The Seattle Seahawks’ draft in 2022 is proving to be one of those foundational classes that help sustain long-term success. John Schneider chose both of his starting offensive tackles as well as his top running back. On defense, he added a starting edge rusher and two starters in the secondary. He also got a pretty solid special teamer in the final round.
That would be a decent haul over a two-year period, which was vital. The 2021 draft was a total washout. That may simply be the nature of an inexact science.
When the 2025 season comes to an end, Schneider is likely to still have seven of the nine players he chose in 2022 under contract. That’s when the difficult decisions begin. Most of those players will be on expiring contracts, slated to hit free agency in March. Which, if any, should be in line for a contract extension?
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First-round draft picks operate under a different set of rules from the others in the class. While contracts for rookie draftees run four years, the club has the right to exercise a fifth-year option on the first-round pick. That is what Schneider did with ’22 first-rounder Charles Cross last May.
Assuming the GM wants to extend Cross, which seems highly likely at this point, he has a little extra time to work out the deal.
Schneider has already extended third-round pick Abraham Lucas. The right tackle is under contract for at least two more seasons after this one. That means that if a deal is worked out with Cross, the bookend tackles are set for the next several years.
Schneider will no doubt explore extensions with second-round pick Kenneth Walker III and fourth-rounder Coby Bryant, both of whom have become important starters. Fifth-rounder Riq Woolen, and Dareke Young, who was chosen in the final round, are on shakier footing, though both could certainly be in Schneider’s plans.
But the one player who absolutely should be a top priority is second-round pick Boye Mafe. On paper, Mafe’s numbers might not appear to merit such high consideration, but a deeper look suggests he is a crucial part of Seattle’s evolving defense.
First off, Mafe has played more snaps than any of Seattle’s edge rushers. DeMarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu, and Derick Hall have each been on the field for fewer than 50% of the Hawks’ defensive snaps this season. Mafe has played on more than 60% of them.
As mentioned, the raw numbers are nothing special. Mafe has yet to record a sack, has just two QB hits, and one tackle-for-loss through six games. In his breakout year of 2023, the University of Minnesota star had nine sacks, nine tackles-for-loss, and 16 QB hits.
However, a deeper look at the numbers reveals a player who is nonetheless performing at a very high level.
Mafe is on pace to better his best seasons in hurries and total pressures. His hurry-rate is currently almost twice as good as his best season. He may not be closing the deal with a sack, but he is still forcing opposing QBs to leave the pocket or throw before they want to.
That production is reflected in ESPN”s win-rate stats. They compile numbers on each offensive and defensive lineman to determine how often they “win” the battle in both passing and running situations,. For pass rushers, a win is defined as beating your blocker in less than 2.5 seconds.
Boye Mafe is currently tied for fifth in the entire league in pass-rush win-rates. He trails elite pass rushers like Nik Bonitto and Will Anderson, Jr. And he ranks a few spots higher than the likes of Myles Garrett, Micah Parsons, Trey Hendrickson, and Maxx Crosby. That is some rarified company. Unless you are Jerry Jones, you don’t willingly walk away from a player like that.
Seattle’s pass rush has been dependent on a number of factors this season. Leonard Williams and an emerging Byron Murphy II have provided a push in the middle that disrupts the pocket. The threat of blitzes coming from a very athletic secondary complicates matters for an offensive line.
But the edges are the key. And one thing has become absurdly obvious in this era of pass-happy offenses. You can never have enough quality pass rushers.
If Lawrence can continue to laugh at Father Time, if Nwosu can truly stay healthy, if Hall can regain his form of 2024, that will go a long way toward ensuring Seattle’s pass rush remains a force. And if younger players like Jared Ivey and Connor O’Toole can build on the flashes they have shown, that pass rush could become truly special.
Those are all ifs. One thing that has not been iffy this season is that Boye Mafe – Seattle’s steadiest pass rusher – continues to put pressure on opposing QBs, even if he does not have the sack totals just yet. That is production that needs to be extended.