Tyler Linderbaum missed out on the Rimington Trophy this past season, but the star center for the Hawkeyes is one of the top returners in the nation for 2021.

After anchoring the interior of Iowa’s line during the 2020 season, Linderbaum was voted a finalist for the Rimington Trophy. The other finalists were Alabama’s Landon Dickerson and Ohio State’s Josh Myers with Dickerson eventually capturing the award.

Myers and Dickerson are both off to the NFL but Linderbaum is back for another year along the line for the Hawkeyes. One organization is also high on what he will produce this season.

According to Pro Football Focus, Linderbaum is the top returner in the nation among interior offensive linemen. To illustrate the ranking, PFF indicated that Linderbaum has allowed just one sack in over 700 career snaps in pass protection.

After an 0-2 start to the 2020 season, the Hawkeyes finished the year on a six-game winning streak while averaging 31.8 points per game. Hopefully, Linderbaum and company can ride that momentum into a hot start for 2021.