C Garrett Bradbury
Garrett Bradbury was the first pick of the Minnesta Vikings in the 2019 NFL Draft. When taking a center as high as the 18th overall pick, you not only expect to get a starter but a guy who is very good right out of the gate. The Vikings didn’t quite get that with Bradbury.
Garrett Bradbury was a very good run blocker and that can’t be denied. He used his elite athletic ability to get to the second level and made blocks that extended some runs. Bradbury could also get outside quickly and lead runs around the outside. His issue was with his pass protection.
One of Bradbury’s biggest concerns coming out of college was his overall strength. That proved to be a legitimate concern, as he had difficulty handling bigger nose tackles he was lined up against. Players like Shelby Harris, Nick Williams, and Kenny Clark all gave him more than he could handle. Difficulty is actually a nice way to put it, Bradbury was flat out manhandled by these big boys, and was a major liability anchoring against the pass rush.
Bradbury has dedicated himself to the weight room this offseason to try and get stronger and remedy this problem. If it doesn’t work and he’s again having trouble in pass protection, the “bust” label could start to get muttered when he’s talked about following the 2020 season.