The Seattle Seahawks waited until the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft to address their offensive line. But with the No. 148 overall pick, the Seahawks landed what some pundits have called a steal in guard Beau Stephens.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport didn’t use “steal” or even “sleeper” to describe Stephens. But on June 13, the BR analyst included the guard on a list of six “underrated rookies” who could make a big impact on the 2026 NFL season.
“The Seattle Seahawks don’t have a lot of holes on the roster, but the offensive line was ranked middle-of-the pack by Pro Football Focus. Now, generally a fifth-round pick wouldn’t be considered a real threat to start for the Super Bowl champions, but Chad Reuter of NFL.com believes that Iowa’s Beau Stephens could be an exception in that regard,” wrote Davenport.
“[Anthony] Bradford is easily the weakest link in Seattle’s offensive line, and Stephens didn’t allow a sack in either of his last two seasons at Iowa.
“There’s going to be a new starter up front for the Seahawks come the season-opening rematch of Super Bowl LX with the New England Patriots.”
The Seahawks picked Stephens first out of the four selections the team made on Day 3 this year. Seattle didn’t make any other additions to its offensive line in the draft.
Over five seasons, Stephens started 35 games for Iowa.
Seahawks Selected Beau Stephens in the Fifth Round of the 2026 NFL Draft
GettyThe Seattle Seahawks selected guard Beau Stephens in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
In addition to only drafting Stephens, the Seahawks didn’t sign any undrafted linemen this spring. During NFL free agency, Seattle also only signed veteran tackle Bobby Hart.
More than likely, the Seahawks are going to trust the same starting five along their offensive line from last season. But as Davenport explained, Stephens has a shot at a starting job.
Grey Zabel and Anthony Bradford started at left and right guard, respectively, for the Seahawks. According to Pro Football Focus, Bradford was one of the worst starting guards in the entire league.
That makes Stephens a strong bet to potentially replace Bradford at right guard.
“Stephens plays with a strong grasp for angles, tempo and timing for his block fits. He’s able to sustain and finish at a good rate despite having average play strength,” wrote NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein. “However, his comfort level and consistency drop somewhat when working beyond inside/outside zone.
“Short arms, average athleticism and scheme-friendly surroundings could temper his draft slotting. But Stephens has a chance to eventually become a starter if he finds the right team fit.”
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