Ranking the top 10 returning college offensive linemen
Iowa's Tyler Linderbaum tops the list of the 10 best offensive linemen returning to college football in 2021.
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Last week, we unveiled our top 10 returning college football players at quarterback, running back and wide receiver. Now, it’s time to turn our attention to the trenches. We're going to take a look at the 10 best offensive linemen — regardless of position — heading back to campus next fall.
The following are PFF’s top 10 offensive linemen returning to college in 2021 based on a bevy of factors, including PFF grade and other advanced metrics available to CFB Premium Stats+ subscribers.
1. C TYLER LINDERBAUM, IOWA
Linderbaum went from defensive tackle to the best offensive lineman in college football in just two years. He played both sides of the ball in high school and was recruited to play on the interior defensive line, where he logged 18 snaps in his first season. He then flipped to center for the 2019 season, where he started and recorded the fifth-best grade in the FBS at the position (81.7). And this past year, Linderbaum claimed the No. 1 spot with an astounding 91.5 PFF grade, featuring just three pressures allowed on 280 pass-blocking snaps.
The Iowa center checks the athleticism box with flying colors. There’s not an interior offensive lineman in the country with similar movement skills. His return to school instead of declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft is a huge win for a Hawkeyes offensive line that has two marquee members — Alaric Jackson and Cole Banwart — departing. The key thing to watch with Linderbaum in 2021 is if he can put on a little bit more mass and sustain that same elite-level athleticism.
