Earlier this evening the Minnesota Vikings drafted center Garrett Bradbury out of NC State with the 18th overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft.
You've probably done your crash course to learn a few things about Bradbury, maybe you've watched his highlight reels, but we're here to help you out further with THREE things that you should know about the newest Minnesota Viking!
1. He was originally recruited as a tight end to NC State
In high school, Bradbury played tight end and defensive tackle. He caught 53 passes for 918 yards and 12 touchdowns on college and was rated the 58th tight end in the country heading into college. He played tight end when he arrived at NC State before moving to the offensive line in 2015.
2. He's smart!
He graduated from NC State in three years with a degree in business supply operations management and went on to pursue a graduate degree in youth development and leadership in 2018.
3. He was a GREAT baseball player in high school
Bradbury played first base and catcher for Charlotte Christian. His high school coach Greg Simmons said that he could have earned a division 1 baseball scholarship had he chosen to pursue the diamond. After receiving little interest as a 2-star football recruit, it was actually his prowess on the baseball field that attracted NC State. The coaching staff for NC State was watching Bradbury on the baseball field when he started to stand out at the plate and then flew around the bases. At 6-foot 3-inches tall and 240 pounds, the coaches were shocked at how athletic and how fast he could get his hips around at the plate. The next day, they offered him a scholarship, his only ACC offer.
The Minnesota Vikings Select the Top Center in the Draft Garrett Bradbury
By Aj Mansour