Bottom Line
Luke Lindenmeyer is a physical, assignment-sound Y tight end who wins first as an in-line run blocker and second as a dependable underneath target. He went from walk-on to 16 consecutive starts, earned 2025 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (Coaches and Media), and was named a 2026 NFF Campbell Trophy semifinalist. Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule calls him “one of the best tight ends in the country.” He projects as a Day 1 contributor at TE2 for a run-first NFL offense, with a clear path to a starting Y role.
Career Production
| Season | GP | GS | Rec | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 (RS) | 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 2023 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 50 | 0 |
| 2025 | 13 | 13 | 29 | 312 | 2 |
| 2026* | 3 | 3 | 5 | 71 | 0 |
| Total | 42 | 23 | 39 | 433 | 2 |
*Through three games (Nebraska 3-0). Sources: huskers.com, 247Sports.
Scouting Evaluation
- Run blocking (Y-TE core): Led the team with 28 knockdowns through two 2026 games (about 31% of offensive snaps). Ron Brown charted 18 knockdowns vs. Ohio; PFF graded that game 80.0 overall and 81.7 as a run blocker.
- Durability and volume: 725 snaps in 2025 (third on the roster); 42 career appearances; 16 consecutive starts.
- Football IQ: Coaches credit his positioning, his availability as a checkdown and how he adjusts to defenses. Has held a pass-protection role since 2023.
- Hands and run after catch: Reliable underneath target; 7 catches for 60 yards vs. No. 21 Michigan (2025); career-long 33-yard catch (2026).
- Versatility: Former fullback converted to in-line tight end; played basketball in high school.
- Areas to watch: Downfield receiving production and target volume. The 2026 Big Ten schedule will test both.
What the Coaches Say
“Luke to me is the definition of grit. A walk-on who will be an All-American candidate this year, one of the best tight ends in the country.”Matt Rhule, Nebraska head coach · Big Ten Media Days, July 2026 (WOWT)
“We’ve got Luke Lindenmeyer who, if he’s not one of the best tight ends in the country, I don’t know who is.”Matt Rhule · Sept. 21, 2026 (Sports Illustrated)
“His tight end performance was the best one I’ve ever been a part of… Some of the stuff that he did was just absolutely unbelievable.”Dana Holgorsen, offensive coordinator · Sept. 2026, after Ohio (Omaha World-Herald)
“A lot of guys get a scholarship, and you know what they do? They relax. But Luke’s never relaxed.”Matt Rhule (247Sports)
“He went out there and did everything you want a Big Ten tight end to do.”Anthony Jones, Nebraska defensive end (Omaha World-Herald)
“I want to physically dominate teams and make them quit in the fourth quarter.”Luke Lindenmeyer (Lincoln Journal Star)
Honors and Character
- 2025 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (Coaches and Media)
- 2026 NFF William V. Campbell Trophy semifinalist (the “Academic Heisman”)
- Three-time Academic All-Big Ten; 2026 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar; CSC Academic All-District
- Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar; Chi Alpha Sigma
- Four-time Tom Osborne Citizenship Team; 2024 Sam Foltz Hero Leadership Award
- Represented Nebraska at 2026 Big Ten Media Days; earned the single-digit #8 jersey (2026)
NFL Fit
Fits as a Y (in-line) tight end in a gap- or zone-run offense. Offers immediate value as TE2 in 12 and 13 personnel and in short-yardage and goal-line packages. Has the frame, discipline and leadership to grow into a starting Y.
The Walk-On Story
Lindenmeyer chose a preferred walk-on spot at Nebraska over a football offer from Army West Point, where both of his parents graduated. He arrived in 2022 deep on the depth chart and played his first snaps under Matt Rhule as a fullback wearing #99. He earned five starts as a blocker in 2023, took over as the starter in 2025 and started all 13 games. In 2026 he earned a single-digit jersey, a spot at the Big Ten Media Days podium and Campbell Trophy recognition. Holgorsen in 2025: “He just keeps getting better.”
2026 Snapshot (Through Week 3)
| Opponent | Result | Rec-Yds | Blocking note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | W 49-21 | 2-22 | 18 knockdowns (Ron Brown); PFF 80.0 overall, 81.7 run block; Holgorsen called it the “best” tight end performance he has been part of |
| Bowling Green | W 56-7 | 2-16 | Team-leading 28 knockdowns through two games |
| North Dakota | W 34-7 | 1-33 | Career-long catch; run-heavy game plan against loaded boxes |
Nebraska’s offense entering Big Ten play: 12th nationally in rushing, 10th in total offense (huskers.com, Sept. 23, 2026).