My Thoughts and Grades on the Seahawks 2025 Draft Class and 54-Man Roster Prediction

 The 2025 Draft has concluded, and I think the Seahawks had a very solid draft.  They addressed positions of need, and I think this team will be very competitive this season.  I'm going to go over each draft pick, my brief thoughts, and give a letter grade, and finish with some final thoughts.  I am going to be a bit on the harsher side with my grading, so be forewarned.

Afterwards, I'll predict a rough idea of the 54-man roster.  Likely going to be very wrong in some spots, but I'll do my best.

Round 1 Pick 18: Grey Zabel, OL, North Dakota State
Very solid pick.  It's not particularly exciting nor flashy, but it's what we needed.  We can only hope he adjuts to the NFL and doesn't rack up a ton of penalties.  We need to run the ball more, and Grey will help with that.  I think Grey was projected more as a late first-rounder, so we could've maybe traded down and gotten something from it.
Grade: B-

Round 2 Pick 35: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
My favorite pick of the draft.  He was often mocked as a late first-rounder, so this was a steal.  Smart of John to trade up to snag him here while he was still available.  I can't wait to see the backside defense of Love and Emmanwori.
Grade: A

Round 2 Pick 50: Elijah Arroyo, TE, Miami
The first real headscratcher for me.  We already have two very solid tight ends in Fant and Barner.  Perhaps Fant will be a cap casualty in training camp since he is paid over $10 million a season.  I didn't think we particularly needed tight end help, but we'll see.  I've heard decent things, but we already have an emerging stud in Barner.  Perhaps we can have what the Patriots had in the early 2010s with Gronk and Hernandez.  
Grade: C

Round 3 Pick 92: Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama
It will remain to be seen how good this pick is.  I think it would be foolish of us to think Jalen will match what Russ did in his career, our last QB drafted this high.  Let's hope he can grow and learn from the sidelines and not get pressed into action too early.  I think that's why we got Lock as well.  I'm ok with this pick, but I think the odds are more likely that Jalen doesn't have success with the Hawks than he does.
Grade: C-

Round 5 Pick 142: Rylie Mills, DT, Notre Dame
Don't know too much about him, but I know we always need nose tackle depth.  We'll be hoping Byron Murphy takes a big step in his second year, but Mills is good insurance.  
Grade: C+

Round 5 Pick 166: Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State
One of the two WRs of this draft is going to be a hit and shine in training camp, and I bet it'll be Horton.  WR was definitely a position of need, at least where we needed depth.  
Grade: B

Round 5 Pick 175: Robbie Ouzts, FB/TE, Alabama
Are we going back to old school I formation football?  Perhaps for some plays.  If so, I'm down.  He could also play special teams, so this is a very solid pick.  But the thing is, we already had Brady Russell, who is switching to FB as well.  I think only one can make the roster.
Grade: B-

Round 6 Pick 192: Bryce Cabeldue, G, Kansas
Yes!  More midwestern O-Linemen!  Hey, he might be a steal.  Likely won't outplay Grey, but imagine if they both end up starting.  I will never hate an O-Line pick unless we have too many of them, which will never happen.
Grade: B+

Round 7 Pick 223: Damien Martinez, RB, Miami
This reminds me of another late-round running back, ALSO out of the University of Miami.  That being Travis Homer.  He was a very good special-teams player for a while.  But I think Martinez will be more of a third-string/third-down back.  We'll see.  Can't hate a late running back selection.
Grade: B

Round 7 Pick 234: Mason Richman, OL, Iowa
Our THIRD midwestern offensive lineman!  Love it.  Odds are only one of Cabledue or Richman make the team, unless they maybe push Bradford out (honestly, kinda hope they do).  
Grade: B

Round 7 Pick 238: Ricky White III, WR, UNLV
Like I mentioned with Horton, one of these guys is going to make a splash in training camp, I bet.  It might not be Ricky White, but you never know.  
Grade: B+

Overall Grade/GPA: 2.81 (B- average)

Overall, very solid draft for John Schneider and company.  I didn't hate a single pick.  In all likelihood, maybe 7 or so (out of 11) of them make the team this season, with perhaps 3 or 4 playing multiple significant seasons with the team.  But it's how significant those seasons end up being that will determine how successful this draft truly is.  

