With Mark Walton waived off of the roster and Giovani Bernard’s contract running up soon, the Bengals have a clear need at running back. The question is what style of player are they looking for, and how high of an investment are they looking to put into the position.
If it were up to Joe Mixon, the Bengals would be taking a long look at drafting his former teammate Rodney Anderson.
Rodney Anderson Athletic Profile:
- Height: 6’ 0”
- Weight: 224 pounds
- Bench Press: 32 reps
The Bengals already have a starting running back in Mixon who they spent a second-round pick on. With that in mind, they should either be trying to get a player that pairs well with Mixon such as a change-of-pace-type player, or they could swing for the fences and draft a running back that falls for the upside.
Anderson is the latter.
Now this drop isn’t unwarranted, as Anderson has been completely unable to stay healthy throughout his college career. However, he is an exceptionally talented back that offers versatility like Mixon while still having a different skill-set being more of a power back. Between the two of them, Mixon and Anderson would be one of the top running back tandems in the league, and Anderson would be able to help keep Mixon fresh.
To see the full breakdown of his game and his pro comparison check out the above Draft Profile Video.