Huskies Offer Second Georgia LB, This One With NFL Family Ties
His father used to accept handoffs from a former University of Washington quarterback, so maybe a Husky scholarship offer to Jamal Anderson was meant to be all along.
On Tuesday, the 6-foot-4, 195-pound outside linebacker from Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Georgia, a small town located 50 miles north of Atlanta up Interstate 85, revealed he's been offered by Kalen DeBoer's coaching staff.
Anderson is the second Georgia linebacker recruit this week to hear from the Huskies, joining 6-foot-1, 220-pound CJ Allen, who plays for Lamar County High in Barnesville, which can be found 60 miles south of Atlanta.
Both are Class of 2023 recruits. Only Anderson, however, has an NFL connection in his family.
He's the son of Jamal Anderson, a former Atlanta Falcons running back (1994-2001) originally from the University of Utah, who used to share the same backfield with ex-UW quarterback Chris Chandler, who overlapped with him for five seasons with the franchise (1997-2001).
They made it all the way to Super Bowl XXXIII together, losing to the Denver Broncos and John Elway 34-19 in Miami on January 31, 1999.
The elder Anderson rushed for 5,336 yards, caught passes for another 1,645 yards and scored 41 touchdowns until a knee injury ended his eight-year NFL career ... a few years before his son was born.
A Pro Bowl selection in that Super Bowl season, Anderson was known for his custom end-zone celebration dubbed "the Dirty Bird," in which he ran around flapping his arms.
The younger Jamal Anderson is five inches taller yet 42 pounds lighter than his pro football dad. He tackles ball carriers rather than tries to be one like his namesake. At Mill Creek High, he's a Hawk rather than a Falcon.
Jamal Anderson has 19 scholarship offers.
Anderson currently holds 19 offers, with the Huskies joined by Michigan State, Mississippi State, Miami, Texas, Kansas State, Boston College, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, Louisville and, yes, Utah.
He comes off a junior season in which he collected 78 tackles, including 7 for lost yards and 4 sacks, and intercepted a pair of passes, forced a fumble and broke up 6 passes for an 11-2 team that made it to the state semifinals.
He had a 12-tackle game against Athens Academy, and a safety, a sack and a pair of pass breakups against North Gwinnett. He moves well on the football field for having a large frame, but will need to put on considerable weight.
His father, a California native, is advising him as the scholarship offers continue to roll in. Maybe they should get Chandler on the phone for some consultation.
If the old Husky and Falcons quarterback for some reason asks who is this, just say it's the "Dirty Bird" calling.
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