2022 NFL Draft: Iowa Hawkeyes’ Tyler Linderbaum the top center?

Linderbaum Has Quickness/Explosion/Athleticism Combo

The three traits above may sound similar, and two do play into the third one. But, all three are part of Linderbaum’s game and play into how well he’s able to operate in the Iowa Hawkeyes run game.

Not unlike a sprinter at the Olympics, Linderbaum gets out of his stance extremely quickly, which is crucial to gaining leverage quickly on reps. His explosion is evident as well, and it’s huge for him to get moving well on perimeter runs. Linderbaum’s athleticism is also evidenced by his very good movement skills, including his change of direction skills and straight line speed.

This blend of skills is important for what happens post-snap and pre-contact. Linderbaum uses these things to help with the very good angles he takes when he works horizontally and then upfield in the zone game. He also gains leverage much quicker and makes life difficult for defensive linemen and linebackers.

As a zone blocker, Linderbaum excels. His explosion and quickness give him the ability to get to his responsibilities and work to the outside shoulder of defensive linemen on reach blocks. He gets in great position to get to the second level and seals off players there with great effectiveness. Linderbaum’s vision is very good on the perimeter, and he’s able to find defenders to take out of the play when he peels back to look for work.

In pass protection, Linderbaum shows off his toughness and foot quickness, as he’s always looking to help out and finish where he can. His anchor is very good, and despite giving up some initial ground, he’s able to reset his balance and gain leverage back.