Brady HendersonApr 11, 2026, 11:00 AM
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SEATTLE -- Speed or power.
Quick burst off the line of scrimmage or physical play against the run.
Which of those traits will matter more to the Seattle Seahawks when it comes to outside linebacker and defensive end prospects in this year's NFL draft (April 23-25; ESPN, ABC, ESPN App)?
In other words, will they try to find a replacement for Boye Mafe or will they look for their next DeMarcus Lawrence/Uchenna Nwosu?
With only four picks as of now -- Nos. 32, 64, 96 and 188 -- the Super Bowl champions might have to choose between one style of edge defender over another. It's an intriguing question facing general manager John Schneider and coach Mike Macdonald at a position that needs reinforcement both for the immediate and long-term after Seattle didn't make any additions to it in free agency.
For now at least, all but Mafe remain from the four-man outside linebacker rotation that was a strength of Seattle's top-ranked scoring defense in 2025.
But Lawrence will turn 34 later this month and has considered retirement. That's likely why Macdonald left some wiggle room when he told reporters at the league meetings recently that, as far as he knows, the 12-year veteran plans to continue playing in 2026.
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"He always has the right to change his mind," Macdonald said of Lawrence, who made his fifth Pro Bowl in 2025, "but as of right now, he's coming back."
Nwosu, who started opposite Lawrence, is coming off a bounce-back season in which he finished tied for the team lead with 7.0 sacks, scored on a pick-six in Super Bowl LX and played in 19 of 20 games after a two-year run of injuries. But he's entering his age-30 season and a contract year.
Derick Hall might be the only member of that 2025 foursome with a long-term future in Seattle, though the Super Bowl standout is also unsigned beyond 2026 as he enters the final season of his rookie deal.
Mafe left for a three-year, $60 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Seahawks considered trading him at last season's deadline and were expected to let him walk even before his market ballooned.
That said, Mafe's explosiveness was -- as Macdonald put it -- a valuable complement to the more powerful rushing styles of the rest of the group. He only recorded 2.0 sacks in 20 games last year, though he finished the regular season eighth among edge players in pass rush win rate (18.7%) and 17th among all defenders in pressure rate (11.4%).
"Probably the best thing that Boye does is quick wins early, which was something that you need," Macdonald said. "You need to be able to affect the quarterback fast. Can he finish a little bit better? Yeah, absolutely, but if you get the quarterback off the spot, it means somebody else is probably making that play, too. ... We're going to miss him."
Which likely helps explain the Seahawks' interest in Oklahoma's R Mason Thomas, a First-Team All-SEC selection in 2025. He's among the names on Seattle's list of predraft visits, according to NFL reporter Arye Pulli.
Oklahoma defensive lineman R Mason Thomas runs the 40-yard dash at Lucas Oil Stadium. Kirby Lee/Imagn Images
Thomas, who recorded 6.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss in 10 games last season, is considered one of the top speed rushers in this year's draft. At 6-foot-2 and 241 pounds, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.67 seconds at the combine with a 10-yard split of 1.63 seconds. Those figures only ranked 10th and 11th, respectively, among edge players in Indianapolis. For further context, Mafe ran 4.53/1.59 at 6-4 and 261 pounds in 2022.
However, Thomas was coming off a quad injury that sidelined him for three games in 2025. As one AFC scout put it to ESPN, quickness is his best trait, and he has more of it than his combine testing numbers suggest.
"Tape says he's twitchy," the scout said.
The scout projects Thomas to be taken early in the third round. In a recent mock draft with ESPN NFL draft analysts Mel Kiper Jr., Jordan Reid and Matt Miller, Field Yates sent Thomas to Seattle at pick No. 32. Earlier individual mocks from Miller and Reid had him going in the middle of Round 2.
Bringing in Thomas to their Renton headquarters allows the Seahawks to answer any lingering questions they have about his health. Teams also use predraft visits to interview players and get a better feel for them as individuals. That may have been Seattle's motivation to reportedly set one up with Missouri's Zion Young, per Pulli.
Young was a First-Team All-SEC selection last season after recording 16.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 13 games. He was arrested in December and later charged with DWI.
In past drafts, Schneider has likened the varying styles of defensive-line prospects to the bevy of options available at an ice cream shop. To borrow that analogy, the 6-foot-6, 262-pound Young is a different flavor than Thomas. Whereas the latter is known for his speed, Young would give the Seahawks another physical edge setter a la Nwosu and Lawrence, only with more length.
After not running at the combine, Young reportedly clocked a 4.77 40-yard dash with a 1.72-second 10-yard split at his pro day. Those are solid times at his size, but they're indicative of a player who's known more for his strength and rugged play against the run than his burst as a pass rusher.
The AFC scout guessed that Young will be taken in the middle of the second round. Mock drafts from Kiper, Yates, Reid and Miller had him going between 20th and 45th overall.
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At the league meetings, Macdonald said the Seahawks didn't sign a veteran edge player because "the right matchup hasn't happened yet."
"It's kind of one of those things, don't press it and maybe there will be an [opportunity] either through the draft or maybe after the draft [in] free agency or something through training camp. Or if our guys are rocking and rolling and they play great, we'll roll with the guys we have."
Last summer, the Seahawks believed they were on the verge of signing Von Miller before the eight-time Pro Bowl selection opted for a one-year deal with the Washington Commanders instead. Miller is one of several big-name edge players who are still unsigned, though not contributing on special teams could be a deterrent for the Seahawks given how much they value that phase of the game.
Comments from Schneider and Macdonald have made it clear the Seahawks are high on the potential of some of their young, unproven edge players, including 2025 undrafted free agent Jared Ivey and 2024 UDFA Jamie Sheriff.
Hall, meanwhile, is eligible for an extension. He only recorded 2.0 sacks in 14 regular-season games before doubling that total in the Super Bowl, with one of his sacks against the New England Patriots causing a fumble that Seattle recovered. Before that, he dropped Drake Maye with a speed-to-power rush, which is his calling card.
Hall appears to be a long-term fit in Seattle, but Mafe getting $20 million per season as a rotational player suggests he could be expensive to re-sign.
It's one more reason for the Seahawks to re-stock their edge in the draft -- depending on which flavor they like.