Iowa guard Beau Stephens leads Seattle Seahawks selections on day three of NFL Draft

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COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND - NOVEMBER 23: Beau Stephens #70 of the Iowa Hawkeyes blocks against the Maryland Terrapins at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium on November 23, 2024 in College Park, Maryland. (G Fiume / Getty Images)

RENTON, Wash. - Iowa guard Beau Stephens was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round of the NFL Draft to lead their collection of day three selections.

Seattle entered the final day of the draft with just two sixth-round picks scheduled, one of which was acquired on Friday night by trading down late in the third round. The Seahawks ultimately couldn't let two full rounds of the draft slide by on Saturday without finding a way to get involved. Seattle dealt a 2027 fourth-round draft pick to the Cleveland Browns in order to add a fifth-round pick, No. 145 overall, to add a sixth selection to their total collection for the weekend.

The move allowed the team to grab Stephens, who started 24 games at left guard for the Hawkeyes over the last two seasons, and 10 games at right guard in 2022. Stephens was a first-team All-Big-Ten selection last year as the Hawkeys won the Joe Moore Award as the best offensive line in college football.

"You’re going to get a mauler in the run game; technical in the pass game," Stephens said in a conference call with reporters. "Love to go into hit, I’m not one to shy away from contact, for sure. More overall, just a professional-type person, a person that takes things seriously and a guy that’s from Iowa, who was always considered an underdog, always has that chip on his shoulder. The hay is never in the barn is what Coach (Kirk) Ferentz says. That’s just the kind of mentality Iowa culture has, and what I’ve embodied."

Stephens was teammates at Iowa with Seattle lineman Mason Richman, who was a seventh-round pick of the Seahawks last year.

"Having another guy there as well from Iowa to kind of show me the ropes right away. It’s going to be awesome and I couldn’t ask for anything more honestly," Stephens said.

"We’re going to be friends for life so it’s just awesome to have a guy who’s going to be there at my wedding this summer, to have him around. He was kind of a big brother for me in college."

Dane Brugler of TheAthletic.com provided the following scouting report on Stephens from his annual draft guide.

A three-year starter at Iowa, Stephens lined up at left guard in offensive coordinator Tim Lester’s zone-blocking scheme. After struggling and losing his starting job as an underclassman, he fought through that adversity, got healthy and developed into an All-Big Ten player as a senior. He didn’t allow a sack over the past three seasons and helped the Hawkeyes earn the 2025 Joe Moore Award as the nation’s top offensive line. 

Stephens embraces the physicality of the position and delivers pop at contact in all phases. In the run game, he can generate movement blocking down and has a feel for how lanes develop. His stubborn hands help him sustain, but his edges leak and marginal body control makes it tough for him to get out of compromised positions. Overall, Stephens might struggle compensating for his lack of ideal length and athleticism, but blocking awareness and the power in his hands give him a fighting chance. Given his coachability and mental maturation, he can earn a backup role as a rookie and eventually push for on-field reps.

Stephens said that he doesn't have a preference as to which guard position he plays, but he does have plays he prefers between the two different spots.

"I think it’s just preference in blocks," Stephens said. "If I’m on the left side, I have a preference for backside blocks. If I’m on the right side, I have a preference for frontside blocks. Overall, it’s not too much of a difference, because I’ve been able to play both, and repped at both. Wherever they put me, it’s just going to take a little bit of time just to be set, and then it’s going to be full speed ahead after that."

With Grey Zabel firmly entrenched at left guard, it would seem like Stephens will join the competition on the right side. Anthony Bradford remains as the incumbent starter for Seattle, with Christian Haynes and Bryce Cabeldue among the other options at the position.

Seattle had eight draft picks for 2027 in their collection, and are projected to receive 3-4 more compensatory selections due to free agents leaving this offseason. That excess in draft capital allowed the Seahawks to move one of their picks next year for an extra one this year.

The Seahawks made another trade when they were on the clock at No. 188 overall, dealing that selection to the New York Jets and adding a seventh-round pick in the process. Seattle moved down 11 spots to No. 199 overall in the sixth round, and added No. 242 overall in the seventh round.

It gives Seattle three more selections in the draft, along with the final selection of the sixth round, No. 216 overall.

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