Just for funsies, I'll also predict the 54-man roster and possible practice squad:

QB (3): Darnold, Lock, Milroe
RB/FB (6): Walker, Charbonnet, Martinez, McIntosh, Holani, Ouzts
TE (3): Barner, Arroyo, Saubert
WR (5): Kupp, Smith-Njigba, Valdez-Scantling, Horton, Bobo
OL (10): Oluwatimi, Sundell, Cabledue, Richman, Haynes, Laumea, Zabel, Cross, Lucas, Jerrell
26

DL (7): Lawrence, Mills, Williams, Murphy, Reed, Morris, Pili
LB/Edge (7): Hall, Jones, Knight, Mafe, Nwosu, Smith, Sheriff
CB (5): Witherspoon, Woolen, Pritchett, Jobe, Jean-Charles
S (5): Bryant, Love, Emmanwori, Reed, Finley/Bell
24

ST (3): Myers, Dickson, Stoll

Notable cuts: Noah Fant, Dareke Young, Anthony Bradford

Practice Squad candidates: 
Ricky White, WR
Cody White, WR
Hall, CB
Bohanna, DT
Aumavae-Laulu, G
O'Connell, LB
Thomas, LB

I'm probably way off with the numbers regarding positions, but it should be fun for me to see how close I get!  Training camp is still three months away... sigh.  But it should be hear before we know it! :D

My Preferred 2023 Seahawks Draft (And review of the actual draft)

I did this last year, and I correctly had us selecting Tariq Woolen.  I did not, however, realize he would turn into a star in his first year.  Well anyway, I thought I'd do a mock Seahawks draft again.  I'm using a combination of two things: Walterfootball.com and a document a Seahawks fan put together, measuring draft prospects against guys we typically take.  I'm also going to do this assuming no trades.  It's silly, as the Hawks very likely will trade down at some point, but to guess where and how far would just be a crapshoot.

In BOLD, I say where the player listed ended up getting drafted.  Some of these I was quite far off on.  Oops.

Round 1, Pick 5: Tyree Wilson, Edge, Texas Tech
I think the Cardinals take Will Anderson to help their pass rush (or someone trades up to get him).  I also think Jalen Carter falls a bit in this draft, and I actually believe we pass on him.  Tyree Wilson is a bit of a reach at 5, but that's nothing new to the Hawks.  Charles Cross was a slight reach at 9 as well last year.  Let's just hope whoever we take here does better than the last defensive player we took at least this high, Aaron Curry in 2009.

Tyree ended up going #7 to the Raiders.  We ended up taking Devon Witherspoon.  It'll be interesting to see who has the better career.  I'll say this: Witherspoon is going to the better organization than Wilson.

Round 1, Pick 20: Siaki Ika, NT, Baylor
The Seahawks pass on Jalen Carter, hoping he maybe falls to 20, but he does not.  So instead, they take Siaki Ika from Baylor.  He's heavier than the DT's they usually draft, but he's about the same size as other DT's the Hawks have had over the years, like Bryan Mone and Al Woods.  The Hawks definitely need a nose tackle to replace Al Woods, who was cut, so they likely spend one of their earlier picks on one.  

Oh boy.  I was off.  Siaki ended up going pick 98 in round 3 to the Browns.  I saw he could've been first round talent, and we know the Hawks have reached in the past.  The Hawks ended up taking Jaxson Smith-Njigba, who I'll definitely look forward to all the misspellings of his names by Seahawks fans on Reddit, Facebook, etc.  I prefer the Hawk's actual pick (actually), and I think JSN will have a better career than Ika.

Round 2, Pick 37: John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota
Yes, even with the signing of Evan Brown, the Seahawks could use another center. And I expect them to take one with one of their 2nd round picks, if not their 20th overall pick.  Better to not wait, so I have them spending the first of their two second-round picks on the highest-graded center, John Michael Schmitz from Minnesota.  Carroll and Schneider still long for the days of Max Unger, so they know they need a good stalwart at center.  They badly missed out on Creed Humphrey, selecting D'Wayne Eskridge instead (Ouch).  They won't make the same mistake (I hope).

