(This is part of a series — Finding the Fits — in which NFLDraftScout.com will review the more intriguing picks made during the 2016 NFL Draft. The goal is to identify one relatively unheralded player per team who appears to be a good schematic fit and, therefore, more likely to be a surprise contributor early in his pro career.)

Seattle’s best fit: OG Rees Odhiambo , Boise State Broncos , No. 97 overall

The Seattle Seahawks , despite reaching at least the divisional playoff round the past four consecutive years, entered the 2016 draft with massive holes to fill in the roster.

Sure, the club still had Team Irvin All-Pros Russell Wilson , Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas (among others), but it lost star running back Marshawn Lynch to retirement as well as its most versatile edge defender ( Bruce Irvin ), run-stuffing nose guard ( Brandon Mebane ) and arguably its two best offensive linemen ( Russell Okung , J.R. Sweezy ) to free agency. Given these losses and a 3-3 record against the NFC West a year ago, there was growing concern in Seattle that the club’s window of legitimate Super Bowl contention was rapidly closing and may have, in fact, already slammed shut.

A draft class which on paper, at least, looks like one of the league’s best, however, could have the Seahawks right back in the Super Bowl mix.

The club’s first two picks — offensive lineman Germain Ifedi and defensive tackle Jarran Reed — are expected to start immediately. The Seahawks drafted three running backs to help take the place of Lynch, with one of them in position to potentially start as the club waits for second-year standout Thomas Rawls to fully recover from ankle surgery.

Plenty of attention has been focused on these rookies. Given his talent and the opportunity in front of him, Odhiambo, on the other hand, has generated relatively little buzz. If the rookie minicamp and recent OTAs are any indication, however, general manager John Schneider may have found his latest mid-round steal.

With Sweezy signing in the offseason with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and former left guard Justin Britt sliding inside to center, the Seahawks rotated Ifedi, Odhiambo and second-year pro Mark Glowinski (a fifth-round pick in 2015) at the two guard positions. Ifedi and Glowinski (who started one game at right guard last year) fared well, as expected. Odhiambo also turned heads, showing off the athleticism and power which had helped him emerge as a two-time All-Mountain West tackle at Boise State despite dealing with multiple injuries over his career.

Like Ifedi, he’s being asked to make the transition to a more power-based running game after playing in a spread offense in college, but the traits are there to get excited about. At 6-foot-4, 314 pounds, Odhiambo possesses good size for the position, including 33 and 1/4-inch arms. He possesses light feet and body control for blocking in space — a requirement in Tom Cable’s zone-blocking scheme. Ifedi possesses the length, agility and experience outside to potentially allow him to slide back to right tackle in the NFL, should that be the direction Cable wants him to go. Odhiambo, on the other hand, is a pure guard with the square frame, strength and aggression to project best in the closer quarters of playing inside.

Rees Odhiambo has overcome plenty of adversity to make it to the NFL. Getty Images

Put simply, Ifedi is the most versatile of the trio. Glowinski is the technician of the bunch. Odhiambo — if he can stay healthy — may offer the most upside.

“Strength. Strength and flexibility,” Schneider said when asked what stood out about Odhiambo after the Seahawks scouted him at Boise State.”Tom [Cable] felt, at the end of the day, that Germain [Ifedi] and Rees [Odhiambo] were the strongest guys that he put his hands on throughout the spring.”

It isn’t just Odhiambo’s physical characteristics which attracted the Seahawks, however.

Throughout Carroll’s time in Seattle, he and Schneider have searched for players whose life experiences have helped shape them as competitors. Odhiambo, a native of Kenya who tragically lost both parents while growing up, has some of the real world grit the Seahawks have prioritized.

On and off the field, Odhiambo’s style fits Carroll’s Seahawks. It should not come as a surprise to anyone should he see considerable playing time as a rookie and if this draft class, as a whole, keeps Seattle from slipping in the highly competitive NFC West.

Other thoughts on the Seahawks’ 2016 draft class:

With all due respect to Ifedi and Odhiambo, the rookie likely to make the biggest impact for Seattle is Reed, whom Schneider aggressively traded up seven spots to land in the second round. Reed is expected to immediately take over for Mebane at nose guard. Schneider characterized Reed as “clearly the best run defender in the draft” shortly after selecting him and admitted that the club’s first round pick (No. 31 overall) was between Ifedi and Reed.

At 6-foot-3, 313 pounds, the rookie from Alabama Crimson Tide is a little taller and more athletic than the squattier Mebane (6-1, 311) but he offers similar run-stuffing ability, including the anchor to hold up to double teams and enough quickness to split gaps to make an occasional tackle for loss. Reed slipped to the second round in part due to a relatively unpolished pass rush but his primary role for Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide was to eat up blocks, just as Mebane did in Seattle for the past nine seasons.

Given his soft hands and electric athleticism, former Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver turned running back C.J. Prosise is certainly one to watch as the Seahawks move on from Lynch, but fifth rounder Alex Collins is the closest in style to Beast Mode and Rawls. While perhaps lacking top-notch speed, Collins is quicker than his 4.59-second 40-yard dash time would suggest and runs with an attitude, dishing out punishment to would-be tacklers. He rushed for over 1,000 yards all three years of his college career, topping out this past season with 1,577 yards and 20 touchdowns. Fantasy football enthusiasts would be wise to keep Collins in mind as Seattle’s primary running back option (including near the goal line) as the club waits for Rawls to return to the field with Prosise playing more of a third down role.

Another rookie in Seattle who could surprise with his fantasy relevance is tight end Nick Vannett . The Seahawks, of course, are hopeful that Jimmy Graham will be back sooner rather than later but the torn patellar tendon he suffered last season is a tough injury to overcome. The 6-6, 257 pound Vannett is not the same caliber of athlete as Graham (few are), but his strength as an in-line blocker is something Seattle has lacked at tight end since releasing veteran Zach Miller two years ago. Seattle will feature Luke Willson as its primary seam threat while waiting for Graham to recover but tight ends have earned plenty of playing time in Seattle’s run-heavy offense and the rookie has the size (including 34 1/4-inch arms), power and reliable mitts to help immediately in short yardage situations.

Seattle’s 2016 draft class:

1stRound, No. 31 overall: OG Germain Ifedi, Texas A&M

2nd Round, No. 49 overall: DT Jarran Reed, Alabama

3rd Round, No. 90 overall: RB C.J. Prosise, Notre Dame

3rd Round, No. 94 overall: TE Nick Vannett, Ohio State Buckeyes

3rd Round, No. 97 overall: OG Rees Odhiambo, Boise State

5th Round, No. 147 overall: DT Quinton Jefferson , Maryland Terrapins

5th Round, No. 171 overall: RB Alex Collins, Arkansas Razorbacks

6th Round, No. 215 overall: C Joey Hunt , TCU Horned Frogs

7th Round, No. 243 overall: WR Kenny Lawler , California Golden Bears

7th Round, No. 247 overall: RB Zac Brooks , Clemson Tigers

Key Undrafted Free Agents Signed:

QB Trevone Boykin , TCU

DE/OLB David Perkins , Illinois State

S Tyvis Powell , Ohio State

S Tanner McEvoy , Wisconsin Badgers