The Seattle Seahawks have dedicated plenty of resources to fixing their offensive line in recent years, but surprisingly, they did very little this past offseason. Despite questions at right guard, the only notable addition was Beau Stephens, a fifth-round pick out of Iowa.

Stephens was seen as a potential threat for the starting job, despite being a Day 3 pick, but was unable to push Anthony Bradford. Even when Bradford went to IR with a hip and knee injury, the Seahawks didn't turn to Stephens, instead rolling with Christian Haynes as the starter.

There's still a chance Stephens can develop into a starter, but if not, the Seahawks could look to the 2027 NFL draft to find a permanent option. That's exactly what Cody Williams of FanSided has the Seahawks doing in his latest mock draft.

Round 1, Pick No. 23: Kade Pieper, IOL, Iowa

With the 23rd pick, Williams has Seattle taking a player he calls "an absolute beast on the interior." Williams also praises the way Pieper can move players in the ground game, calling him a road-grader while saying the Seahawks would be far more effective with him playing on the same line as 2025 first-round pick Grey Zabel.

"Death, taxes and the Seahawks still trying to solidify the offensive line, specifically on the interior. This is a group that they've been able to get the most out of with moving parts aside from Grey Zabel, but it's an area that could cause a lot less stress moving forward if they were to draft someone like Kade Pieper," Williams wrote. "He's an absolute beast on the interior and someone who could prove to be an effective road-grader alongside Zabel on the interior."

Williams isn't alone in praising Pieper for being a bully in the run game. In April, PFF named him their top interior lineman, while ranking him 34th overall. They said he was the fifth-highest-rated guard in the NCAA last season and was a bulldozer in the run game. Most importantly, he was very disciplined with just one penalty in 2025.

"Pieper is every bit the bulldozing run blocker we've come to expect from the Iowa pipeline. He ranked fifth among guards in college football in PFF overall grade last year and committed just one penalty despite playing in some raucous Big Ten environments."

In addition to playing guard, Pieper has taken some snaps at center. That's why this selection could make sense even if Stephens is able to develop into a starter. If that happens, the Seahawks could put the two Iowa products next to one another, and along with Zabel, their interior would be set for several years.

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