Tyler Linderbaum OC Iowa: Scouting Report

Height: 6’2’’

Weight: 290

Overall

Tyler Linderbaum is the dynamic center in Iowa’s pro-style offense. In his 4 college seasons, he played in 37 games, starting 35 of them. He is undersized but an excellent athlete and was the leader of Iowa’s offensive line throughout his college career.

Pass Game

In pass protection, Linderbaum has very good balance after the snap and shows excellent technique and hand placement to square up with his man. When he makes first contact, he shows a good anchor and can block strong nose tackles but at times he gives up way too much ground on bull rushes. He has very good awareness and does a great job of picking up extra blocks along the line of scrimmage making sure every gap is protected.

Run Game

In the run game, Linderbaum shows excellent athleticism and speed to block out in space and make plays at the 2nd level of the defense. He is quick off the snap and does a great job of getting hands on his man and flipping his hips to open up running lanes. He plays his best on zone running plays where he can move laterally down the line of scrimmage and wash his man out from the play. Although he is undersized, he shows very good power in attacking his man and continuing to drive his feet up the field. At times, he can have problems squaring up with defenders in the 2nd level, but his athleticism and strength give him the ability to be a very valuable asset in zone rushing schemes.

Last Word

Linderbaum projects best as a center in a zone run offense but with his athleticism and technique he can be moved to guard if needed. While he has problems with bull rushes in pass protection, he has excellent technique and footwork to hold his own and can continue to add weight in the early stages of his career. If he can add some weight while keeping his athleticism, he can grow into a dominant center at the next level.

One-Liner: Tyler Linderbaum has the athleticism, technique, and strength in the run game to be an immediate starter, but he needs to add some weight to improve his ability against bull rushers.

Grade: 6.9 (Solid Starter with 2 Position Flexibility)

Games Watched: 2021 – Purdue, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa State

Team Fits: Denver Broncos, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys