Seahawks Trade Sam Howell To Vikings
The Seahawks added Jalen Milroe on Friday night, doing so after reacquiring Drew Lock. As Sam Darnold‘s backup crew looks set, the team is moving on from Geno Smith‘s final QB2.
Seattle is sending Sam Howell to the Vikings, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Minnesota will add the former Washington starter, who had been on the trade block ahead of his contract year. The Seahawks paired Howell with the No. 172 pick, and they acquired pick No. 142, per Albert Breer of TheMMQB.
According to Jeremy Fowler, also of ESPN, the two teams have been quietly working on this deal since last week. Once the Seahawks’ offseason moves and draft intentions made it clear that they were ready to move on from Howell, conversations began the ultimately led to today’s trade.
There’s plenty of natural connections with this trade. The Seahawks, of course, poached Darnold from the Vikings with a lucrative free agent offer. Despite Aaron Rodgers heavily hinting at his desire to join the Vikings, the organization has made it clear they’re content to roll with J.J. McCarthy as their QB1.
Assuming the Vikings stuck with the status quo, that meant they still had an opening for a backup ahead of Brett Rypien. So, in comes Howell, who brings plenty of experience to the role. The former fifth-round pick started all 17 games for Washington in 2023. The Commanders went 4-13 in those outings, with Howell completing 63.4 percent of his passes for 3,946 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions.
The Vikings have been pretty adamant that they won’t be adding Rodgers to their QBs room, and the team’s depth chart seems to be taking shape with this latest acquisition. Rypien brings four games of starting experience, so the Vikings now have two fallback options should McCarthy struggle or suffer an injury.
The Seahawks traded from their surplus and managed to move up 30 spots in the draft. The team used their new selection on Notre Dame defensive tackle Rylie Mills. The lineman finished his Fighting Irish career with 17 sacks, including a career-high 7.5 this past season. A late-season knee injury may have slightly impacted his draft position, and the Seahawks are getting an agile defensive lineman who should be able to contribute right away.
Sam Robinson contributed to this report.
2025 NFL Draft Results By Round
From the No. 1 overall pick to Mr. Irrelevant (No. 257), here are the results from the 2025 NFL Draft:
Round 1
1) Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward (QB, Miami)
2) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Browns): Travis Hunter (WR/CB, Colorado)
3) New York Giants: Abdul Carter (OLB, Penn State)
4) New England Patriots: Will Campbell (T, LSU)
5) Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars): Mason Graham (DT, Michigan)
6) Las Vegas Raiders: Ashton Jeanty (RB, Boise State)
7) New York Jets: Armand Membou (T, Missouri)
8) Carolina Panthers: Tetairoa McMillan (WR, Arizona)
9) New Orleans Saints: Kelvin Banks Jr. (T, Texas)
10) Chicago Bears: Colston Loveland (TE, Michigan)
11) San Francisco 49ers: Mykel Williams (DE, Georgia)
12) Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Booker (G, Alabama)
13) Miami Dolphins: Kenneth Grant (DT, Michigan)
14) Indianapolis Colts: Tyler Warren (TE, Penn State)
15) Atlanta Falcons: Jalon Walker (LB, Georgia)
16) Arizona Cardinals: Walter Nolen (DT, Ole Miss)
17) Cincinnati Bengals: Shemar Stewart (DE, Texas A&M)
18) Seattle Seahawks: Grey Zabel (OL, North Dakota State)
19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Emeka Egbuka (WR, Ohio State)
20) Denver Broncos: Jahdae Barron (CB, Texas)
21) Pittsburgh Steelers: Derrick Harmon (DT, Oregon)
22) Los Angeles Chargers: Omarion Hampton (RB, North Carolina)
23) Green Bay Packers: Matthew Golden (WR, Texas)
24) Minnesota Vikings: Donovan Jackson (G, Ohio State)
25) New York Giants (from Texans): Jaxson Dart, QB (Ole Miss)
