• Started every game at center as Vikings notched a 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver in the same season for the 8th time in franchise history in 2020. It's the 1st time the Vikings have done so in back-to-back seasons (2019-20) since 1997-98.
• Highest-drafted center in Vikings history and only 1st rounder.
• Became the 1st player in Vikings history to start 16 games at center as a rookie. Only the 2nd player in franchise history to start every regular-season game at center as a rookie, as Mick Tingelhoff started all 14 games as a rookie in 1962.
• Offensive line gave up 28 sacks in 2019, tied for 5th-fewest in the NFL and tied for the 6th-lowest in franchise history.
• In November 2019, helped give away 250 turkeys with other offensive linemen at The Salvation Army-Citadel Worship and Service Center in St. Paul.
• Earned degree in business supply operations management in 2017 and played the 2018 season as a graduate student.
• Father, Tim, played football at Eastern Washington and Montana State.
• Married wife, Carson, in Spring 2021.
• Named the Vikings 2019 Rookie of the Year as part of annual Minnesota Football Honors program.
• The only Vikings center to be drafted in the 1st round, going #18 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft.
• The 3rd NC State player selected in the 1st round by the Vikings, joining RB Ted Brown in 1979 (#16) and CB Dewayne Washington in 1994 (#18).
• The previously highest-drafted center by the Vikings was Dave Huffman in the 2nd round (#43) in 1979.
• Made his NFL debut in season opener vs. Atlanta (9/8/19).
• Started all 16 games as the Vikings offense totaled the 7th-most rushing yards (2,283) and the 2nd-most scrimmage yards (6,548) in team history.Â
• Vikings ranked #4 in NFL total offense, a 12-spot jump from 2019, and scored 55 offensive TDs, the 2nd-best mark in team history behind the 1998 squad.
• Helped RB Dalvin Cook rush for 1,557 yards, the 3rd-best mark in Vikings history and the 2nd-most in the NFL for the year.
• Cook had 16 rushing TDs, the 2nd-best season mark in Vikings history, and earned a 2nd-straight Pro Bowl berth.
• Cook tied a team record in win at Green Bay (11/1) by scoring 4 TDs in a game (3 rushing, 1 receiving), only the 3rd time in Vikings history the feat has been accomplished, and tied the team record with 3 rushing TDs in a game.
• Helped rookie WR Justin Jefferson re-write the NFL and team record book with an NFL post-merger record 1,400 yards receiving and a team-record 88 catches en route to 2nd-Team Associated Press All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl berth.
• Protected QB Kirk Cousins as he threw for a career-high 35 TD passes and a 105.0 passer rating, the 2nd-most TD passes in a season by a Vikings QB and the 1st time in team history a QB had consecutive seasons with a 100+ passer rating.
• The unit paved the way for 382 total yards of offense, 2 rushing TDs by Cook and 3 successful 2-point conversions vs. Green Bay (9/13).
• Helped Minnesota to 410 net yards of offense as the Vikings had a pair of 100-yard receivers and a 100-yard rusher at Houston (10/4) for the first time since 2000.
• Line allowed just 1 sack while the offense posted 487 net yards and Cook rushed for 206 yards, including a 70-yard rushing TD in win vs. Detroit (11/8).
• Paved the way for the offense as Minnesota became the second team in NFL history to have four different receivers with seven-plus catches and 60 or more yards in the same game vs. Carolina (11/29).
• Became the 1st player in Vikings history to start 16 games at center as a rookie. Only the 2nd player in franchise history to start every regular-season game at center as a rookie, as Mick Tingelhoff started all 14 games as a rookie C in 1962.
• Joined Harrison Smith as the only current Vikings to start all 16 games as a rookie for Minnesota.
• Minnesota allowed 0 sacks in 5 total games, tying a franchise record. The Vikings allowed 1 sack or fewer in 11 games in 2019, a new single-season franchise record.
• Became just the 3rd rookie C in Vikings history to start a Week 1 game by doing so in his NFL debut vs. Atlanta (9/8). Was also part of a line that did not give up a sack on the day.
• Started at C as the offensive line blocked for Dalvin Cook's career-high 154 rushing yards at Green Bay (9/15).
• Started at C as Minnesota put up 490 yards of offense at NY Giants (10/6).
• Started at C vs. Philadelphia (10/13) as the Vikings offense scored 38 points.
• Started at C at Detroit (10/20) as Minnesota posted 503 total yards of offense, the most since 558 total yards vs. Atlanta on 9/28/14, and scored 42 points, the most in a game since Minnesota scored 49 points vs. the New York Giants on 12/27/15.
• Started at C vs. Washington (10/24) as the Vikings offense was not forced to punt for the first time since the 2004 season.
• Started in 27-23 Vikings win vs. Denver (11/17) as Minnesota scored 27 2nd-half points after being down 20-0 at half.
• Caught a tipped pass to record the 1st reception of his career vs. Detroit (12/8).
• Started at C in the Wild Card win at New Orleans (1/5/20), his NFL postseason debut.
• Started and had his 2nd career catch in the Divisional game vs. San Francisco (1/11/20), gaining 2 yards off a deflected pass. The play made him the 1st Vikings offensive lineman with a postseason reception since Ed White vs. Dallas (12/25/71).
• Started final 39 straight games and played in 48 for NCSU.
• Capped college career by earning the Rimington Award as the top center in the country. Was a semifinalist for the Outland Trophy as a senior, the only center among the semifinalists.
• Consensus All-America and 1st-Team All-ACC as a senior.
• Served as a team captain as a senior and paved the way for the Wolfpack to have a 1,000-yard rusher (1,091 by Reggie Gallaspy), 3,000-yard passer (3,928 by Ryan Finley) and a pair of 1,000-yard receivers (1,186 by Kelvin Harmon and 1,047 by Jakobi Meyers).
• Awarded 1st-Team All-ACC by media as a junior and honorable mention by the ACC coaches.
• During junior campaign, the Wolfpack's RB Nyheim Hines broke the 1,000-yard mark (1,113), Harmon had 1,017 yards receiving and Finley threw for 3,514 yards.
• Team went 9-4 as a junior and as a senior, ending season ranked #23 in 2017 following a win over Arizona State in the Sun Bowl.
• During final 3 seasons, he blocked for 3 different 1,000-yard rushers and protected Finley as the QB broke the 3,000-yard mark each year.
• Made transition from TE to OL as a redshirt freshman in 2015.
• Redshirted as a TE during first season in 2014.
• Was an Academic All-District selection as a senior and shared the Wolfpack award.
• Named Academic All-ACC each of his 4 years.
• Led Charlotte Christian to North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association state titles in 2012 and 2013 as a junior and senior.
• Hauled in 12 receiving TDs as a prep, 6 of those as a senior.
• Ranked as #58 TE in nation by Scout.com and #54 by ESPN.
• Standout baseball catcher.
