Seahawks Projected to Receive Trio of Compensatory Draft Picks

Along with six native draft picks, the Seahawks should have three additional selections in the 2025 NFL Draft to continue bringing young talent on board.
Apr 27, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA;  Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the Seattle Seahawks fifth overall in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Apr 27, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA; Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the Seattle Seahawks fifth overall in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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After losing several significant free agents to other teams last March, the Seattle Seahawks should reap the benefits once the 2025 NFL Draft arrives in April by earning compensatory picks for the first time in five years.

According to Nick Korte of OverTheCap.com, the Seahawks are projected to receive three of the 32 awarded compensatory draft picks from the NFL to add to their six native picks, giving them a total of nine selections for April's upcoming draft.

Based on Korte's projections, Seattle will be awarded a fourth round pick as compensation for guard Damien Lewis' departure to Carolina, while a fifth and sixth round pick will also be netted for the departures of linebackers Jordyn Brooks and Bobby Wagner to Miami and Washington respectively.

At one point, Seahawks general manager John Schneider used to regularly play the "comp pick" game, as the organization received 13 total compensatory picks from 2010 to 2017, including maxing out with four such picks in the 2016 NFL Draft. But since 2018, the league has only awarded them a total of three compensatory picks in the previous seven drafts and all three of those selections came in 2020, meaning they have not been awarded any extra picks in six of the past seven drafts.

Historically, at least since Schneider arrived in 2010, Seattle hasn't fared well finding difference makers with compensatory draft picks. None of the 16 selections made those picks received a second contract and with the exception of Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith, these extra picks have not yielded a full-time starter.

Most recently, the Seahawks traded a third-round compensatory pick to the New York Jets in a draft day deal to move up in the second round and select defensive end Darrell Taylor, who produced 21.5 sacks in three seasons before being traded to Chicago last August. Two other compensatory picks in the 2020 NFL Draft were used on running back DeeJay Dallas and receiver Freddie Swain.

Based on Konte's final projections, Seattle would now hold the fourth compensatory pick in the fourth round, fourth compensatory pick in the fifth round, and second compensatory pick in the sixth round, giving Schneider a bit more ammunition at his disposal to potentially trade up during the 2025 NFL Draft. If those selections are used to draft any players this time around, the organization will be hoping to finally find a day three diamond in the rough.

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Corbin K. Smith
CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.