4 Prospects the Steelers must avoid in the NFL Draft

2. Tyler Linderbaum, Center

Of all the potential first-round picks, aside from the injured David Ojabo, Tyler Linderbaum might be the prospect who has been sliding down boards the most. Entering the offseason Linderbaum was being viewed as a likely top 10 pick, but now some analysts are skeptical of whether or not he will go in the first round at all.

What has dropped Linderbaum is size concerns, as his measurables came in officially at 6′ 2 1/8″ and 296 lbs at the Scouting Combine, which is smaller than he was expected to be. The Steelers just faced issues with having an undersized center in Kendrick Green last season, so replacing him with another undersized center might not be what the Steelers want to do.

Considering the Steelers just selected Green in the third round last year it is unlikely that the team will completely give up on him after just one year, unless the prospect was a surefire Pro Bowler from day one, and Linderbaum’s size concerns are enough of an issue to drop him down the board for the team.

Combine that with the fact that they signed Mason Cole in free agency to a three-year deal worth $15.75 million to compete at guard and center, and it’s easy to see why the Steelers wouldn’t take Linderbaum in round one.

If the Iowa product were to somehow fall all the way to the Steelers at 52, then they may care a lot less about those size concerns and opt to select him. However, that is unlikely, and unless he falls more than expected, he should not be on the Steelers’ draft radar.