Linebacker Colin Anderson officially anchors down on National Signing Day

Colin Anderson, a rangy three-star linebacker who could be the man to fill Zach Cunningham’s shoes as the team’s next designated stopper, is officially coming to Vanderbilt. The Alabama native signed his letter of intent Wednesday morning.

The 6’2, 210 pound pass rusher chose Nashville over scholarship offers from Arkansas, Michigan, South Carolina, Iowa, Georgia Tech, Louisville, and the smoldering crater formerly known as Cal football. If there was any doubt about his academic qualifications, he was offered by more than half the Ivy League as well.

Anderson has the sideline-to-sideline playmaking skill to become an All-SEC talent at Vanderbilt. The future Commodore reads plays well as they develop and has the closing speed to force opponents into bad decisions in a hurry. He has the athleticism to shed blockers, and while he’ll need to add some bulk to play at the next level, he’s got the frame to be a truly disruptive player under Derek Mason.

He could be the next link in a chain of great Commodore linebackers. Mason helped develop Stephen Weatherly into an NFL Draft pick before unlocking Zach Cunningham’s potential the past two seasons. Cunningham was a consensus first-team All-American and stands to be a first round selection this May.

Anderson has the talent to have a Cunningham-esque impact, though he’ll have to earn his way up a loaded depth chart to get there. If he remains as a pass-rushing outside linebacker, he’ll be looking up at players like Charles Wright, Landon Stokes, Caleb Peart, Andre Mintze, and fellow incoming freshman Dmitri Moore. If his instincts remain on point, he could push for playing time earlier than expected.