Assessing 2026 draft by the Seahawks’ post-Super Bowl metric: ‘Competitor Scale’

Those years of younger player deferring and awed to veterans resulted in far less competitive practices. That resulted in weaker teams — and an 11-year wait to play in another Super Bowl that ended in February.

That’s why a prospect’s competitiveness and confidence became bigger traits than 40 times and game tape for this year’s Seahawks draft.

Enter Julian Neal.

“We’re going back to back,” the cornerback from Arkansas and Fresno State proclaimed among some of his first words to Seahawks reporters on the phone Friday night, minutes after the team made Neal its third-round pick.

“I’m the most physical corner in this draft class,” Neal also declared.

“I come down, I hit something. I’m going to go up and get the ball. I’m getting interceptions. I’m pressing dudes at the line. I’m locking dudes up at the line.

“It’s box time!”

FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - OCTOBER 18: Julian Neal #23 of the Arkansas Razorbacks tips a pass in the end zone in the second half that was thrown to KC Concepcion #7 of the Texas A&M Aggies at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on October 18, 2025 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Aggies defeated the Razorbacks 45-42. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

When Schneider was told of Neal’s comments, the GM shot a look and said: “Julian said that?”

“We’ll talk to him about messages,” Macdonald, seated next to Schneider, said.

“He’s a confident sucker,” Schneider said.

Jadarian Price was the Seahawks’ number-one pick, the 32nd pick to end round one Thursday.

How competitive is the new running back poised to replace departed Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker? Price turned down potentially millions of dollars in NIL money other schools were offering for him to transfer from Notre Dame all his college years. That was because Price remained a backup to Notre Dame superstar back Jeremiyah Love, the third pick in this draft by Arizona.

“I made a challenge to myself to split reps with the best player in college football. And I did that,” Price said. “And I showed that I can do it at the highest level.

“Sitting here now,” he said late Thursday night as a new Seahawk, “it’s the greatest decision I could have made.”

Jadarian Price (24) of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish returns a kickoff for a touchdown during the third quarter against the USC Trojans at Notre Dame Stadium on October 18, 2025 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Bud Clark was Seattle’s second-round pick. The first guy the cornerback from Texas Christian likened his game to as a new Seahawk Friday night?

“Bam Bam” Kam Chancellor.

“Yeah, Kam Chancellor, of course,” Clark said. “Because he’s always brought the pop.

“And I feel like he was the hammer, not the nail. That’s what I try to do all the time I play.”

Yeah., Clark’s coming sounding the opposite of awed by a Seattle Super Bowl-champion legend.

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 01: Safety Bud Clark #21 and members of the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs celebrate after Clarks interception returned for a touchdown at the end of the first half against the University of North Carolina Tar Heels at Kenan Stadium on September 01, 2025 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Alex Halloway/Getty Images)

Heck, even the last player Seattle drafted, cornerback Michael Dansby, the 255th of 257 players selected across the league this weekend, has bravado. Dansby, from Arizona and San Jose State, said after the Seahawks took him as the last of their three seventh-round picks that he ran an unofficial 4.25 seconds in the 40-yard dash during training for the draft.

Schneider chuckled at that.

“He’s a cornerback. He’s going to tell you that,” the GM said.

“He’s swaggy.”

Defensive back Michael Dansby #25 of the Arizona Wildcats reacts after a missed field goal by kicker Jesus Gomez #35 of the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half at Sun Devil Stadium on November 28, 2025 in Tempe, Arizona. This year's game is the 99th annual Territorial Cup game between the rival Arizona schools. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Seahawks’ ‘Competitor Scale’

How do their GM and coach assess how they’ve addressed the goal of drafting rookies not in awe of the Seahawks’ champions? With a homemade formula they incorporate into their unique draft board.

“I mean, they wouldn’t have been on our board, really (if the team sensed prospects were in awe),” Schneider said. “That’s a big, that’s a huge (discriminator). Like, they weren’t going to be on the board if we felt that way.

“I could talk to you about this for hours.

“We have a competitor scale. What’s their self-efficacy? How are they going to handle competition?”

Macdonald said the Seahawks’ top three picks of Price, Clark and Neal are examples of three very different personalities, yet each with similarly elite competitiveness.

The coach made the point the team’s brash, Pro Bowl cornerback Devon Witherspoon has a far louder personality than Pro Bowl defensive lineman Leonard Williams.

“But they have those core fundamentals,” Macdonald said.

“They have swag. They have confidence. But they have humility.

