From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Minnesota linebacker Cody Lindenberg.
No. 45 Cody Lindenberg/LB Minnesota – 6023, 236 pounds (Redshirt Senior)
MEASUREMENTS
Player
Ht/Wt
Hand Size
Arm Length
Wingspan
Cody Lindenberg
6023/236
9
32 3/4
77 5/8
40-Yard Dash
10-Yard Dash
Short Shuttle
3-Cone
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Broad Jump
Vertical
Bench Press
N/A
36.5*
20*
*Pro Day Numbers
The Good
– Good athletic ability
– Quick lateral speed
– Shows focused technique in a half-turn run to wall of downfield routes
– Decent play strength
– Plays with good awareness in zone coverage
– Has a clock in his mind on when to attack the quarterback
– Uses shiftiness to avoid blocks downfield
– Good contact balance
– Decent play strength
– Contributes on all three downs and never comes out of the game
The Bad
– Takes many false steps that lead to unfit gaps
– Improvement in gap discipline is necessary
– Needs to improve change of direction
– Can accept blocks instead of fighting through contact with hands
– When he is blocked, he loses eyes and looks straight down
– Tight ends will beat him in the run game
– Takes on blocks at the point of attack instead of waiting for ball carrier to choose a gap
– Hesitates when rushing the passer
– Needs to collision when walling a downfield receiver
– Tackling technique needs work coming downhill, high pad level and erratic feet
Bio
– Received hernia surgery in December, but ran at his pro day mid-March
– 22 starts across 5 years at Minnesota
– 2024: 94 tackles, 5 TFL, 1 sack, 6 PBU’s, and 1 interception
– Named to All-Big Ten First Team (Coaches)
– 2023: only played in 4 games with a leg injury. Made 31 tackles, 3.5 TFL, and 1 forced fumble
– 2022: 71 tackles, 4 TFL, 1 sack, and 2 PBU’s
– Named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention
– Received Academic All-Big Ten honors for 4 years (2021-2024)
– Three-star recruit out of Anoka High School in Minnesota
– No. 5 recruit out of Minnesota and No. 45 outside linebacker in the country, while also playing receiver
– Named Minnesota All-State in 2019
– Lindenberg has been giving back to the Dylan Witschen Foundation that supports brain cancer research. It originated in 2010 when a high school player died of brain cancer
Tape Breakdown
Lindenberg shows impressive athletic ability on film, mainly with lateral speed and good hip flexibility when in a half-turn run, walling off vertical threats that go through his zone. He has the speed to chase down a running back on the outside and can serve as a quarterback spy that limits explosive scrambles. One thing he needs to work on is change of direction, as it can take a little bit of time for him to get top speed when moving side to side.
You may think he would be a lumbering mover at his size, but he shows he can cover ground quickly when defending the run and the pass. On this play, he walls off two routes and chases down the quarterback in a limiting gain.
As a run defender, Lindenberg shows great flashes but is inconsistent overall. There are some plays where he fits his gap extremely well, but then he makes massive mistakes that can lead to touchdowns. This is unplayable at the NFL level, where explosives are how you lose games, and he must fix his gap discipline at the next level. Along with this, he will take many false steps that lead to him being out of position and out of his gap, and the track he takes to the ball is mind-boggling at times, such as this play.
He can make many mistakes, but his flashes make me think he can fix his problems and improve as a run defender. When an offensive lineman tries to block him at the second level, he uses his athleticism to avoid blocks, taking a quick sidestep and securing the ball carrier. This helps especially on screen plays, where he can get past a blocker in the open field and make a good tackle.
Once again, Lindenberg shows flashes as a great tackler but makes some key mistakes with his technique. His pad level needs to be lower because of his height, which can limit his play strength when driving a ball carrier to the ground. His footwork is all over the place, and he needs to settle his feet down in order to secure a tackle.
Because of his slower change of direction, a quick juke move gives him trouble and sends him flying past the ball carrier due to his out-of-control feet. But there are some plays where he can dive at the feet of a ball carrier and bring him down. This comes down to consistency, but it is promising that he at least shows flashes.
Along with misfit gaps, his ability to shed blocks must improve drastically. When hit by an offensive lineman, he seems to accept that his rep is over and sticks with the lineman. He hardly fights with his hands and looks down towards the ground, losing sight of the ball carrier. When at the point of attack, he can dive into the blocker instead of being patient and reacting to the running back. Because of this, whichever way he chooses, the running back can go opposite, which leads to big gains. He needs to react rather than allow the back to make an easy decision. A concerning part of his ability to shed blocks is how he fights with tight ends and receivers, where he is surprisingly beaten consistently. He refuses to use his hands to fight, and they drive him down the field easily like they are blocking a lightweight defensive back.
In pass coverage, I am impressed with Lindenberg’s ability in zone coverage and his ability to chase down the quarterback. I do not think he would be great covering man, but he will show great awareness as a hook defender and in the flat.
The best thing he does is a half-turn and post-turn run, as he gets great depth when walling off a vertical route. He has the speed to run across the field when showing blitz and great depth to take away routes. When the ball is caught, he does a good job of flowing to it and attempting to make a play.
Conclusion
Cody Lindenberg is a well-respected linebacker from Minnesota who has elevated the defense by playing almost every down and giving great effort while also being a team leader. In the run game, he needs to make his flashes consistent by improving his unfit gaps, tackling, and block-shedding. I have faith he can improve, but how much he improves will determine his playing time.
In pass coverage, he will thrive as a zone defender who can serve as a quarterback spy. However, he needs to improve his change of direction to be positive in man coverage. Depending on how he recovers from hernia surgery, I think Lindenberg can develop into a decent starter. My comp for him is Trenton Simpson.
Projection: Mid-Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.2 – Fourth Round (Rotational Player)
Games Watched: at Michigan (2024), vs USS (2024), vs Penn State (2024)
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