Front and Center: Garrett Bradbury and Erik McCoy among Combine's top performers | Bleacher's report

The centers tend to be a reflection after the selection process, although history shows that the NFL holds the position in high esteem if the right talent is available. The teams drafted some of the best pivots of the game in the first round.

Alex Mack of the Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers' Maurette Pouncey, Los Angeles Chargers' Mike Pouncey, Dallas Cowboys' Travis Frederick and Ryan Kelly of the Indianapolis Colts all heard their names in the first third. A year ago, two college centers, Frank Ragnow and Billy Price, left the board before the end of the first day.

When a potential candidate is found, the teams do not hesitate to invest in the position.

The 2019 category could include several first-round centers, starting with Friday's exploits at the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Garrett Bradbury of the State of North Carolina and Erik McCoy of Texas A & M expose their movement skills to impress scouts and onlookers. They are only the tip of the potential found at the position.

The versatility of the program within the group is excellent, but Bradbury quickly became the star with outstanding training.

Before the combine, Bradbury had some traits that might suggest he was a system-specific talent.

In general, one can find two types of assemblers. The first corresponds to a space blocking (or blocking) scheme. These systems need powerful blockers at the point of attack to uproot and move the defenders out of the field. The other corresponds to a blocking zone pattern in which lateral agility and athleticism are required to create certain blockages while on the move. All teams use both approaches, but the type of lineman they prefer is based on the one they use most often.

Bradbury is a prototypical zone blocking center based on its ability to reach defenders, create blocks at the second level, and identify targets in space. NFL Network's Ben Fennell gave examples of Bradbury's outstanding lateral footwork and his ability to reach and catch defenders:

Everyone was able to see how these movement skills were reflected during his workout.

First, Bradbury, from 6 "3" and 306 pounds, ran an unofficial dash of 4.92 seconds and 40 yards. ranked third among the offensive linemen. The high school student also finished in the top five of his group in the three-cone exercises (7.41 seconds) and the short shuttle (4.53 seconds). These underscore its fluidity in the lower body, as shown by Billy Marshall, Catch Scratch Reader:

There were questions about Bradbury's ability to handle bigger, more physical NFL caliber defensive line players. His 34 representatives of 225 books on the bench–who ranked second overall–indicate a powerful blocker. His band certainly shows someone who likes to finish blocks.

"I think it says he's incredibly athletic for his size," said Wolfpack's former quarterback Ryan Finley, about his center at the January Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, according to The Athletic & # 39; s. Joseph Person. "He's competitive, he's kind of first in the team, and he has a really good build."

At present, the Carolina Panthers and the Minnesota Vikings are prime candidates. Ryan Kalil of the Panthers plans to retire, and Bradbury can provide a similar skill set. If the winner of the current Rimington Trophy lasts until the 18th overall pick, it is an ideal option for the Minnesota Vikings, who implement a program influenced by Gary Kubiak. This means that the zone blocking principles will be heavy.

Organizations usually salivate the best potential attackers, or even potential goalkeepers. The tackles hold a higher position value. The Quenton Nelson All-Pro Colts showed that a guard could be among the top 10 picks last year. Still, this year's center class is not limited to Bradbury.

McCoy was one of the first participants in the 2019 project class. Thus, his status took a little time to create momentum. The junior redshirt was allowed to participate in the Senior Bowl because he already had his diploma and he did well. If his performance in the star team did not deserve enough attention, the center of the 6 "4", 303 pounds was blazing the dashboard of the carpenters (4.89 seconds ).

A line player will be the first to say that running 40 yards in a straight line is not realistic compared to what is asked of him in a game situation. However, the general athleticism and speed needed to shoot, going out into space and blocking a block reflect these movement skills, said Bowl executive director Jim Nagy:

In addition, McCoy's training field games rivaled the best performances. He moved effortlessly during the exercises and showed a good balance and good technique.

"I'm going to say it a hundred times: Erik is the best center ever," said former A & M offensive lineman Keaton Sutherland. Dallas Morning News& # 39; Ben baby. "He's the smartest person in. The fact that he's playing next to you makes life a lot easier because he's making calls, he's letting you know what to do and helps you."

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams are potential landing zones for McCoy at the back of the first lap. Chiefs' departure center Mitch Morse will be a free agent in the league's New Year on March 13, while John Sullivan of the Rams will be 34 before the regular season begins. L.A. can save $ 5.25 million by releasing it.

Or, McCoy could land with his former offensive lineman if he slips into the second round. Jim Turner left the Aggies program to join the Cincinnati Bengals with new coach Zac Taylor.

Bradbury and McCoy alone help form an impressive middle class, as the position is not as deep in the NFL (only two centers are needed for each of the 32 teams). More quality options are available.

Elgton Jenkins, of the state of Mississippi, is a road leveler. The 6 "4", 310 pound lineman is powerful at the point of attack and fits perfectly into a gap pattern, and once Jenkins caught the defender, he was shocking. did not participate in the 40 meter dash, but it provided a lot of pop during specific exercises at a position.

Three versatile options exist beyond the three main perspectives.

Before converting to the right tackle, Dalton Risner of Kansas State played 13 games in the middle of the game. Michael Deiter of Wisconsin also played in a number of positions including 16 games in the center. Even in Alabama, Jonah Williams, whom most projects plan to attack or keep, has some teams interested in him as an inner blocker.

In addition to the Panthers, Vikings, Chiefs, Rams and Bengals, three other teams–Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos and New York Jets–need help from the center. The demand may be strong, but it's the best class of recent memory.

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for the whitener report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.