NFL Draft 2025 rumors: Seahawks expected to be ‘looking for a big-bodied receiver’

We’re two weeks out from the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, which means it’s the peak time of year for rumors. Follow these rumors at your own discretion!

ESPN recently published its draft intel piece, complete with a “what we’re hearing about the [team’s] draft” blurb for each team. The Seattle Seahawks one, written by Matt Miller, indicates an interest in getting a receiver early… potentially as early as No. 18.

What we’re hearing about the Seahawks’ draft: Seattle is in the midst of a roster makeover, and with five picks in the top 100, it has plenty of draft capital to do it. While the offensive line is an area the Seahawks are expected to focus on, expect them to be looking for a big-bodied receiver, too. Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) could fill that need with their first-round pick. — Miller

Normally this would just be an interesting footnote and nothing more, but we may have reason to pay a little closer attention to what Miller is saying. This was the draft intel piece on Seattle back in 2024:

What we’re hearing about the Seahawks’ draft: The hiring of Mike MacDonald as coach shifted how we view the Seahawks’ needs, but one constant has been at defensive tackle. The Seahawks re-signed Leonard Williams in free agency, but sources with the team reiterated to me this week that No. 16 is the floor for Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II. Murphy’s first-step quickness and power are ideal in the 3-technique position and would boost the interior pass-rush skills of this defense. — Miller

Last I checked, the Seahawks did select Byron Murphy II. Looks like he was the floor as the No. 16 overall pick.

And in 2023:

What we’re hearing about the Seahawks’ draft: The Seahawks might be checking in on the quarterbacks, but a source in Seattle said to expect defensive line help over quarterback at No. 5 overall. That would seem to point to a belief that either Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) or Jalen Carter (Georgia) will be available, a situation that’s highly likely at this point. But here’s one more Seattle nugget that throws a wrench in that: I was told it loves cornerback Devon Witherspoon (Illinois) if the top pass-rushers are gone. — Miller

Will Anderson Jr was off the board but Jalen Carter was not. Clearly the Seahawks valued Witherspoon more than Carter and while there wasn’t a ton of pre-draft speculation about Seattle taking Witherspoon, Seattle broke from past draft tendencies and selected the star cornerback at No. 5.

There’s a good chance that Tetairoa McMillan will be off the board by the time the Seahawks are on the clock. I’m sure he’s ruffled some feathers with this recently resurfaced clip of him as an Arizona freshman admitting to not liking watching film.

If we suppose Miller’s statement of “looking for a big-bodied receiver” is more generalized and focused on their five picks in the top 100, then another name to watch is Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins, a projected Day 2 pick who’s 6’4 and an All-Big 12 Second-Team selection in 2024. The top receivers in this draft generally are not as tall as either McMillan or Higgins. There are concerns about McMillan’s route-running and his lack of great downfield speed, but he’s known to have an outstanding catch radius and ability to win “above the rim,” something the Seahawks have consistently struggled with even when DK Metcalf was on the team.

As noted earlier this month, the Seahawks only have two receivers under contract through 2026, one of whom is Cooper Kupp and he may be an instant cap casualty if 2025 doesn’t go as well as hoped. While the offensive line is of great importance, five picks in the top 100 won’t all be spent at that position. It wouldn’t be a shock if Seattle looked at a receiver sooner rather than later.