Get to know Seahawks' seventh-round pick, Minnesota DT Deven Eastern

One draft analyst described Deven Eastern as "impressive off the bus with a tall, broad and filled-out frame."

So the defensive tackle from Minnesota that the Seahawks took in the seventh round of the NFL draft Saturday looks the part. Whether he can find a way to make the roster and contribute at the NFL level remains a big question.

Eastern has the size profile that NFL teams are looking for. But his production in college didn't quite meet the standard that elevated him beyond being a late pick on the final day.

Here's a little more about Eastern:

Drafted: Seventh round, 242nd pick

Height: 6-5

Weight: 315 pounds

Birth date: April 5, 2003

Hometown: Shakopee, Minn.

Three Things to Know

* Eastern suffered with ADHD as a child and had issues with his behavior that led to problems in school. Past coaches have said late middle school and early high school is when things started to turn in a positive direction for Eastern, and his future with football started to become a possibility.

* Eastern thrived in the structure of the program at Minnesota under coach P.J. Fleck. He became a starter before the 2023 season but never put up the eye-popping numbers that made him a big draft prospect despite looking the part of an NFL defensive lineman. He had 38 tackles, 2 1/2 sacks and one forced fumble his final season at Minnesota.

* Eastern was the only player from Minnesota invited to the NFL combine this year. He played for four different defensive line coaches in five seasons and will need to show he can use his large frame to be more of a run stopper than he was in college.

What the scouts say:

"Three-year starter with a long wingspan but inconsistencies in his game and a lack of standout production. Eastern plays with loose upper-body movement that helps him slip blocks and find gaps. He uses his length effectively to disengage when he times it right. However, his high-cut frame and below-average pad level create persistent issues anchoring and maintaining gap integrity, especially against zone blocks. He ends up on the ground too often and hasn't proven he can create consistent pressure as a rusher. Eastern's size and length might be best utilized in a wider alignment as an odd-front end." - NFL

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 5:01 PM.