RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Instead of moving back with their first pick in the NFL draft, the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks elected to fill their most pressing need.
The Seahawks were open to trading their first-round selection for more picks since they entered the draft with only four, their fewest since 2021. But president of football operations John Schneider held onto the 32nd overall pick and used it on Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price.
The Seahawks lost running back and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III when he signed a free-agent deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. Price fit the bill of what Schneider was looking for to bolster Seattle’s backfield.
“Kind of stood alone. Great player,” Schneider said. “The person is outstanding. The competitor. He’s a Seahawk.”
While Price headlined Seattle’s draft class, the Seahawks filled other holes on their young and talented roster. They ended up with eight picks, thanks to trades with Pittsburgh, Cleveland, the New York Jets and Green Bay.
The Seahawks took safety Bud Clark of TCU in the second round. The versatile Clark played safety, nickel back and cornerback for the Horned Frogs and was twice named a second-team All-Big 12 selection.
The 6-foot-1, 188-pound Clark had 15 interceptions over four seasons. He models his game after Seahawks great Kam Chancellor.
The Seahawks parted ways with one outspoken cornerback via free agency in Riq Woolen, who agreed to a deal with Philadelphia in March. They added another in the draft, when they selected cornerback Julian Neal of Arkansas in the third round.
Neal proclaimed the Seahawks will go “back to back” in 2026 and secure the franchise’s third Super Bowl title before explaining why he believes he is the most physical cornerback in the draft.
The Seahawks bolstered their offensive line last spring when they drafted Grey Zabel, who started every regular-season game at left guard. They added to their depth on Saturday by trading up to select guard Beau Stephens of Iowa in the fifth round.
Stephens was a first-team All-American. In Seattle, he will join former college teammate Mason Richman, a seventh-round selection last year.
Stephens started 35 of 43 games in college, 10 at right guard and 25 at left guard. He looks forward to operating within Seattle’s run-blocking scheme, though it is unclear what position he’ll play.
For the second straight season and third time in four years, the Seahawks selected a wide receiver, this time taking Emmanuel Henderson Jr. of Kansas in the sixth round.
Henderson started his collegiate career at Alabama before joining the Jayhawks, for whom he was a third-team all Big-12 selection as a wide receiver and first-team pick as a return specialist.
Henderson led the Jayhawks in receiving yards last season with 766, and tied for the team lead with 45 receptions and five touchdowns. He joins a receiver room headlined by Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the AP Offensive Player of the Year.
The Seahawks made three picks in the seventh round, acquiring cornerback Andre Fuller of Toledo, defensive tackle Deven Eastern of Minnesota and cornerback Michael Dansby of Arizona.
The Seahawks addressed their most pressing needs except at edge rusher. Boye Mafe, who had 20 sacks in four seasons for Seattle, signed a three-year, $60 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency, and the Seahawks did not find an immediate replacement in the draft.
Schneider said the Seahawks may add a player via free agency on Monday. Macdonald pointed to a number of players already on the roster who could replace Mafe’s production, including linebackers Jared Ivey, Jamie Sheriff, Connor O’Toole and Jalan Gaines.