The Hawks instead took Derick Hall, defensive end.  I wish we had taken JMS, who ended up going to the Giants at pick 57.  If he becomes an all-pro like Creed Humphrey, I might lose it.  I'm not particularly excited about Hall, seeing as we've yet to really develop an edge rusher... ever.  Ok, Frank Clark is one, but there's an exception to every rule.

Round 2, Pick 52: Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State
This is where I could see the Hawks trading down, especially if they've addressed their immediate needs (DL, interior OL/C).  I know Carroll loves his speedy linebackers, and why not take a local kid in Daiyan Henley from WSU?  I know we signed Devin Bush and Bobby Wagner, but I guarantee Bush will have competition.  We'll need depth there, anyway, with Bush's injury history and with Brooks missing the start of the season.

The Hawks instead took Zach Charbonnet, running back.  I wish we had grabbed the local kid in Henley.  The Hawks in fact did not take any pure linebacker in the draft (if you don't count Hall or Morris as one).  Henley went #85 to the Chargers.  So we could've had him, just like Schmitz.

Round 3, Pick 83: Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss
Hmmmm... drafting a bigger wide receiver from Ole Miss on Day 2?  Well, it worked out for the Seahawks once before with DK Metcalf, so why not try again?  I'm sure DK would love to work with Mingo and mentor him.  The Hawks have been looking for a legit #3 for years, and I think they'll try to find it in the draft.

We did draft a receiver (JSN), but all the way up at #20.  The Hawks traded down to 108 and took Anthony Bradford, guard.  Mingo went #39 to the Panthers, so we wouldn't have had a shot to get him, at least not here.

Round 4, Pick 123: J.L. Skinner, S, Boise State
Maybe PC/JS are trying to rebuild the Legion of Boom.  They already have their Richard Sherman clone in Woolen.  What about a Kam Chancellor clone?  Granted, Skinner is a bit on the skinny side, but he could bulk up, I bet.  I just bet Carroll would love his 6'4" frame.  We do have Adams and Love, but Adams is injury prone.  And Love is a newcomer, so it's yet to be seen how he'll fit in.  If they are able to get Skinner to bulk up enough, he could move to linebacker.

Instead the Hawks drafted Cameron Young, defensive tackle.  I felt like they should've taken one sooner, but what do I know?  Skinner went all the way at 183 to the Broncos.  So I was off again.

Round 5, Pick 151: Roschon Johnson, RB, Texas
Roschon's vertical isn't particularly ideal, but I think PC/JS might take a running back mid-late in the draft who is larger and can withstand some hits.  Roschon is 6'0" 219 lbs, so he'd be a nice contrast to the smaller Kenneth Walker.  

Roschon went at 115 to the Bears, so earlier than I thought.   Instead of us drafting a mid-round RB, we drafted an early one (#52, Charbonnet) and a late one (#237, McIntosh).  Here we drafted Mike Morris, defensive end.

Round 5, Pick 154: Yaya Diaby, Edge, Louisville
You think PC/JS would be happy with just Tyree Wilson?  Maybe... but I could also see them taking someone else as a project, such as Yaya Diaby.  One, I like his name.  And two, he seems to have all the measurables.  He also just seems like a PC/JS kind of guy based on his name and personality.

Unfortunately, we didn't get Diaby, who I would've love saying the name of.   He went #82 to the Buccaneers, so I was way off.  Instead, we drafted Olusegun Oluwatimi, whose name I'm going to have to learn how to spell correctly without looking up... someday.  I'm totally fine with that change.  Rumor is that the Hawks were thinking about taking Diaby at #83, but the Bucs sniped him away from us, so the Hawks traded down.  

Round 6, Pick 198: Tre Tucker, WR, Cincinnati
The Hawks may draft two receivers (almost a guarantee to draft at least one), and I could see Tre Tucker coming to us.  He's got decent speed, so he could compete with Dee Eskridge for a spot on the roster.  The Hawks could use an underneath speedy guy to emerge.

