The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off next week in Pittsburgh, and for the Seahawks, this year's draft represents a chance to add to a roster mostly made up of the players who were part of the team that won Super Bowl LX in February.

Because of the talent, depth and youth on Seattle's roster, players added in this year's draft will have to come in willing to compete for playing time, something Seahawks general manager and president of football operations John Schneider saw young players struggle with last decade during the peak of the Legion of Boom era. That eventually led to an adjustment in Seattle's evaluation process to make sure they were bringing in the type of players who had the right mindset to compete with established stars, and that trait will again be key for the 2026 draft class.

"Yeah, we'll be way more cognizant of it," Schneider said last month at the NFL Annual Meeting. "How do they feel about (Devon Witherspoon), how do they feel about Leonard (Williams), (Byron) Murphy? There's got to be a level of confidence, self-efficacy that we have to dig deeper into… Not just being fans of these guys, but like, 'I want to take their jobs.' The competition just rises to the top."

Things could change before or during the draft, but as things currently stand, the Seahawks hold only four picks, having traded their fourth and fifth-round selections to the Saints in exchange for receiver and return specialist Rashid Shaheed, and having sent their sixth-rounder to Jacksonville in a 2024 trade for defensive lineman Roy Robertson-Harris. But even with limited draft capital, the Seahawks head into this year's draft looking to add tough, smart and reliable players who can help the team in 2026 and beyond.

And with the draft coming up soon, Seahawks.com is taking a position-by-position look at where things currently stand for the Seahawks, as well as draft analyst Rob Rang's top draft prospects at each position. We'll also look at Seattle's draft history at each position over the past 16 drafts under Schneider.

So far we've covered quarterback, running back, receiver, tight end, offensive line, and defensive line/outside linebacker, and today we take a look at where things stand at off-ball linebacker. Check back tomorrow when we turn our attention to safety.

Seattle's 2026 Draft Picks: Round 1, No. 32 overall; Round 2, No. 64 overall; Round 3, No. 96 overall; Round 6, No. 188 overall (from Cleveland).

Linebacker draft history under John Schneider: K.J. Wright (No. 99 overall, 2011); Malcolm Smith (No. 243, 2011); Korey Toomer (No. 154, 2012); Ty Powell (No. 243, 2013); Kevin Pierre-Louis (No. 132, 2014); Shaquem Griffin (No. 141, 2018); Cody Barton (No. 88, 2019); Ben Burr-Kirven (No. 142, 2019); Jordyn Brooks (No. 27, 2020); Tyrice Knight (No. 118, 2024).

Where The Seahawks Stand

The Seahawks were strong everywhere on defense last season, and linebacker was no exception. Ernest Jones IV, who signed an extension before the start of free agency last year, was one of the team's top defensive players and leaders, earning second-team All-Pro honors, while Drake Thomas emerged as a standout in his first season as a starter. Tyrice Knight, a 2024 draft pick who took over a starting role midway through his rookie season, appeared set to have that same role in 2025, but a knee injury sidelined him for part of camp and the preseason, and while Knight was back for the start of the regular season as a starter, he wasn't at full strength, and eventually Thomas move passed him in the lineup. Knight still provided a lot of value on special teams, and proved he could still be a playmaker on defense when given a shot, as he showed as a fill-in starter for an injured Jones against the Cardinals, forcing two fumbles on sacks, both of which were returned for touchdowns.

So with Jones, Thomas and Knight all returning, as well as special teams standout Chazz Surratt and several other young depth pieces like Jamie Sheriff and Chris Paul Jr., the Seahawks are in pretty good shape at linebacker. That being said, off-ball linebacker is a very important position in Mike Macdonald's defense, and linebackers also tend to provide a lot of special teams value, so having good options at that spot already would not stop the Seahawks from adding to that group if the right value is there to be had in the draft. The Seahawks have only drafted two off-ball linebackers, Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks, in the first two rounds in 16 drafts under Schneider, so history suggests it likely won't be a position the Seahawks address early in the draft, but there are definitely scenarios in which using a mid to late-round pick at that position could make a lot of sense for Seattle.

Rob Rang's Top 5 Off-Ball Linebackers

Overview: One of the most underrated positional groups of this year's class is off-ball linebacker, where the Buckeyes boast two remarkable prospects in Arvel Reese and Sonny Styles that likely will be top five selections. They offer both immediate impact ability and untapped potential. Outside of the five linebackers listed below, I'm intrigued by the upside of former edge rusher-turned LB Jake Golday (Cincinnati), the explosive closing speed of Kyle Louis (Pittsburgh) and the surprising instincts of Jimmy Rolder, who only started one season at Michigan. Georgia's CJ Allen, Oregon's Bryce Boettcher and Utah's Landon Barton (former Seahawk Cody's younger but bigger brother) are others who may lack some of the eye-popping physical characteristics but have the intangibles that usually lead to long NFL careers.

1. Arvel Reese, Ohio State, 6-4, 241, First Round

Reese is arguably the most gifted prospect in the 2026 draft, offering the sideline-to-sideline speed to star at linebacker, as well as the size and quick-twitch to project as future edge rusher. That combination has led to a lot of comparisons to Micah Parsons, who some might remember also began his college career at Penn State as an off-ball linebacker. Reese currently offers more promise than production with his career totals (102 tackles, 13.5 tackles, seven sacks) less than what some of his competitors registered in 2025, alone. While Reese currently lacks polish, he is one of the few prospects in this class who projects as a potential future All-Pro, offering the kind of traits that leave scouts drooling.

2. Sonny Styles, Ohio State, 6-5, 244, First Round

A former safety who kept getting bigger, Styles will likely join his former college teammate, Reese, as a top 10 selection. He is a four-year contributor at Ohio State who is still just 21-years old and has been recognized for his academics and charity work throughout his college career. He finished second on the Buckeyes in tackles during their 2024 national title run and led the team in stops this past season. He's added more physicality to his game as he's grown into the linebacker position and there is no reason to believe that he won't continue to develop, perhaps ultimately blossoming into one of the elite all-around linebackers in the NFL.

3. Anthony Hill, Jr., Texas, 6-2, 238, First Round

The Longhorns took the opposite approach as the Buckeyes with their star defender, featuring Hill initially as an edge rusher before dropping him back to linebacker – where he projects best in the NFL. Hill enters the league having proven that he can essentially do it all – registering an eye-popping 249 career tackles, as well as 31.5 for loss, 17 sacks, eight forced fumbles and three interceptions. Critics will complain that Hill is more slippery than confrontational, at times, but his flexibility, speed and instincts suggest a long, celebrated NFL career.

4. Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech, 6-1, 231, Second Round

Ironically, if production is what you're looking for than it's the former quarterback - Rodriguez – who leads all linebackers in this draft. Rodriguez was the rare off-ball linebacker invited to New York City as a Heisman finalist this season, leading the FBS with 13 turnovers (seven forced fumbles, four interceptions and two fumbles recovered) generated, to go along with 128 tackles, including 11 for loss. The gaudy turnovers appear fluky until you watch the tape and see Rodriguez's instincts, closing speed and Peanut Tillman-like punch in action. He silenced critics with a terrific showing at the Combine, appearing every bit the future star linebacker in the NFL.

5. Josiah Trotter, Missouri, 6-2, 237, Second Round

The son (and brother) of NFL veterans, Trotter has the bloodlines, instincts, physicality and production to project as a longtime "Green Dot" Mike 'backer. He is a classic downhill thumper of a middle linebacker who thrives on collisions. Trotter has a relatively high-cut build, however, which leaves him a bit vulnerable to leverage and changing directions fluidly enough for coverage responsibilities.