26) Atlanta Falcons (from Rams): James Pearce (DE, Tennessee)
27) Baltimore Ravens: Malaki Starks (S, Georgia)
28) Detroit Lions: Tyleik Williams (DT, Ohio State)
29) Washington Commanders: Josh Conerly Jr. (T, Oregon)
30) Buffalo Bills: Maxwell Hairston (CB, Kentucky)
31) Philadelphia Eagles (from Chiefs): Jihaad Campbell (LB, Alabama)
32) Kansas City Chiefs (from Eagles): Josh Simmons (T, Ohio State)
Round 2
33) Cleveland Browns: Carson Schwesinger (LB, UCLA)
34) Houston Texans (from Giants): Jayden Higgins (WR, Iowa State)
35) Seattle Seahawks (from Titans): Nick Emmanwori (S, South Carolina)
36) Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars): Quinshon Judkins (RB, Ohio State)
37) Miami Dolphins (from Raiders): Jonah Savaiinaea (G, Arizona)
38) New England Patriots: TreVeyon Henderson (RB, Ohio State)
39) Chicago Bears (from Panthers): Luther Burden (WR, Missouri)
40) New Orleans Saints: Tyler Shough (QB, Louisville)
41) Buffalo Bills (from Bears): T.J. Sanders (DT, South Carolina)
42) New York Jets: Mason Taylor (TE, LSU)
43) San Francisco 49ers: Alfred Collins (DT, Texas)
44) Dallas Cowboys: Donovan Ezeiruaku (DE, Boston College)
45) Indianapolis Colts: J.T. Tuimoloau (DE, Ohio State)
46) Los Angeles Rams (from Falcons): Terrance Ferguson (TE, Oregon)
47) Arizona Cardinals: Will Johnson (CB, Michigan)
48) Houston Texans (from Dolphins through Raiders): Aireontae Ersery (T, Minnesota)
49) Cincinnati Bengals: Demetrius Knight (LB, South Carolina)
50) Seattle Seahawks: Elijah Arroyo (TE, Miami)
51) Carolina Panthers (from Broncos): Nic Scourton (DE, Texas A&M)
52) Tennessee Titans (from Steelers through Seahawks): Femi Oladejo (OLB, UCLA)
53) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Benjamin Morrison (CB, Notre Dame)
54) Green Bay Packers: Anthony Belton, T (NC State)
55) Los Angeles Chargers: Tre Harris (WR, Ole Miss)
56) Chicago Bears (from Vikings through Texans and Bills): Ozzy Trapilo (T, Boston College)
57) Detroit Lions (from Panthers through Rams and Broncos): Tate Ratledge (G, Georgia)
58) Las Vegas Raiders (from Texans): Jack Bech (WR, TCU)
59) Baltimore Ravens: Mike Green (OLB, Marshall)
60) Denver Broncos (from Lions): R.J. Harvey (RB, Central Florida)
61) Washington Commanders: Trey Amos (CB, Ole Miss)
62) Chicago Bears (from Bills): Shemar Turner (DT, Texas A&M)
63) Kansas City Chiefs: Omarr Norman-Lott (DT, Tennessee)
64) Philadelphia Eagles: Andrew Mukuba (S, Texas)
Round 3
65) New York Giants: Darius Alexander (DT, Toledo)
66) Kansas City Chiefs (from Titans): Ashton Gillotte (DE, Louisville)
67) Cleveland Browns: Harold Fannin Jr. (TE, Bowling Green)
68) Las Vegas Raiders: Darien Porter (CB, Iowa State)
69) New England Patriots: Kyle Williams (WR, Washington State)
70) Detroit Lions (from Jaguars): Isaac TeSlaa (WR, Arkansas)
71) New Orleans Saints: Vernon Broughton (DT, Texas)
72) Buffalo Bills (from Bears): Landon Jackson (DE, Arkansas)
73) New York Jets: Azareye’h Thomas (CB, Florida State)
74) Denver Broncos (from Panthers): Pat Bryant (WR, Illinois)
75) San Francisco 49ers: Nick Martin (LB, Oklahoma State)
76) Dallas Cowboys: Shavon Revel (CB, East Carolina)
77) Carolina Panthers (from Patriots): Princely Umanmielen (OLB, Ole Miss)
78) Arizona Cardinals: Jordan Burch (OLB, Oregon)
79) Houston Texans (from Dolphins through Eagles via Commanders): Jaylin Noel (WR, Iowa State)
80) Indianapolis Colts: Justin Walley (CB, Minnesota)
81) Cincinnati Bengals: Dylan Fairchild (G, Georgia)
82) Tennessee Titans (from Seahawks): Kevin Winston (S, Penn State)
83) Pittsburgh Steelers: Kaleb Johnson (RB, Iowa)
84) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jacob Parrish (CB, Kansas State)
85) Kansas City Chiefs from Broncos through Panthers and Patriots): Nohl Williams (CB, Cal)
86) Los Angeles Chargers: Jamaree Caldwell (DT, Oregon)
87) Green Bay Packers: Savion Williams (WR, TCU)
88) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Vikings): Caleb Ransaw (CB, Tulane)
89) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Texans): Wyatt Milum (G, West Virginia)
90) Los Angeles Rams: Josaiah Stewart (OLB, Michigan)
91) Baltimore Ravens: Emery Jones (T, LSU)
92) Seattle Seahawks (from Lions through Jets via Raiders): Jalen Milroe (QB, Alabama)
93) New Orleans Saints (from Commanders): Jonas Sanker (S, Virginia)
94) Cleveland Browns (from Bills): Dillon Gabriel (QB, Oregon)
95) New England Patriots (from Chiefs): Jared Wilson (C, Georgia)
96) Atlanta Falcons (from Eagles): Xavier Watts (S, Notre Dame)
97) Houston Texans (from Vikings)*: Jaylin Smith (CB, USC)
98) Las Vegas Raiders (from Dolphins)*: Caleb Rogers (G, Texas Tech)
99) Las Vegas Raiders (from Giants through Texans)*: Charles Grant (T, William & Mary)
100) San Francisco 49ers*: Upton Stout (CB, Western Kentucky)
101) Denver Broncos (from Rams through Falcons and Eagles)*: Sai’Vion Jones (DE, LSU)
102) Minnesota Vikings (from Lions through Jaguars and Texans)*: Tai Felton (WR, Maryland)
Round 4
103) Tennessee Titans: Chimere Dike (WR, Florida)
104) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Browns): Bhayshul Tuten (RB, Virginia Tech)
105) New York Giants: Cameron Skattebo (RB, Arizona State)
106) New England Patriots: Craig Woodson (S, Cal)
107) Jacksonville Jaguars: Jack Kiser (LB, Notre Dame)
108) Las Vegas Raiders: Dont’e Thornton (WR, Tennessee)
109) Buffalo Bills (from Bears through Bills and Bears): Deone Walker (DT, Kentucky)
110) New York Jets: Arian Smith (WR, Georgia)
111) Philadelphia Eagles (from Panthers through Broncos): Ty Robinson (DT, Nebraska)
112) New Orleans Saints: Danny Stutsman (LB, Oklahoma)
113) San Francisco 49ers: CJ West (DT, Indiana)
114) Carolina Panthers (from Cowboys): Trevor Etienne (RB, Georgia)
115) Arizona Cardinals: Cody Simon (LB, Ohio State)
116) Houston Texans (from Dolphins): Woody Marks (RB, USC)
117) Los Angeles Rams (from Colts): Jarquez Hunter (RB, Arizona)
118) Atlanta Falcons: Billy Bowman (S, Oklahoma)
119) Cincinnati Bengals: Barrett Carter (LB, Clemson)
120) Tennessee Titans (from Seahawks): Gunnar Helm (TE, Texas)
121) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: David Walker (OLB, Central Arkansas)
122) Carolina Panthers (from Broncos): Lathan Ransom (S, Ohio State)
123) Pittsburgh Steelers: Jack Sawyer (OLB, Ohio State)
124) Green Bay Packers: Barryn Sorrell (DE, Texas)
125) Los Angeles Chargers: Kyle Kennard (OLB, South Carolina)
126) Cleveland Browns (from Vikings through Jaguars): Dylan Sampson (RB, Tennessee)
127) Indianapolis Colts (from Rams): Jalen Travis (T, Iowa State)
128) Washington Commanders (from Texans): Jaylin Lane (WR, Virginia Tech)
129) Baltimore Ravens: Teddye Buchanan (LB, Cal)
130) New York Jets (from Lions, Broncos and Eagles): Malachi Moore (S, Alabama)
131) New Orleans Saints (from Commanders): Quincy Riley (CB, Louisville)
132) Chicago Bears (from Bills): Ruban Hyppolite (LB, Maryland)
133) Kansas City Chiefs: Jalen Royals (WR, Utah State)
134) Denver Broncos (from Eagles through Lions and Eagles): Que Robinson (OLB, Alabama)
135) Las Vegas Raiders (from Dolphins)*: Tonka Hemingway (DT, South Carolina)
136) Tennessee Titans (from Ravens)*: Elic Ayomanor (WR, Stanford)
137) New England Patriots (from Seahawks)*: Joshua Farmer (DT, Florida State)
138) San Francisco 49ers*: Jordan Watkins (WR, Ole Miss)
Round 5
139) Minnesota Vikings (from Browns): Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (DT, Georgia)
140) Carolina Panthers (from Giants): Cam Jackson (DT, Florida)
141) Baltimore Ravens (from Titans): Carson Vinson (T, Alabama A&M)
142) Seattle Seahawks (from Jaguars through Texans and Vikings): Rylie Mills (DT, Notre Dame)
143) Miami Dolphins (from Raiders): Jordan Phillips (DT, Maryland)
144) Cleveland Browns (from Patriots through Seahawks): Shedeur Sanders (QB, Colorado)
145) Philadelphia Eagles (from Jets): Mac McWilliams (CB, Central Florida)
146) New England Patriots (from Panthers): Bradyn Swinson (OLB, LSU)
