We’re just hours away from the 2026 NFL Draft. The Seattle Seahawks are on the clock at pick 32, but it’s more likely than not they’ll try to push themselves back to Friday for the early portion of Round 2. If they don’t? Well, they’ve done the “stick-and-pick” with their top choice in each of the last six seasons, so maybe it wouldn’t be a major surprise.
The Field Gulls staff got together to make our predictions for what the Seahawks will do with their first-round pick. Stay put? Trade down? Trade for a player?
The options are all on the table—okay, trading up is probably not on the table—and our answers vary quite a bit.
Mookie Alexander: The Seahawks trading down is easier said than done. You need a partner who wants to move back into the first and if this draft isn’t considered a deep one, there may be difficulty in getting the desired outcome. Still, John Schneider will probably find a way to move down a few spots. Cornerback is deep enough that the Seahawks don’t have to take one with their top pick if there’s someone else on the board they like better, but I think the board will fall in a way that they’re compelled to go CB. They’ll trade down a couple of spots and pick up one Day 3 pick to replace one they lost in the Rashid Shaheed trade. San Diego State’s Chris Johnson looks like a perfect scheme fit for Seattle; my only concern is how he fares in more press situations at an NFL level. He ticks all other boxes in terms of his tackling, disciplined coverage in zone, and mirror-and-match abilities.
Josh Hite: The Seattle Seahawks under John Schneider have averaged 9-10 draft picks annually. You can count on one hand the amount of times John has picked less than 9. John has traded out of the first round 5 times, the last time in 2017. With that being said, I believe John will trade out of the first round to accumulate more draft picks, and draft Treydan Stukes with their first pick. He is a Mike Macdonald kind of player with his hard work, high IQ, 9.95 RAS score, and position versatility at DB. Has experience playing safety and corner, and has been a multi-year captain. Smart. Tough. Reliable. High IQ. Versatile. Athletic. He is one of the most Coach Mike coded players in the draft.
John Gilbert: For years I have worked the overnight shift on weekends, which meant using time off to cover the first two days of the draft. I had my time off requested early this year, only to get a recent promotion on very short notice that has me on day shift for the next couple weeks. That means no night shift, which in theory means being available for the draft. However, it also means getting sent to the other side of the country for training, so I’m on Pacific Time and training runs until after the start of both Day 1 and Day 2 of the draft. Thus, the Seahawks are guaranteed to trade out of the first round and into the top of the second, with the pick being made in the 90 or so minutes before I’m able to tune in and watch.
John Tapia: Everyone knows Seattle wants to trade out of 32. However, that does not mean there will be a team who wants to trade up to 32. That being said, I predict that John Schneider sticks and picks at 32 with the hope of gaining more 2026 draft capital by trading down from 64 or using 2027 draft capital to do so. As for who Seattle takes at 32? I believe the draft day slide of cornerback Jermod McCoy stops with Seattle. Readers may scoff at the notion that McCoy could be available at 32. However, recent reports show that McCoy’s knee injury could cause him to slide (similar to Will Johnson’s slide into the second round in 2025). Would this knee injury scare Seattle as well? Very possible. However, the talent that McCoy could bring to the CB room outweighs that potential scare in this prediction.
Ted Zahn: Just ignore the fact that last year I predicted the Seahawks wouldn’t draft an offensive lineman in the first round and focus on how I had them picking Nick Emmanwori. That should be worth some points, right? I do believe John Schneider when he says he wants to trade back to acquire more draft capital. I also believe there are a few players where he would stick and pick at No. 32 with the main target being San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson. He fills a need after the departure of Riq Woolen, and has the perfect mentality for Mike Macdonald’s defense. However, Johnson has been shooting up draft boards and won’t be available. As a result, the Seahawks end up trading their first-round pick…to the Las Vegas Raiders as part of a package deal for Maxx Crosby! If you don’t think John Schneider was back in on this when Crosby’s trade to the Baltimore Ravens was nullified, you don’t know “Trader John”. After years of hounding the Raiders for Crosby, Schneider finally lands his guy.
Jack Freeman: In my mind, the first day of the draft for the Seahawks comes down to one player: Ty Simpson as I believe he’ll serve as the catalyst for John Schneider finding his wanted trade down partner. I predict Alabama’s quarterback is still available at No. 32 and NFC West rival Arizona Cardinals, who give up a fifth- and seventh-round pick to move up two spots and jump the quarterback needy New York Jets. With more bites at the apple secured, John Schneider is more than happy to pick athletic and young Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood at No. 34. Hood serves as a piece for Mike Macdonald to mold into Seattle’s true shutdown corner alongside Josh Jobe and Devon Witherspoon.
