Vikings selecting Alabama OG Tyler Booker in the NFL Draft will evoke memories of Garrett Bradbury, and it's not a good thing

The Minnesota Vikings have an interesting decision to make when it comes to their first round pick. Right now, the direction seems somewhat obvious. The consensus across NFL Draft media has the Vikings taking a safety over 50% of the time. South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori and Georgia safety Malaki Starks are the two most popular […]

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Sep 14, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jam Miller (26) is greeted by offensive lineman Tyler Booker (52) after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium.
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The Minnesota Vikings have an interesting decision to make when it comes to their first round pick. Right now, the direction seems somewhat obvious. The consensus across NFL Draft media has the Vikings taking a safety over 50% of the time.

South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori and Georgia safety Malaki Starks are the two most popular prospects since the beginning of free agency. There are some other intriguing prospects available as well, with Texas CB Jahdae Barron and Oregon DT Derrick Harmon being the other two in the top four.

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Vikings drafting Tyler Booker would be a mistake

There is one player who has a lot of intrigue when it comes to the NFL Draft: Alabama guard Tyler Booker.

Booker is a mammoth of a man at 6'-5, 350 lbs on the interior of the offensive line. He pulverizes defensive linemen with power, displacing them with ease. Along with that, they can't knock him back due to his anchor. Let's be real, the Vikings haven't had a player in that kind of player on the interior for years, dating back to Steven Hutchinson in 2011.

Even with those positives that Booker possesses, there is one problem with selecting him: it would be the same process as selecting Garrett Bradbury back in 2019.

Offensive line has been a priority in the mind of fans across the board for over a decade, mainly because it's been a struggle, especially on the interior. While the biggest issue with those players, including Bradbury, was a lack of anchor and play strength, Booker is the exact opposite. He struggles to move.

It was evident on film that he struggles with his movement skills. There is a lack of footspeed and his aiming is rough when he gets into open space. One of the biggest indicators of that comes on this play. Watch how much he struggles to get to the corner on this sweep. Sure, it's Jalen Milroe who runs a 4.4, but he is lumbering and it's ugly.

It's important to understand that Booker is a good player, but when you look at how the Vikings want to run their offense, you need a good amount of athleticism to play outside zone. That is something that Booker doesn't have. You could argue that he's the exact inverse of Bradbury. Is the outside zone running game something that O'Connell is willing to sacrifice after all of the work they've done to make it a priority? 

There is also the element of calling him a "plug and play" starter that you should take right away at 24th overall. The same things were said about Bradbury and look how that turned out. If you think that "plug and play" player will be a real difference maker and not just a starter, it's a fine choice. It just doesn't make a lot of sense for what Booker is and what the Vikings need.

Going offensive line would be an okay choice, but they are set for right now and don't need a tackle, and that's where the value is at the end of the first round.

Don't fall into the Bradbury trap.

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