2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Tyler Linderbaum

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Tyler Linderbaum, 6-3/290 Center Iowa

Tyler Linderbaum Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Very fast interior lineman

Rare speed to the second level

Athletic to hit blocks in the open field

Superb on executing screens

Athletic

Strong hands

Good functional strength

Able to control defenders

Twists and manipulates blockers

Superb on double teams

Sustains blocks

Good awareness

Decent feel

Can anchor against bull rushes

Could play center or guard

Good knee bend

Good vision

Plug-and-play starting potential

Enough size to play guard or center

Good technique

Intelligent

Recoverability

Tough

Battles hard

Blocks through the whistle

Weaknesses:

Less than ideal length

Short arms?

A little light

Summary: Under Kirk Ferentz, Iowa has been a factory for offensive line talent for the NFL, and Linderbaum will keep that tradition going in the 2022 NFL Draft. He broke into the starting lineup as a redshirt freshman in 2019 and never looked back. After a superb 2020 season, Linderbaum dominated the Big Ten in 2021, and he finished his season with phenomenal performance against a good Kentucky defense in the Citrus Bowl. Linderbaum could be a plus NFL starter early in his pro career.

The first thing that stands out about Linderbaum is how fast he plays. He is good ball handler who delivers quick, firm snaps to his quarterback. After the snap, Linderbaum is a lightning bolt out of his stance, instantly firing into his block. Not only is Linderbaum immediately getting into the chest of a lineman, he has rare acceleration to the linebackers and gets to them much faster than expected. Linderbaum is very athletic and fluid in space. He showed phenomenal speed at times, even getting downfield on a screen and rocking a defender to spring his back for a good gain.



As a run blocker, Linderbaum is not overwhelmingly powerful, but he has good strength. Linderbaum will tie up, turn, and manipulate defenders to move them away from his back. His speed makes him a real weapon to pull or spring backs for gains with a key block at the second level. Iowa has been an offensive line factory for the NFL, and that can be seen in Linderbaum’s development as he is a technician with intelligence and toughness.

Linderbaum is rock solid in pass protection. He bends at the knee and has excellent body lean. With his quickness and loose ankles, Linderbaum can glide and slide to keep himself between speed rushers and the quarterback. Linderbaum also has a strong lower body, so he can sink his hips to stonewall bull rushers. With guard-tandem blocks, Linderbaum packs a punch and eats up defensive tackles. He will be an asset in the NFL to help maintain a clean pocket and provide his quarterback room to step up.

Linderbaum looks like a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He could be a plug-and-play starter with the potential to be a Pro Bowler before the end of his rookie contract.



Player Comparison: Rodney Hudson. Linderbaum reminds me of Hudson given the speed and athleticism while being a little short and light. Hudson (6-2, 310) was a second-round pick of the Chiefs and has been an excellent pro over the past decade. Linderbaum could be a similar caliber pro.

2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2022 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Adam Anderson, OLB, Georgia Calvin Austin, WR, Memphis Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri Amaré Barno, OLB, Virginia Tech Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson David Bell, WR, Purdue Nik Bonitto, OLB, Oklahoma Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas Zachary Carter, DE, Florida Leo Chenal, LB, Wisconsin Lewis Cine, S, Georgia Damone Clark, LB, LSU Micheal Clemons, DE, Texas A&M Bryan Cook, S, Cincinnati James Cook, RB, Georgia Yusuf Corker, S, Kentucky Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State Nick Cross, S, Maryland Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State Greg Dulcich, TE, UCLA Arnold Ebiketie, DE, Penn State Kaiir Elam, CB, Florida Ikem Ekwonu, OT, N.C. State Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi State Kingsley Enagbare, DE, South Carolina Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota Luke Fortner, C, Kentucky Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner, CB, Cincinnati Luke Goedeke, G, Central Michigan Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington Kenyon Green, G, Texas A&M Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State Logan Hall, DE, Houston Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame Christian Harris, LB, Alabama Daxton Hill, S, Michigan Chasen Hines, G, LSU Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan Ed Ingram, G, LSU Drake Jackson, DE, USC Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State Zion Johnson, G, Boston College Travis Jones, DT, Connecticut Kerby Joseph, S, Illinois Cam Jurgens, C, Nebraska George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue Darian Kinnard, OT, Kentucky Charlie Kolar, TE, Iowa State DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M Isaiah Likely, TE, Coastal Carolina Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah Drake London, WR, USC Abraham Lucas, OT, Washington State Boye Mafe, DE, Minnesota Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State Roger McCreary, CB, Auburn Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington Verone McKinley, S, Oregon John Metchie, WR, Alabama Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan Chad Muma, LB, Wyoming David Ojabo, DE, Michigan Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State Cade Otton, TE, Washington Evan Neal, OT, Alabama Josh Paschal, DE, Kentucky Trevor Penning, OT, Northern Iowa Nick Petit-Frere, OT, Ohio State George Pickens, WR, Georgia Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati Dameon Pierce, RB, Florida Jalen Pitre, S, Baylor Brock Purdy, QB, Iowa State Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas Brian Robinson, RB, Alabama Wan'Dale Robinson, WR, Kentucky Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State Jamaree Salyer, G, Georgia Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa Isaiah Spiller, RB, Texas A&M Derek Stingley, CB, LSU Kayvon Thibodeaux, DE, Oregon Cameron Thomas, DE, San Diego State Tyquan Thornton, WR, Baylor Kenneth Walker, RB, Michigan State Rasheed Walker, OT, Penn State Quay Walker, LB, Georgia Travon Walker, DE, Georgia Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota State Zamir White, RB, Georgia Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama Malik Willis, QB, Liberty Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma Tariq Woolen, CB, UTSA Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M

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