Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider likes his defense. That’s the only explanation for why only two of Seattle’s 11 selections in the 2025 NFL draft were utilized on the defensive side of the ball. Schneider and head coach Mike Macdonald shifted their attention to the struggling offense, giving new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak the ingredients required to craft a successful unit.
Despite only having two picks to thoroughly assess, we’ve assigned a letter grade to the two prospect selections Schneider made on defense.
Round 2, No: 35: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Schneider made an aggressive trade-up, parting with Nos. 52 and 82 to move up 17 spots, acquiring the 35th selection from the Tennessee Titans to draft safety Nick Emmanwori. Emmanwori is a big, athletic safety who projects as a versatile chess-piece in Macdonald’s complex defense. The Seahawks possessed a ton of draft capital as a result of the Geno Smith and DK Metcalf trades, and they used that to their advantage to make a sizable jump the board for a defensive prospect they love. Grade: A
Round 5, No. 142: Rylie Mills, DL, Notre Dame
The Seahawks love rotating defensive linemen, so they nabbed Notre Dame’s Rylie Mills in the fifth round. Mills, a five-year contributor for the Fighting Irish defense, is a versatile player. The Lake Bluff, Illinois native recorded a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2024, showing an improved ability to rush the passer. Grade: B-
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Grading the Seahawks’ picks on defense
Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider likes his defense. That’s the only explanation for why only two of Seattle’s 11 selections in the 2025 NFL draft were utilized on the defensive side of the ball. Schneider and head coach Mike Macdonald shifted their attention to the struggling offense, giving new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak the ingredients required to craft a successful unit.
Despite only having two picks to thoroughly assess, we’ve assigned a letter grade to the two prospect selections Schneider made on defense.
Round 2, No: 35: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Schneider made an aggressive trade-up, parting with Nos. 52 and 82 to move up 17 spots, acquiring the 35th selection from the Tennessee Titans to draft safety Nick Emmanwori. Emmanwori is a big, athletic safety who projects as a versatile chess-piece in Macdonald’s complex defense. The Seahawks possessed a ton of draft capital as a result of the Geno Smith and DK Metcalf trades, and they used that to their advantage to make a sizable jump the board for a defensive prospect they love. Grade: A
Round 5, No. 142: Rylie Mills, DL, Notre Dame
The Seahawks love rotating defensive linemen, so they nabbed Notre Dame’s Rylie Mills in the fifth round. Mills, a five-year contributor for the Fighting Irish defense, is a versatile player. The Lake Bluff, Illinois native recorded a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2024, showing an improved ability to rush the passer. Grade: B-
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: 2025 NFL draft: Grading the Seahawks’ picks on defense
