Tyler Linderbaum

Pass Protection

Very good pass protector – a smooth mover who can mirror with powerful and deliberate steps. He has outstanding hip mobility and lateral explosion which he deploys well in pass protection. He has excellent hand placement and timing, he’s particularly effective with independent hands both with inside and outside strike. He deploys an inside strike to particularly good effect to get rushers pushed up the arc and into his wheelhouse where he can use his movement skills to good effect. He also has exceptional balance, able to right himself from awkward positions and his recovery is very good. He has an outstanding center of gravity and maintains a position of leverage at all times against all competition. He is able to sustain his effort through most game circumstances and shows excellent physical and mental toughness.

His processing is at a high-level, he makes all the calls for the OL and deals with stunts and games with ease using his play speed. He has excellent decision-making and can respond to different situations with different tasks quickly and decisively and can use his athleticism to re-direct when needed. His best trait is his anchor, he wins with leverage and hand usage against all rushers. Against very good blitzers from the second level who come with a plan and isolate him in space, he competes but can lose his leverage and lunge.

Run Blocking

As a zone/space blocker, he is elite. He uses his hip mobility and lateral quickness to remarkably good effect on Reach and Scoop blocks in Iowa’s heavy Outside Zone attack. His positioning is the best phase of his blocks in this regard as his slide step is lightning fast. He can reach as far as a 2 technique from the Center position and though I didn’t see it, I wouldn’t put it past him reaching a 3-technique, his lateral movement is that good. When working in combination either as the post man or the drive man, he is effective. His timing on working to the second level as the drive man is very good, and he will efficiently gain the outside shoulder when working as the post man. More often than not he was used as the drive man in order to allow him to release to the second level where his movement skills allowed him to excel as a space blocker. He positions and fits well in space against most competition but could struggle against athletic LBs to sustain and finish.

He was not asked to execute Gap/Man blocks as often. When he did, he was able to stalemate on Base, Drive and Down blocks, as well as working well on DBLs and using his athleticism to excel as a puller but there was little movement.

SUMMARY
Elite ZBS Center who excels in pass protection particularly as a lateral mover, playing with leverage and accurate hands. Plus lateral mobility and hip explosion

PRODUCTION
N/A OL
3 Year Starter at C
INJURY: None

RAVENS FIT
Toughness 4
Intelligence 4
Versatility 2
Grit 4
Scheme 2