Seahawks turn Geno Smith pick into breakout LSU pass rusher in 2025 mock draft

Free agency has cooled off a bit for the 32 teams in the NFL. Organizations continue to prepare for this year’s draft, which is a mere 19 days away. The Seattle Seahawks plan to be very busy as general manager John Schneider has 10 selections at his disposal.

The ‘Hawks have five of those picks in the first three rounds. There’s an extra second thanks to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who surrendered the No. 52 overall selection for wide receiver DK Metcalf. There is also an additional third-round pick after Seattle dealt quarterback Geno Smith to Pete Carroll and the Las Vegas Raiders.

Luke Easterling of Athlon Sports recently put together his four-round mock draft. He has Seattle taking wide receiver Matthew Golden (Texas) with the 18th overall choice, while addressing the offensive line twice in the second round. In the third round, he has Schneider opting for University of South Carolina linebacker Demetrius Knight with the team’s original pick (No. 82).

Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Louisiana State defensive lineman Bradyn Swinson (DL69) participates in drills during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Then there is the selection the Seahawks obtained from the Raiders for Smith. With the 92nd overall pick, Seattle takes LSU edge rusher Bradyn Swinson. After three years with the Oregon Ducks, the 6’4”, 255-pound defender spent the past two seasons in Baton Rouge. In 25 games with the Tigers, he amassed a combined 93 tackles, 10.5 sacks (8.5 in 2024), knocked down eight passes, and forced four fumbles.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein had this scouting report. “Late bloomer with big hands, long arms and a frame to carry more muscle. Swinson is competitive at the point of attack, where he uses his length and footwork to beat the block or prevent block sustains. He is high-cut and leggy with average lateral agility but has an innate feel for playing off the block and making tackles.

“Swinson is less of an arc runner and more of a read-and-respond rusher relying on length and deception to open doors on either edge. He needs to craft rush strategies and work on getting quicker wins with go-to moves at the edge, but he’s always in the backfield. Swinson is an ascending talent with the demeanor, traits and talent to become a good starter as a 3-4 rush linebacker.”

The return of linebacker Ernest Jones IV and the addition of veteran defender DeMarcus Lawrence were positives for Mike Macdonald’s team this offseason. Adding a talented pass-rushing prospect like Swinson could elevate the Seattle defense in a meaningful direction.

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