Film room: Lindenberg adds instincts, physicality to run defense

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 over the top of and defeat the offensive lineman’s block.

Finally, Lindenberg caps off the play by showing decent pursuit speed to make the tackle near the numbers on the opposite side of the field.

Another area where the seventh-round pick’s instincts and ability to defeat blocks stand out is against screens.

Maryland gives him a tough assignment on this play, running a play-action fake before dumping it to the running back on the halfback screen. So, the linebackers have to step downhill, retreat backward and then work downhill again to pursue the football, forcing them to change directions twice.

But Lindenberg recognizes when the back turns for the screen and beats the offensive lineman to the spot on the perimeter. Then, he uses a rip move to defeat the lineman’s block and makes a strong open-field tackle for about a three-yard gain.

In coverage, Lindenberg isn’t a good enough athlete to be effective in man-to-man against running backs and tight ends. But he can be effective as an underneath defender in zone coverage, as seen in the clip above.

Minnesota is running a variation of Cover 4 where they only rush three defenders and drop eight in coverage. Meanwhile, Lindenberg stays deep in his area to keep the receiver on the drag route in front of him while still being in a position to make a play on the ball if the pass comes his way, taking the drag route away from the quarterback.

So, the quarterback checks it down to the running back in the flat, but the flat defender misses the tackle. Luckily, Lindenberg read the play pursues to the ball, making another quality open-field tackle for a short gain. That turns what could have been third and medium or short into a third and long situation for the defense.

Overall, the Minnesota product may not be athletic enough to develop into a complete linebacker. But he is a quality run defender and can be effective in zone coverage to potentially fill the void Spillane left behind.

With how open the Raiders competition at linebacker will be this summer, it wouldn’t surprise me if Lindenberg eventually starts as a rookie. That said, he is a seventh-round pick who will also have to fight for a roster spot during training camp.