Pitt Mid-Year Freshmen Who Could Play Early: Julian Anderson

So far, in laying out five mid-year freshmen who could make an early impact at Pitt, we’ve highlighted a tight end, a linebacker, a receiver, and a safety.

To wrap up this series, a defensive end comes into focus.

The previous four breakdowns are available below.

Pitt Mid-Year Freshmen Who Can Play Early: Max Hunt

Pitt Mid-Year Freshmen Who Can Play Early: Emmanuel Taylor

Pitt Mid-Year Freshmen Who Can Play Early: Tony Kinsler

Pitt Mid-Year Freshmen Who Can Play Early: Joshua Guerrier

Next, a tall, long edge rusher who played most of his varsity seasons in Florida before wrapping up his career in New Jersey.

DEFENSIVE END JULIAN ‘JUJU’ ANDERSON

Pitt Panthers Defensive End JuJu Anderson — IG: jujuanders0n

Over two seasons (2022-2023) at The First Academy in Orlando, Florida, Anderson recorded 101 total tackles, 34 tackles for loss, 14-and-a-half sacks, 54 hurries, an interception, five pass breakups, six fumbles recoveries, 11 forced fumbles, and a blocked field goal.

Following the 2023 season, the three-star recruit transferred to Blair Academy, a prestigious private school in New Jersey that churned out NFL edge rusher Odafe Oweh in the 2018 recruiting class.

At Blair Academy, Anderson put together 29 tackles, seven-and-a-half tackles for loss, five-and-a-half sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Additionally, he racked up 59 receptions for 905 yards and 11 touchdowns over his final two varsity seasons.

Those numbers as a pass-catcher speak to the impressive versatility and athleticism in store here.

According to Pitt defensive line coach Tim Daoust, he’d initially contacted Blair Academy’s head coach regarding a former player when he was informed of Anderson.

“I write his name down and then I look him up and here’s this long, athletic kid coming up there from Florida,” Daoust said in January. “I’ll tell you what, you get on the phone with the kid, unbelievable energy, positive at all times. A long, rangy kid. I think he has all the tools we’re looking for in the pass rush game.

“Excited to get him up here. I was able to see him work out in the spring, work out in the fall at practice. He was playing both sides of the football. That’s what you want to see. He’s a leadership kid. I watched him practice, front of the line telling kids what to do in a positive manner, and getting the football in his hands.

“Those are the kids you want to watch grow and grow and grow their body. I think he has tremendous upside with the skills we want to rush the passer here at Pitt in a long line of guys who’ve done it here.”

Below are five of Anderson’s top plays at the varsity level through 2023 and 2024.

FIVE PLAYS

Coach Daoust has a tough task on his hands in generating a pass rush and filling a quality rotation on both edges of the Pitt defense.

Despite playing serious snaps as a first-year player, Sincere Edwards entered the portal and headed back home to Florida, set to play at Central Florida this year. Chief Borders also left Pittsburgh while Nate Matlack is also out the door as he exhausted eligibility.

On film, similar to many big, long, and talented edge rushers at the high school level, Anderson could play too high at times, getting away with an improper pad level due to his high level of ability.

However, when the incoming defensive end would break down and weaponize his hands, he proved to get off blocks and make plays behind the line of scrimmage.

He’s also very athletic, proven in his change of direction when the ball moves outside of the pocket, while battling blocks, and through his play at the receiver position, an uncommon second duty for a pass rusher.

Anderson could potentially need a full year to workshop his game and add strength. Even so, with the defensive end roster depleted, there could be room for an incoming freshman to make waves through the off-season and into the fall.

It wouldn’t be a shock to see Anderson succeed in auditioning for snaps this year.

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