All A's and B's for the overall draft. Can't believe they didn't allow SH submit his F grade for some balance! LOL
By Bob Condotta
Seattle Times staff reporter
We all know that the best time to truly grade a class of NFL draft picks is in three or four years. We also all know that any grades of any type are meaningless and only the scoreboard and win-loss column matter.
OK, now that that’s out of the way, let’s look at the grades for the Seahawks’ draft, which, despite Seattle picking at the bottom of each round and having only four picks going into the weekend, are actually not too bad overall.
The pick of running back Jadarian Price is generally viewed as sensible, due in part to the fact that only one other running back was drafted in the next two rounds, validating the lack of overall depth at that position and that if Seattle wanted to get a difference-making running back this year, it likely had to do it at pick 32, especially after the Seahawks’ efforts to trade out of Round 1 didn’t materialize.
The move to get guard Beau Stephens in the fifth round is also generally earning plaudits, with many viewing that Seattle’s first four picks — Price, safety Bud Clark in the second round, cornerback Julian Neal in the third and Stephens — all have a chance to be significant contributors in 2026, not a bad haul for a team selecting where the Seahawks did.
And in case anyone forgot why Seattle was saddled with picking at the bottom, the Seahawks provided what they called a “friendly reminder” of why — a picture of the Lombardi Trophy in the team’s draft room, with coach Mike Macdonald and others in sight behind it. A whole lotta flexin’ going on, indeed.
Onto the grades:
ESPN (Mel Kiper)
Grade: B-minus.
Comment: Not only were the Seahawks picking at the end of each round by virtue of winning the Super Bowl, but they came in with just four picks. But like magic, general manager John Schneider doubled that number through four trades. And he walked away with a few very good football players.
Part of the reason the Seahawks won the Super Bowl was an incredible playoff stretch from Kenneth Walker III. He totaled 313 rushing yards over three games, and he went for 135 in the Super Bowl. But with big-game performances come big contracts, and Walker left for Kansas City, opening a void at running back. Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL during the playoffs, meaning the RB1 spot is up for grabs, even after the Emanuel Wilson signing.
Jadarian Price steps in as a possible answer. He is a powerful runner with change-of-direction ability and enough speed to get free for the occasional long gain. Fumbles are an issue (three last season), but if he can iron out those issues, he can be a high-volume ball carrier on first and second down. Price doesn’t offer a ton as a pass catcher, but he is the clear second-best back in this class behind his former Notre Dame teammate, and he can step in as the new RB1 in Seattle.
Bud Clark is a ball hawk who popped at the combine, running a 4.41-second 40 and finishing in the top five at his position in both jumps. He has 15 interceptions over the past four seasons. Julian Neal, the third-round corner, has four over the past two years. Clark can help fill the Coby Bryant hole, while Neal will likely team up with Josh Jobe to get reps at the CB2 spot, as the Seahawks lost Riq Woolen in free agency. Neal doesn’t have Woolen’s speed (his 40 time was 4.49), but he has a big 6-foot-2, 203-pound frame on the outside.
Beau Stephens has starting guard upside (no sacks allowed over the past two years), and Deven Eastern (seventh-round pick) is a big presence at defensive tackle (6-foot-5, 315 pounds). Seattle added picks, but there aren’t many chances to make an impact beyond the top two rounds.
Yahoo.com (Nate Tice and Charles McDonald)
Grade: B-
Comment: Four picks became eight for the Seahawks, even without trading out of pick No. 32 despite general manager John Schneider flaunting a “FOR SALE” sign for weeks. The Seahawks tabbed Jadarian Price at the end of the first round, which could be perceived as a reach for need, but is more understandable when you consider the drastic dropoff of talent in this year’s crop of running backs. They guaranteed themselves a quality starter and didn’t leave themselves at risk of Price getting snatched up in Round 2, forcing them to reach for a player they likely had graded much lower.
USA Today (Nate Davis)
Grade: A-minus (ranked 5th of 32 teams).
Comment: GM John Schneider, who loves to accrue draft capital (often at the expense of premium selections) entered the draft with a league-low four picks, then — somewhat stunningly — did the stick-and-pick thing in Rounds 1 and 2, taking RB Jadarian Price and S Bud Clark, respectively. Both players could and should play a lot as rookies, both due to their draft status and the players Seattle lost in free agency, namely Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III and S Coby Bryant. Yet Schneider still managed to wheel and deal his way into doubling his crop into eight picks. This is how champions are built, two times over now in Schneider’s case with two completely different rosters, an NFL anomaly for a GM.
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SI.com (Matt Verderame, Gilberto Manzano)
Grade: B.
Comment: Seattle didn’t waste time, replacing Kenneth Walker III, Coby Bryant and Riq Woolen with its first three picks. Price is a power back who excels at running between the tackles. He will likely be a Day 1 starter with Zach Charbonnet recovering from a torn ACL sustained in the postseason. Clark can play free safety and nickel corner, and by now, it’s common knowledge that coach Mike Macdonald loves versatile defensive backs. Neal has enticing length at 6′ 2″ as a cornerback.
CBSSports.com (Carter Bahns)
Grade: B.
Comment: In a vacuum, the first round is probably a bit early to take the No. 2 running back in this class. It works for the Seahawks, however, because they’re in a unique position as the reigning Super Bowl champions with very few needs.
Running back is the most glaring of those deficiencies with Kenneth Walker III out the door and Zach Charbonnet likely to miss a sizable chunk of 2026 as he recovers from a torn ACL. Seattle could afford to reach a bit to round out what it hopes is another championship roster, and Price is such a talented ball carrier that nobody batted an eye at the selection.
The safety and cornerback additions addressed the Seahawks’ two next-biggest deficiencies. That’s textbook drafting.
SportingNews.com (Vinnie Iyer)
Grade: B-plus (19th).
Comment: The Seahawks wasted no time filling needs created by free-agent losses of Walker and then Coby Bryant and Riq Woolen in the defensive backfield. GM John Schneider made sure the Super Bowl champions didn’t lose much punch, but it would have been nice to add a little more pass-rush help to their rotation.
NFL.com (Chad Reuter)
Grades: Day 1, B; Day 2, A-minus; Day 3, B.
Comment: Facing the loss of Kenneth Walker III to free agency and a lack of elite backs in this draft class, the Super Bowl-champion Seahawks chose Price with the final pick of the first round. They’ll be hoping he can excel as a rusher, receiver and pass protector in an expanded role on Sundays. Seattle addressed its thin secondary on Day 2, finding Clark, an athletic ballhawk, and Neal, a big, physical corner.
The Seahawks trade of fourth- and fifth-round picks for receiver Rashid Shaheed proved to be a worthwhile investment during their Super Bowl run. That said, the move limited their Day 3 picks, and they had to give up a 2027 fourth-rounder to move into position for Stephens, who figures to compete for the right guard spot this year.
