49ers NFL Draft prospect profile: Offensive lineman Garrett Bradbury

The San Francisco 49ers are likely looking to add to their interior linemen stocks during the 2019 NFL Draft. Garrett Bradbury, the guard from North Carolina State, has been rocketing up draft boards.

The San Francisco 49ers really have only two needs on the offensive side of the ball that need immediate attention in the draft, that being the interior offensive line and wide receiver.

There’s been a lot of talk about getting a wide receiver early, but it’s possible a different offensive player may be the pick instead.

Garrett Bradbury is a player that has rocketed up draft boards to get into late first- or early second-round contention. The former NC State offensive lineman has a lot of qualities and strengths that would fit right into the 49ers offensive scheme, so let’s take a look.

Garrett Bradbury’s strengths

The most important thing to note is that Bradbury is equally at home in both run and pass protection. He uses his speed to get into the correct positions, and uses leverage and technique to handle the defender.

Bradbury isn’t someone who will bulldoze over his opponent, but he doesn’t need to be, either.

What NC State did well, when they converted Bradbury from tight end to the interior line, was teach him the correct technique. Even though he won’t ever be the most powerful lineman on a team, he almost always has the technique on plays to stifle defenders. The consistency is worth more than any highlight-reel pancake block.

Bradbury performed well at the NFL Scouting Combine, recording a 4.94 40 time and recording 34 reps at the bench press (which was a great result given his questions when it comes to strength).

Bradbury also brings versatility to the table. Ideally, he is a center in the NFL, but can slide outside to guard easily as well. The Niners have a starting center in Weston Richburg, but he had a disappointing start to his 49ers career. Richburg likely gets the nod again, but the 49ers have the option to move Richburg to guard and start Bradbury there.

Alternatively, Bradbury can play guard to start his career and move inside to center if Richburg disappoints again and is either moved to guard or gone from the team entirely.

The 49ers run a zone-blocking scheme, and that is Bradbury’s natural fit in the NFL. When it comes to scheme, Bradbury and San Francisco are a perfect marriage.

Garrett Bradbury’s weaknesses

Bradbury is a leverage blocker, who uses finesse rather than strength. So there is concern that, if he doesn’t get the correct position and leverage, he may be unable to sustain blocks. His combine results have gone some way to easing this concern, however.

His relatively short arms measured in at under 32 inches, which hasn’t been a problem for him thus far. But arm length does concern teams when taking an offensive lineman early.

It only takes one team to fall in love with him, however.

The biggest problem for Bradbury may be the scheme at NC State, which uses a lot of play-action passes and other quick plays. So Bradbury has had relatively little experience with longer plays where more is required out of him. While this is not a deal breaker for teams, everything adds up when it comes to taking a player as early as the first round.

How he’d fit with the 49ers

As discussed already, the scheme fit for Bradbury and the Niners is a match made in heaven. Bradbury is a player you want in a zone-blocking scheme such as the outside zone-blocking scheme they employ.

The need is there, too, as while Mike Person was reasonable on one side, the other was in a constant state of flux and can be upgraded.

This can either be done by moving Richburg to guard and putting Bradbury at center, or moving Bradbury to the guard position. Either is achievable and arguably desirable.

Regardless of what the plan would be, Bradbury looks like a plug-and-play lineman who can help set up the offensive line for the next decade.

So the concern is, will he be available?

Bradbury is enjoying an incredible surge of draft momentum right now, and it certainly is possible his name is called within the first 32 picks during the draft.

If he falls to No. 36, you certainly couldn’t blame the 49ers snapping him up. The need and value would be there, and all that’s needed is the desire of the team to take him.