While it would seem impossible to outshine quarterback Ty Simpson in his preseason debut, L.A. Rams safety Nick Andersen gave the first-round pick all the competition for attention that he could handle. Andersen, an undrafted rookie out of Wake Forest, has made an outstanding case to make the Rams 53-man roster after his debut performance in Saturday’s 20-12 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
A five-year letterman for the Demon Deacons, Andersen appeared in 57 games over five seasons, totaling an incredible 228 tackles over the past two seasons alone as a starter. Andersen, who was first-team All-ACC in 2025, had eight career interceptions at Wake Forest, including four as a true freshman in 2020. He set a school record with 27 passes defended, and he had a couple of more in his NFL debut.
Standing 5’11, weighing 197 lbs, Andersen was anything but “highly touted” going into the 2025 draft. In fact, you’re more likely to come across a draft profile for “Nick Anderson” with an o instead of an e than you are to find information about L.A.‘s breakout star on Saturday.
Andersen had four tackles, but was flying around the field and seen everywhere from behind the line of scrimmage to breaking up passes 40 yards downfield.
His best shot to make the Rams will be as a special teamer.
The Rams are not likely to give Andersen much run on defense this season, but he was surprisingly athletic at his pro day, just not when it comes to speed.
Also in the defensive back room, Nick Andersen showcased his athleticism. His 35-inch vertical, 10-foot-1 broad jump, 6.82 three-cone and 17 bench reps reinforced what he believes already shows up every Saturday.
“A lot of people are fast,” Andersen said. “But are you fast on the football field?”
Andersen was one of the more productive players in Wake Forest history over his career, finishing eighth all-time in program history with 368 tackles.
It’s not easy to stand out in a preseason game when you weren’t on anyone’s radar the morning of, but somehow Anderson comes out looking as good as any Rams player who wasn’t drafted in the top-15 picks.
