Instant Grade: Seahawks Trade Up, Drafts Guard Beau Stephens

The Seattle Seahawks couldn't wait until the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft to address the offensive which is why trade up to the fifth round for Beau Stephens..

Iowa offensive lineman Beau Stephens (70) and center Logan Jones block against defensive lineman Aaron Graves (95) during the Hawkeyes' final spring NCAA football practice, Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. 230422 Iowa Spring Fb 104 Jpg | Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft was going to be a waiting game for the Seattle Seahawks. They entered day 3 with only two sixth-round picks to finish the draft strong. The Seahawks, however, felt they had the perfect opportunity to get a key interior offensive lineman either as a starter this upcoming season or beyond. The Seahawks traded up to the fifth round, 148th overall pick, to draft Iowa guard Beau Stephens.

How and Why the Seahawks Drafted Beau Stephens

The Seahawks entered day 3 of the with the potential of 12 picks in next year’s 2027 NFL Draft. While it would be wild to see how Seattle would come away with 12 picks, it would be more beneficial for the front office to trade one of their fourth-round picks in next year’s draft to get Stephens in a trade with the Cleveland Browns.

Stephen has a great capability to play with a great pad-level and he possesses great timing in his punches and attacks to deliver an initial shock to the opposing defender. Stephens also provides great stability when run-blocking and while backpedaling for a passing block. His ability to pick up blitzes will be one of the more underrated aspects of his impact on the field.

The two-year starter at Iowa had one of the better production scores among interior offensive linemen in this year's Draft. Stephens possesses great size at 6'5; 312 pounds, but he also possesses shorter arms, which could be a problem for most elite pass rushers.

When Stephens Can Expect to Play

Sep 25, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Seattle Seahawks guard Anthony Bradford (75) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

There are a lot of attributes that make Stephens a tough and reliable blocker for the Seahawks' dynamic offense. Stephen has the potential to come in and challenge Anthony Bradford for the starting right guard spot, but he also possesses a lot of raw characteristics that show he is going to need some time to develop. The Seahawks were in a position to draft a key and likely immediate starter at the interior offensive line at earlier picks.

The Bottom Line

It is unlikely that Stephens will come in as an instant contributor as a starter based on his experiences having to adjust to the opposing defense’s skillset. He has a lot of attributes that are great for a fifth-rounder, including leverage, stability, great hand placement and punch, and his consistency as a zone-blocker.

It is these attributes that made him a potential player to take over the starting right guard position over Bradford, who is also entering into the final year of his four-year rookie contract. Just don’t count on Stephens being a day one starter.

Beau Stephens	B
Seattle Seahawks

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