Oklahoma OL Commitment Nate Anderson Named an SI All-American

One of the most athletic offensive line prospects in the country, Nate Anderson's upside solidifies him as a member of the initial SI All-American team.

Author:
John Garcia, Jr.
Publish date:
Dec 16, 2019

At 6-foot-5, 260 pounds, Nate Anderson has the look of a swift jumbo athlete on the football field. It was because he was an actual tight end at the high school level before making the move to tackle late in the offseason. That natural athleticism has helped him develop into one of the premiere offensive line prospects in the class of 2020.

The new SI All-American is coming off of a winning senior season at Frisco (Tex.) Reedy High School where he helped to lead the Lions to the Class 5A state playoffs.

As a recruit, Anderson took the conventional route in selecting a program. Before choosing Oklahoma in May, he accumulated more than 20 scholarship offers and took a round of unofficial visits. Since the public pledge to the Sooners, there hasn't been much conversation about him looking elsewhere for his college football career.

Why Anderson is an All-American:

If you watch the NFL draft these days and cycle back to offensive line prospects selected compared to their athletic profiles in high school, guys like Nate Anderson are becoming more and more prevalent. He’s tall, athletic and lean early on in his development yet he’s still a dominant force in football-crazed Texas. The Oklahoma commitment has profiled more like a tight end in the past but make no mistake, he blocks as well as any long-tenured trench talent nationally.

Anderson can of course do the things one would expect of an athletic specimen—getting out in space, making plays at the second level and reach blocking on the edge, but he’s got a strong, grunt-like foundation in the phone booth as well. He plays with an ideal base and outstanding leverage. His pad level is very consistent against good competition and it helps him get defenders to the ground at both the first and second level. Anderson also displays great hand technique with an array of finishing moves to keep his opponent off balance.

Once he fills out in college there won’t be much time before he’s doing the same in the pass-happy Big 12.

2019 SI All-American Offensive Team:

QB Bryce Young, Alabama (Why Young? Highlights)

RB Demarckus Bowman, Clemson (Why Bowman? Highlights)

RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Georgia Tech (Why Gibbs? Highlights)

WR Julian Fleming, Ohio State (Why Fleming? Highlights)

WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State (Why Smith-Njigba? Highlights)

WR Malachi Wideman, FSU (Why Wideman? Highlights)

TE Arik Gilbert, LSU (Why Gilbert? Highlights)

OL Paris Johnson, Ohio State (Why Johnson? Highlights)

OL Tate Ratledge, UGA (Why Ratledge? Highlights)

OL Javion Cohen, Alabama (Why Cohen? Highlights)