After the Baltimore Ravens traded away their quarterback Lamar Jackson’s favorite target, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to the Arizona Cardinals during the 2022 NFL draft, they selected former Iowa Hawkeyes center Tyler Linderbaum.
As ESPN’s Jamison Hensley wrote, the Ravens have high hopes and an even higher belief that the Hawkeye will help their quarterback take another step forward in an already impressive career.
With the Ravens’ run-happy offense paired with Jackson’s explosiveness on the ground to break down defenses, Linderbaum fits their scheme exceptionally well and makes almost too much sense. At Iowa, Linderbaum was consistently finding his way to the second level to take on linebackers and unlucky defensive backs. That trend should continue as he commands the offensive line for Jackson.
“My job is to protect him [Jackson]; I’m excited to get that opportunity,” Linderbaum said. “Every snap, every down, I’m going to have to bring it, because obviously it’s a tough league. Every guy across from me is going to be tough. But just the mentality I’m going to bring, just that gritty toughness, physical, I’m going to bring it just to protect him and keep him safe.”
As Hensley discussed, the pipeline from Iowa City to the Baltimore Ravens is well established. Iowa Hawkeyes head football coach Kirk Ferentz spent two years coaching the Ravens’ offensive line before finding home at Iowa.
The Ravens feel great about Linderbaum and there is great reason to. He was an All-American, a winner of a long list of awards, and an even greater person for donating NIL money to the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Their general manager Eric DeCosta praised Linderbaum as one of the best at his position he has ever seen.
“You’re talking about one of the best technicians — strong, physical, tough, quick-footed,” DeCosta said. “Somebody said it on TV: 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.”
The Ravens also got perennial Pro Bowler Marshal Yanda from the Hawkeyes and are looking to strike gold twice. That is a bet I would feel is safe to make.
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