The Seattle Seahawks made a lot of noise to start the 2025 NFL offseason, thanks mostly to their makeover of the quarterback position. Gone is Geno Smith, traded to the Las Vegas Raiders after a surprise leap into Pro Bowl form. Taking his place is Sam Darnold, another former first-round draft pick who only recently restored his own starting reputation, fresh off a one-year stint with the Minnesota Vikings.
The quarterback shuffle was just Step 1, however. Right around the same time the Seahawks were preparing to dish out a $100 million deal for Darnold, the team shipped No. 1 wide receiver DK Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Longtime NFC West rival Cooper Kupp soon arrived via free agency to offset Metcalf’s exit, which followed Tyler Lockett’s own departure, and suddenly Seattle’s offensive lineup contained a bevy of new faces.
General manager John Schneider and coach Mike Macdonald only figure to continue the reworking of the lineup in April, when Seattle is set to pick No. 18 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. With that in mind, here are five of the most appealing prospects the Seahawks might target with their first pick:
The Seahawks added a big name in DeMarcus Lawrence to help Mike Macdonald’s pass rush, but at 32 with an injury history, the ex-Dallas Cowboys standout figures to work best in a rotation. Green, meanwhile, is the kind of high-motor complement who could command an immediate NFL role. He made just one college start prior to the 2024 season, but his explosion even as a smaller edge rusher stood out with Marshall. His relentless play style would no doubt appeal to a defensive mind in Macdonald, especially with guys like Leonard Williams by his side.
In the fun-fact department, Egbuka already feels like a Seahawk, growing up less than an hour from Seattle and rooting for the team as a kid, then sharing the Ohio State receiver room with current Seahawks standout Jaxon Smith-Njigba. His profile also makes him a logical fit for the 2025 Seahawks, who added Cooper Kupp out wide but could still use longer-term upside opposite “JSN.” Some scouting reports actually compare him favorably to his old Buckeyes counterpart, but that’s not a bad thing; he’s poised to be a versatile safety valve over the middle.
If there’s one thing the Seahawks have desperately needed in recent years, it’s sturdier blocking. And Booker may well be the sturdiest offensive lineman within reach of Seattle’s No. 18 overall pick. His athletic traits aren’t necessarily the most tantalizing of the class, but the 6-foot-5 Crimson Tide product registers as a potential plug-and-play starter on the interior, where Seattle could really use an upgrade while trying to keep the new guy, Sam Darnold, upright in the pocket. He was lauded for his leadership and consistency at Alabama.
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When you think peak Seahawks, you think tenacious defense, whether with Pete Carroll’s “Legion of Boom” or Mike Macdonald’s current work-in-progress. Emmanwori seems to have precisely the blend of size, strength and playmaking tenacity to help restore the attitude on the back end. Built like a linebacker but rangy enough to patrol sideline to sideline, he’s got some shades of former Seattle star Kam Chancellor. Paired with the re-signed Ernest Jones IV, he could become an instant tone-setting Swiss Army knife for Macdonald’s unit.
Nothing is more important than solidifying the trenches for Darnold, but shedding both Metcalf and Lockett this offseason means Seattle has to prioritize the pass catchers as well. Kupp and Smith-Njibga may be a dynamic tandem for 2025, but the former is also aging and injury prone, which makes a potential total package like Golden all the more attractive. Offsetting so-so size with an innate ability to play every receiver spot with poise, he projects as a future No. 1 wherever he goes, and his penchant for timely splash plays could be huge for Darnold.
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