Why the 49ers Signed DT Evan Anderson as a UDFA

There's a reason the 49ers were so eager to sign Anderson.

Florida Atlantic defensive tackle Evan Anderson (8) sacks the quarterback during a 42-20 victory / Jeff Romance / USA TODAY NETWORK

There are undrafted free agents, and there are priority undrafted free agents. Evan Anderson is the second type.

The 49ers didn't draft Anderson, but they really really wanted him, so they gave him a $30,000 signing bonus plus they guaranteed $250,000 of his base salary which virtually guarantees he at least will make their practice squad this year. The 49ers might even promote him to the 53-man roster before the season ends.

There's a reason the 49ers were so eager to sign Anderson. He's different than the defensive tackles the 49ers have. Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins are interior pass rushers who weigh roughly 300 pounds each. Anderson is a run plugger who weighs 326 lbs. And the 49ers struggled to stop the run last season, so they need players like Anderson.

In addition, this offseason the 49ers lost Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw -- their two best run defenders at defensive tackle. To fill the void they left, the 49ers signed Jordan Elliott, who's solid against the run, but he isn't enough. And he's a short-term solution who might not be on the team next year. The 49ers need a young run defender to develop.

Anderson spent four years at Florida Atlantic and recorded just 7 sacks, so he's not a pass rusher. And that's probably why he wasn't drafted -- teams place a premium on pass rushers because the NFL is a passing league.

But run defense still matters, and teams can find quality run defenders as UDFAs if they know what to look for.