Grambling State EDGE Sundiata Anderson continues to showcase his skill set as a potential 2023 NFL Draft prospect. With a dominant performance against Alcorn State in college football Week 9, Anderson’s been named one of the Shrine Bowl HBCU Players of the Week. The only Grambling State player on the Shrine Bowl 1000 Watchlist, Anderson continues to showcase his skill set to NFL scouts as he aims for selection next Spring.
Week 9 Defensive HBCU Player of the Week: Grambling State EDGE Sundiata Anderson
Despite a difficult start to the season for Grambling State, the Tigers picked up their first SWAC win of the season with a 35-6 win over Alcorn State. While the offense found its feet to give the Tigers their first home win of the 2022 college football campaign, it was a dominant defensive performance that held the Braves, led by Shrine Bowl HBCU Defensive Player of the Week Anderson.
As the Tigers’ defense adopted a bend-but-don’t-break approach that held Alcorn State to six points, Anderson was the one doing the breaking, routinely finding himself making plays in the Braves’ backfield. The Grambling State EDGE prospect had a season-best performance, tallying seven tackles, three and a half of which were for a loss.
Meanwhile, the Shrine Bowl HBCU Defensive Player of the Week’s two sacks set the Alcorn State offense back 20 yards. Anderson’s efforts were part of a team effort that included four sacks, 11 tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, and two interceptions. The Tigers terrorized the Braves’ offense, allowing just 5.4 yards per pass and 3.4 yards per rush.
While his efforts in Week 9 earned him recognition as one of the Shrine Bowl HBCU Players of the Week, Anderson has lived up to preseason expectations as one of the top FCS prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. Tallying 21 tackles, nine tackles for loss, five and a half sacks, and two forced fumbles through seven games, he’s on pace to comfortably outstrip the production that earned him All-SWAC recognition last season.
Pro Football Network named Anderson one of the top HBCU prospects to watch ahead of the season, an opinion held throughout the scouting community.
“Coming into the 2022 season, Sundiata Anderson was one of my top edge rushers,” Draft HBCU scout and defensive line coach Gerald J. Huggins Jr. told Pro Football Network. As part of their partnership with the Shrine Bowl, Draft HBCU is helping identify and elevate prospects from Historically Black Colleges and Universities to continue the successful tradition of HBCU prospects at college football’s longest-running all-star event.
When evaluating EDGE prospects for the NFL Draft, it’s easy to get caught up in pass-rush techniques and traits. However, both Pro Football Network’s James Fragoza and Draft HBCU’s Huggins focus on a different defensive element in terms of what separates Anderson from other HBCU players in the 2023 NFL Draft.
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“Where Anderson thrives is as a run defender, attacking blocks and wrenching himself free or creating space for a teammate to make a play,” Fragoza wrote ahead of the season.
“My favorite attribute of Anderson’s game is run-stopping agility,” commented Huggins in the wake of Anderson being named one of the Shrine Bowl HBCU Players of the Week. “He utilizes his strong hands, long arms, and tenacity to disrupt blocking assignments. He’s strong enough to defeat double-teams, quick enough to tackle mobile QBs on the edge, and his violent shedding of blocks is the icing on the cake.”
While enthusing over his run-stopping ability, Huggins had high praise for Anderson’s pass-rush prowess. Having already outstripped his career sack production in seven games this season, the Grambling State star is refining his game while thriving in a new system. That elevation of the pass-rush element of his game leads to a lofty comparison from the Draft HBCU scout and defensive line coach.
“Anderson is becoming a more polished pass rusher, and his motor helps him a ton on his rushes. He utilizes an array of moves but can always lean on his explosive hips, good bend, and strength to get off a power move. I compared him to Jadeveon Clowney.”
It’s a lofty comparison for an FCS pass rusher who excels in the run game, but Anderson attracted Power Five attention while playing at North Clayton High School. While he suits up for Grambling State on a Saturday, the former multi-sport standout held offers from Florida Atlantic and UNLV while having solid interest from Georgia Tech, Kentucky, and Louisville.
Despite that attention and his blossoming presence as one of the top FCS prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft, Anderson has carried HBCU pride with him throughout his Grambling State career. He uses it for motivation, to achieve bigger things, and to leave his mark on a program that has allowed him to rise to national prominence.
“Being able to play for such a historic program, it drives me to want to follow and leave my name in the history books.”
While there are a few months until Anderson leaves the program for the 2023 NFL Draft, he’s already making his mark as one of the Shrine Bowl HBCU Players of the Week. Becoming just the fifth Grambling State player to be drafted this millennium would leave another significant footprint in the Tigers’ history books.