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Seahawks Land Versatile Ohio State Defender in 2027 Mock Draft
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- Seahawks Land Versatile Ohio State Defender in 2027 Mock Draft
The Seattle Seahawks have one of the best rosters in the league. That's to be expected after winning a Super Bowl, but the team is set up to be elite for several years to come.
Head coach Mike Macdonald has completely transformed this defense. The unit has elite pieces like Leonard Williams, Devon Witherspoon, and Nick Emmanwori , and should be one of the top units again in 2026.
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To stay elite, though, the Seahawks would be wise to keep adding to the unit each offseason. In a recent 2027 mock draft, this is exactly what the Seahawks do by selecting an Ohio State star.
Latest Mock Draft has Seahawks Taking Jaylen McClain
Luke Easterling of Athlon recently published his updated 2027 mock . In that mock, Easterling has the Seahawks selecting Ohio State defensive back Jaylen McClain with the No. 29 pick.
McClain had his breakout season in 2025 with the Buckeyes. The defensive back collected 53 tackles and three pass breakups, earning a solid 78.1 Pro Football Focus grade .
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"Mike Macdonald's defense just loves to collect athletic, versatile defenders who bring a ton of smarts and a violent style of play to the party, and McClain would check every box," Easterling said . "His ability to line up deep, in the slot, or down in the box would give Seattle even more flexibility with the way they present complex looks and make creative post-snap changes to force opposing offenses into scary situations."
As Easterling mentioned, McClain's versatility would seemingly make him a perfect fit in Seattle.
McClain isn't just a traditional deep safety, as he can line up in the slot or even play down in the box. The Ohio State product was helped by being surrounded by elite defenders last season, but he locked down the secondary in the process.
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Currently, the Seahawks have Julian Love and Ty Okada on pace to start. Love was one of the best safeties in the league in 2025, but Okada struggled a bit as a run defender. McClain was elite as a pass defender and run defender, so he could be an immediate upgrade.
With Love, Emmanwori, McClain, and Witherspoon, the Seahawks would easily have one of the most exciting secondaries in the league. This would be adding to a strength, which is something elite teams have the luxury to do.
It will be interesting to see how McClain performs in 2026. If he has another elite season, he may be taken ahead of the Seahawks' range.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
