Finding Broncos: Troy Andersen | LB | Montana State

Finding Broncos scouts the 2022 NFL Draft with a small school linebacker.

Measurements

• Height: 6-foot-4
• Weight: 235 pounds
• Arms: 32-1/8 inches
• Hands: 9-1/4 inches

Combine Results

• 40 Yard Dash: 4.42 seconds
• Vertical Jump: 36 inches
• Broad Jump: 128 inches

Pros

• Still growing and developing as a linebacker with excellent athleticism. 
• He started as a quarterback and running back as well. 
• Offers up plenty of special teams ability right away. 
• His athleticism is easy to see, and creative teams could also find uses on offense. 
• Once he starts coming downhill, he won't stop. 
• With his speed, poor timing, and indecisiveness were easy to overcome in college. 
• Has solid technique taking on blocks and does well to disengage. 
• Has a good frame and build. 
• The length is good, and he uses it well. 
• He plays with a hot motor and energy that is contagious. 
• Has the physicality and athleticism to late in the NFL if he develops technique and instincts. 
• Has a good burst in all directions. 
• His sideline-to-sideline range easily translates to the NFL, even with the jump in competition. 
• He sees the field like a quarterback and can often find himself in a good position. 
• He took significant steps forward with his development as a linebacker the more reps he got. 
• He loves the grind of the sport and has a strong work ethic. 

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Cons

• Still learning how to be a linebacker. 
• Needs to better squeeze routes.
• Can be late with his reads in zone coverage. 
• There is a ton of wasted movement and false steps. 
• Bites on fakes and can be easy to separate from. 
• With hit the wrong hole attacking downhill. 
• Struggles to sustain contain. 
• Indecisive with his decision-making. 
• Doesn't have the best instincts. 
• His athleticism won't be the eraser it was in college. 
• Has some medical concerns with a knee and both shoulders. 
• Needs to do better avoiding trash when working laterally. 
• He was praised for playing through injuries, which leads to more durability concerns. 
• Needs to develop his eye balance in coverage. 

Overview

Troy Andersen is an exciting and interesting draft prospect because he brings excellent athleticism while extremely raw. However, he has played just over 1,300 snaps on defense during his college career while also spending time at quarterback and running back. That puts him far behind the curve at the linebacker position, and then factoring in, he will be a 23-year-old rookie, and the concerns about developing him are severe. 

There is so much work that needs to be done to improve the technique, but it goes beyond that with Andersen. He needs to develop his instincts, which comes with time out on the field. So teams will have to balance out how much time he will need to potentially reach his ceiling while factoring in his age. 

It wouldn't be surprising to see Andersen go somewhere on day two in the draft because he is such a gifted athlete. As a rookie, he will be able to compete right away on special teams and could find himself with a role on defense. Coaches believe in their ability to develop the football side of it. They will consistently bet on players with athletic traits, and that is what is there with Anderson, along with leadership qualities and a strong work ethic. 

Fit with Broncos

The Denver Broncos took an athletic linebacker in the 2021 NFL Draft with Baron Browning. Browning had concerns about his instincts, awareness, and not having technique down because of his college usage. Troy Anderson is somewhat similar, though he is rawer as a player because of his limited work on defense overall. However, he is still a great athlete, which will be a draw for the Broncos. 

Denver has made it known they are working with Browning in a versatile role, and they are still looking for linebacker help. They may replace the athletic Browning with the athletic but raw Troy Andersen. 

When looking at their RAS (Relative Athletic Score), Browning scored 9.98, while Anderson was 10.0, the highest you can get. They had similar sizes and tested out similarly, with Andersen being faster in the 40-yard dash and at the ten and 20-yard split. 

If George Paton, Nathaniel Hackett, and Ejiro Evero want to add more athleticism to the linebacker position, then Troy Andersen should be right there for them. Denver sits with the 64th overall pick and the 75th and 96th overall picks in the third round. 

Grade: Late Round 2

Where he Goes: Round 3

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