A six-year Cincinnati mainstay and three-time captain, Gavin Gerhardt became the first Bearcats center drafted since Jason Kelce in 2011.
Gavin Gerhardt is a center who anchored Cincinnati's offensive line for four seasons as a starter before the Vikings drafted him in the seventh round in 2026. A three-time team captain known for his reliability in pass protection, he carries the distinction of being the first Cincinnati center taken in the NFL Draft since Hall of Famer Jason Kelce went to Philadelphia in 2011.
Path to the league
Gerhardt spent his entire six-year college career at Cincinnati from 2020 to 2025, redshirting as a freshman before working into a four-year starting role at center. The Vikings selected him in the seventh round, No. 235 overall, of the 2026 NFL Draft, via a trade with the Carolina Panthers.
Career highlights
Gerhardt played in 53 career games at Cincinnati, starting 49 of them, and served as a three-time team captain. As a senior in 2025, he was a third-team All-Big 12 selection and allowed just seven pressures on the year, according to Pro Football Focus, which graded him at 75.2 in pass protection.
2025 season recap
In his final season at Cincinnati, Gerhardt started 13 games at center and earned third-team All-Big 12 honors while helping an offensive line that was recognized as the Big 12's offensive line of the week three times. That steady senior campaign, capping four years as a starter, made him a favorite value pick for Minnesota in the seventh round.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Gavin Gerhardt
- Zone Coverage: Gavin Gerhardt Has A Unique Tie To Jason Kelce
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Center
- Group
- offense
- College
- Cincinnati
- Hometown
- Xenia, OH, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
