2022 NFL Draft: Guard/Center Prospect Cole Strange Visiting Vikings
With the main stretch of free agency now in the rearview mirror and the 2022 NFL Draft coming up this month, the Vikings (and 31 other teams) are in an all-out sprint when it comes to draft preparation.
A big part of that process is hosting up to 30 prospects on official visits. We probably won't know all of the details on which players the Vikings bring to TCO Performance Center this month, but some names will be reported by insiders like KSTP's Darren Wolfson.
On Monday, Wolfson tweeted out a Vikings visit with a highly intriguing prospect you likely haven't heard of if you aren't a full-on draft junkie: Chattanooga interior offensive lineman Cole Strange. He comes from a small school, but Strange is an ultra-athletic OL who more than held his own against big-name defensive linemen at the Senior Bowl in February.
Strange was primarily a left guard in college, making 41 of his 44 starts there. But he also spent some time at left tackle and center during his Chattanooga career. More importantly, Strange worked at center during the Senior Bowl, which indicates that he'll likely end up snapping the ball in the NFL. That makes sense, considering he's slightly undersized at 6'5", 307 pounds, and 33-inch arms for a guard at the next level.
The main thing that stands out about Strange is his athleticism. He shined at this year's NFL combine, running the 40 in 5.03 seconds, leading all offensive linemen with a 10-foot broad jump, and doing well in the agility drills. Strange has more than the requisite mobility to play center in a wide-zone rushing attack like the one the Vikings employ.
Strange's potential is based on more than just his athletic testing numbers, of course. He had a great career at Chattanooga and didn't look outmatched in the Mocs' annual games against SEC opponents. The Senior Bowl was huge for his draft stock, as he looked like he belonged when facing some of the top DL prospects in the 2022 senior class. The combine was yet another opportunity for Strange to make his case to be a top-100 pick.
One thing working against Strange, in addition to his lack of ideal length, is his age. Having spent six years at Chattanooga, he turns 24 in a couple months, which is quite old for a draft prospect. But I'm not sure how much that actually matters for a guard/center who is projected to be taken late on Day 2 or early on Day 3. Some teams may even appreciate that he has a ton of starting experience and will be ready to contribute right away.
Strange makes a lot of sense for the Vikings for a number of reasons. He fits their scheme from an athleticism standpoint, without lacking competitive toughness or pass-protection ability. He could add depth and competition early on as a rookie, perhaps battling for the open right guard job or at least providing quality depth behind starters Ezra Cleveland (LG) and Garrett Bradbury (C). Perhaps most importantly, Strange could be drafted by Minnesota with the plan that he'll replace Bradbury in 2023. The Vikings almost certainly aren't picking up the fifth-year option for their 2019 first-round pick, which would put them in the market for a new starting center next year. Having someone who has already been in the building for a year take over that job might be the ideal scenario.
The previous Vikings front office, led by GM Rick Spielman, thought they had found the long-term answer at center when they drafted Bradbury 18th overall three years ago. It was a pick that filled a major immediate need with a player who was deemed to be a special talent at the position. It didn't work out. Bradbury has been completely unable to anchor against powerful defensive linemen during his three years in the NFL, which led to him getting benched last season.
The new Vikings front office, led by GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, seems unlikely to go down that route again. Iowa's Tyler Linderbaum is a potential first-round pick who is viewed as a Bradbury-esque prospect and has been mocked to the Vikings by some analysts. But there's evidence that suggests taking interior offensive linemen in the first round isn't the smartest approach, considering you can often find starting-caliber players at those positions later in the draft.
The Vikings have picks 12, 46, and 77 in this year's draft, and then they'll have a lengthy wait for their first selection (156 overall) on Day 3. Strange is viewed as a borderline top-100 prospect, so if they really like him, he could be an option at 77. But he's unlikely to be there at 156, so Adofo-Mensah may want to do some moving around if he wants to land Strange but feels like 77 is too early. Regardless, Strange is definitely someone to keep in mind for the Vikings late on Day 2 and possibly into Day 3 of this year's draft.
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