When watching film on high school linemen, there are usually a couple recurring themes that make themselves known right off the bat. A majority of them stop their feet on initial contact, they stop blocking when they see the ball pass them and they tend to get confused on what exactly they’re supposed to do in open space.
This is where former Frisco offensive lineman Jack Anderson separates himself as the cream of the collective crop. Many offensive lineman of his size and stature can get away with merely leaning on defensive lineman, but Anderson explodes through his assignments making them seem as if they are nothing more than mere blades of grass ready to be mowed down by his unstoppable motor.He truly has some of the best feet I have ever seen on a high school prospect.
Another way Anderson elevates his game above other lineman his age is his ability to go above and beyond his initial call of duty. The way Jack continues to fight even after his technical “job” is done goes to show you exactly what kind of player he is. Jack’s understanding of how to get his job done lends to his ability to do so well in open space.
The open field is often where many offensive linemen dreams go to die. This land is supposed to belong to the 4.5 40-yard-dash running skill players who use it as a space to steal the glory from the trenches. This is simply not true for an athlete like Anderson, whose feet make him more akin to a heat-seeking stinger missile intent on absolutely obliterating its target rather than other lineman who simply look like they’re rehearsing for the next showing of Harambe on Ice.
Like any other high school prospect, there is room for improvement in his game. Anderson’s initial first step seems to get him into some trouble early on in his blocks. His tremendous drive often compensates for this, but Big 12 defensive lineman will be able to exploit this and they won’t be as forgiving as the 5A competition Anderson faced at Frisco. Anderson also needs to improve his hand placement to remain dominant at the next level, which is something that Texas Tech’s offensive line coach Lee Hays will work with.
With his 6’5” frame, I think that Anderson will be able to excel at the next level at either the guard or tackle position. It will be interesting to see how well this extremely talented run blocker will transition into the up-tempo air it out offense of Kingsbury’s Red Raider offense. Either way, he is added ammunition into the extensive offensive arsenal that is the Red Raider offense and will no doubt make his mark in Lubbock in years to come.
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