We did not draft a second WR, but we did draft a safety like I thought.  Just a bit later than I thought.  Tucker ended up going #100 to the Raiders, so again I was way off.  The Hawks went with Jerrick Reed, safety, instead.  I'm okay with that.

Round 7, Pick 237: Cameron Mitchell, CB, Northwestern
The Hawks may take a corner to see if they can one day be our nickel. Mitchell has the speed and measurables that line up.  This could be any position here, but I decided to go with something the Hawks hadn't taken yet.

Funny how the Browns and Raiders took a combined four players that I liked.  Mitchell went at 142 to the Browns, so again just so far off.  We took Kenny McIntosh, who I love and I think has a good chance of making the roster.

I didn't get any players that the Hawks ended up taking (damn).  But I'll say this: I think I prefer the Seahawks draft over the one I had them take.  It's close.  I would've loved John Michael Schmitz, but if Oluwatimi ends up being as good (or better) than JMS, this draft was an absolute win.

Well, there you have it!  I'd be stoked with this draft.  Here's what a 53-man roster would look like with this draft:

QB (2) - Geno Smith, Drew Lock
RB (5) - Kenneth Walker III, Deejay Dallas, Roschon Johnson, FA (Undrafted?), Nick Bellore
WR (6) - Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, Jonathan Mingo, Dareke Young, 2 of the 3 of D'Wayne Eskridge/Cade Johnson/Tre Tucker
TE (3) - Noah Fant, Will Dissly, Colby Parkinson
OL (9) - Charles Cross, Abraham Lucas, Jake Curhan, Stone Forsythe, Phil Haynes, Damien Lewis, Evan Brown, John Michael Schmitz, Joey Hunt
DL (5) - Dre'Mont Jones, Bryan Mone, Siaki Ika, Jarran Reed, Myles Adams
Edge (4) - Tyree Wilson, Boye Mafe, Uchenna Nwosu, Darrell Taylor/Yaya Diaby
LB (6) - Bobby Wagner, Devin Bush, Daiyan Henley, Alton Robinson, Tyreke Smith, Vi Jones
CB (5) - Tariq Woolen, Mike Jackson, Coby Bryant, Tre Brown, Cameron Mitchell/Artie Burns
S (5) - Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams, Julian Love, J.L. Skinner, Joey Blount
ST (3): Jason Myers (K), Michael Dickson (P), Ott/Tinker (LS)

And unlike last year, I'm going to give a quick comment on each position and how they shape up.

QB: Two QB's under contract.  Might bring in someone for pre-season, but they likely get cut.
RB: Hawks almost guaranteed to draft one, they'll need someone to replace Penny/Homer.  Might have a surprise UFA make the team here.
WR: A draft pick, possibly two make the team.  

TE: Same three as last year.
OL: Starting five would be Cross, Lewis, Schmitz, Haynes, and Lucas.  
DL: Ika and Mone are the more traditional nose tackles/run stuffers.  The rest are used in pass situations.
Edge: Three of four likely are first or second round picks (this year or in year's past), plus a big FA last year in Nwosu.
LB: Brooks will be on the shelf early on, so I expect the starting 'backers to be a combo of Bush, Wagner, and a draft pick (Henley?).
CB: Honestly, they'll probably draft a CB higher than what I said, but it is what it is.
S: With Neal seemingly on his way out, we will need a safety, especially if we adopt 3 safety sets like it is rumored.
ST: Same as last year.

So, there you have it!  It'll be interesting to see if we end up taking any of the guys above.  I'll come back after the draft and mention who we took instead and who ended up taking the guy I wanted.

2022 Seattle Mariner Regular Season Grades - Hitters

 The 2022 MLB season is almost finished, and with that, I thought I'd hand out some grades to some Mariner players.  They have clinched a playoff spot for the first time in 21 years.  So for that, I will tend to grade a bit on the kinder side.  However, I must take expectations into account, so if they played great last year but not this year (even if they were on another team), I will have to take that into account.  Here we go:

Starters

Cal Raleigh: A-
Cal has been a godsend for manger Scott Servais.  After his slow start, boy did he pick it up.  Imagine after Raleigh's slow start that someone told you that he would set the record that very year for home runs by a Mariners catcher.  I certainly wouldn't have believed it.  He's also handled the pitching staff like a 10-year vet.  His average still leaves a bit to be desired. So hopefully, that rises next season.

