Bengals had third-round grade on draft pick Tycen Anderson

The Cincinnati Bengals liked Toledo safety Tycen Anderson so much in the 2022 NFL draft that they traded up in the fifth round to get him.

And it turns out they might have drafted him much earlier based on their grade for him.

According to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, the team had a third-round grade on Anderson, who will spotlight on special teams right away after putting great film in that area up for all to see.

“Special teams has been my bread and butter since I was a little kid,” Anderson said, per Hobson. “I was blocking kicks in high school. I just wanted to play. In pee wees I played right guard. I just wanted to play.”

Anderson was already asked to play a critical role — personal protector — on the first day of rookie minicamp, too.

“We didn’t really have one (in college). We had a guard on the inside who was the shield,” Anderson said. “We were studying it on the tape and there’s a lot (of responsibility). Protection calls. Making sure everyone is lined up. Counting how many people in the box.”

Based on the film and his status as a three-time captain, it’s not hard to see why the Bengals loved Anderson. The fact he’s 6’2″ and 209 pounds with a 4.36 time in the 40-yard dash doesn’t hurt either.

While Anderson might not see the field much in the base defense, he’s set for a notable role on special teams and has upside to grow into a bigger role.

As a capper, he had one of the best draft reactions of the year when he got the call from the Bengals.