Seahawks 90-Man Countdown: G Anthony Bradford - Starter-Bound Mauler?

Though he remains raw in his own right with just one year of starting experience at LSU, Anthony Bradford's natural physical and athletic tools coupled with his nastiness could make him an instant contributor in the middle of the Seattle Seahawks' offensive line.

Author:
Corbin K. Smith
Publish date:
Jul 2, 2023 9:43 PM EDT

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Seattle Seahawks

With the calendar flipping to July and offseason activities in the rearview mirror, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC later this month, officially ushering in the 2023 season.

To celebrate the new incoming season, we'll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2023 campaign.

Anthony Bradford, Guard

Height/Weight: 6-4, 332 pounds

2022 Stats*: Four sacks allowed, 12 quarterback pressures

*College stats at LSU

Taking his talents to the SEC from tiny Muskegon, Michigan, Bradford didn't see much action in his first three college seasons at LSU, logging a grand total of 288 offensive snaps during that span. But he finally vaulted into the starting lineup as a redshirt junior in 2022 and made the most of his opportunity, opening up big holes as a road grader in the run game and allowing just 12 pressures against top-flight competition at right guard and right tackle.

Opting to bypass his final year of eligibility, Bradford declared for the NFL Draft and put on a show at the scouting combine in Indianapolis, posting an outstanding 1.74 10-yard split in the 40-yard dash and a 30-inch vertical jump at north of 330 pounds. Leaving a strong impression in a top-30 visit with the organization on top of his stellar athletic testing at the combine, the Seahawks selected him with the 108th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, presenting a prime opportunity for him to compete for early playing time.

Best-Case Scenario: Taking to line coach Andy Dickerson's teaching and rapidly improving, Bradford quickly gains ground on Phil Haynes after opening his first training camp with the second-team offense, eventually jumping his veteran counterpart on the depth chart for Seattle's preseason finale and joining fellow guard Damien Lewis as the latest LSU alum to win a starting job at guard on day one.

Worst-Case Scenario: Coming into the league still a bit untested after only starting one season at LSU, Bradford's fundamentals remain a work in progress and don't do him any favors going against NFL competition as he endures plenty of growing pains in the preseason, particularly in pass protection, leading to Haynes maintaining the starting job throughout the 2023 season.

What to Expect in 2023: In terms of potential, Bradford joins the Seahawks with no shortage of upside due to his massive size, plus-athleticism, and physicality in the trenches. He could be a quality starter at guard in waiting, but since he didn't play many snaps at the college level, he will be one of the biggest unknowns heading into training camp in August with questions persisting about his pro-readiness. This is especially true in pass protection, where his athletic traits didn't always show up blocking in a phone booth in his limited action at LSU.

With that said, Bradford couldn't have asked for a better situation to play early and with Dickerson at the helm, Seattle hasn't batted an eye at throwing rookies into the fire right away. The departure of veteran Gabe Jackson coupled with Haynes' own lack of experience with just five career starts under his belt opens the door for him to be a Week 1 starter. Even if he doesn't beat out Haynes to start the season opener, he could be a prime candidate to push his way into the lineup at some point during his rookie season, which would be a big win for the franchise both short and long-term.

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