147) San Francisco 49ers (from Saints through Commanders): Jordan James (RB, Oregon)
148) Los Angeles Rams (from Bears): Ty Hamilton (DT, Ohio State)
149) Dallas Cowboys: Jaydon Blue (RB, Texas)
150) Miami Dolphins: Jason Marshall (CB, Florida)
151) Indianapolis Colts: DJ Giddens (RB, Kansas State)
152) Dallas Cowboys (from Cardinals): Shemar James (LB, Florida)
153) Cincinnati Bengals: Jalen Rivers (T, Miami)
154) New York Giants (from Seahawks): Marcus Mbow (G, Purdue)
155) Miami Dolphins (from Broncos): Dante Trader (S, Maryland)
156) Kansas City Chiefs (from Steelers): Jeffrey Bassa (LB, Oregon)
157) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Elijah Roberts (OLB, SMU)
158) Los Angeles Chargers: KeAndre Lambert-Smith (WR, Auburn)
159) Green Bay Packers: Collin Oliver (DE, Oklahoma State)
160) San Francisco 49ers (from Vikings): Marques Sigle (S, Kansas State)
161) Philadelphia Eagles (from Texans): Smael Mondon (LB, Georgia)
162) New York Jets (from Rams through Steelers): Francisco Mauigoa (LB, Miami)
163) Carolina Panthers (from Ravens): Mitchell Evans (TE, Notre Dame)
164) Pittsburgh Steelers (from Lions through Browns, Eagles and Chiefs): Yahya Black (DE, Iowa)
165) Los Angeles Chargers (from Commanders through Eagles): Oronde Gadsden II (TE, Syracuse)
166) Seattle Seahawks (from Bills through Texans and Browns): Tory Horton (WR, Colorado State)
167) Tennessee Titans (from Chiefs): Jackson Slater (G, Sacramento State)
168) Philadelphia Eagles: Drew Kendall (C, Boston College)
169) Chicago Bears (from Bills)*: Zah Frazier (CB, Texas-San Antonio)
170) Buffalo Bills (from Cowboys)*: Jordan Hancock (CB, Ohio State)
171) Detroit Lions (from Cowboys through Patriots)*: Miles Frazier (G, LSU)
172) Los Angeles Rams (from Seahawks through Vikings)*: Chris Paul Jr. (LB, Ole Miss)
173) Buffalo Bills*: Jackson Hawes (TE, Georgia Tech)
174) Arizona Cardinals (from Cowboys)*: Denzel Burke (CB, Ohio State)
175) Seattle Seahawks*: Robbie Ouzts (TE, Alabama)
176) New York Jets (from Ravens)*: Tyler Baron (DE, Miami)
Round 6
177) Buffalo Bills (from Giants): Dorian Strong (CB, Virginia Tech)
178) Baltimore Ravens (from Titans): Bilhal Kone (CB, Western Michigan)
179) Miami Dolphins (from Browns through Texans): Ollie Gordon (RB, Oklahoma State)
180) Las Vegas Raiders: J.J. Pegues (DT, Ole Miss)
181) Philadelphia Eagles (from Patriots through Chargers): Kyle McCord (QB, Syracuse)
182) New England Patriots (from Jaguars through Lions): Andres Borregales (K, Miami)
183) Tennessee Titans (from Panthers through Ravens): Marcus Harris (CB, Cal)
184) New Orleans Saints (reacquired through Commanders): Devin Neal (RB, Kansas)
185) Pittsburgh Steelers (from Bears through Seahawks): Will Howard (QB, Ohio State)
186) Baltimore Ravens (from Jets): Tyler Loop (K, Arizona)
187) Houston Texans (from 49ers through Vikings): Jaylen Reed (S, Penn State)
188) Tennessee Titans (from Cowboys): Kalel Mullings (RB, Michigan)
189) Indianapolis Colts: Riley Leonard (QB, Notre Dame)
190) Indianapolis Colts (from Falcons through Rams): Tim Smith (DT, Alabama)
191) Philadelphia Eagles (from Cardinals through Broncos): Myles Hinton (OL, Michigan)
192) Seattle Seahawks (from Dolphins through Bears): Bryce Cabeldue (G, Kansas)
193) Cincinnati Bengals: Tahj Brooks (RB, Texas Tech)
194) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Seahawks): Jalen McLeod (LB, Auburn)
195) Chicago Bears (from Steelers and Rams): Luke Newman (G, Michigan State)
196) Detroit Lions (from Buccaneers): Ahmed Hassanein (OLB, Boise State)
197) Houston Texans (from Broncos): Graham Mertz (QB, Florida)
198) Green Bay Packers: Warren Brinson (DT, Georgia)
199) Los Angeles Chargers: Branson Taylor (G, Pittsburgh)
200) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Vikings through Browns): Rayuan Lane (S, Navy)
201) Minnesota Vikings (from Rams): Kobe King (LB, Penn State)
202) Minnesota Vikings (from Texans through Steelers, Bears and Rams): Gavin Bartholomew (TE, Pittsburgh)
