Background
Alec Lindstrom is a center from Boston College and a prospect in the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft. Lindstrom was a three-year starter for the Eagles, and he earned All-ACC honors all three years. Alec followed his older brother, Chris, to Boston College, even though he was only a two-star recruit with very few scholarship offers. He was only 240 pounds when he came to BC, so he redshirted during his first year with the program in 2017.
In 2018, Lindstrom appeared in three games, starting alongside his brother against Holy Cross. He finally broke into the starting lineup in 2019, starting all 13 games and earning All-ACC Third Team Honors. In 2020, he earned All-ACC First Team honors after helping lead BC in its transition from a power run team to a pass-heavy, zone-running team. Lindstrom made All-ACC First Team again in 2021 and earned several All-American honors from various media outlets.
Statistics
Career: 39 GP, 36 GS, 24 pressures allowed (17 hurries, 4 QB hits, 3 sacks).
2021 Stats: 12 GP/GS, 7 pressures allowed (4 hurries, 2 QB hits, 1 sack).
2021 PFF Grades (20% snap minimum; rankings out of 163 eligible OCs): 73.4 Overall (t-34th), 68.4 Run Blocking (66th), 84.6 Pass Blocking (5th).
Measurements
At the East-West Shrine Game, Alec Lindstrom measured in at 6 feet and 3 ¼ inches and 294 pounds. His hands were 9”, his arms were 32 ⅛”, and his wingspan was 77 ⅜”.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Lindstrom measured in at 6 feet and 3 ⅜ inches and 296 pounds. His hands were 9 ¼”, his arms were 32 ⅝”, and his wingspan was 77 ⅜”.
At Boston College’s Pro Day, he measured in at 6 feet and 3 ⅜ inches and 299 pounds. His hands were 9 ⅛”, his arms were 32”, and his wingspan was 77 ⅜”.
Drills
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Alec Lindstrom ran the 40-yard dash in 5.18 seconds with a 1.75 10-yard split. He ran the short shuttle in 4.66 seconds and the three-cone drill in 7.50 seconds. In the bench press, Lindstrom put up 25 reps of 225 pounds. He jumped 29 inches in the vertical and 111 inches in the broad jump. These numbers earned Lindstrom a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 8.36/10, ranking 84th out of 511 OCs from 1987 to 2022.
At Boston College’s Pro Day, Lindstrom did not participate in the athletic testing drills and stood on his numbers from the Combine.
Areas of Strength
Areas to Improve
Summary
In the NFL, Alec Lindstrom projects as a backup center in a zone-blocking offense. Lindstrom has an excellent mental makeup, both from a processing and competitive standpoint. He is at his best when executing Combo blocks where he can work in tandem with a guard. He gives consistent effort throughout his assignments and to the end of the game, even when he is struggling. Lindstrom is also a very solid pass blocker, setting the pre-snap assignments and picking up line games. He moves well at the top of the pocket and is able to survive against most rushers.
Overall, Lindstrom lacks some of the physical tools necessary for succeeding in the NFL. He has issues with flexibility and balance, bending at his back instead of sinking with his hips. This prevents him from maintaining his anchor in pass protection and from getting a significant push in the run game. This ties into his already extant lack of play strength. Lindstrom struggles to sustain his blocks, as his opponents frequently slough him off and make plays on the ballcarrier.
With that being said, Lindstrom still has the movement skills and ability to block in space that will make him effective in a zone-blocking scheme. Relying on his mental acuity and understanding of schemes/assignments, he should be a serviceable backup that can play in the NFL for a long time. If he is flanked by good guards, he should be an effective if unremarkable NFL player.
Grade: 6.0 / 10 (scheme-specific long-term back up)
#151 Overall Prospect (#4 OC, #15 IOL, #29 OL), Round 4-5
NFL Comparison: Nick Hardwick, R3 #66, San Diego Chargers (2004 - 2014)
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