Bengals boost backfield with Rodney Anderson

The Cincinnati Bengals selected running back Rodney Anderson out of Oklahoma in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, 211th overall.

Anderson joins Joe Mixon, Giovani Bernard, and fellow sixth-round pick Trayveon Williams in a stacked backfield.

The former Sooners standout is coming off a torn ACL that prematurely ended his 2018 season. In 2017, he ran for 1,161 yards while scoring 13 rushing touchdowns.

School: Oklahoma
Height: 6-0
Weight: 224 lbs

Strengths

• Explosive athlete capable of making big plays both as a runner and receiver
• Good patience and vision to allow plays to develop before hitting the correct lane
• Smooth runner who can make one cut and get upfield
• Good anticipation and ability to create yards for himself
• Finishes runs with physicality and shakes weak tackles with good balance through contact
• Rare receiving ability in terms of route running, hands, adjustments to the ball
• Extensive route tree
• Can be lined up anywhere on the field and contribute in the passing game

Weaknesses

• Recovering from a torn ACL suffered early in his final season in college
• Extensive injury history
• Needs work in pass protection

Bottom line

Anderson's valuation for NFL teams will depend largely on the results of his pre-draft medicals. He comes with risk, as he's recovering from a torn ACL that ended his 2018 season and has an extensive injury history beyond that. If he's healthy, Anderson's ability to contribute at a high level both as a runner and as a receiver out of the backfield gives him upside similar to that of the top two-to-three runners in this class. He could end up as one of the steals of this draft.

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