Byron Murphy fell right into the Seattle Seahawks’ hands during the 2024 NFL Draft. Murphy fell to the 16th overall pick due to the other team’s needs on the offensive side of the ball. The Seahawks might not be so lucky in the 2025 NFL Draft starting on April 24 due to the wide variety of talent on both sides of the ball. This draft process might be the best and only chance for the Seahawks to draft the best players available in key position needs. It is a process where they may have to overdraft a player in the first or second round, but it will be beneficial once the season begins.
Do the Seattle Seahawks overdraft a player in the 2025 NFL Draft?
Offensive line development is critical
Seattle’s offensive line has been under criticism for years, but this past season was a continuation of the struggles. The offensive line encountered inconsistent play, poor development, poor coaching from the offensive coordinator, and poor play recognition. The offensive line also allowed the third-most sacks this season at 54. Some linemen were solid at run-blocking, but they were inefficient at pass protection. The Seahawks rank 28th in the league in rushing offense.
Seattle needs to draft the best offensive lineman available, likely at the tackle. The best scenario would be for the Seahawks to draft Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks and shift Abraham Lucas into the interior. Many draft boards regard Banks as a top-ten prospect. Seattle could afford to overdraft a talented offensive lineman like Ohio State’s Josh Simmons, Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr., Alabama guard Tyler Booker, and Minnesota’s Aireontae Ersery.
Linebacker might be the right move
For several seasons, the Seahawks have been struggling to stop the run. A portion of that remains due to the complete instability of the linebacker corp. Seattle made moves during the off-season and during the middle of this past season to ensure they are not letting long-rushing play happen against their defense. The Seahawks finished 16th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game. Ernest Jones becomes to be an unrestricted free agent while John Ross becomes an exclusive free agent.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Seattle skip an offensive lineman early based on the young linemen already drafted. The Seahawks could address the need to fix up the rush defense with a star in the linebacker corps. Middle linebackers are usually a position that is not drafted in the first round or, at least, high in the first round. The last pure inside linebacker to be drafted in the first round was Jack Campbell for the Detroit Lions in 2023. Campbell was considered an overreach and now the Lions have a star and a leader on the defense.
Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell might be the linebacker that has first-round value. While he possesses first-round value and shows great potential, he might be overlooked due to his position. If the Seahawks look to address the defensive side of the ball in the first round, it should be for Campbell or Georgia safety Malaki Starks.
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