One position that was conspicuous by its absence in the Seattle Seahawks’ list of 11 picks in the 2025 NFL draft was nose tackle.
Coach Mike Macdonald acknowledged the team hoped to find one in the draft.
“If there’s an opportunity for us, I think we probably would have gone for it,’’ Macdonald said. “… We’ve still got a long time before we play. There’s hopefully going to be some more opportunities as we unfold there.’’
The answer for how the Seahawks will fill that spot came Tuesday as they agreed to terms to bring back veteran Johnathan Hankins, a source confirmed.
The 6-foot-3, 325-pound Hankins filled the role of nose tackle in the base defense, playing in all 17 games and starting eight, playing 390 snaps.
Macdonald said at the NFL combine that the team could bring back Hankins, who turned 33 in March. The timing suggests each side may have been waiting to see how the rosters for the Seahawks and other teams looked following the draft before making a deal.
Terms of his contract were not immediately known. He made $1.96 million last year on a one-year deal and is likely getting a similar contract to return.
Hankins played in 169 games with 142 starts over 12 seasons after entering the league as the 49th overall pick in the 2013 draft by the Giants.
His return solidifies a Seahawks interior front line that looks similar to last year. Jarran Reed signed a three-year deal worth up to $22 million in March to rejoin returners Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II.
They also signed free agent DeMarcus Lawrence as an end, essentially to replace Dre’Mont Jones, who was released.
Those five project to get the bulk of the snaps at the Seahawks’ three interior defensive line spots when it is in its base 3-4 defense. Mills could also factor into that mix but it’s somewhat unclear when he will be ready as he recovers from an ACL injury suffered Dec. 20.
The Seahawks have two other players listed as nose tackles on their roster in Brandon Pili and Quinton Bohanna and also are reportedly signing Wy’Kevious “Bubba” Thomas of South Alabama as an undrafted rookie free agent.
The Seahawks drafted just two defensive players among their 11 picks, due in part to losing out on a few players on Day 3 it hoped to get. Their last six picks in the draft were all offensive players, which general manager John Schneider said was not by design but simply the way the draft fell.
The only two defensive draftees were second-round pick safety Nick Emmanwori of South Carolina and defensive end Rylie Mills of Notre Dame in the fifth round.
The Seahawks did not draft a cornerback but had former Seahawk Shaquill Griffin in for a visit. He remains a free agent and could be an option to add depth at cornerback.
Signings of veteran free agents typically pick up in the few days after the draft since free agents signed no longer count in the formula for determining compensatory picks for the 2026 draft.
Seahawks waive four
The Seahawks waived four veterans Tuesday — quarterback Jaren Hall, linebacker Michael Dowell, center Michael Novitsky and outside linebacker Kenneth Odumegwu. That cut the roster to 74, leaving 16 spots open for the signings of undrafted free agents and any other free agents the team may wish to add.
Hall spent most of last season on the practice squad but was added to the 53-man roster late as a third QB. The signing of Drew Lock and drafting of Jalen Milroe appears to have them set at the position behind starter Sam Darnold.