2020 NFL Draft: Michigan IOL Cesar Ruiz scouting report
Cesar Ruiz is arguably the best interior offensive lineman in the 2020 NFL Draft class. What kind of value will he provide at the next level?
The top of the 2020 NFL Draft class is absolutely loaded with top-tier talent at the offensive tackle position. There are four offensive tackles who could easily end up landing in the top 10 picks, but there are not any interior offensive linemen who are a threat to go that high. There are certainly some talented guards and centers who could come in and make an impact at the next level, but there is not anything close to a Quenton Nelson in the 2020 NFL Draft class.
That being said, there are a couple of players at the position who should be under consideration for teams picking late in the first round. Lloyd Cushenberry III and Cesar Ruiz out of LSU and Michigan respectively stand out as the top interior offensive linemen in the class. We dug into Cushenberry’s game earlier in the 2020 NFL Draft process. Today, we are going to take a deeper look at Ruiz.
Name: Cesar Ruiz
School: Michigan
Position: IOL
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 307 pounds
Hand Size: 11 inches
Arm Length: 33 ⅛ inches
40-Yard Dash: 5.08 seconds
Bench Press: 28 reps
Vertical Jump: 33 inches
Broad Jump: 113 inches
Three-Cone Drill: 7.91 seconds
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.64 seconds
Combine measurements and athletic testing numbers come via NFL.com.
Ruiz became one of the best offensive linemen in the Big Ten over the last two years, starting every game at center for Michigan in 2018 and 2019. He was a third-team All-Big Ten selection for his play in 2018 and a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2019.
Ruiz does have a bit of a narrow base, but he has long arms, big hands and is powerful in the lower half. He is a tough and physical player who is always working to make his block and he also shows impressive on-field awareness. Ruiz has the mental capacity to handle the center position at the next level.
He is an extremely quick and athletic interior offensive lineman who fires off of the ball quickly at all times. Ruiz also shows impressive lateral agility and moves extremely well in space. He will have no issues as a second-level blocker in the NFL.
Not only does he get off of the ball an into position quickly, Ruiz uses strong hands and great pad level to create impressive power at the point of attack. I would not call him a mauling run blocker, but he can undoubtedly create push on impact and move defenders out of the way.
Ruiz brings plenty of value as a run blocker, but he is even better in pass protection. He does a great job of getting into his pass sets quickly and strong excellent hand placement. His quick feet also show up here as Ruiz does a fantastic job of mirroring opposing rushers on the interior. His anchor ability is solid, showing the ability to re-establish control even if he loses at the initial point of impact.
Overall, Ruiz is a smart and hard-working player who also shows an impressive combination of raw power and athleticism. He is not a physically overwhelming offensive lineman, but he is a dependable center prospect who has a safe floor and could probably make a move to offensive guard if needed.
Two-Round 2020 NFL mock draft. dark. Next
Ruiz would be best suited for a zone-rushing scheme or any offense that allows their center to get out in space and attack the second level, but honestly, he would be just fine in a more traditional gap scheme as well. Simply put, he is a high-level interior offensive lineman who could come in and make an immediate impact at the next level. He should be heavily in consideration for any team picking towards the end of the first round.