Steelers mock draft: Pittsburgh reaches to fill biggest needs
By Tommy Jaggi
Steelers mock draft round 4: S Tycen Anderson
From a size and athleticism standpoint, Tycen Anderson isn’t much different than Terrell Edmunds. The Steelers, meanwhile, still have a sizeable hole at the strong safety position. This is likely to be filled early in the NFL Draft.
Anderson has very intriguing size and athleticism profile. At nearly 6’2” and 209 pounds, he blazed in Indianapolis with a 4.36 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine to go with his 10’3” broad jump and remarkable 6.64-second three-cone drill — something that’s almost unheard of for a safety his size.
The Steelers are also no stranger to MAC players, as they’ve selected guys like Chukwuma Okorafor, Ulysees Gilbert, and Diontae Johnson from the Mid-American Conference over the past four years. Johnson was a third-round pick from Toledo, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Anderson followed suit.
It’s always a bit of a gamble taking older non-Power Five football players in the mid-rounds of the draft, but it is one that has paid off for Pittsburgh in the past. Anderson does at least come with five years of experience in college football, but only two interceptions is a bit concerning. Still, his traits and upside will get Pittsburgh excited here.