Silver And Black Pride
Diving into the seventh-round pick’s game
It took until the seventh round and their final pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, but the Las Vegas Raiders addressed their need at linebacker with Minnesota’s Cody Lindenberg.
The Raiders’ defense needed some help on the second level after losing Robert Spillane in free agency, and Lindenberg is a quality run defender who could fill Spillane’s shoes. The former Golden Gopher ranked eighth among Big 10 linebackers with a 79.3 PFF run defense grade last season, due in part to racking up 24 defensive stops against the run.
On top of that, he’s solid at taking on blocks and has impressive instincts, which the clips below highlight.
Something that stands out on Lindenberg’s tape is that he’s constantly taking command of the defense pre-snap, communicating with teammates to get everyone set and on the same page. The play above is a good example as he makes some checks while Iowa motions a receiver across the formation.
Post-snap, the linebacker is quick to recognize the pin-and-pull concept from the Hawkeyes. That allows him to get to the correct spot to take on the left tackle’s block, and that’s where Lindenberg’s strength and power come into play. He wins at the point of attack with good leverage and some pop behind his pads to knock the tackle backward.
From there, Lindenberg has control of the block and gets enough extension to escape and get involved in the tackle for a short gain, showcasing his instincts and ability to take on blocks in the running game.
Here, we’ll see another example of the Minnesota product taking command of the defense pre-snap as Penn State shifts into a new formation with a different quarterback behind center. Again, he makes sure everyone is set and in the right place to defend against this new look from the offense.
Then, Lindenberg shows off his impressive instincts during the play by disguising his blitz and using good timing when coming downhill to take advantage of a lapse by the offensive line. So, he’s able to get into the backfield unblocked, where he breaks down and makes a good tackle right at the line of scrimmage for no gain.
This next clip is a combination of the last two, as Lindenberg uses his instincts and ability to take on a block and make the tackle.
Penn State has a good play-call where they fake power to the running back but run an end-around with the wide receiver instead. The goal is to get the linebackers to step downhill and bite on the fake to the running back, opening up the outside rushing lanes as the right guard pulls but goes to block the second level instead of kicking out the defensive end.
However, Lindenberg isn’t fooled and maintains his depth as the left tackle comes to block him. Since the backer recognized the play design, he starts moving laterally and uses his hands to engage the tackle, allowing him to work...
