NFL Draft: What Grade Do Falcons Get for Troy Andersen Pick?
With the No. 58 overall pick and all of the QBs sans Kenny Pickett still on the board, the Atlanta Falcons had several options.
The route they chose took them to the northwest, choosing Montana State Bobcats linebacker Troy Andersen.
While Georgia favorite Nakobe Dean was still on the board, Andersen presented an elite height-weight-speed project. He played on both sides of the ball at Montana State, which only adds to the intrigue. But, considering who else was on the board, is Andersen the right guy for the job?
Grading the Andersen Pick
At 6-3, 242-pounds, Troy Andersen ran a blazing 4.41 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Not only did Andersen run fast in shorts, but he consistently showed that in pads, as well:
At Montana State, Andersen was first team All-Big Sky in 2018 … as a quarterback, while also playing LB. The year before, he was the Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year … as a running back, while also playing a little bit of linebacker.
Make no mistake: Andersen is a special, special athlete, who put up elite testing numbers, and proved his versatility time and time again at Montana State.
It’s well-established that Andersen can move. However, he can really play the linebacker position. He was a unanimous first team All-American and the FCS ADA Defensive Player of the Year in his final seasons for the Bobcats. He has easy range working to the sideline, and his athleticism and football intelligence both project favorable to the NFL.
After losing Foye Oluokun to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, Atlanta had a hole at inside linebacker. While one can argue that Andersen wasn’t the best player on the board, he has the ceiling to easily outplay his draft slot and should be an electric special team's player from the jump.
