The Seattle Seahawks did well to address needs while also acquiring more selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. But Fansided’s 12th Man Rising’s Lou Scataglia argued Mike Macdonald and the team could still have two regrets when looking back at the draft a few months from now.
The Seahawks passed on Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnon and Indiana wide receiver Elijah Sarratt. Scataglia saw both as prospects Seattle could have easily added.
“Emmanuel Pregnon felt like a slam-dunk second-round pick, and he would have fit nicely with the Seahawks. Pregnon ended up falling all the way down to pick 88, about halfway through Round 3, heading to the Jacksonville Jaguars,” wrote Scataglia.
The Seahawks analyst argued the team could have targeted Pregnon at No. 64 overall. Seattle landed TCU safety Bud Clark with that selection.
In Sarratt, the Seahawks could have had a future replacement for Cooper Kupp, wrote Scataglia.
“The idea of adding a solid receiver prospect like Sarratt would have been a welcome addition. He’s more of a possession receiver who could work the intermediate-middle parts of the field and become a strong third-down target,” wrote Scataglia.
“And while Seattle might have that now with Kupp, he’s on the wrong side of 30 and clearly an aging player who doesn’t offer a ton of upside.”
The Seahawks did get a new wideout in the 2026 NFL Draft. They picked Kansas receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. at No. 199 overall in the sixth round.
Should Seahawks Have Drafted Emmanuel Pregnon?
Scataglia’s point about Seattle needing to upgrade the offensive line interior is well warranted. According to the Pro Football Focus player grades, Seahawks’ Anthony Bradford was the worst performing starting right guard in the league last season.
“Given that the Seahawks do still have a massive weakness along the interior of the offensive line with Anthony Bradford, selecting Pregnon, which the Seahawks could have done at pick 64, would have made sense,” wrote Scataglia. “The roster is at a point where the team could have embraced a needs-based approach in a draft, putting less of an emphasis on drafting the best player available.”
Just to play devil’s advocate, though, teams often draft with a specific philosophy in mind.
The Seahawks have now won multiple championships under general manager John Schneider emphasizing defense while “making do” along the offensive line. With that in mind, it’s not surprising the team added another safety for Macdonald and the defense.
It’s not as though the Seahawks neglected the offensive guard need either. The team landed Iowa guard Beau Stephens at No. 148 overall in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Mike Macdonald, Seahawks Miss Selecting WR Elijah Sarratt
The Baltimore Ravens drafted Sarratt early on Day 3 in the fourth round. The Seahawks didn’t make a selection on Day 3 until No. 199 overall.
That essentially put Sarratt out of range unless the team targeted him at No. 99 in the third round instead of Arkansas cornerback Julian Neal.
Sarratt would have been a strong pick for the Seahawks. But again, the team chose to fill a defensive need instead. Furthermore, Macdonald and the coaching staff might have preferred a more versatile receiver.
The wideout the Seahawks did draft, Henderson, can return and cover kicks. While he’s not likely to ever develop into a Kupp replacement, Henderson will fill more roles than just a WR2.
Pregnon or Sarratt would have been good picks for the Seahawks. If they turn out to be stars, the team could regret passing on them.
But that’s part of the draft. Even still, the Seahawks landed a collection of prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft that should solidify needs and offer long-term upgrades at key positions.
Seahawks Warned About Potential NFL Draft Regrets Before 2026 Season