“I mean, they play an exciting brand of football,” Macdonald said of this rookie class., “which we feel like we’re excited to work with. I think that’s the common denominator.”

General manager John Schneider (left) and coach Mike Macdonald speak inside the Seattle Seahawks' Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton Saturday, April 25, 2026, after they selected eight players in the NFL draft.

(Gregg Bell/The News Tribune)

Defense. But not everywhere

A Super Bowl champion with 21 of 22 starters on offense and defense returning doesn’t have a ton of needs.

This Seahawks draft was turnkey in backfilling the few, key departures they had in free agency last month.

Cornerback Riq Woolen signed a $12 million, one-year contract with Philadelphia. The Seahawks drafted three cornerbacks: Neal, plus seventh-round picks Andre Fuller from Toledo and Michael Dansby from Arizona.

Safety Coby Bryant departed Seattle, also at the end of his rookie contact. He got a $40 million, three-year deal from Chicago. The Seahawks drafted safety Clark, whom their scouts found to also be brash and energetic — not exactly a candidate to wilt among Seattle’s veterans.

“Bud is going to be fun, too. He’s a blast,” Schneider said. “Mike and I were talking about the personalities. Throughout the process, if we put Bud and ‘Spoon’ in the same room, what’s going to happen?”

Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker left to Kansas City on a $43 million, three-year deal. Seattle made Price only its fourth running back drafted in the first round in the 51 years of Seahawks football.

In all, five of the eight players the Schneider and Macdonald selected this weekend will join what was the league’s top-ranked defense last season. Half the class are defensive backs.

Seattle now has seven defensive backs the team has drafted.

“You can never have too many corners,” Macdonald said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been on a team that’s had this many drafted corners.”

Yet the Seahawks did not backfill the relatively neediest position on a far-from-needy defense: Edge rusher. Boye Mafe left to Cincinnati on a $20 million-per-year deal. Opposite-side edge rusher Derick Hall entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2026. Pro Bowl pass rusher DeMarcus Lawrence turns 34 in three days. This fall will be his 13th NFL season. But the acquisition process continues, into a new, post-draft phase of veteran free agency.

“We’re early right now, relatively speaking, in our process,” Macdonald said Saturday evening.

The Seahawks last week hosted 10-year veteran edge rusher Dante Fowler on a free-agent visit. Fowler, 31, started 11 games and had three sacks last season for Dallas. He had 10 1/2 sacks for Washington in 2024. Before that, he played for the Cowboys when Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde was his defensive line coach in Dallas.

Fowler was Lawrence’s teammate on the Cowboys’ defensive line in 2022 and ‘23.

Monday, unrestricted free agents signed do not count in the league’s formular to determined compensatory draft choice for next year. The Seahawks can, starting Monday, sign a veteran edge rusher and still be on track for what they expect to be 11 picks in a stronger, 2027 draft.

Schneider was asked Saturday following the draft ending about that Monday milestone meaning the team may be in the market to sign a veteran edge rusher.

“Yeah,” the GM said, “we may.”

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider looks on as the Seattle Seahawks cruise to a 41-6 victory against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field, on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Seattle.

Seahawks draft picks

Round 1 (32): Jadarian Price, running back Notre Dame

Round 2 (64): Bud Clark, safety, TCU

Round 3 (99): Julian Neal, cornerback, Arkansas

Round 5 (148): Beau Stephens, guard, Iowa

Seahawks fifth-round draft choice Beau Stephens of the Iowa Hawkeyes participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 1, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Round 6 (199): Emmanuel Henderson Jr., wide receiver, Kansas

Wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. #1 of the Kansas Jayhawks catches a pass against cornerback Blake Cotton #16 of the Utah Utes in the second half at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on November 28, 2025 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

Round 7 (236): Andre Fuller, cornerback, Toledo

Andre Fuller of the Toledo Rockets participates in a drill during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 27, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

Round 7 (242): Deven Eastern, nose tackle, Minnesota

Defensive lineman Deven Eastern #91 of the Minnesota Golden Gophers makes a tackle during the second half on running back Leshon Williams #4 of the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium on October 21, 2023, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)

Rounds 7 (255): Michael Dansby, cornerback, Arizona

TEMPE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 28: Defensive back Michael Dansby #25 of the Arizona Wildcats breaks up a pass intended for wide receiver Jaren Hamilton #16 of the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half at Sun Devil Stadium on November 28, 2025 in Tempe, Arizona. This year's game is the 99th annual Territorial Cup game between the rival Arizona schools. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Rounds 7 (255): Michael Dansby, cornerback, Arizona