By james art 
The Seattle Seahawks made their defensive line a point of emphasis, trading for Leonard Williams, signing him to a massive extension and drafting Byron Murphy II in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Those investments made a difference as Seattle’s defensive line improved significantly in 2024. Williams is having possibly the best season of his career in decades, while Murphy had a solid debut, even if he didn’t fill the stat sheet.
Even so, there is plenty of room for improvement.
In his first 2025 mock, NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah projected the Seahawks to take Michigan defensive end Kenneth Grant at No. 17 overall.
“Mike McDonald looks back to his old stomping grounds at Michigan to select Grant, who will be part of a big interior trio with Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II,” Jeremiah wrote. “Keep in mind that Jarran Reed and Johnathan Hankins are headed to free agency.”
McDonald did not coach Grant at Michigan, as he left to become the defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens just prior to the lineman’s arrival. But that doesn’t make it any less of an intriguing prospect.
Grant is a massive lineman at 6-3 and 339 pounds and uses that frame to his advantage. He can bulldoze through opposing offensive linemen and draws a lot of double teams, which in turn can open up opportunities for his teammates.
As a presumed first-round pick, Grant was one of the first prospects to receive an in-depth scouting report from NFL.com, shedding more light on his strengths and weaknesses.
“Grant is a wide-ranging, two-way nose tackle whose lane can run hot and cold depending on the play and the types of blocks he faces,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote. “He struggles to anchor when he hits down blocks due to his narrow base and high pads, but uses his strength and length to beat single blocks and split double teams when he finds the crease. He had some sack production in college, but that may not translate to the league.
With Hankins possibly out for a few weeks, there will be a realistic avenue for Grant to start at nose tackle. If that happens, then the Seahawks offensive line could be even more formidable than it already is.
Exploring the Seahawks coordinator candidates from championship weekend
Analyst: Seahawks Should Consider DK Metcalf Trade
Which Game Game Coordinators Could Pair With Hank Fraley?
Stars aligning Seahawks to land Hank Fraley as new offensive coordinator
Seahawks 2024 Season Awards: Veteran DL Takes MVP, Dpoy