding the Loch Ness Monster. Grey Zabel, Nick Emmanwori, Elijah Arroyo, Jalen Milroe, Rylie Mills, Tory Horton - all six players taken at great value. Job well done by John Schneider.