NFL Draft C/G breakdown: Oklahoma's Cody Ford top option

The NFL Draft is April 25-27 in Nashville, Tenn. Each day leading up to the first round, the Tribune-Review is compiling a positional preview of the top draft prospects.

Today: Guards/Centers

1. Cody Ford

Oklahoma, 6-4, 329

Ford played guard and tackle at Oklahoma, but he is projected to move to the interior in the NFL. Ford was limited to three games at left guard as a freshman because of a broken leg. He started four more games at guard as a sophomore before switching to right tackle in 2018. He was named first-team all-conference and third-team All-American.

2. Garrett Bradbury

N.C. State, 6-3, 306

Bradbury won the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s top center as a senior. He also was a first-team All-American for the Wolfpack. Not bad for a player who arrived on campus as a tight end before being moved to guard and eventually to the middle of the line. He also never missed a game because of injury and is strong, as evidenced by his 34 reps on the bench press at the NFL Combine.

3. Chris Lindstrom

Boston College, 6-4, 308

Lindstrom was the fourth member of his family to play on the line at Boston College. He made 47 starts in four seasons, starting and ending his career at right guard. As a junior, he made 11 starts at right tackle before returning to his natural position as a senior. He was first-team all-conference and third-team All-American.

4. Erik McCoy

Texas A&M, 6-4, 303

A center, McCoy left school with a year of eligibility remaining. He was a three-year starter for Texas A&M, making 37 of his 39 starts in the middle of the line. He started two other games at guard.

5. Elgton Jenkins

Mississippi State, 6-4, 310

During his four seasons of eligibility, Jenkins started at four of the five spots along the line at Mississippi State, finally finding a home at center. Jenkins made 25 starts there between his final two seasons. One drawback is he didn’t earn any postseason recognition after his senior year.

6. Michael Deiter

Wisconsin, 6-5, 309

Deiter played left guard, left tackle and center at Wisconsin, where he was a four-year starter. As a junior, Deiter was named first-team all-conference at left tackle. He repeated the honor as a senior, this time at left guard, and he was named a second-team All-American.

7. Nate Davis

UNC Charlotte, 6-3, 316

Davis sat out four games his senior year while serving an NCAA suspension for undisclosed violations. Still, he was named second-team all-conference at right tackle. Davis started 37 games at Charlotte, making 30 of those starts at right guard. His NFL future is in the interior of the offensive line.

8. Dru Samia

Oklahoma, 6-5, 305

Along with Cody Ford, Samia provided strong interior play to help Oklahoma field one of the top offensive lines in college football. Samia started at right tackle as a freshman, then moved to right guard for the final 12 games of his sophomore season. Samia started 12 times as a junior and 14 as a senior. He was named first-team all-conference and second-team All-American.

9. Connor McGovern

Penn State, 6-5, 308

Two years at guard were sandwiched around a season at center for McGovern at Penn State. He was named the team’s top offensive lineman as a junior, when he made 12 starts at guard and one at center. He started 35 games in his career before leaving school with a year of eligibility remaining.

10. Michael Jordan

Ohio State, 6-6, 312

When Jordan arrived at Ohio State, he became the first freshman to start for the Buckeyes on the offensive line since 1994. He started 13 games at left guard that year, and he was named first-team all-conference as a sophomore. Jordan switched to center as a junior and made 14 starts before turning pro.

Homegrown

Ryan Bates

Penn State, 6-4, 306

Bates played guard and both tackle spots at Penn State. Although he primarily played tackle the past two seasons, he is projected to move inside in the pros. Bates is viewed as a late-round pick or undrafted free agent, a player who will be a capable backup at four spots on the line.

Best fit for Steelers

Garrett Brumfield

LSU, 6-4, 303

With B.J. Finney backing up all three interior spots this year, the Steelers don’t have a priority at guard or center. Still, they brought in Brumfield for a predraft interest, an indication he could be on their radar as a late-round pick or undrafted free agent. He made 22 starts in 45 games at LSU, primarily playing left guard.