Field Gulls predicts what the Seahawks will do with No. 16 in the 2024 NFL Draft

Trade up? Trade down? Stand pat? And then who will the Seahawks draft with their first pick? We make our predictions.

It’s Day 1 of the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit. The Seattle Seahawks are slated to pick at No. 16 overall, but it’s far from a guarantee that they’ll stay there. We could see our first trade down from Seattle’s top pick since 2019, and it isn’t far-fetched to think the Seahawks could skip the first-round entirely. A trade-up would be a stunner, and one can only assume they’d do that for a quarterback.

The Field Gulls staff has peered into their respective crystal balls to see what Seattle will do with its first pick. Have a glance!

Mookie Alexander: I want the Seahawks to trade down. I believe they will trade down. If they stay put, they should take Troy Fautanu without hesitation. But I believe they’ll trade down out of the Troy Fautanu and Graham Barton sweepstakes. Michael Penix Jr will be off the board before No. 16, Bo Nix won’t be in consideration, which means they could draft a projected second-round player in the late first. In this scenario, I believe they go for defense (sorry, folks). I’ve predicted defensive lineman Johnny Newton at No. 16 and am tempted to stick with that, but I believe they pull a surprise and take a safety. The options are Tyler Nubin (Minnesota), Jaden Hicks (Washington State), and Javon Bullard (Georgia). Nubin has the best stats and great instincts but didn’t test well in his Pro Day. Hicks looks like a great athlete but might have some bad Marquise Blair-esque traits. Bullard doesn’t have great size but might be the most complete safety of the bunch. I’m going with Javon Bullard in the late 20s or early 30s. He’d be a reach there but that hasn’t stopped the Seahawks before.

Diane Taylor: Stay put and pick Cooper DeJean – DB, Iowa Hawkeyes

Frank T. Raines: I like Diane’s idea, provided that “the plan” is to keep DeJean at cornerback (I’m not wild about moving him to safety). That said, while I agree that Schneider & Co. will stick and pick at No. 16, my money is on them using the pick on Ryan Grubb’s QB, Michael Penix Jr.

Ted Zahn: I know what I’d like the Seahawks to do, but this supposed to be what I think they’ll do. Schneider will desperately try to find a trade partner while on the clock and No. 16 and eventually settle for a less-than-ideal trade both in terms of how far they move back and what Seattle gets in return. With all the blue-chippers gone, the Seahawks select Missouri DL Darius Robinson…and everyone is mad.

John P. Gilbert: The great Seahawks defenses of the early Pete Carroll era were built, in part, by using a mid-round first to select safety Earl Thomas. The great defense fielded by the Baltimore Ravens in 2023 was built, in part, by using a mid-round first to select safety Kyle Hamilton. I think John Schneider rolls the dice and uses a mid-round first to add Cooper DeJean to the mix in the secondary while tossing another option when it comes to punt returns. That said, I won’t be surprised if Schneider moves back a few picks while doing so in order to add more ammunition for later in the draft.

Tyler Alsin: I’ve never gotten one of these right and neither have you because John Schneider is a madman. Therefore, I believe he’s going to nab Chop Robinson in the 20s.

Only Frank is picking the Seahawks to take Penix, let alone an offensive player. That Robinson pick from Ted makes my skin crawl because of how correct he might be. Seattle generally didn’t overthink the last two drafts, so maybe that trend continues this year. We’ll all find out together!