Examining Tyler Linderbaum’s fit with the Baltimore Ravens
The legacy continues! Tyler Linderbaum is the newest Iowa Hawkeye to make it to the NFL, drafted 25th overall by the Baltimore Ravens.
Linderbaum is a natural fit for the Ravens. The Rimington Trophy winner and unanimous All-American fills an immediate need for the Ravens’ offense with starting center Bradley Bozeman leaving for Carolina. Linderbaum is the ideal center for Baltimore’s run-heavy system, clearing lanes for quarterback Lamar Jackson and company.
Linderbaum recently received a lofty comparison to another standout Iowa lineman and former Baltimore Raven Marshal Yanda from Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta.
“Linderbaum, you know, at Iowa, a center. We’ve had very good luck with Iowa players over the years. I mean, Marshal Yanda, to me, you know, Hall of Famer someday. When we look at a guy like Tyler Linderbaum, we see a lot of the same qualities – tough, gritty, very, very athletic, very intelligent, smart, the type of guy that can really be the centerpiece of your offensive line. Teams picking in the top 15, I think, they have a chance to get themselves a really good offensive lineman,” DeCosta said during the NFL scouting combine in early March.
On a night that also saw Baltimore trade away former first-round wide receiver Marquise Brown, the Ravens added a pair of talented players in Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton with pick No. 14 and Linderbaum with pick No. 25. Ravens Wire’s Kevin Oestreicher broke down how Linderbaum fits in with Baltimore.
Linderbaum is regarded to be one of the best center prospects to come out of college in years, and certainly looked the part during his time as a Hawkeye. He puts himself in positions to win his one-on-one battles consistently, and is a very good athlete, being able to get out into space and get to the second level as well.
One of the key concerns surrounding Linderbaum is his size. He is a bit of a smaller player at the position, and his length was an issue for some. However, he makes up for that with his play, and is a very technically sound player. – Oestreicher, Ravens Wire.
Linderbaum is highly regarded as one of the best centers to enter the draft in recent years. While slightly undersized, it didn’t stop Linderbaum from receiving the highest Pro Football Focus grade for any center over the past two seasons and the top grade for any college player in 2021.
Linderbaum uses natural leverage and freakish strength to dominate linemen in the run game. He is a special mover in space, drawing some parallels to Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. In an offense that runs as much as the Ravens, Linderbaum is a natural fit.
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