Day three of the NFL draft was good to the Toledo Rockets as safety Tycen Anderson and cornerback Samuel Womack were selected within the same range of the fifth round.
Anderson went first to the Cincinnati Bengals with pick No. 166 and Womack was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with pick No. 172.
Here is a look at how the picks of those Toledo defensive backs were viewed by the national media:
Tycen Anderson, S
■ Selected by Cincinnati Bengals, 5th round, No. 166 overall
■ ESPN's Ben Baby: "Anderson gives the Bengals another fast defensive back in this draft class. He was measured with a 40-yard dash time of 4.36 seconds. It’s worth noting that both of Cincinnati’s projected starting safeties, Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell, are on contracts that will expire after the 2022 season."
■ NFL's Mark Dulgerian: "The Bengals have done a great job of upgrading competition in both their defensive back group and on special teams. Anderson is a prospect with good intangibles and impact ability on coverage teams."
■ CBSsports.com's Chris Trapasso: "Springy, fast safety. Best closer to the line than downfield in coverage. And in the box he can be very impactful. Length and athleticism are impressive on film. Hips are pretty fluid but not super instinctive. Reliable tackler. Was another safety needed?"
■ Pro Football Focus: "Anderson played 202 snaps as a part-time safety in his freshman 2017 season. He then locked down the slot role in Toledo’s defense as a sophomore before becoming a starting all-around safety in 2019. Over the past two seasons, though, he trended toward more of a box-slot player with few deep reps on his tape. That was likely by design, as he seemed to have issues locating deeper targets. His work around the line is where he wins, and he will be coveted for his versatility there in Cincinnati."
Samuel Womack, CB
■ Selected by San Francisco 49ers, 5th round, No. 172 overall
■ ESPN's Nick Wagoner: "Womack led the MAC in passes defended in three straight seasons and had five career interceptions, so he brings the competitiveness and ball skills the 49ers could use. It's unlikely Womack will win that job immediately, but he could force his way into the mix long term while helping on special teams."
■ NFL's Mark Dulgerian: "The 49ers take a chance on one of the most productive, albeit undersized, corners in college football over the last few seasons. Womack finished with a whopping 46 passes defensed in his career, including 18 last season. He'll compete for a nickel role."
■ CBSsports.com's Chris Trapasso: "Ultra-productive CB. Best in zone when he can watch the QB and pounce. Smaller frame that allows big WRs to beat him with physicality. Good speed. This feels early for him."
■ Pro Football Focus: "Womack played over 2,300 snaps at Toledo and earned 73.0-plus PFF grades in all but one of the five seasons. The 5-foot-10, 187-pounder allowed over 400 yards in coverage playing mostly outside cornerback for the Rockets, but he projects as a slot-only type in the NFL."
First Published May 1, 2022, 10:31 p.m.
