2025 NFL draft: Seahawks take Notre Dame DT after Sam Howell trade

Seattle pulls off another trade, sending over Sam Howell to Minnesota and moving up 30 spots in the fifth round.

Notre Dame defensive lineman Rylie Mills (99) and defensive lineman Donovan Hinish (41) celebrate getting a stop during a NCAA college football game against Florida State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Just moments after a trade down with the New England Patriots, the Seattle Seahawks made another move early in the fifth round. This time they sent backup quarterback Sam Howell to the Minnesota Vikings. They also swapped fifth round picks, moving up from No. 172 overall to No. 142 overall.

With that new pick they got from Minnesota, the Seahawks chose Notre Dame defensive tackle Rylie Mills, filling a need for more interior depth after allowing Johnathan Hankins to leave in free agency and cutting Cameron Young going into the draft.

Mills (6-foot,5, 273 pounds) played 61 games at Notre Dame over the last five years, putting up 17 sacks and 26 tackles for a loss. He enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, totaling a career-high 7.5 sacks and nine tackls for a loss. Mills suffered a right knee injury late in he season, so that wil be something to keep an eye on this offseason.

The Seahawks were back on the clock two picks later at No. 144 overall, but instead they chose to trade down with the Cleveland Browns. They sent pick No. 144 over in exchange for No. 166 overall in the fifth round and No. 192 overall, landing them a sixth-round pick.

Once the Browns were on the clock at No. 144 overall they ended the slide for Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders, who was ranked the second-best quarterback prospect in this class going into the draft.

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