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Nick Linder
G/C - Sophomore - 6'3 300 - Ft. Lauderdale, Fl (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Made first career start Vs Georgia Tech last year at LG, and never looked back, playing very well before injuries slowed him down toward the end of the season.
However will likely be competing with Alex Gall for the starting C spot this fall, after working there quite a bit this spring.
#UMiami Linder talks about playing center now & more - Read on to see what offensive lineman Nick Linder is... http://t.co/qJg8Z6LxZ8
— Miami on Scout (@MiamiOnScout) February 24, 2015
Is very technically sound, and is athletic enough to get out to the second level as well.
Linder is also a very smart player, and his teammates took notice last year during his freshman campaign.
"Talking to Nick is like talking to a senior," observed Brad Kaaya last season following the GT game. "He knows all of his calls. For us, it was an away game, so we run off silent count. Not only did he have to look back at me for the snap call, he also had to tap (then center) Shane (McDermott) to let him know he was ready, and also make his guard calls."
Summary: It's not always easy to get excited about big uglies, but this is a kid with a very bright future. Linder made more than a few sensational blocks to set up long runs for Duke Johnson last year. And he was also very solid in pass protection. Now a year bigger, stronger, and more experienced, he could be an all conference type performer by season's end in 2015. Look for Linder to seize control of the center position, and become a young leader on the offensive line, not to mention the offensive unit as a whole.
Stay tuned for more player profiles from SOTU as we count down to kick off.