Round 1 (Pick 27) Cesar Ruiz, C, Michigan
Ruiz hasn’t been discussed all that often as a first round target by the Seahawks, but with Justin Britt’s contract likely to get him cut, it makes sense for Seattle to look for his replacement early in the draft.
Ruiz is a tenacious monster up front, possessing good traits as both a run blocker and a pass blocker. He has started most of his games at center, but has some experience at guard as well, giving him the kind of versatility Carroll loves in his linemen.
If the Seahawks do want to go with an offensive lineman early, Ruiz is certainly not a bad pick.
Round 2 (Pick 59) Alton Robinson, EDGE, Syracuse
If the Seahawks don’t go with a pass rusher in the first round, Robinson is a player people expect them to target with one of their later picks.
Using their first of two second round pick on him seems a tad early, but Robinson does have a ton of burst and bend off the edge, and with some refinement to his technique it’s not hard to imagine him becoming a prominent pass rusher in Carroll’s 4-3 defense.
Round 2 (Pick 64) Lucas Niang, OT, TCU
Niang is an imposing six-foot-seven, 328 pound monster who moves well in space and projects as an immediate starter in a run-heavy offensive front.
His footwork is suspect and he battled injury issues last year, which could impact his draft stock – especially with teams unable to do a lot of research into his medicals – but Niang would be a very solid pick with Seattle’s second pick in the second round.