203) Baltimore Ravens: LaJohntay Wester (WR, Colorado)
204) Dallas Cowboys (from Lions through Browns via Bills): Ajani Cornelius (G, Oregon)
205) Washington Commanders: Kain Medrano (LB, UCLA)
206) Buffalo Bills: Chase Lundt (T, UConn)
207) Philadelphia Eagles (from Chiefs): Cameron Williams (T, Texas)
208) Carolina Panthers (from Eagles through Broncos): Jimmy Horn (WR, Colorado)
209) Philadelphia Eagles (from Chargers)*: Antwaun Powell-Ryland (DE, Virginia Tech)
210) Baltimore Ravens*: Aeneas Peebles (DT, Virginia Tech)
211) Arizona Cardinals (from Cowboys)*: Hayden Conner (G, Texas)
212) Baltimore Ravens*: Robert Longerbeam (CB, Rutgers)
213) Las Vegas Raiders*: Tommy Mellott (QB/WR, Montana State)
214) Los Angeles Chargers*: R.J. Mickens (S, Clemson)
215) Las Vegas Raiders*: Cam Miller (QB, North Dakota State)
216) Denver Broncos (from Browns through Texans)*: Jeremy Crawshaw (P, Florida)
Round 7
217) Dallas Cowboys (from Titans through Patriots): Jay Toia (DT, UCLA)
218) Atlanta Falcons (from Browns through Chargers): Jack Nelson (T, Wisconsin)
219) New York Giants: Thomas Fidone III (TE, Nebraska)
220) New England Patriots: Marcus Bryant (T, Missouri)
221) Jacksonville Jaguars: Jonah Monheim (C, USC)
222) Las Vegas Raiders: Cody Lindenberg (LB, Minnesota)
223) Seattle Seahawks (from Saints through Eagles via Steelers): Damien Martinez (RB, Miami)
224) Houston Texans (from Bears through Texans): Kyonte Hamilton (DT, Rutgers)
225) Arizona Cardinals (from Jets through Chiefs): Kitan Crawford (S, Nevada)
226) Pittsburgh Steelers (from Panthers and Chiefs): Carson Bruener (LB, Washington)
227) San Francisco 49ers: Kurtis Rourke (QB, Indiana)
228) Kansas City Chiefs (from Cowboys through Lions via Patriots): Brashard Smith (RB, SMU)
229) Pittsburgh Steelers (from Falcons through Eagles): Donte Kent (CB, Central Michigan)
230) Detroit Lions (from Cardinals through Panthers and Broncos): Dan Jackson (S, Georgia)
231) Miami Dolphins: Quinn Ewers (QB, Texas)
232) Indianapolis Colts: Hunter Wohler (S, Wisconsin)
233) Chicago Bears (from Bengals): Kyle Monangai (RB, Rutgers)
234) Seattle Seahawks: Mason Richman (T, Iowa)
235) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tez Johnson (WR ,Oregon)
236) Jacksonville Jaguars (from Broncos through Eagles, Commanders and Texans): LeQuint Allen (RB, Syracuse)
237) Green Bay Packers (from Steelers): Micah Robinson (CB, Tulane)
238) Seattle Seahawks from Chargers through Patriots): Ricky White (WR, UNLV)
239) Dallas Cowboys (from Packers through Titans): Phil Mafah (RB, Clemson)
240) Buffalo Bills (from Vikings through Browns and Bears): Kaden Prather (WR, Maryland)
241) Denver Broncos (from Texans): Caleb Lohner (TE, Utah)
242) Los Angeles Rams (reacquired from Falcons): Konata Mumpfield (WR, Pittsburgh)
243) Baltimore Ravens: Garrett Dellinger (G, LSU)
244) Detroit Lions: Dominic Lovett (WR, Georgia)
245) Washington Commanders: Jacory Croskey-Merritt (RB, Arizona)
246) New York Giants (from Bills): Korie Black (CB, Oklahoma State)
247) Dallas Cowboys (from Chiefs through Panthers): Tommy Akingbesote (DT, Maryland)
248) New Orleans Saints (from Eagles through Commanders): Moliki Matavao (TE, UCLA)
249) San Francisco 49ers*: Connor Colby (G, Iowa)
250) Green Bay Packers*: John Williams (G, Cincinnati)
251) New England Patriots (from Chiefs)*: Julian Ashby (LS, Vanderbilt)
252) San Francisco 49ers*: Junior Bergen (WR, Montana)
253) Miami Dolphins*: Zeek Biggers (DT, Georgia Tech)
254) New Orleans Saints*: Fadil Diggs (DE, Syracuse)
255) Houston Texans (from Browns)*: Luke Lachey (TE, Iowa)
256) Los Angeles Chargers*: Trikweze Bridges (CB, Florida)
257) New England Patriots (from Chiefs)* Kobee Minor (CB, Memphis)
* = compensatory pick
Patriots Acquire No. 137, Select DT Joshua Farmer
The Patriots are set to make their second selection of the day. The team has acquired No. 137 from the Seahawks, per Mike Giardi of Boston Sports Journal. In return, the Seahawks received No. 144 and No. 238.
