Seattle Seahawks 2026 NFL draft grades by the experts

"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. Seattle hit the secondary twice with Fuller and Dansby late and didn't find any pass rushers in the draft."

Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN: B-

"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.... Jadarian Price steps in as a possible answer (for Kenneth Walker III's absence). 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."

Connor Rogers, NBC Sports: C+

"I’m sure it will be criticized, but I loved the Super Bowl champs getting a big play running back at the end of round one. The run game is the engine that makes the rest of their offense go, you need a difference-making running back to accomplish that. Bud Clark is a bit of a gambler at safety, but his range and ball skills were exactly what they needed to replace at free safety. Julian Neal fits the mold of the big, athletic cornerbacks they like to target. His transition speed can be a step slow, but he is a plus run defender that should be fine in off coverage. I don’t think the Seahawks got much impact from day three, but Emmanuel Henderson Jr. should be an excellent punt gunner at the next level. Sidenote: trading a 2027 fourth to get into the fifth round for Beau Stephens was not my favorite move, but clearly they felt they needed real depth at that spot."

James Dator and Mark Schofield, SB Nation: C

"The Hawks definitely got the secondary help they were looking for, but the corners they selected were reached for a little too far. I really like the Bud Clark pick in the 2nd round. He was one of my favorite safeties in this class, and think he can be an impact players. Still, the core issue is that the Seahawks didn’t really maximize their value with the majority of their selections. There were some rumors that Seattle was trying to make a massive trade into the Top 10 in the hopes of landing Jeremiyah Price (I assume he means Love, here), and when that didn’t materialize they scrambled a little too much."

Nate Tice and Charles McDonald, Yahoo! Sports: B-

"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 drop-off 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. After that, the Seahawks kept filling out the few outright needs this roster has. Bud Clark is the Coby Bryant replacement as a rangy safety who loves attempting to make the big play on the football and Julian Neal is a cornerback with good size who helps fill out the room. He’s another one-for-one type replacement with the recently departed Riq Woolen."

Dane Brugler, New York Times: 25th best draft class (no letter grade)

"I expected to slot Jadarian Price in here — he could lead all rookies in rushing yards. But the more I think about Clark and his fit with the Seahawks, the more I love the pick. His rangy ball skills on the back end, as a two-high safety or nickel, will give Mike Macdonald options. The Seahawks have their speed receiver in Rashid Shaheed, but Henderson should get a few looks on the outside because of his ability to win deep (four catches of 50-plus yards in 2025). His kick return ability can get him on the field quickly."

Rob Rang, FOX Sports: B

"The clear star of the class is running back Jadarian Price, an instinctive runner well-suited to the wide-zone scheme new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury will keep in Seattle. The Seahawks needed to find a back with Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III now with the Chiefs, and the club filled holes at safety and cornerback with its next picks in TCU’s ball-hawking Bud Clark and the ascending and highly aggressive Julian Neal at No. 99 overall. Day 3 went from a yawner to the Seahawks’ most active day of the draft, with the club turning one pick into five, adding pro-ready guard Beau Stephens, Minnesota ironman Deven Eastern, toolsy wideout (and special teams ace) Emmanuel Henderson and two more developmental cornerbacks in Andre Fuller and Michael Dansby. This class wasn’t as flashy as the one a year ago, which helped power the Seahawks to its second championship in franchise history, but it was an impressive haul that improved one of the deepest rosters in the league — even with the club having already invested two middle-round picks at the trade deadline for Rashid Shaheed."

This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: How did the experts grade the Seahawks' draft class?