Apr 28, 2011; New York, NY, USA; ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr during the 2011 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Howard Smith-Imagn Images

ESPN NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. 'big fan' of how Seahawks GM John Schneider approached 2025 class

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Tim Weaver | Last updated May 5, 2025 8:35 AM ET

No prospect can be properly evaluated until he's played at least two years in the NFL - and sometimes their break-throughs come even later than that. So, when we judge draft classes by teams around the league we have to go on the picks they made rather than the players themselves.

On that score, the Seattle Seahawks had a stellar 2025 NFL draft class. On paper they hit every position group that they needed to (although they should have done more to improve the interior offensive line) and took advantage of the strengths of this class, including tight end.

For the most part the reception of Seattle's picks has been positive, including from the guy who made NFL draft analysis a thing in the first place. ESPN's Mel KiperJr. came away very impressed by what the Seahawks did, especially the first two days of the draft.

ESPN on Seahawks 2025 NFL draft class

"I'm a big fan of how Schneider approached every day of the draft, but especially the first two. Grey Zabel will be an instant starter at guard. Nick Emmanwori is one of the best athletes in this class, and he should help solidify the defensive backfield... All in all, Schneider had a tremendous weekend, improving his roster in several areas. This class gets high marks."

Kiper wound up giving Seattle an 'A' grade in the draft. Only the Cleveland Browns earned a higher grade.

We tend to agree with what Kiper is selling here, and the decision to add more depth at quarterback when they didn't really need it was our favorite pick of the draft. It will take a while to see just how high Jalen Milroe will rise in the NFL, but for now this class will be judged based on how much of an impact Zabel can make for what was the worst offensive line in the entire league going into the draft.

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

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