Name: Andrel Anthony
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 185 lbs.
High school: East Lansing (MI) East Lansing
Position: Wide receiver
Class: Sophomore
Jersey number: #1
Last year: I ranked Anthony #61 and said he would be a backup wide receiver (LINK). He caught 12 passes for 248 yards and 3 touchdowns.
TTB Rating: 73
I don't know what Andrel Anthony ate for breakfast on October 30, 2021, but he should eat it more often. Anthony played in three games and had three DNPs before he woke up on Halloween Eve, and then all hell broke loose. In his hometown of East Lansing, he caught 6 passes for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 93-yard score on his first career catch. He had just 6 catches for 93 yards and 1 score over his final six games.
While Anthony showed more ability as a freshman than I expected, he's part of a very deep receiver squad. With Cornelius Johnson, Ronnie Bell, Roman Wilson, and others, it's hard to tell how things will shake out. I'm guessing Anthony will continue to take a back seat to a couple of those other guys until they're gone, but receiver is in good hands at least for 2022 if Anthony is maybe just the fourth or fifth best guy.
Prediction: Backup wide receiver
Darrius Clemons may have better stats than him this year.
ReplyDeleteMan. I'm often talking about backup skill position guys getting overrated and we have so many dang WRs who can ball, but... on a purely emotional level that first half at MSU just sticks with me.
ReplyDeleteI think Andrel will end up being a top 20 player for us and has a good chance of being one of the top 2 or 3 WR on the team. Johnson is more polished, Bell's a better route runner, Wilson has more speed, Henning's a better runner, and Clemons may have more talent -- but Anthony looked like a total package and playmaker and I see a year 2 leap towards stardom.
For real though. Many reasons why those guys should start over the young man, but who showed out on a big stage? Mr AA, that's who!
DeleteJust keep him happy please
Right. The "freshman WRs" thing can get overblown. But coaches - especially Michigan coaches - are going to go to the guys they trust to block and run the right routes with 100% certainty over a freshman. 9 times out of 10 - they're going to make them earn that trust to get those snaps. Doing anything at all for a freshman is impressive in a deep WR group.
DeleteBut what Anthony did was particularly impressive. Big stage was right and it portends well, far more than a big play against a cupcake. The thing that we saw from Anthony against MSU that stood out to me was that ability to go up and get the ball and bring it in. Those WR instincts, that intangible timing and strength that feeds into playmaking, is not something that the you can measure with a stop watch at The Opening. Anthony seems to be good at all the things that Devin Gardner lacked as a WR. Some might say it's natural/instinctual but I think these are mostly skills developed through WR reps.
And it's not like we're talking about somebody who is slow or 5'10 either. He's 6'2 and fast. Anthony might be slightly smaller or slower than some of the first round WRs but the upside at the college level is very very high. There have been some good WRs in the program since, but nobody has done a better Braylon Edwards impression than Anthony - and he did it as a freshman.
Michigan St, that was his home town crowd in that game he was playing in front of. His passion must have been up to his eyes!!
ReplyDeleteBut he did have some good plays in other games. He's among the top 6 WRs on the team (6 because I include Donovan Edwards). He will probably be a backup for 2 more years since there's Darrius Clemons for him to pass in the next 2 seasons. Yes, I think Darrius Clemons will be starting next season. He may get some starts this season.
Maybe but Clemons has to pass him first. Hasn't happened yet. May not ever.
DeleteEdwards is a RB and so is Corum. Sometimes they lineup outside - because it's 2022 and doing that isn't remotely novel anymore.
I'd bet against Clemons starting this year. Not hating on Clemons at all - I'm buying the hype - there's just the reality that there are 6 proven WRs ahead of him (Bell, Johnson, Wilson, Henning, Sainristil, Anthony) at this point so it's a tough mountain to climb.