Rivals100 OT Chad Lindberg commits to Georgia

Chad Lindberg's decision is in.

The Rivals100 offensive tackle broke his silence and committed to Georgia this weekend, a decision that Lindberg wrestled with dating back to the spring when he was torn between the Dawgs, Texas and LSU.

Lindberg becomes the third Texan in Kirby Smart's 2020 recruiting class, joining fellow nationally ranked prospect Jalen Kimber and kicker Jared Kirkel. He joins an absolutely stacked group of big men up front, namely five-star Tate Ratledge, Rivals100 tackle Broderick Jones and Rivals250 tackle Joshua Braun.

The fourth offensive linemen to commit to Georgia's class, Lindberg is a versatile jig-saw piece for Sam Pittman to plug in at either guard or tackle.

Lindberg had been a Texas lean for a good portion of his recruitment -- and that was the vibe as recently as the spring before the Rivals100 lineman began taking his official visits.

Texas had the first crack at getting Lindberg and his mother on campus for an official visit. That occurred in May, only a few weeks removed from a visit for the Longhorns' spring game. Lindberg returned to Austin with the other offensive linemen committed in Texas' 2020 class as well as quarterback Hudson Card and newly minted defensive line pledge Vernon Broughton. That, of course, was a strategic move to get Lindberg and Broughton in the fold as the top offensive and defensive line targets on the board for this cycle.

After visiting The Forty Acres, Lindberg headed to Athens. Pittman had already made Lindberg a priority in the 2020 class, but at the time was looking to put the cherry on this offensive line haul with a versatile cog like Lindberg as the fifth and final piece of the puzzle. However, in the process, Georgia lost a valued member of the class when Rivals250 guard Akinola Ogunbiyi, who flipped back to Texas A&M due to personal reasons that require him to remain close to home in Fort Bend. With two spots now needing to be filled along the offensive line in Athens, Pittman had the ammunition to dial up the push for Lindberg in this class.

I'm told LSU was the third serious contender in this race and was a legitimate player here. Lindberg was in Baton Rouge during the team's prospect camp in later June ahead of the Dead Period. LSU has no ranked offensive linemen in its 2020 class and that position remains a major focal point of recruiting efforts from here on out until Signing Day.

Texas, Georgia and LSU were each jockeying for position with Lindberg for the last few weeks as the Rivals100 tackle wrestled with the decision. The Longhorns came up short in the race for North Shore's Damieon George and were sitting in the driver's seat for Lindberg, but momentum faded in the weeks following his official visit. LSU was playing from behind already and couldn't close the gap on either Georgia or Texas.

Behind a strong charge from Pittman, Georgia seized control in Lindberg's recruitment. Pittman was one of two coaches making the biggest impression on the talented four-star lineman and the moving pieces in the Dawgs' class eventually fell into place for Lindberg to hop onboard. In Georgia, Lindberg gets an offensive line coach he fully believes in, a chance to play in the SEC and a track in which all roads lead to the NFL.

“At Georgia, I like (offensive line coach) Sam Pittman a lot," Lindberg told Rivals in the spring. "I went to Georgia on spring break and it was just me and Coach Pittman on campus. I spent the whole day with him and he talked about all the people he’s prepared for the NFL, the lives he’s changed. Coach Pittman is a good guy and a better coach.”

Lindberg is the perfect combination of a prospect that encompasses high intelligence on and away from the field paired with a nasty streak at both tackle and guard.

Lindberg (6-foot-6, 315 pounds) doesn't have the quickest feet and isn't the most nimble linemen, but he's a powerful, technically sound blocker that excels in pass protection as well as the running game. He possesses brute strength and plays low to gain leverage against defenders. Lindberg often plays with a bit of a chip on his shoulder, which is evident as a finisher. He' seeks out contact and usually levels at least one defender, and at times, has the capacity to take on two in the process at different levels.

What stands out is Lindberg's ability to extend his arms and keep edge-rushers at a distance from the quarterback. He routinely engages defensive linemen and linebackers and is deceptively athletic in pass pro. Lindberg bends very well and has exceptional spatial awareness to form solid pockets around the quarterback and ensure he remains upright. He's technically sound and he's extremely reliable when he engages.

Lindberg has all the tools to play tackle in the SEC, but he's also a candidate to slide in and play guard as well. On film, the four-star often pulls from the right side. He's decently agile and moves pretty well in space, but most importantly, can be counted on to find someone to put in the dirt.