After picking offensive players with their first four selections, the Patriots have started Day 3 with a pair of defensive players. New England used their new pick to select Florida State defensive tackle Joshua Farmer.
The defensive lineman put himself on the NFL map with a strong 2023 campaign, compiling five sacks en route to a second-team All-ACC nod. Farmer continued that production into 2024, finishing with 32 tackles, four sacks, and eight tackles for loss. The prospect has been lauded for his raw power, although there are questions about his ability to recognize impending blocks.
The Patriots put in work to improve their defensive line this offseason. Milton Williams was one of the team’s most high-profile additions, and the organization also added nose tackle Khyiris Tonga to pair with traditional defensive tackle Christian Barmore. Farmer will slide in behind that trio, with the rookie competing with Jeremiah Pharms Jr. and Eric Johnson for reps.
Seahawks Trade Up To 35th Pick To Draft Nick Emmanwori
TODAY, 8:20am: The Seahawks were so high on Nick Emmanwori, the team attempted to trade up to the first round to acquire him. John Schneider acknowledged as much last night, stating the team almost traded back into the first round to select the South Carolina safety. Instead, the Seahawks managed to snag the prospect by moving up towards the beginning of the second round.
“If we would have come out of the draft without him, we would have been disappointed,” Schneider said (via ESPN’s Brady Henderson).
YESTERDAY, 6:15pm: The Seahawks traded up with the Titans to acquire the 35th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and select South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori.
Tennessee received the 52nd and 82nd overall picks from Seattle, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Pick No. 82 was the Seahawks’ original third-round pick, while No. 52 was acquired from the Steelers in the D.K. Metcalf trade.
Emmanwori is a rare physical specimen at the safety position with a 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame. He blew away evaluators at the Combine, posting elite numbers in the broad jump, vertical jump, and 40-yard dash. Emmanwori was a three-year starter at South Carolina and played at least 500 snaps lined up at deep safety, in the slot, and in the box. However, he will still be just 21 years old when he takes his first snaps in the NFL, giving him a sky-high long-term ceiling.
Emmanwori’s combination of size, athleticism, youth, and versatility will naturally draw comparisons to Ravens All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton, especially after landing in Seattle under new head coach Mike Macdonald. Macdonald was Baltimore’s defensive coordinator during Hamilton’s first two years in the NFL, the second of which featured Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro selections for the 2022 first-rounder.
Emmanwori does have the instincts and physicality to impact plays around the line of scrimmage in a manner similar to Hamilton, but he will need to improve his play recognition and pursuit from deeper alignments to unlock the full potential of his versatility. He has the size and athleticism to cover both receivers and tight ends in the slot, but his technique in man coverage needs refinement to avoid separation and flags. Emmanwori also has the potential to be a special teams ace but has little experience on punt or kick coverage since 2022.
The Seahawks moved on from Rayshawn Jenkins in the offseason, giving Emmanwori an opportunity to start right away in Seattle alongside Julian Love.
Seahawks Draft QB Jalen Milroe At No. 92
The Seahawks made sweeping changes to their QB room this offseason, swapping out Geno Smith for Sam Darnold and bringing back Drew Lock. They swooped in for a longer-term project tonight.
Jalen Milroe becomes the fourth QB off the board, going to Seattle at No. 92. The Alabama prospect will be under contract through 2028, while Darnold has no fully-guaranteed money past 2025. That will put early pressure on the veteran to perform this year to earn his keep in Seattle in 2026 and beyond.
Milroe is an exciting physical prospect with elite size and speed for the quarterback position. He has a strong arm but will need to work on his basic mechanics to improve his ball placement and accuracy, which are currently significant weaknesses. His attitude and approach to the game received strong reviews from coaches and scouts, but his on-field processing will need to accelerate in the NFL.
Milroe threw for more than 2,800 yards in each of his last two seasons at Alabama with 39 touchdowns on the air and another 32 on the ground. His physical rushing abilities could help him carve out a short-yardage role on offense early on, especially close to the goal line.
The Seahawks clearly believe in Milroe’s ability to develop under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko. Milroe could even compete for a backup job right away after reports that Seattle was open to trading Sam Howell. Now that they’ve landed a young, high-upside passer, they may prefer to give Milroe backup reps to aid his development while moving Howell for draft compensation.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Seahawks Select OL Grey Zabel At No. 18
Adding along the offensive line has long been seen as a need for the Seahawks, and Seattle has indeed gone that route in the opening round. North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel is headed to the Emerald City.
The Seahawks entertained calls about trading down, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports. That will likely be the case for nearly every team left in the order, but Seattle elected to stay in place. Zabel had come up as a potential Seahawks target this week, and the Division I-FCS standout will indeed become the rare high-end Seahawks guard investment.
Zabel was billed as one of the draft’s top center prospects, but the prospect showed plenty of versatility throughout his college career. The player spent time at every position on the OL during his time at North Dakota State, and that should provide the Seahawks with some options as they draw up their offensive line in 2025 and beyond.
