As part of their part ongoing ranking of the best players at each position, ESPN recently released their Top 10 interior offensive lineman list. These rankings are determined via survey responses from NFL executives, coaches, and scouts across the league.
For the Ravens, who have been well-represented thus far in the other positional rankings thus far, center Tyler Linderbaum narrowly cracked the list at the No. 10 overall spot. He earned the nod through a tiebreaker with Carolina Panthers’ guard Robert Hunt.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler quoted a veteran NFL defensive coach saying Linderbaum “can do anything you want in the run game” and might be “the best center in the NFL” in the run blocking department.
To this point, Linderbaum has been the anchor of the Ravens’ dynamic rushing attack for the past few seasons — immediately establishing himself as a strong run blocker upon entering the league. He’s continued to progress into elite status in this area and helped drive open lanes for Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson both in 2024, who combined for nearly 3,000 rushing yards between them.
Linderbaum still has room to develop in pass blocking, although he has made good strides as protector of Lamar Jackson. Fowler notes that Linderbaum has a pass block win rate of 96.5, an impressive mark, but some NFL evaluators say, “his shorter arms show up in one-on-one settings.”
The 25-year-old’s length and size was a highlighted concern back in the pre-draft process but did not prelude the Ravens from selecting him in the first round. Overall, Linderbaum has validated the team’s confidence in him, quickly developing into a back-to-back Pro Bowler.
His national recognition has clearly increased but he has the potential to take a step further into true elite interior offensive lineman status in 2025. Linderbaum is entering a pivotal fourth career season, seeking to earn himself a long-term second contract.