The 2026 NFL Draft kicks off later this month 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.

Today, we kick things off with quarterback, and tomorrow we'll take a look at where things stand at running back.

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).

Quarterback draft history under John Schneider: Russell Wilson (No. 75 overall, 2012), Alex McGough (No. 220, 2018); Jalen Milroe (No. 92, 2025).

Where The Seahawks Stand

Last year's offseason saw the Seahawks make some big changes at quarterback. First, they traded starter Geno Smith, then pivoted quickly to sign Sam Darnold, the top quarterback available in free agency. That move, obviously, worked out great, with Darnold earning Pro-Bowl honors while helping lead the Seahawks to their second Super Bowl title in franchise history, and it wasn't the only change Seattle made at that position. The Seahawks also brough back Drew Lock to handle backup duties, signing him as a free agent. After adding Jalen Milroe with the third-round pick acquired in the Smith trade, the Seahawks then traded their 2024 backup, Sam Howell, to the Vikings, on Day 3 of the draft, landing the pick they used on defensive lineman Rylie Mills.

And now, after completely overhauling the position group last spring, the Seahawks appear to be much more settled at quarterback, with Darnold leading the way after another standout season. Yes, additions/changes are always possible, though far less likely this offseason, but heading into the 2026 season, the biggest question right now appears to be whether or not Milroe, who was inactive for most of Seattle's games in 2025, will see his role expand in any way in his second season.

"I believe he could have last year," Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said last month at the NFL Annual Meeting when asked about Milroe possibly having a bigger role. "It's the way things shook out. It was best for the team for him not to be active on game day and have a larger role, but plenty of ability to do so throughout the year, I was really excited about his development. I know he's going to work his tail off."

Rob Rang's Top 5 Quarterbacks

Overview: I'm showing my age a bit with this reference, but this year's quarterback class reminds me of the 2010 class when Sam Bradford was selected first overall, Tim Tebow 25th and Jimmy Clausen at No. 48 was the only other QB to be among the first 84 picks. Contrast that with the draft two years ago in which six quarterbacks went in the Top 12. With the exception of the Heisman Trophy winner and national champion Mendoza, this year's class offers a mix of potential and pro-readiness but far too few prospects with both. Expect a lot of teams to punt on this year's QB class and wait for next year.

1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana, 6-5, 236, First Round

Mendoza enters the draft more decorated than a wedding cake as the Heisman Trophy winner and first quarterback to ever take the Indiana Hoosiers to a national championship. Similar to longtime LA Rams and current Lions quarterback Jared Goff, Mendoza wins by anticipating windows well and delivering consistent, catchable throws to all levels of the field. As his iconic championship-sealing TD run against Miami demonstrated, Mendoza is also an opportunistic runner, not to mention a gutty, team-focused leader. At this point, it seems written in stone that Mendoza will be Klint Kubiak and the Las Vegas Raiders' selection at No. 1 overall.

2. Ty Simpson, Alabama, 6-1, 211, Second Round

Simpson excelled for Kalen DeBoer and Alabama in 2025, leading the SEC with 3,500 passing yards and 28 touchdowns, flashing NFL starter-caliber accuracy in doing so. It was just a "flash," though as Simpson enters the NFL with just 15 career starts, all of them coming last season. The track record of quarterbacks entering the NFL with less than 20 starts at the college level is abysmal and, of course, Simpson also was surrounded by blue-chip talent in his one starting season at Tuscaloosa.

3. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU, 6-2, 203, Second-Third Round

It isn't often that I assign a Top 100 grade to a quarterback that got benched with a month to go in his final season, but I remain a Nussmeier believer, especially after he bounced back to win MVP honors during the Senior Bowl to cap his collegiate career. He's got legitimate arm talent and has pro football bloodlines, with his father, Doug, playing or coaching pro football (including 2000-01 with the BC Lions) every year since 1994, currently serving as the New Orleans Saints' offensive coordinator. Nussmeier isn't the traditional coach's son on the field, playing a bit reckless, at times, but I like his courage and creativity.

4. Carson Beck, Miami, 6-5, 233, Third Round

Seahawks fans got a front row look at Sam Darnold's jump from one-time draft disappointment to Super Bowl champion and Beck nearly pulled off a similar resurrection of his pro stock, helping Miami qualify for the national championship, after transferring from Georgia. Beck has all of the physical traits scouts are looking for and with 55 combined games at blue-blood programs, he's certainly battle-tested.

5. Taylen Green, Boise State, 6-6, 227, Third-Fourth Round

The first four quarterbacks listed were traditional pocket passers but teams looking for more of a dual-threat will have an interesting choice between Green and North Dakota State's Cole Payton, a lefty and former running back. Longtime NFL fans might remember Randall Cunningham. That's who Green reminds me of. As demonstrated with a remarkable workout at the Combine that included a 40-yard dash time of 4.36 seconds and a 43.5" vertical jump, Green is among the elite athletes of this draft and a true rarity among quarterbacks. His ability as a runner to mask some deficiencies as a decision-maker and passer but the upside is worthy of a mid-round gamble.