Late pre-NFL Draft predictions speculated that Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum would slip out of the first round. It didn't match up with his evaluation as one of the best prospects at his position during the last decade.
Baltimore put the rumors to rest Thursday night when the annual selection process kicked off in Las Vegas. The Ravens chose Linderbaum late in the opening round, No. 25 overall.
"You're talking about one of the best technicians – strong, physical, tough, quick-footed," Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta told BaltimoreRavens.com. "Somebody said it on TV, I think; if he was an inch taller and his arms were a half-inch longer, he would've been a top-5 pick, and I believe that. He's probably one of the better centers we've seen come out in a long time. It filled a huge need for us."
The Ravens have a history of drafting productive college players that may be knocked for what the industry sees as a shortcoming. Linderbaum was dinged for having arms shorter than what the league evaluators see as ideal. Baltimore took Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton with the No. 14 pick Thursday. He was seen as a potential Top 5 selection before running a 4.5 40-yard dash.
"I'm assuming Tyler is going to come in and start at center – for sure, obviously," Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh told the team's website.
Critics also questioned whether or not Linderbaum (6-2, 296) could match up physically at the next level.
"He can play, really, in any scheme," Baltimore director of player personnel Joe Hortiz told the team's website Thursday. "I mean, he's not the biggest guy. Big guys don't affect him. He can leverage guys – you saw the wresting. He's just really a tremendous athlete. [He] knows how to play the position. [He] knows how to get his body in the right spot, and then he just consistently works at maintaining his blocks. You'll see it when they show highlights – he'll block three guys in one play. He's a lot of fun to watch."
No one can question Linderbaum's college production. After making the switch from defensive tackle to center following his true freshman season, the Solon, Iowa native became the best player at the position in the country, winning the Rimington Award this past fall.
Linderbaum earned unanimous consensus All-American honors, becoming 12th player in Iowa history to receive that distinction and 28th player to be named consensus pick. He was one of three Rimington finalists in 2020, when the AP named him a second-team all-American.
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