First round of NFL Draft wraps up as Seattle Seahawks select Grey Zabel as 18th pick

The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft was held in Green Bay Thursday evening, with potential stars of the future waiting to hear their names called.

For the 18th pick, the Seattle Seahawks selected offensive tackle Grey Zabel. Zabel, born in South Dakota, played for the North Dakota State Bison where he won two national championships and was named an FCS 1st-Team All-American his senior season.

“He’s just buttoned up. Tough. Smart. Reliable. Our kind of guy. And really, our first exposure was at the Senior Bowl and he had a great week down there. It felt like 18 to where we were, it was like a sweet spot for the interior offensive linemen,” said Seahawks General Manager John Schneider.

Seahawks Head Coach Mike MacDonald added, “He’s gonna start at Guard and work interior. But, the cool thing about Grey is he can play all five spots. Hopefully, we’re not moving him around much, he sticks at Guard for a long time here. But, he does have that versatility.”

For the first overall pick, the Tennessee Titans selected quarterback Cam Ward out of the University of Miami.

Ward, a former Washington State Cougar, transferred to Miami for his final season and impressed scouts with his performance.

The Titans’ choice comes just one day after they signed former Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett.

The 10th overall pick, TE Colston Loveland, went to the Chicago Bears. Loveland played for the Michigan Wolverines and was born in Goldendale, Washington.

The 19th overall pick, WR Emeka Egbuka, went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Egbuka, born in Tacoma, played for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks stayed patient. General Manager John Schneider and new head coach Mike MacDonald say the organization is focused on selecting players who align with their long-term vision.

“We’ll get to a spot where Mike and I can walk through every scenario so we’re not in a position to overthink things,” Schneider said. “Especially once we get to the weekend, we wanna be able to have it look like how we want it to look. Our kind of guys.”

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MacDonald, overseeing his first draft as head coach, echoed Schneider’s approach.

“Normally, you’re about a week or two into the process as Draft Week comes up,” MacDonald said. “So, I’m excited to start our process as a team to kind of see how everything’s gonna kind of come into focus over the next 8–10 weeks and into camp.”

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