Despite being the top-ranked center on nearly everybody’s boards going into the 2022 NFL Draft, Iowa lineman Tyler Linderbaum may not hear his name called on Day 1 of the Draft. According to Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, not one team he spoke to had a first-round grade on Linderbaum.
Analysts’ early looks haven’t quite reflected this grade. Dane Brugler of The Athletic has Linderbaum has his 17th best overall prospect, placing him firmly as a first-round talent. Daniel Jeremiah’s most recent rankings are a bit more in line with Pauline’s assertion, placing Linderbaum as the 32nd best prospect in the Draft, a borderline first-rounder. Pauline claimed that every team had early second round grades on the 22-year-old.
The top center in last year’s Draft was Alabama’s Landon Dickerson, who was chosen by the Eagles with the fifth pick of the second round. In 2020, Michigan’s Cesar Ruiz was taken by New Orleans with the 24th pick of the first round. Both players have spent most of their playing time at guard, starting most games for their respective clubs. Before that, Garrett Bradbury was selected by the Vikings with the 18th overall pick in 2019. Frank Ragnow and Billy Price were chosen in back-to-back picks by the Lions and Bengals, respectively. While Price no longer wears orange and black after being traded to the Giants, all three have become starting centers, with Ragnow earning Pro Bowl honors at the position.
All this to say that returns on top-drafted centers are hard to read. Some end up as utility interior linemen on teams with already established centers, Ruiz shifted to the side of Erik McCoy and Dickerson playing around Jason Kelce. They may be the heir apparent once their predecessor departs, but for now they’re too talented to keep off the field. Price lost his starting center position in Cincinnati, but regained a snapping duties in New York. Bradbury and Ragnow have both been solid-to-good starters for middling…
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