Bryce Coutts: I’m looking at the Seattle Seahawks sitting at pick 32, and everything about their situation screams trade back. With limited picks and a roster that’s already in championship form, this is about maximizing value, not forcing a late first-round selection. If they can slide back into the early second, pick up an extra mid-rounder, and still stay in range for their guy, that’s a win across the board.
For me, that guy is Treydan Stukes. This is where it lines up perfectly: trade back, gain capital, and still land a player who fits exactly what Seattle wants to be defensively. Stukes brings versatility, physicality, and upside, and adding him while stacking another pick is how you sustain success. That’s a smart, calculated move that keeps the Seahawks ahead of the curve without overreaching.
Patrick Hood: Despite all of the talk surrounding Seattle’s draft position, I don’t think the Seahawks will trade out of the No. 32 spot. While this is certainly not out of the question, the amount of moving parts involved with the hypothetical return package may be a turn off for potential trade partners. Having said that, I think that Seattle will take Arizona cornerback Treydan Stukes with its first-round selection. With other CBs like Colton Hood likely going earlier in the day, Stukes may be a solid option for the Seahawks’ secondary if they were to remain in their current draft position.
Frank T. Raines: I’m not at all interested in Day One of the draft cuz the Seahawks ain’t gonna be on the clock on Thursday night. Day Two is where it’s at for us this year and I think Seattle’s first pick comes down to a running back (either Jadarian Price or Mike Washington Jr.) or a cornerback (either Keionte Scott or Treydan Stukes). I don’t think any of those are bad picks as long as the trade-back lands us in the late-30s or early-40s. Personally though, I’m kind of hoping that John Schneider throws us a major curveball and drafts WR Denzel Boston from the University of Washington. Go Dawgs! (Bonus prediction, if Mookie will allow it . . . SC’s Jalon Kilgore joins the Seahawks at the end of Round 2.)
Jer’rel Coleman: With the final pick in the 1st Round, I expect the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks to attempt to trade back a few spots into the top of Day 2. Not too far now… (LV or HOU as potential trade partners?) There are some very promising defensive players available to carry the momentum of the elite and evolving Dark Side defense. Continuity and growth are the themes for the offense this coming year (sorry K9), while the defense needs reinforcements. San Diego State cornerback Chris Johnson seems to be a hand-in-glove fit for the Hawks, as he possesses fluid transition skills and prime zone instincts. Well, what do you know: Seattle ran zone coverages at the third-highest clip in the league last year! Johnson earned the lowest passer rating when targeted, out of all draft-eligible corners. He is also willing to stick his nose in the run game, a welcome sight for Coach Macdonald.
Alexandre Castro: From a strategic standpoint, the ideal scenario for the Seattle Seahawks would be trading down from the No. 32 overall pick. Sitting at the end of the first round limits the available top-tier talent, and the value gap between picks in that range is not particularly significant. Moving down 10 or even more spots could allow the team to accumulate additional draft capital, helping to replenish selections lost in previous trades. This approach has already been publicly endorsed by general manager John Schneider, reinforcing the idea that flexibility and long-term roster building remain key priorities for the organization.
However, if Seattle stays put at No. 32, the most logical direction would be targeting a defensive back. The top option would be Chris Johnson out of San Diego State. Despite some concerns about the level of competition he faced, Johnson stands out as one of the best zone cornerbacks in this class, showcasing strong ball skills and consistent production. His decision to remain at San Diego State despite opportunities to transfer also speaks to his character and leadership — traits that align well with Seattle’s culture. If Johnson is off the board, Colton Hood from University of Tennessee becomes a compelling alternative. After a journey through multiple programs, Hood finally put together a breakout season, taking on a key role in Tennessee’s secondary. He brings a more physical, man-to-man skill set and could immediately contribute meaningful snaps while adding versatility to the Seahawks’ defensive backfield.
Treydan Stukes and Chris Johnson are the most popular answers, with Jermod McCoy as a wild card choice if his medical concerns drop him in Seattle’s range. Ted Zahn is swinging for the fences by reviving the idea of Seattle trading for Maxx Crosby. Jack Freeman picking Colton Hood is another realistic choice.
Notice that other than Frank’s “either/or” scenario, running back is not believed to be the top option for Seattle.
Make your predictions in the comments below!