Ty France: B+
Ty had a slightly healthier season and earned his first All-Star nod.  Unfortunately, he battled injuries shortly after the break and his average plummeted.  His defense has been very good, even when he had to play a few games at third with Suarez's injury.  Hopefully, he can stay healthy all of next season.

Adam Frazier: C-
I felt a D+ grade was too harsh, but would it be?  Frazier's average has hovered around .230, .240 for the second half.  He had one small hot spurt for a few weeks, but that's about it.  Not that he was expected to have any power, but that certainly didn't show much.  His defense has been average at best.  Frazier did not do enough to secure 2nd base for the future, leaving the Mariners' front office to possibly look again for a 2nd baseman in the offseason.

JP Crawford: C+
JP's season was quite the mixed bag.  He started out very hot, hitting .300 and even showing power.  He then cooled off considerably, and his defense seems to have regressed.  But I'll give JP this: He works counts and is one of the best "battlers" on the team.  Meaning he fights and works counts as well as anyone on the team.

Eugenio Suarez: A
In the Winker/Suarez trade, Suarez was almost considered an afterthought, a salary dump.  But boy, are Mariners fans glad we got him.  He hasn't hit for the highest average and strikes out a TON, but his home runs have been the most clutch on the team, and he has provided gold glove defense at third base.  The Mariners wouldn't be in the playoffs without him.

Jesse Winker: D
Jesse gets a D for Disappointing.  He hit over .300 last season and was an All-Star.  He's not even close this season (.220 or so).  He avoids a failing grade for his clubhouse leadership and his ability to draw walks.  That's it.  I can't forget to mention his defense, which has been way below average and has definitely cost the Mariners runs.  

Julio Rodriguez: A+
Based on what we expected (or didn't expect) at the start of this season, how can I not give Julio an A+?  A 25-25 season, amazing defense, and likely will lead the team in batting average at the season's end.  I wouldn't have believed it if I had said that to myself in April.  Julio has been everything this team needed and more.  

Carlos Santana: C+
His batting average has been less than ideal, to put it nicely.  But Carlos has hit some extremely clutch home runs and played some surprisingly good defense at first base.  We also cannot forget his clubhouse leadership and his being a role model to young players like Julio.  

Mitch Haniger: D+
It may seem harsh, but I expected a lot from Mitch when he got back.  Unfortunately, he suffered a severe ankle sprain after his first at-bat back and missed several months afterward.  Mitch did hit well immediately after returning but has since cooled off.  His defense has been solid for the most part.  We needed hot Mitch for more of this season.

Bench Players/Role Players

Dylan Moore: B-
I can't give him higher than that, I'm afraid.  Dylan somehow inexplicably leads the Mariners in on-base percentage.  But his average around .210, .220 leaves a lot to be desired.  He strikes out a lot for a speedy contact guy.  However, he has played above-average defense at six positions and has gotten some clutch steals.  

Sam Haggerty: B+
"Swags," or "Swaggerty," as he's called; it's hard to believe that he was a fringe AAA early in the season.  He has played some amazing outfield and was hitting near .300 for a few months.  He's been a player Servais could plug into either corner OF spot, centerfield, or even 2nd base if need be.  

Abraham Toro: D-
Toro could just not get his average above .200.  He did provide some clutch hits, but that's about the only thing keeping him from a failing grade.  His place on the roster is in jeopardy for the future.

Jarred Kelenic: D+
Kelenic also couldn't get his average above .200.  He had three separate stints up, and it wasn't until the 3rd time that he started hitting.  Unfortunately, it was too little too late.  But Kelenic has played some solid outfield and drawn his share of walks.

Luis Torrens: C-
He had some clutch hits, and I do believe his defense has improved.  He could get a lot better at framing pitches, I will say.  But for a guy who is supposedly a "hitting" catcher, he doesn't hit well enough.  We'll see if he'll do enough to earn the job of Raleigh's backup next year.

