The New York Giants are rich in draft capital entering the 2022 NFL Draft. The Giants possess nine picks including two selections inside the top-ten overall in the first round. The Giants are in need of offensive line reinforcements this year, and they are also reportedly interested in trading down from one of their two top-ten picks. In a potential trade-down scenario, the Giants could target Iowa center prospect Tyler Linderbaum.
What could Tyler Linderbaum bring to the Giants?
Tyler Linderbaum was, at one point, looked at as a potential top-ten draft pick in this year’s class. However, the Iowa center has seen his draft stock plummet over the past couple of months. Now, some believe Linderbaum could wind up being a second-round draft pick.
The Giants should drool if they see Tyler Linderbaum sitting on the board when they are on the clock in the second round. However, it seems more likely that Linderbaum will end up being a mid-to-late first-round draft pick. This could make him a target for Big Blue as they are reportedly looking to trade down this year.
Tyler Linderbaum was Pro Football Focus’s highest-graded player in college football in 2021 with a 95.4 overall grade. Linderbaum is a supremely athletic interior offensive lineman who has the ability to dominate in the running game.
Highest graded seasons by a center since '17 (PFF)
1. '21: Tyler Linderbaum, 95.2
2. '20: Tyler Linderbaum, 91.5
3. '20: Landon Dickerson, 91.3
4. '17: Frank Ragnow, 90.3
5. '17: James Daniels, 89.3
6. '21: Michael Maietti, 88.5pic.twitter.com/Hj3sYiviJJ— Adam Carter (@SmartfootbalI) December 31, 2021
Tyler Linderbaum had all of the talent in the world to dominate the college game. But his short arms and undersized frame has damaged his draft stock significantly. Linderbaum is 6-foot-2, 296 pounds with arms measured at 31 1/8 inches. He tested well athletically at his Pro Day, but still received criticism for being undersized.
These #'s make Tyler Linderbaum a 97% athlete by RAS https://t.co/2GxfIWTBta pic.twitter.com/Bi04Zgu2v1
— Tyler Jaggi (@TylerJaggi) April 12, 2022
Jon Feliciano was signed to play center by the New York Giants this offseaso. However, Feliciano also has experience playing guard, which he could transition back to playing if Linderbaum were drafted. The Giants could draft Tyler Linderbaum and enjoy his services as a day-one starter on their offensive line. He has his weaknesses, but there is no denying the production that Linderbaum achieved in his collegiate career at Iowa, a university that has turned in tremendous offensive line prospects to the NFL in recent years.