Steelers mock draft: Pittsburgh puts the focus back on the trenches

Steelers mock draft round 1: Tyler Linberbaum

Center, Iowa, 6’2”, 296 lbs.

Bet you thought for a second that was Big Ben and the photo was of a Steelers game. Surprise! Linderbaum is a little undersized but he uses his low center of gravity to his advantage. He gets under the pads of bigger defenders and then uses his exceptional leg drive to move them where he wants.

A wrestler, Linderbaum shows very good hand use and understanding of leverage. His pass blocking is good and he rarely loses control of his assignment. He has a strong anchor and re-anchor. In 2021, in 13 games, Linderbaum only allowed 1 sack, 2 QB hits, and 4 QB hurries.

He really shines as a run blocker. His exceptional mobility is showcased in Iowa’s reach and slide blocking schemes. He fires out of his stance and quickly latches onto the defender. He’s a high motor player who sometimes gets three blocks against three different players in a single play.

Linderbaum has a 95.4 Pro Football Focus grade with 79.8 pass blocking and 96.6 run blocking. Linderbaum is a perfect fit for what O.C. Matt Canada wants to do. With 37.5 starts at center, he can be inserted into the starting lineup, immediately. And, hey, we already know he looks good in black and gold.