Name: Rodney Anderson
SCHOOL: Oklahoma
CONFERENCE: Big 12
POSITION: Running Back
CLASS: RS Junior
RECRUITMENT RATING: 4-star
HT: 6’1
WT: 219 lbs
Vision: A decisive runner that quickly identifies the open hole to hit. Especially in Oklahoma’s power heavy running scheme. Showed that he can he find the right creases in zone schemes but gets impatient at times. Must wait for blocks to develop at the second more consistently. Takes what is there and rarely tries to create outside of structure.
Burst and Long Speed: Has 0 to 60 type acceleration. Explodes through open holes. Needs little time to reach top speed. Long speed is adequate, doesn’t have much of a second gear in the open field.
Contact Balance and Power: Sheds arm tackles with ease. Tacklers almost always have to bring him down by his legs. Rarely goes down after first contact. Doesn’t go out of his way to inflict contact on his opponents but can do it when he has to.
Elusiveness: His north and south run style warrants more broken tackles versus making people miss. But has flashed the ability to make subtle cuts when running in one direction to evade head on tacklers. Doesn’t possess elite stop and start quickness or shiftiness to be dynamic in space.
Change of Direction: Can change directions with ease when moving laterally (outside zone schemes). But doesn’t cover much ground with jump cuts and juke moves.
Receiving Ability: Is effective in screens and vertical routes down the field (TCU Game). Has shown that he can be competitive at the catch point in contested catch situations as well. Catch ability is above average. Can fully extend to catch balls away from his body.
Pass Protection: Has the frame to become an adequate pass protector but often looks disinterested when asked to do so. Multiple times where he gets over powered by free rushers because of his unwillingness to be physical.
Durability: Recently tore his ACL in 2018 and has a history of injuries that might scare teams away. Serious questions if he can handle a full workload at the pro level, having played one full season in college without injury.
Best Trait: Initial Burst
Worst Trait: Durability/Pass Protection
Best Film: TCU (2017)
Worst Film: Texas (2017)
Pro Comparison: Kareem Hunt
Rodney Anderson has the talent to be in every down back at the next level. However he must improve in pass protection to be on the field on passing downs and show teams that his history with injuries (pass his physicals) won’t be a reoccurring problem. His skill set is versatile enough to fit a variety of blocking schemes.
Work Cited
- Crabbs, Kyle. “2019 NFL Draft Player Profile: Rodney Anderson.” The Draft Network, 8 Dec. 2018, thedraftnetwork.com/2018/12/08/2019-nfl-draft-player-profile-rodney-anderson/.