Tyler Linderbaum -- the top prospect at center in the 2022 NFL Draft class -- is drawing consistent comparisons to four-time All-Pro Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles.
On Tuesday's edition of PFT Live, Chris Simms was asked if he had any concerns about Linderbaum "only" measuring at 6-foot-2, 296 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine. The former NFL quarterback said he has no reason to be concerned about the former Iowa center not being big enough to thrive at the next level, and offered a familiar comp.
"I kept waiting for evidence of that on film to go 'Well, he's gonna get overpowered here ... Ohio State's gonna have somebody that's gonna overpower [him] ... this team's gonna have somebody that overpowers him.' You kept waiting for that, and [it's like] every game, he wins the battle. He's extremely athletic. It's elite athleticism for a center or really any offensive line position. It's Jason Kelce-ish, in a lot of ways -- that's the guy he reminds you of."
Kelce -- who is 6-foot-3, 295 pounds -- has dealt with concerns about his size at various points in his football career. And yet, he may end up with a gold jacket and a bust in Canton one day.
Simms isn't the only one who sees some of Kelce in Linderbaum.
Lance Zierlein of NFL Media says in his scouting report of Linderbaum that "teams with certain size standards may pass on him, but his tenacity and elite athleticism make him a can't-miss prospect if matched up in the right scheme." Zierlein's comp for Linderbaum is Kelce.
Additionally, Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Network also compares Linderbaum to what Kelce was as a prospect coming out of Cincinnati in 2011. Kelce was a sixth-round pick, but that's since been proven to be one of the biggest draft steals of the past 15 years.
Where will Linderbaum ultimately land? In our latest Audacy Sports NFL Mock Draft, the New York Giants trade down from No. 7 to No. 12, and select Linderbaum to pair with Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal, who we have them taking at No. 5 overall. Using two top 15 picks on the offensive line may allow new general manager Joe Schoen to take what's been a disastrous unit in recent years and turn it into a strength.
With that said, it's entirely possible that Linderbaum is on the board when the Eagles pick at No. 15 and No. 18. Would the Eagles, given that they have multiple first-round picks, consider drafting Linderbaum and basically turning 2022 into a redshirt year? Kelce is 34 and has weighed retirement the last few years, so having a succession plan may not be a bad idea. And there's certainly precedent when you consider that Howie Roseman drafted Andre Dillard in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, even though Jason Peters and Lane Johnson would go on to be the starters at tackle that season.
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