Everyone else: INCOMPLETE
Guys like Kyle Lewis, Taylor Trammell, Curt Casali, and guys that are no longer in the organization like Jake Lamb, Justin Upton, Steven Souza, and Mike Ford just didn't have enough time for me to grade them.  

That's all for the hitters, look out for grades on the pitchers soon!

EARLY Predictions for Seahawks 53 Man Roster

Well, with the draft completed the Seahawks roster for the 2015 season is coming into clearer focus and I think now would be a good time to predict the Seahawks 53 man roster.  Obviously, there are going to be injuries and probably more signings, but let's see how close I can get. 

QB (2): Russell Wilson, B.J. Daniels
With T-Jack probably gone, Daniels gets promoted to backup and might even be used on special teams a bit.  With that in mind, the Hawks might have a young QB on the practice squad.

RB/FB (5): Marshawn Lynch, Christine Michael, Demitris Bronson, Derrick Coleman, Will Tukuafu
No Robert Turbin?  Well, I just think the Hawks might just decide he's not going to blossom into a full-time RB in this league, so they might have to cut ties with him.  Or maybe he gets hurt, who knows.  Coleman will earn his starting FB job back and Tukuafu makes the team because of his versatility. 

WR (5): Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, Paul Richardson, Tyler Lockett, Ricardo Lockette
No Kevin Norwood or Chris Matthews, I know... I just don't see much production coming from either of them.  Maybe Norwood can be on the practice squad.  Ricardo Lockette is too good of a special teamer to leave off the team.

TE (3): Jimmy Graham, Luke Willson, Cooper Helfet
A lot are expecting Anthony McCoy to make a comeback, but I don't.  He's too injury-prone. 

Offensive Line (9): Russell Okung, Alvin Bailey, Kristjan Sokoli, J.R. Sweezy, Justin Britt, Lemuel Jeanpierre, Mark Glowinski, Terry Poole, Garry Gilliam
In the first five, you have my predicted starters on the OL from left tackle to right tackle.  Sokoli will start at center, I'm predicting.  Patrick Lewis might make it over Jeanpierre... it's a close call.  Also I wouldn't be surprised to see any of the OL draft picks (Sokoli, Poole, Glowinski) be put on the practice squad.

Defensive Tackles (4): Brandon Mebane, Jordan Hill, Ahtyba Rubin, Tony McDaniel
I only see four here because the Hawks have Defensive Ends (Bennett, Scruggs) that can play interior as well as Tukuafu.  I wouldn't be shocked to see McDaniel cut due to his age, but we'll see.

Defensive Ends (5): Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, Cassius Marsh, Frank Clark, Greg Scruggs
Scruggs is a long shot but I like him for his versatility.  Marsh should be a force if he can stay healthy.  Clark, despite his legal problems, should have a good rookie season.  Bennett should just stop whining about his contract situation and play.  I have Obum Gwacham on the practice squad.

Linebackers (7): K.J. Wright, Bobby Wagner, Kevin Pierre-Louis, Brock Coyle, Mike Morgan, Mister Alexander, Alex Singleton
What? No Bruce Irvin?  He's just too much of a problem now.  I think KPL is good enough to start.  I love the name of Mister Alexander, haha. 

Cornerbacks (5): Richard Sherman, Cary Williams, Marcus Burley, Will Blackmon, Tye Smith
Simon and Lane will start out on the PUP or injured list, I'm assuming.  I think the Hawks can get away with 5 CB's especially if they keep an extra safety that can move back and forth, like I'm predicting. 

Safeties (5): Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Deshaun Shead, Keenan Lambert, Ryan Murphy
Shead can play safety and corner, plus he has experience so he has a good shot.  Lambert is the half-brother (I think) of Kam Chancellor so that certainly helps.  Murphy might only make the practice squad, but we'll see.

Special Teams (3): Steven Hauschka (K), Jon Ryan (P), Nate Boyer (LS)
I'm pulling for the former Green Beret.  Sorry, Clint Gresham. 

Well, that's 53 players.  I'm sure I'm totally wrong on some but we'll see how close I get.