Running the football is etched into the culture of the Seattle Seahawks. Whether its Curt Warner, Shaun Alexander, Ricky Watters, Marshawn Lynch, or recent Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, the Seahawks have had their offense go through the run game. With that comes the need for offensive lineman who create holes for the running backs to run through. In the 2025 draft, the Seahawks added Grey Zabel, Mason Richman, and Bryce Cabeldue to help establish that stout offensive line. In 2026, the Seahawks traded
up into the 5th round and used their 4th pick in the draft on Iowa guard Beau Stephens to continue to add to the offensive line.
As the video above shows, Beau can definitely assist in the run, with Iowa being a run heavy team. Emory Hunt notes in his Draft Guide that Beau, “Does a good job of using the defender’s momentum against him, will effectively wash/escort him to the side in which he’s going, clearing out space in the run game.”
The question is, though, is how well will Beau fit in with the Seahawks? In my continued series on deep diving into the Seahawks draft picks, we will take a look at Beau and what he brings to the team.
Beau coming to Seattle is reunited with fellow Iowa offensive lineman Mason Richman, which will help settle in with the team. That continuity and connection with a college teammate seems to be something that coach Mike Macdonald does key in on, with Zabel and Jalen Sundell being a recent example of that. It has worked out in the Seahawks favor, going from ranking around 32nd in 2024 to 15th per PFF in 2025. It is not all on Zabel and Sundell; offensive line coach John Benton, assistant offensive line coach Justin Outten and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak had a lot to do with the offensive line’s success. It is true, though, that continuity is big in an offensive line’s success, and having Zabel and Sundell play side-by-side definitely played a part. Bringing Beau into the Seahawks and reuniting with Richman will continue on with that philosophy.
Another note is scheme fit. Iowa runs a wide zone offense, which is the kind of offensive scheme that Mike wants the Seahawks to run. He hired Klint with that in mind in 2025, and did the same with new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury. Beau will have a smooth transition with learning the scheme. He did not allow a single sack the last three seasons, and allowed no quarterback hits and only four hurries in 2025. Beau also ranked in the 89th percentile in zone run-blocking grade, which is a hand-in-glove fit for the Seahawks. He will have to compete at right guard, with Zabel solidly situated at starting left guard. With Anthony Bradford on the last year of his deal, Cabeldue, Beau, Christian Haynes, and Richman will all be pushing him for that position. It is a deep competition, with Bradford having won the starting position each of the last two years with two different coaches. With Beau’s physicality and refined technique, he will have a chance to become a contender for starting RG.
While it will be tough for the rookie to become a year one starter, it is within the realm of possibility. He was a part of the Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line, which is awarded to the best offensive line in college football, and Beau was a central part of its success. At 6’5” and 315lbs, he is around the archetype of offensive lineman Mike wants on the team (average on the Seahawksis around 6’4” and 311lbs with a few outliers). With a Relative Athletic Score of 7.73, he is solidly athletic for an offensive lineman, with a size and athletic testing comp being Will Clapp, who had a solid eight-year career with the Saints, Chargers and Bills. While his combine testing numbers were seen as average, his play tape tells a different story. He would push defenders back to the second level to open run lanes for runners, creating an anchor to prevent defenders from getting to the quarterback, and as shown in the video below, would pancake defensive tackles.
Beau also has experience playing both left and right guard in college and taking snaps at center at the Senior Bowl, showing his versatility, which as previous deep dives have noted is something the coaching staff values. He is also a silent leader. Dane Brugler pointed out in The Beast, Beau would pull younger teammates aside to help them out, which shows his maturity and willingness to be a mentor. Fits the Seahawks Mission Over BS philosophy, and having leaders on the team.
Will Beau make an impact in 2026? With the team trading up to get back into the 5th round, it seems as though the team has high hopes for the young man. Benton had a large grin speaking the Beau on the phone as they prepared to draft him. While he will need to compete to get a starting position, he has the proper mentality and work ethic to fight for it. Beau fits the culture, the philosophy, and the athleticism of a Seahawks player, and has the chance to be a long term contributor to the offensive line.
