Tyler Linderbaum, Center, Iowa: 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Tyler Linderbaum is viewed as one of the safest prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Name: Tyler Linderbaum

Position: C

School: Iowa

Height: 6’3

Weight: 290 pounds

Background

The name Tyler Linderbaum has only been on NFL radars for a couple of years, but he’d had the reputation of an athletic phenom for quite some time in Iowa. There are plenty of former two-sport athletes in the 2022 NFL Draft class, but it’s hard to find many who played three sports in high school, let alone four. Along with his decorated football career, Linderbaum also was on the varsity baseball, track and field, and wrestling teams at Solon High School.

Though Linderbaum excelled in all four, it was clear that football and wrestling were his callings. He made multiple all-state selections, including a state championship in wrestling, and was one selected to the US Army All-American roster in football. Linderbaum chose the Hawkeyes over Iowa State and played a vital role in the Hawkeyes’ continued dominance over their in-state rivals.

Stats

There aren’t any major stats that are used across scouting to measure offensive line play. Even statistics such as sacks or pressures allowed need context to be helpful.

Regardless of what metrics you use, it’s hard to find any that aren’t kind to Linderbaum. He was an elite center from his first snap and only got better from there. Linderbaum was the highest-graded center according to PFF in both 2020 (91.5) and 2021 (95.4) and enters the 2022 NFL Draft as one of the highest-rated center prospects in years.

Scouting report 

It’s rare to see interior offensive linemen with the athleticism Tyler Linderbaum possesses. He shows great burst and explosion firing out of his stance and uses his power to initiate and sustain blocks. Linderbaum’s wrestling background can also be seen in his footwork and understanding of leverage. This combination of athletic ability and technique has proved to be deadly for Big Ten defenses.

Linderbaum also has surprisingly impressive long speed. There are several instances on tape of him setting blocks well beyond the line of scrimmage. Linderbaum is a complete enough prospect that he could perform in just about any scheme, but teams would be foolish to not take advantage of this gift.

Another valuable trait in linemen is flexibility. Once again, Linderbaum’s multi sport background is evident, as he is much looser and fluid than others at his size. This helps Linderbaum sustain blocks on the occasions he is caught in a bad position.

Listed at 6’3, 290 pounds, Linderbaum is a little undersized for the position, but his play strength is still very good. There are plenty of examples at Iowa of Linderbaum man handling defensive linemen 20-30 pounds bigger than him. Being undersized can only be a serious negative if there is some other area of the player’s game that is negatively affected by it, and it’s hard to find any with Linderbaum. Still, his weight will be something NFL teams keep an eye on.

Linderbaum is such a refined and savvy player that it is easy to forget he didn’t start playing center until college. With that said, there are some minor technical issues that pop up from time to time. Most notably, his hand placement can be inconsistent. There are moments where Linderbaum shows excellent hand placement, but there are others where he doesn’t. The most apparent problem here is Linderbaum will place his hands on the defender simultaneously instead of working each arm independently.

Linderbaum is an incredibly high motored player. The explosion and intensity can be seen on a play-by-play basis and leaves little question about his passion for the game. However, this isn’t always a good thing. There are times where Linderbaum plays too fired up and will misfire on his blocks or put himself in a bad position.

Final thoughts 

Two years ago, NFL scouts were blown away by Linderbaum’s college teammate Tristan Wirfs’ athletic ability. Although Linderbaum plays a different position from Wirfs, they have similar athletic profiles.

It’s going to be hard to find a more complete prospect than Linderbaum. Positional value may cause him to slide out of the top ten in the 2022 NFL Draft, but it’s hard to see him falling too. Linderbaum’s size may limit his versatility, but even as a pure center, he can be a major impact on an offense.