Troy Andersen selected 58th overall in the NFL Draft

With the 58th pick of the 2022 NFL draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected Troy Andersen, the 2021 FCS ADA Defensive Player of the Year and the 2021 Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year. Andersen is one of the best football players to ever don a Bobcat uniform

“Troy was a player I’d heard the most about (before arriving at Montana State) and just watching his movement in workouts and in the weight room it was easy to spot his athleticism,” MSU Head Football Coach Brent Vigen said in an interview with the Exponent. “Troy is extremely intelligent. He takes coaching and is able to apply it quickly. I’m very excited for Troy to realize this dream of his. We couldn’t be more thrilled to see him picked in the second round. The Falcons got better, and also gained a whole new fan base here in Montana.”

“I'm really proud of him, but it's not about the football stuff at all, Jeff Choate, former MSU head football coach and current linebackers coach and defensive coordinator at the University of Texas told MSU Athletics. He really had to step out of his comfort zone last year and emerge as a leader for that team. The Bobcats had a lot of success, and a lot of that is credit to the team's leadership. Coach Vigen did a great job letting those guys be who they were and letting them play, and of course, Troy was a huge part of that. Troy had to grow up a lot last year, and he did. I'm proud, and I'm really excited to see what's next for him."

Desmond Howard, the 1991 Heisman Trophy Winner and an ESPN College Gameday analyst, also commented on Andersen’s abilities. 

"The more I study Troy Andersen, the more I realize he's a hidden gem,” Howard told MSU Athletics. “Troy has a unique skill set for a player of his size, along with an incredible work ethic and very high IQ. I can't wait to watch him thrive at the next level."

In response to the pick and the Falcon’s praise, describing him as a “speedy linebacker who can do it all,” Andersen had one thing to say on his Instagram, “Excited for the opportunity! Let’s roll.”  

Inside linebacker Daniel Hardy was also selected in this year’s draft, going in the seventh round to the Los Angeles Rams as 235th pick. Lewis Kidd (New Orleans Saints), Lance McCutcheon (Rams) and Tre Webb (Falcons) were all invited to NFL team mini camps.

“The thing you don’t know until you start working with a player is how committed he is to the team and to winning, how hard he works, how he is able to understand the system,” Vigen said. “Each of these guys worked very hard for their opportunity. They took different paths, but the common characteristics are that they worked very hard and believed in themselves. That’s our message to all the players in our program, and it remains true when they take the next step. Work hard and believe in yourself.”