Arizona Wildcats wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan during the second quarter against the UCF Knights. Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Analyst: Seahawks down to two very different players at No. 18

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Apr 24, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The day of the NFL Draft has finally arrived, and about 12 hours after the time of publication, the Seattle Seahawks will be on the clock at No. 18 overall.

At this point, the Seahawks have had many months to scout out the draft class and decide who might be a good fit for them. Now, on the day of the main event, it seems they have narrowed down their options to just two.

In his final mock draft of the year, ESPN's Matt Miller based his predictions on what he's heard from sources around the league. Those sources reportedly believe that the Seahawks are down to two players at No. 18: Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and North Dakota State offensive linemen Grey Zabel.

With McMillan coming off the board at No. 12 to the Dallas Cowboys, Miller has the Seahawks taking Zabel to finally fortify the middle of their offensive line.

"Based on conversations with multiple league sources, the Seahawks' pick comes down to two players -- McMillan and Zabel," Miller wrote. "'The depth at guard is better than the depth at receiver,' said one rival GM, but with McMillan long gone, the Seahawks could jump on the best interior lineman in the draft."

Zabel is a mauler at 6-6 and 312 pounds, and his lean frame means he's also very athletic for a lineman. With 31 starts over the past two years, he's certainly not lacking in experience either.

Perhaps Zabel's best trait is his versatility, as he played four of five offensive line positions in college. The Seahawks would likely play him at guard as that's where they're weakest, but they could really line him up everywhere if they want to.

If Zabel is indeed the pick on Thursday night, then most Seahawks fans would surely be very happy.

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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