Raiders NFL Draft Prospect: Troy Andersen, Montana State
Leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft we’ve seen a group of versatile prospects who might contribute for the Las Vegas Raiders if drafted by them.
And we at Raider Maven cannot leave Montana State's Troy Anderson out of the conversation.
Andersen was arguably the most versatile player in college football playing quarterback, running back, linebacker, and even punter at the FCS level.
At the beginning of the season, Andersen was named a team captain and was recognized as a preseason FCS All-American and a first-team preseason All-Big Sky selection as an inside linebacker.
The 6-foot-4, 235-pound Bobcat recorded 150 tackles, 14 tackles for losses, seven passes defended two sacks, and two interceptions.
Andersen would cap his remarkable season by being named the FCS ADA National Defensive Player of the Year and Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year ats inside linebacker.
He also was named a unanimous first-team All-American and first-team All-Big Sky at the end of the 2021 season.
After the season was over, Andersen would receive an invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl, where he would continue to make a name for himself along with other seniors.
And to top things off, a blazing 40-yard dash highlighted his performance at the NFL scouting combine.
Andersen clocked the fastest 40 time among participating linebackers with a time of 4.42.
“He’s going to be a day one starter at linebacker,” draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said on the NFL Network shortly after Andersen ran his first 40. “In the fall, he was outstanding. Went to the Senior Bowl and was one of the better players down there. Then he comes out here and runs a 4.4. He’s eliminating any kind of questions you could have about his ability to come in and make an impact right now.”
Strong numbers in drills and workouts could move Andersen up NFL Draft boards.
Anderson is an athlete, he has excellent size and athleticism for a linebacker at the next level, which many scouts are looking for.
His on-the-field skills are amazing for a player who offers versatility in other positions as well.
As a linebacker, he changes direction well, has smooth hips that can change direction very quickly, as shown at the combine.
He’s a physical tackler with a wide tackle radius, he can finish quickly when blitzing, and in coverage; has solid awareness in zone coverage, and showed great man coverage skills at the senior bowl.
Andersen has the potential to be a three-down linebacker in the NFL, and a team like the Raiders would benefit by adding a tackling machine with a chip on his shoulder for playing at a small school, but also a versatile player who can come in for emergency plays at various positions.
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