Finding Broncos: Tyler Linderbaum | Center

Measurements

Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 296 pounds
Arms: 31-1/8 inches
Hands: 10 inches

Combine Results

Linderbaum didn't do any drills as he was rehabbing from an injury.

Pros

Comes from a school admired for the quality offensive linemen they consistently put out.
Has a wrestling background, which is favorable to NFL teams.
Hand technique is sound, and he keeps them placed inside the chest.
Loves to finish blocks and bully defenders inside.
Smooth and agile as a mover, and he has the sense and awareness when climbing to the second level.
Whole body works in unison as a blocker.
Knows where his landmarks are, and he gets to them with timing.
There's no stop to Linderbaum, and he keeps working to the whistle and will find another defender to block if he finishes his initial block.
Plays fast but controlled.
Uses leverage well, which should be a given with his size and length.
Lateral agility is exceptional, and the only concern with reach blocks is his length.
Works exceptionally well on double teams, especially with his positioning to come off the double and not leave his teammate hanging.
Powerful hands and challenging to break free from.
Mature and a leader on and off the field.
Elite body control

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Cons

Very limited to an outside zone scheme and being a center only in the NFL because of length and weight.
Has to improve his placement on shotgun snaps, as he can put the quarterback in a bad position.
Multiple struggles against big-bodied defensive linemen with strength.
Struggles to finish blocks at times, which will be a more significant concern in the NFL.
Will overset a decent amount and get himself into trouble.
Needs to play with a more consistent base to handle bull-rushes and even drive block.
Was often late to get contact because of the lack of length.

Overview

Tyler Linderbaum is widely viewed as the top center of the class. He checks off all the intangibles boxes and has good athleticism for the NFL. The biggest concerns are about his length and if he can handle the jump in power to the NFL.

Linderbaum is a limited player in scheme and position, which will drive his overall value down for NFL teams. With him not being able to play multiple positions, that is a significant loss of value on the interior offensive line unless he develops to be an excellent starting center. That is where his potential is, but he has work to do to get to that point.

There have been rumblings about the concern with his injury that kept him from working out of the combine, but nothing substantial there. Linderbaum will likely go early in the draft to a team running an outside zone scheme, and he should be in place to start right away. While he has some concerns, he has the right traits and tools in his arsenal to overcome those concerns.

Fit with Broncos

This is one of those fits that you look at and think about how much it makes sense. While the Denver Broncos have Lloyd Cushenberry III, he was a bottom-5 center in 2021, after being a bottom-3 center as a rookie. Despite the concerns with his injury, Linderbaum is an excellent fit for what the Broncos want to do offensively.

Linderbaum would, at the very least, give Denver good competition at the center position and likely walk away as the starter. In addition, it would give the Broncos a good athlete at the position and someone who can handle making the calls at the line of scrimmage. There is a concern about pairing Russell Wilson with a rookie center, but Linderbaum is the type of center you are willing to do that with.

Linderbaum is a clean prospect, and the cons are nitpicky about his tape. He is the best pure center prospect I have ever scouted. If he happens to fall to 64th overall, Denver would have to consider at least strengthening a weak link on their offensive line.

Grade: Round 1

Where he Goes: Late Round 1/Early Round 2

Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel.

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