Zack Patraw of Sports Illustrated projected that the Pittsburgh Steelers will draft Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum with the No. 20 overall pick in the first round of his mock 2022 NFL Draft earlier this week.
Linderbaum was a three year starter for the Hawkeyes and originally started his career on defense before switching to center to start his redshirt freshman season in 2019. He was an honorable mention to the All-Big Ten team in 2019 and then continued to improve in his next two seasons.
He was named to the All-Big Ten team in 2020 and was one of three finalists for the Rimington trophy, the award for the best center in college football.
Linderbaum came into serious national recognition in his redshirt junior season in 2021. He was once again named to the All-Big Ten team, won the Rimington-Pace offensive lineman of the year, which awards the best offensive lineman in the Big Ten conference, won the Rimington trophy and was an unanimous All-American.
Linderbaum was the first center and fifth offensive lineman to go on this mock draft, with offensive tackles, Alabama Evan Neal, North Carolina State Ikem Ekwonu, Mississippi State Charles Cross and Northern Iowa Trevor Penning going before him.