He might be small in stature, but his impact on the field has been enormous.
That is the story of sophomore wide receiver Aaron Anderson so far this season. The New Orleans native has been a crucial piece for the Tigers this season, hauling in 15 receptions and leading the team in receiving yards with 223.
However, his career has not always been this productive.
Anderson came to college as a four-star recruit and was ranked as the No. 2 player in Louisiana. With his elite speed and exciting play-making ability, he was getting attention from big-time schools all over the country including LSU.
Although it seemed like Anderson was going to take that hour-and-a-half trip to Baton Rouge, he chose a different route and decided to take his talents to Tuscaloosa and join the Crimson Tide.
It was a last-second choice. He originally committed to LSU, but he de-committed and signed with Alabama instead.
Things didn’t exactly work for Anderson with Alabama. With limited playing time and dealing with injuries, he believed it was time for a change of scenery.
Anderson entered the portal and returned home to join the Tigers for the 2023 season. Even though Anderson had more touches in his first game alone than he did in a year with Alabama, he still had a quiet season with only 12 receptions for 59 yards.
This season, though, with receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. leaving for the draft, a new opportunity has presented itself for Anderson and so far, he has taken full advantage.
In the first three games of the season, he’s had five receptions and has surpassed 60 yards in every game, including 96 yards in his most recent game against South Carolina.
Head coach Brian Kelly was asked during his press conference Monday about what has contributed to Anderson’s improvement.
“It’s everything,” Kelly said. “His practice habits. Framing the ball. Catching the ball. It’s the natural maturity that comes from being in the program. You could see it coming.”
He was behind Nabers, Thomas, Kyren Lacy and others last year. In the offseason, the team even brought in Liberty transfer CJ Daniels to strengthen the wide receiver room and seemingly bury Anderson once again on the depth chart, but Anderson persevered.
“We had a sense this was going to begin to show itself for him where there was going to be more production because his process was so much better, and I think that’s going to continue for him,” Kelly said.
His new role has come from playing in the slot and exposing mismatches from the opposing team. He’s able to blow right by them, to put it simply.
Against South Carolina, one of the longest plays of the game for LSU came on 2nd-and-14 in the third quarter where quarterback Garrett Nussmeier found Anderson on a slot fade that went for 46 yards against safety Jalon Kilgore. Another play came in the third quarter where he was once again matched up against Kilgore and beat him in man coverage on a post on a crucial third down.
He has undeniable speed, but being able to apply that to his route running has made him a more dangerous target. He has also been a reliable option for contested catches and third downs.
Nussmeier has thrown to and connected with Anderson six times on third downs this season, making him a security blanket for Nussmeier.
Anderson ranks fourth among the highest-graded SEC wide receivers through week three.
Anderson is starting to build chemistry with his quarterback and, going forward, he could become one of his favorite targets for the rest of the season.
