Brandon Linder

BIOGRAPHY

Brandon Linder was born on January 25, 1992, in Southwest Ranches, Florida. He is a center in the NFL. 

During high school, he was ranked as the No. 145 in ESPN Top 150, named first-team All-Broward by Sun-Sentinel, earned U.S. Army All-American, rated No. 47 prospect in Mobile Press-Register Southeast 120 and no.167 player in Sports Illustrated/Tackle Top 200, he was also a no. 3 prospect on Bill Buchalter’s Florida Top 100 state list. Linder helped St. Thomas Aquinas to 28-1 record last two seasons and registered No. 1 national ranking in 2009 while offense averaged 321 yards per game.

As a freshman on 2010, he played in 12 games, starting five, all as the extra lineman in a jumbo pack, he graded out at 97 percent against Georgia Tech and was named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week. Against GT, he took snaps at center, guard, tackle, and tight end. Linder helped the offense run for season-high 277 yards, and season-high 507 total yards. He graded out at 93 percent in the season opener, graded out at above 90 percent for last seven games of the regular season and earned a letter.

On his sophomore year on 2011, he played and started in all 12 games, Linder finished with overall a grade of 90 percent, he tied for team-high, allowed only 1.5 sacks over course of the season, made only seven mental errors and earned a letter.

On 2012 as a junior, he started all 12 games at right guard, he earned Third-team All-ACC selection by Phil Steele and All-ACC honorable mention from ACSMA. Linder anchored O-line that paved way for the third-best passing offense (295.4) and fifth-best total offense (440.2) in ACC. He earned a letter.

As a senior in 2013, he started all 13 games along the offensive line, Linder made 10 starts at right guard and three starts at right tackle. He was one of three Hurricanes invited to Senior Bowl. Linder helped anchor an offensive line that paved way for Hurricanes offense that averaged 425.8 yards of total offense and 33.8 points per game. He was named Offensive MVP at the end-of-season team awards show. Linder earned a letter.

Linder was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third round, 93rd overall, of the 2014 NFL Draft. He was selected to Pro Football Focus' Pro Bowl team as a reserve his rookie year after starting 15 games at guard. On October 5, 2015, he was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury after starting three games.

In 2016, the Jaguars moved Linder to center, where he started 14 games. Linder performed exceptionally at the center position, with Pro Football Focus ranking him as the 3rd best center that year. On July 25, 2017, Linder signed a five-year contract extension with the Jaguars, making him the highest-paid center in league history.

Linder started 13 games at center for the Jaguars in 2017, missing three games due to an illness. In 2018, Linder started the first nine games at center before suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 10. He was placed on injured reserve on November 13, 2018.