Perhaps guard will end up being the rookie’s landing spot, at least for next season. Laken Tomlinson is in Houston now, and the Seahawks other options consist of Anthony Bradford (ranked 72nd out of 77 guards in 2024, per PFF), Sataoa Laumea (77th out of 77), and Christian Haynes, a 2024 third-rounder who did not crack the starting lineup as a rookie.
The team’s going to already be relying on one of those underwhelming pieces, but now they have an intriguing first-round prospect to throw into the mix. With Sam Darnold now manning QB after inking a lucrative contract, the Seahawks are surely focused on keeping their investment upright.
While guard could be the rookie’s temporary landing spot, Zabel’s savviness means he could ultimately land at tackle…or perhaps he’ll realize his pre-draft reports and settle in as an elite center. There’s even a chance his role evolves through his rookie campaign. It’s a bit of an unknown, and that certainly provides a bit of intrigue to the selection. Seahawks fans will want to keep an eye on where Zabel lines up during rookie minicamp.
Ben Levine contributed to this report.
Cowboys Likely To Target Skill Position In First Round
With the 2025 NFL Draft coming tomorrow night, several teams are zoning in on where their draft focus will be in the first round. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, there are “many sources” who expect the Cowboys to target an offensive skill position (quarterback, running back, wide receiver, or tight end) with the No. 12 overall pick. 
Considering the recent extension for quarterback Dak Prescott and the recent trade for backup passer Joe Milton, I believe we can safely dismiss any notions of quarterback being a target. The presence of two tight ends (Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker) still on their rookie deals, one of whom has a Pro Bowl to their name already, likely disqualifies that position, as well.
That leaves running back and wide receiver. Running back was certainly a weakness last year, but Dallas addressed the position in free agency this offseason, signing both Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. While the two aren’t exactly world-beaters, they’ve each shown an ability to carry the load as a starter in the past, giving the Cowboys a passable duo of rushers for 2025. That being said, if Ashton Jeanty were to fall to 12, it would likely be hard for the team to pass him up. Other options like Omarion Hampton, can’t likely be ruled out but would more likely be targeted in the second round or with a trade back in the first.
With that in mind, we can turn our attention, as Russini did, to wide receiver, specifically, Texas wideout Matthew Golden and Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan. NFL Network’s Jane Slater seconded this notion today, saying that, while the team needs an offensive lineman, they really want a wide receiver.
McMillan appears to be the most desired choice, but Slater reports concerns that he’ll go before Dallas gets a chance to take him (like to the Saints at No. 9 overall). That leaves Golden, whose speed (4.29 40-yard dash at the combine) gives the Cowboys what they’re looking for in a pass catcher to pair with CeeDee Lamb.
In his last second mock draft, ESPN’s Matt Miller also landed on McMillan, though he noted the team’s extensive work done on offensive linemen. This is evidenced by the recent update that Alabama offensive guard Tyler Booker was one of the most recent players to take a top-30 visit to Dallas, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. is another name Slater mentioned for the Cowboys, but there is a presumption that he will get selected before the Cowboys get to pick by the Jets at No. 7 overall.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated did a breakdown yesterday of each team’s biggest draft needs, and after mentioning McMillan and Golden (as well as Michigan cornerback Will Johnson) for the Cowboys, Breer turned his attention to versatile North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel. Zabel brings plenty of intrigue to the first round. Despite starting games at every position along the offensive line in college except center, Zabel has been projected as the draft class’s best center prospect. Regardless, he is certainly one of the draft’s top interior offensive linemen, and many are connecting him to Dallas.
Breer specifically mentions that Zabel won’t make it out of the teens, which Miller’s mock draft reflects, as well, sending him to the Seahawks at No. 18 overall. Per Miller, Zabel and McMillan are the two names that Seattle has focused in on. The team reportedly believes that the guard position is deeper than receiver in this draft, so McMillan would be the preference, but if either player is still around by the 18th pick, they may be headed to Seattle.
That might end up being possible, too, as Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS seems to believe there is no chance of the Cowboys considering an offensive lineman in the first round, despite all the work they’ve done on the position. It seems like the only way they may land on an offensive lineman in the first round is if they trade back, which is certainly also a possibility. According to Jon Machota of The Athletic, Cowboys owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones claimed that the team is “actively looking at potential trades they could do before or after the draft.”
