Mock Draft Re-Enforces the Seahawks With Help for Their Dark Side Defense

Hopefully, our focus as Seattle Seahawk fans isn’t pulled towards the 2027 NFL Draft anytime soon. The action on the field will, if all goes according to plan, hold our attention. But that doesn’t mean the subject should be ignored entirely. Plenty of people are putting in work on the draft class, and we have another mock draft here to consider.

The Pick

Michael Schwartz of USA Today assigned the Seahawks pick 29, which likely presumes they make the NFC Championship and lose. The pick was spent on Yhonzae Pierre, an Alabama Crimson Tide edge rusher who blew onto the scene in 2025 with 52 tackles and 8 sacks. Most of his production came late in the season, and 2026 could be a big breakout.

Pierre can hunt the quarterback, but not at the expense of his gap integrity. — Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Deontae Lawson (0) and linebacker Yhonzae Pierre (42) tackle Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

You can call me a fan of this one. Pierre has skills as a pass rusher and also holds up well as a run defender on the outside. I think he can play standing up or with his hand in the dirt. He has to work on some technique, and his tackling form can be sloppy, but much of that will likely get fixed this year. This is a great pick in my mind as far as the player goes.

The Context

It’s also a very sensible pick when you take a look at the makeup of this team. The Seahawks are deep at edge for the moment, but DeMarcus Lawrence has already announced his intent to retire at the end of the season. Uchenna Nwosu and Dante Fowler Jr are both free agents in March, so there’s a decent chance both are gone for 2027 as well. Edges are needed.

We need players that can do stuff like this. — OklahomaÕs John Mateer (10) is pressured by AlabamaÕs Yhonzae Pierre (42) in the second half of the College Football Playoff game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Alabama Crimson Tide. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

I also think the value is appropriate. If Pierre isn’t looked at as a first round caliber player right now, there’s a very good chance he will be after a double-digit sack season for the Crimson Tide. He could easily be the best edge rusher in this class after the blue-chippers, and will be a hot name for the Seahawks in many mocks. There’s not much I can say bad here.

Alternate Paths

I’ll just be straight on this one, I don’t think you can do much better than Pierre with a late first round pick. Maybe Matayo Uiagalelei of Oregon or Quincy Rhodes Jr of Arkansas fits Macdonald’s scheme a bit better, but I wouldn’t make that assumption right now. And short of needing a quarterback because Darnold is too expensive, you won’t top the value.

I can't do much better than Pierre. — Oregon outside linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei, right, pressures Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. as the Oregon Ducks take on the Washington Huskies. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Maybe there’s a world where safety K.J. Bolden of Georgia or linebacker Sammy Brown of Clemson hit the spot a little better, but honestly? Give me Pierre over any of them right now. I hope we pick a bit lower than Schwartz has us, but otherwise he couldn’t have done better.

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