Bradley: Next in line for stardom as a U.Va. tackle?

CHARLOTTESVILLE Al Groh has coached 100 games at the University of Virginia. In the large majority, he's started a future NFL first-round pick at left offensive tackle.

D'Brickashaw Ferguson, now a New York Jet, manned that spot in 2002, '03, '04 and '05. Eugene Monroe took over as a sophomore in 2006, and he's expected to be among the first tackles taken in this month's NFL draft.

Will Landon Bradley rise to such heights? It's too early to tell. Bradley, who as a redshirt freshman backed up Monroe last season, has appeared in only one game for the Cavaliers. But he's No. 1 on the depth chart this spring, and the 6-7 290-pounder from Conway, S.C., is pleased with his play.

"I go to practice every day," Bradley said, "and after every practice I go back and look at the tape and I see what I do, and I don't feel like I'm so far behind Eugene. I feel like I'm a great fit for the position, and I'm using everything I got to my advantage."

His coach seems impressed, too.

"Very good feet," Groh said yesterday. "Good awareness. So far demonstrating that he gets concepts well. They make good sense to him. Very good communicator with the guy next to him in terms of what he sees and calls that have to be made. We're very positive about what he's getting done here."

Bradley wasn't heavily recruited before committing to Virginia, but that's not unusual. Groh noted that of the former U.Va. offensive linemen now or soon to be in the NFL -- Ferguson, Monroe, Brad Butler, Elton Brown and Branden Albert -- Monroe was the "only highly hyped" recruit.

Virginia likes tall offensive linemen with good feet they often excel in other sports, too and Groh has recruited to that model throughout his tenure at U.Va. Bradley attended camp at Virginia, and his performance reminded the staff of Butler's as a young camper.

"Landon Bradley fit that model, and we were able to see that one with our own eyes," Groh said.

His lack of game experience notwithstanding, Bradley is more seasoned than many may realize. A year ago, with Monroe recovering from shoulder surgery, Bradley took most of the snaps at left tackle in spring practice. His play earned him a Rock Weir Award as the offense's most improved player.

"Last spring really helped me out," Bradley said.

His progress stalled last season. In late September, he suffered a ligament injury in his left ankle when a teammate fell on the back of Bradley's leg during practice.

"It was a lot worse than what I thought at first," Bradley said. "It just kept nagging over time and wouldn't let me move the way I wanted to."

He missed about a month before being cleared to play again. He didn't get into another game Bradley made his college debut against Connecticut in mid-September but benefited from watching Monroe, the ACC's best blocker.

"Eugene never lost in anything he did as far as practice and pass-rush drills and all the other stuff," Bradley said. "His intensity toward everything was just so high."

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Note: B.J. Cabbell, who as a sophomore last season started all 12 games at right offensive guard, is sitting out spring practice while recovering from knee surgery, Groh said.

Cabbell, a graduate of Nelson County High, played with a bad knee in 2008, and the "plan was well-known before the end of the season that it was going to take some cleaning out and fixing," Groh said. Rising junior Isaac Cain is working with the first team in place of Cabbell, who's expected to be ready for training camp in August.