Eight New Faces, Two Trades, and a Seahawks Draft Class That Screams "We're Building"

The Seahawks wrapped up their 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday, April 25, and they came out of it feeling good, even if Mike Macdonald and Brian Fleury are already asking themselves the question every competing team asks: how do we get better? Here's the thing, though: they just grabbed eight draftees, and the way they did it tells you something about how they're thinking.

Trading Up To Land Their Guy at Running Back

With the 32nd overall pick in Round 1, Seattle selected Jadarian Price, a running back out of Notre Dame. Price ran an official 4.50-second 40-yard dash at the combine, and scouts have been talking about his leadership, resiliency, and humility as much as his on-field ability. The Seahawks clearly felt Price was the right fit for what they're building in the backfield, and they were willing to invest early draft capital to make sure they got him.

Building the Secondary and Trenches Over Three Days

After Price, the Seahawks went to work filling holes. With the 64th overall pick in Round 2, they grabbed safety Bud Clark from TCU. Clark ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the combine and showed up ready to play when he got the call. By Round 3, pick 99, they had cornerback Julian Neal from Arkansas in the fold, a guy who said in his draft conference call that he's "the most physical corner in this draft class." Neal ran a 4.49-second 40-yard dash and impressed evaluators with his broad and vertical jumps at the combine.

Down to Round 5, pick 148, and the Seahawks grabbed guard Beau Stephens from Iowa. By this point, they'd made the pivotal decision to convert two picks into five, stretching their draft haul and adding depth across the roster. Stephens ran a 5.35-second 40-yard dash and was happy to stay home as a Hawk.

The Late-Round Haul

The draft's final day saw the Seahawks turn just two picks into five. That meant Michael Dansby, Deven Eastern, and Andre Fuller also found their way to Seattle, all at picks 236, 242, and 255 overall respectively. It's a move that shows you how Seattle wants to fill out the roster: quantity and depth in the trenches and in the secondary, building a foundation that Macdonald can work with.

The question now is simple: can this class contribute early and help Seattle compete right away?

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.