Vikings Training Camp 2019: Previewing the offensive line
By Chris Schad
Center: Garrett Bradbury
With Elflein moving to guard, the Vikings needed to find someone who could handle the center position in the zone-running scheme that Stefanski wants to run. In order to fill that void, the Vikings needed to find a smart player that has the athleticism to get from point A to point B in a hurry while also picking up the protection schemes to help his fellow linemen out.
Enter Garrett Bradbury, a 23-year-old center from NC State that may have been the safest pick in the draft and one that seems like a perfect fit for what the Vikings want to do. Bradbury dominated the NFL Scouting Combine last March, registering in the top percentile in almost every measurement according to PlayerProfiler.
What’s more impressive is that even though he hasn’t played a down in the NFL, his teammates are already starting to take notice. Tight end Kyle Rudolph praised the rookie during OTAs noting his athleticism, intelligence and holding his own against Pro Bowler Linval Joseph in practices.
It’s not often that a rookie can have a transformational impact on a team, but if Bradbury can make a quick transition to the NFL, the Vikings could have hit a home run with their first-round pick.