Mark Anderson

Anderson is a strong athlete with the lateral range and initial quickness to possibly shift to outside linebacker in a 3-4 alignment. He also has experience, having played that position during his redshirt freshman season. Anderson has been a durable performer, having started his last 30 games for the Crimson Tide. Versatility has been his strong suit ever since his days at Booker T. Washington High School. Anderson was a two-way player, seeing action at linebacker, defensive end and tight end. He served as team captain, earning All-Metro and All-Big 12 honors as a senior. Anderson recorded 104 tackles and nine quarterback sacks his senior season, as the Hornets went 11-2. He also caught nine passes, three for touchdowns. In one game, he had two blocked punts, three sacks and 20 tackles. He also played basketball. Anderson redshirted in 2001 at Alabama, performing on the scout team as a defensive end. He appeared in 13 games as an outside linebacker in 2002, coming up with 13 tackles (10 solos), two sacks for minus-15 yards and three stops behind the line of scrimmage. He caused two fumbles and recovered another and was the recipient of the Tide's Ozzie Newsome Most Improved Freshman Award. As a sophomore, Anderson returned to defensive end, starting six games, including the final five. He appeared in 610 plays, registering 41 tackles (23 solos) with 1.5 sacks, 11 stops for losses and eight quarterback pressures. He also caused and recovered a pair of fumbles, earning the team's Billy Neighbors Most Improved Defensive Lineman Award. Firmly entrenched at right defensive end, Anderson went out and produced 48 tackles (23 solos) with 2.5 sacks, eight stops for losses and seven pressures during the 2004 campaign. He earned second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors as a senior, leading one of the stingiest defenses in college football, as the Tide ranked second in defense, allowing only 255.08 yards per game. Anderson collected 40 tackles (26 solos) with 7.5 sacks, 14 stops behind the line of scrimmage and seven pressures in 2005. In 50 games at Alabama, Anderson started 30 times. He recorded 142 tackles (82 solos) with 13.5 sacks for minus-75 yards and ranks second in school history with 36 stops for losses of 142 yards. He was credited with 23 quarterback pressures and two pass deflections. Anderson caused five fumbles, recovered three others and blocked a kick.

anderson uses his power base and anchor to hold firmly at the point of attack, but can get stymied when he does not use his hands effectively to keep bigger blockers away from his body. he struggles to break down when working in space and needs to develop better counter moves on the pass rush. he can close coming off the edge and will unload on the quarterback once he gets there, but must get more active with his hands (lacks rip, swim moves).

He is not the tallest defender around, but knows how to time his leaps and use his long arms to bat down passes at the line of scrimmage. He is a physical striker on the move, but needs to take better angles to keep from outrunning the play. As an edge rusher, he is more effective when coming straight-line and attacking the offensive tackle's outside shoulder. He just does not have the knee bend and feel to dip under blocks, but has the ability to gain penetration when he uses his hands to pull and jerk to free himself.

positives

Has a strong, athletic frame with long arms, good bubble, thick legs and a muscular upper body frame...Has a good straight-line burst and shows the initial quickness needed for backside pursuit...Has the strength to shoot the inside gaps and the burst to come off the edge...Holds ground firmly at the point of attack...Plays better on the move and is an effective wrap-up tackler who will hit with a thud...Does a good job of using his speed off the edge to slip past blocks...Added to his skills on special teams, demonstrating the speed to cover the field from his right guard position...Has the leaping ability and long arms to deflect passes at the line of scrimmage...Hits with a thud and tries to strip opponents from the ball with good success (five forced fumbles).

anderson has an athletic frame with above average strength. he shows very good upper body muscle definition, long arms, good bubble and the quickness to make plays from the back side. he has a sharp straight-line burst and enough speed to consistently reach the edge. anderson is very effective shooting the gaps, sinking his weight and staying low in his pads to slip past traffic. he has the leg drive to come inside off the snap, but has just adequate lateral range to flatten. he is a high-effort type who can make plays on the chase and is quick to close once he locates the ball.

Anderson needs a bit of time to digest the action around him and lacks ideal awareness to react suddenly coming off the snap. He can get a little reckless in his play and without great change of direction agility, he does not get back into the action once he overpursues. He has good strength, but lacks bulk and overall flexibility to split double teams. He is best when coming off the edge through a free lane, as he has the pursuit speed to chase from the back side.

negatives

Bit of a 'tweener who lacks the hip flexibility and lateral agility to drop back effectively in pass coverage for a possible move to linebacker...Has stiff hips and when he gets too erect in his stance, he is incapable of splitting double teams...Not the most instinctive player on the field, but is quick to close once he locates the ball...Needs to take better angles when playing in space...Relies more on strength than leverage to hold ground at the point of attack...Has marginal hand usage in attempts to shed...Struggles to flatten due to marginal lateral agility...Lacks ideal flexibility to dip and get under blocks... Has had some success as a pass rusher, but needs to develop more effective rip and counter moves.

2001: Suffered torn cartilage in his right knee while performing on the scout team in October and underwent arthroscopic surgery. 2005: Limited in spring drills (4/28) due to left foot turf toe.

Campus: 4.77 in the 40-yard dash

400-pound bench press

550-pound squat

405-pound power clean

37.5-inch vertical jump

33 ¼-inch arm length

9 3/8-inch hands

Right-handed

14/23 Wonderlic score. Combine: 4.61 seconds in 40-yard dash.

42-inch vertical jump.

10'07" broad jump.

Bench-pressed 225 pounds 20 times.

Attended Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) High School, playing football for head coach Antwan Jimmerson

Two-way player, seeing action at linebacker, defensive end and tight end

Served as team captain, earning All-Metro and All-Big 12 honors as a senior

Recorded 104 tackles and nine quarterback sacks his senior season, as the Hornets went 11-2

Also caught nine passes, three for touchdowns

In one game, he had two blocked punts, three sacks and 20 tackles

Also played basketball.

Graduated in December, 2005 with a degree in Consumer Science

Son of Frank and Connie Anderson

Born 5/26/83

Resides in Tulsa, Oklahoma.