Spartan Football Recruit Class of '21 Khalil Anderson Talks Offer
East Lansing, MI— After picking up his first Power 5 offer from Kansas last week, Michigan State became the first Big Ten program to offer Atlanta (GA) Riverwood ATH Khalil Anderson on Tuesday.
Spartan Nation spoke with Anderson about his offer from the Spartans and the 5-foot-10¾, 176-pound standout said that he learned of his offer from Michigan State cornerbacks coach Harlon Barnett, who first reached out to him at the beginning of last week.
“Coach Harlon Barnett and I have been talking since Monday of last week, and he told me that he loved me as a player and that I have a bright future. He wanted Coach Tucker to watch my film first before they were going to offer me,” he said. “Then today, he called me and told me that I had an offer from Michigan State. I feel like Coach Barnett and I are going to develop a pretty good relationship, and I feel like we’ve already developed a good relationship just over the past week.”
Anderson said that after he found out about the offer from Michigan State, he was excited and speechless.
“I was just - not shocked, but very grateful,” he said. “I was at a loss of words because this has been a dream for me to have a chance to go to a school of that degree. I was very excited, very happy, and very blessed and thankful to be able to receive that offer.”
While listed as an athlete, Anderson said that his offer from Michigan State is to play cornerback, which is his preferred position.
Anderson said that during his conversation with Barnett, he was told that his change of direction, speed, and ability to tackle were areas of his film that stood out.
“We talked about what he likes inside of me as far as my game film and what my game film displayed to him through his eyes. He said he came back specifically to coach the corners and he said that he saw that I have very good COD, which is change of direction, very good speed, I’m a complete corner and I can tackle.”
Although there’s plenty of time before he needs to make a college decision, Anderson said that Michigan State’s experienced defensive coaching staff and the Spartans’ track record of producing high-level players are among the possible factors that could play into his decision, when he’s ready to make it.
“It helps me narrow down my decision for where I may be going because my main goal for me what I’m looking for in schools, I want to go to the school that has the best coaching staff that can develop me as a player and as a person and help me be the best I can be at the next level,” he said. “I know Michigan State has a pretty good reputation in its history of athletics and athletes that came out for football like Le’Veon Bell, Trae Waynes, Darqueze Dennard, Josiah Scott, Connor Cook, Kirk Cousins, I can keep naming them. Michigan State is a pretty good academic school as well, they have a great coaching staff, so I feel like Michigan State is going to be back up on the map in the next three years.”
In addition to his offer from Michigan State, Anderson has been offered by Kansas, Appalachian State, Akron, Liberty, Troy, and others.
Anderson described the recruiting process as one that’s been enjoyable for him, and now his dream of playing for a Power 5 program is one that’s becoming closer to reality.
“It’s going to be an experience that I look forward to,” he said. “At the end of the day, my dream is to play for a Power 5 school and to play inside that atmosphere; it’s different; it’s a different vibe than it gives off. I feel like when I’m in school, I can focus on a specific major that I want to learn about, and I can focus on the things that I love to do.”
Anderson said that he’d like to study Kinesiology or Business Management in college.
When it comes to his on-field play-style, Anderson is a fast, athletic corner, who is more than capable of playing physical. He also has a knack for delivering big-time hits and described himself as a complete defensive back and a hybrid corner, who can play in several different coverage’s.
“I would say that I can match up with anybody pretty well, I have pretty long arms, and I have quick twitch ability and pretty good feet,” he said. “I would say my hard-hitting comes from the will and the want to make the plays and the will to make the tackle because at the end of the day, making the tackle is a mindset. If you want to make the tackle, you’re going to make the tackle and make the play. I think you could call me a hybrid corner because I can play zone and man, I can play on and off, zone press, man-press, I can play man from off, I can play zone from off, so I think you could call me a hybrid corner.”
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