{"id":131961,"date":"2022-03-20T17:16:19","date_gmt":"2022-03-20T21:16:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=131961"},"modified":"2025-09-25T12:04:27","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T16:04:27","slug":"2022-nfl-draft-player-profile-tyler-linderbaum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2022\/03\/20\/2022-nfl-draft-player-profile-tyler-linderbaum\/","title":{"rendered":"2022 NFL Draft Player Profile: Tyler Linderbaum"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overview<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Position<\/strong>: Offensive Center<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Height<\/strong>: 6\u20192\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Weight<\/strong>: 296 Lbs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>School<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/category\/bigten\/\" target=\"_self\">University of Iowa<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pro Day Performance Data<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>40-yard dash<\/strong>: Did Not Test<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Vertical jump<\/strong>: Did Not Test<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Broad jump<\/strong>: Did Not Test<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>225 Lb. Bench Reps<\/strong>: Did Not Test<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Tyler\u00a0 Linderbaum 2022 NFL Draft Profile<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even dating back to last season, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/tyler-linderbaum-1.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Tyler Linderbaum<\/a> remains one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/theathletic.com\/2969559\/2021\/11\/22\/how-a-rare-mentality-made-iowa-center-tyler-linderbaum-a-likely-all-american-and-perhaps-the-perfect-hawkeye\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">most hyped<\/a> offensive linemen in his draft class. Now, there are a few red flags, but there are a lot of reasons to love the way Linderbaum plays the game. When watching Linderbaum\u2019s film, it\u2019s easy to see how much Iowa\u2019s offense revolved around his prowess. Clearly, Linderbaum plays with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hawkcentral.com\/story\/sports\/college\/columnists\/chad-leistikow\/2021\/07\/24\/leistikow-what-drives-iowa-tyler-linderbaum-college-football-top-lineman-big-ten-media-days\/8021802002\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">fire and physicality<\/a> that defenders can\u2019t combat. Frequently, this involves him taking on multiple defenders in the running game to help carve lanes.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Tyler Linderbaum putting in more tremendous work at both levels of the run game. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/yv0F1rAG2I\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/yv0F1rAG2I<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Willie Lutz (@willie_lutz) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/willie_lutz\/status\/1505583966341971968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">March 20, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In these settings, Linderbaum\u2019s elite vision and plus-power allow him to clock the defensive lineman and pave a path by turning a linebacker\u2019s back away. Even against bigger defensive linemen, Linderbaum\u2019s able to turn their backs and stonewall them out of running lanes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Tyler Linderbaum (C 65)<\/p>\n<p>Everyone in Cincinnati\u2019s dream draft pick and a very legitimate option at 31 imo for a couple reasons<\/p>\n<p>NFL does not value centers as high as they should<\/p>\n<p>And he is going to measure smaller than Billy Price<\/p>\n<p>But he\u2019s easily a top 10 player in my book <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/UGXJ44EF4s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/UGXJ44EF4s<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Draft Guy Jared (@DraftGuyJared) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DraftGuyJared\/status\/1495438343101890565?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">February 20, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, Linderbaum shows a lot of good qualities in the passing game, but it\u2019s not always as perfect. Frequently, he delivers great punches with great, repeatable technique. Consistently, Linderbaum gets inside the framework of a defensive player and stifles their pass rush. Linderbaum also shows no hesitation against bull rushers which is somewhat surprising given his size. However, that size does show up on occasion against more technically-clever three-technique defensive tackles. Linderbaum\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/ras.football\/ras-information\/?PlayerID=21461\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">31-inch arms<\/a> hurt him here, as defenders can catch him leaning. Here, Linderbaum loses balance and occasionally ends up on the turf. Granted, with technical refinement, it should be less of an issue at the professional level.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Strengths<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plays with tremendous physicality\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hand technique is as good as it gets<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fantastic at blocking in both levels of the run game<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Typically handles bull rushers with ease<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Short-distance foot speed is top-level<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Has a clear vision for the field and good football IQ<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Took on lots of responsibility in Iowa\u2019s offense<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regarded as a great leader<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dominates with leverage despite being undersized<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Weaknesses<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Coming from a non-pro-style offense at Iowa<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Undersized with a shorter wingspan<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gets caught leaning on occasion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Needs to add weight to reach his ceiling<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can be beaten by clever pass rush moves<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>NFL Comparison<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-reference.com\/cfb\/players\/jason-kelce-1.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jason Kelce<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Teams With Need at Position<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/bears\/\" target=\"_self\">Chicago Bears<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/ravens\/\" target=\"_self\">Baltimore Ravens<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/jets\/\" target=\"_self\">New York Jets<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/seahawks\/\" target=\"_self\">Seattle Seahawks<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/washington-commanders\/\" target=\"_self\">Washington Commodores<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/patriots\/\" target=\"_self\">New England Patriots<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/category\/nfl-teams\/broncos\/\" target=\"_self\">Denver Broncos<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Projection<\/strong>: Mid-First Round<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bottom Line on Tyler Linderbaum<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Highly unlikely to make it past the first round, Iowa\u2019s Tyler Linderbaum could be a franchise centerpiece in this year\u2019s draft. Certainly, there are some real concerns around his size, but he should be able to overcome that weakness. On paper, he\u2019s among the best few run blockers in his class and that\u2019ll be exciting for pro teams. While it may take him a season to adjust to NFL defenders, his long-term projection should give teams optimism. Still, it\u2019ll be interesting to see if Linderbaum slides due to his size and positional value. Regardless, he\u2019s certainly among the very best talents in the 2022 NFL Draft.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Main Photo:<br \/>\n<a id=\"mn9QirlFTsJL0vbScobkpg\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1237527909\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'mn9QirlFTsJL0vbScobkpg',sig:'8L7fFCJzifPmYgIYr4sNCV-tdcPcBGvIv3GDqVyGtzs=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1237527909',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Highly unlikely to make it past the first round, Iowa\u2019s Tyler Linderbaum could be a franchise centerpiece in this year\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3734,"featured_media":131982,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1647,33760],"tags":[2030,8887],"class_list":["post-131961","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-draft","category-profiles","tag-nfl-draft-profiles","tag-tyler-linderbaum"],"modified_by":"Michael Kovacs, ADMIN","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131961","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3734"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131961"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131961\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":247074,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131961\/revisions\/247074"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131982"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131961"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=131961"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=131961"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}