Other players that Slater listed as names the Cowboys are kicking around are Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen, Tennessee pass rusher James Pearce, and Virginia Tech running back Bhayshul Tuten. She notes that the team has character red flags for Pearce, so he shouldn’t be a Day 1 consideration for Dallas. She also believes that some of Jones’ trade ideas could lead the Cowboys into the late-second round, where they would target Tuten. We’re less than 24 hours away from getting to find out just how all of these ideas will finally play out in reality.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/23/25
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Waived: QB Jake Fromm
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed ERFA tender: C Dylan McMahon
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived/failed physical: CB NaJee Thompson
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: DT Cameron Young
The Lions had added Fromm shortly after cutting Nate Sudfeld last summer. Detroit stashed Fromm on its practice squad throughout last season, keeping him as its third-stringer behind Jared Goff and Hendon Hooker. Teddy Bridgewater‘s late-season unretirement changed the Lions’ plans, but they retained Fromm and then kept him on a reserve/futures contract in January. Fromm, a 2020 fifth-round pick who has not seen game action since 2021, is again available.
Broncos Looking To Move Up In First Round
While there’s been plenty of talk about teams potentially moving back in the first round, it sounds like one team is actually focused on moving up the draft board. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Broncos “have made inquiries about moving up” in the first round. Albert Breer of SI.com shares that sentiment, noting that Denver is one of the lone teams looking to move up.
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The Broncos are currently armed with the No. 20 pick in the draft, and they own all of their picks through the first four rounds. The team doesn’t own a fifth- nor seventh-round pick, although GM George Paton and his staff do have three sixth-round selections at their disposal. Denver also has all of their 2026 picks except a sixth-round selection (sent to the Jets in the John Franklin-Myers trade).
After the Broncos made a surprising run at the playoffs behind rookie QB Bo Nix, the organization is obviously looking to take another significant step in 2025. There’s been plenty of speculation that the front office could look to add to Nix’s arsenal, with rumblings surrounding the addition of an early-round running back or receiver. On the flip side, there’s also been a rumor about the Broncos focusing their draft efforts on the defensive side of the ball — even after the Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga signings.
In other words, the Broncos’ trade opportunities will likely be dependent on individual players vs. any one overarching position. One thing seems pretty certain: the Broncos won’t be moving back. As our own Sam Robinson noted last week, Sean Payton has never traded down in Round 1 (and probably won’t start now).
Fortunately for the Broncos, they should have plenty of options if they ultimately decide to pull the trigger on a trade. While there’s been plenty of trade-back speculation regarding a handful of teams, Schefter definitively points to the Jaguars (No. 5), Panthers (No. 8), 49ers (No. 11), Falcons (No. 15), Seahawks (No. 18), and Buccaneers (No. 19) as teams picking before Denver that could be looking to move back.
CB Will Johnson’s Draft Stock Falling
Entering the 2024 college football season as a likely top five draft pick, Michigan cornerback Will Johnson only needed to show NFL scouts what they had seen for the first two years of his collegiate career in order to solidify that status. Unfortunately, an up-and-down junior campaign could cost Johnson money as he seems to be sliding down draft boards. 
Analytically, Johnson played well at times but didn’t nearly display the dominance that he had in his first two years in Ann Arbor. As a freshman for the Wolverines, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded Johnson out as the 12th-best cornerback in the NCAA out of 917 graded players at the position. He followed that up with a 114th-best ranking (out of 859) in 2023 before falling to 139th out of 848 in this year.
You can see similarities reflected in his on-field contributions, as well. As a true freshman, Johnson played in all 14 of the team’s games, making five starts. In his time on the field, though, Johnson was extremely disruptive with three interceptions, six passes defensed, and two tackles for loss. During the team’s championship campaign in 2023, Johnson missed a couple of games with injury but still started 11 of 12 games played. He increased his pass defense numbers with four interceptions and eight passes defended and even won the Defensive MVP award in the National Championship Game.
Despite only playing six games in 2024 due to injury, Johnson stayed on track with two interceptions and five passes defensed. After a shoulder contusion forced him to miss some time early in the season, Johnson saw a turf toe injury sideline him for the back half of the season.
The turf toe injury lingered into the offseason and pre-draft process. The ailment held him out of workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine, though he did attend for interviews and measurements. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Johnson held a private workout for scouts in Ann Arbor in early-April after missing Michigan’s pro day because of the injury. Todd McShay of The Ringer, though, adds that Johnson did not run a 40-yard dash in the private workout.
As a result of these injury issues and the up-and-down play as a junior, Johnson appears to be falling down draft boards. Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald indicated that Johnson is likely to fall out of the top 10 draft picks and may not be the first cornerback off the board. This prediction doesn’t include Colorado’s Travis Hunter, an obvious prospect being ranked over Johnson, but instead asserts that Texas’ Jahdae Barron will be picked before Johnson.
Regardless, all Johnson can do at this point is keep his head down and keep working. He seems to be healing, but each team will do their own research into his medicals as they continue to evaluate their options. Most recently, Johnson visited the Seahawks earlier this week, per Rapoport. At the moment, he’s still considered a likely Day 1 pick, but if he keeps trending down, he could be in danger of falling out of the first round altogether.
Nikhil Mehta contributed to this post.