The Minnesota Vikings are looking to bounce back from a disappointing season in 2018. After last year's mediocre performance, the Vikings wasted absolutely no time bolstering the team's offensive line in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft with hopes of getting veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins some protection.
Not only that, but Arif Hasan of The Athletic recently noticed a trend in the way that the Vikings have built their roster over the years, making their most recent first-round selection hardly a surprise.
“Before 2017, the Vikings hadn’t made an interior offensive line pick outside of Day 3 since 2006. Now, in a span of three years, they’ve sunk a third-round (Pat Elflein, in 2017) and first-round pick (Garrett Bradbury, this year) into the position. By grabbing the top-rated center in the draft, the Vikings made a statement about their priorities heading into the season.”
Bradbury will presumably become a starter from the minute he steps foot in Minnesota while the up-and-coming blocker received a ton of praise upon entering the 2019 NFL Draft.
“Bradbury's body control, core strength, movement skills and intelligence check very important boxes for teams looking for immediate center help,” reads his 2019 NFL Draft profile on NFL.com. “His pass-pro tape against Clemson proves he can hold his own against a variety of pass-rush flavors while his strength and athleticism make him scheme flexible. He is a candidate to become an early and long-time starter in the league.”
The Vikings missed out on the postseason in 2018 with the upstart Chicago Bears stealing the NFC North title.
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