For Dorman offensive lineman Markee Anderson, the sky is the limit on his football journey
Dorman senior offensive lineman Markee Anderson is No. 1 on the 864Huddle Dandy Dozen, a ranking of the Upstate's top college football prospects for the Class of 2023.
In the past five NFL Drafts there have been 33 total offensive linemen selected, of that bunch 32 of them have been at least 6-foot-3 and over 300-pounds — with an average height of 6-foot-4 and a half, and an average weight of 316 pounds.
Another commonality between this group of first rounders is where they played their college ball: 29 of the 33 came from Power Five school, with the highest percentage coming for the SEC, 10 of the 33.
Based on these statistics, in recent history to even be considered a first-round caliber offensive lineman you most likely have to be 6-foot-3 or taller, weigh over 300-pounds and played for a Power Five school — preferably in the SEC.
Come next fall Dorman offensive tackle and South Carolina commit Markee Anderson will have checked all those boxes.
DORMAN'S DANDY DOZEN DUO: Meet DJ Geth, No. 5 on 864Huddle's Dandy Dozen
NEW COACH: What to expect from new Dorman football coach Dustin Curtis
MORE ON ANDERSON: Dorman's Anderson cooks, blocks & holds an offer from Clemson
At 6-foot-6 and 303-pounds, according to his twitter and anyone that has seen the behemoth senior in person, Anderson has the measurables to be an NFL player. Size isn't the only thing that gets you to the professional ranks, you have to be able to use that size effectively.
"He can really be physically dominant. A lot of offensive linemen, while they might be big and strong, some of them really don't have that burst off the line of scrimmage, they can move people, but it's not a pop, he (Anderson) has pop, he has speed and he can control his body and run in the open field," said Dorman coach Dustin Curtis.
"When you have guys his size and (DJ) Geth's size that can really run like that in the open field, it's a scary thing if you're watching film as the opposing coach."
His NFL-size and monstrous skills on the field are the main reasons Anderson is a four-star recruit, ranked as the No. 2 prospect in South Carolina, according to 247Sports Composite, and the No. 1 player on the inaugural edition of 864Huddle's Dandy Dozen list.
It also explains his nine offers from high-level Power Five schools like; Clemson, LSU, Washington, and of course South Carolina.
Scouting Report: Dominant with room to grow
The scariest thing about Anderson: He can still get better, "I still think he's got room for genuine growth, which I think is a good thing. He can continue to grow as a leader and football player," Curtis said. "Markee has to play consistently cleaner, take more pride in his technique. He has to take more pride in coming off the ball every play. We don't want him to take his size and stature for granted."
But according to Curtis, Anderson also has the right attitude about putting in the work to reach his seemly-limitless potential.
"He's a great teammate and is probably our best leader on offense, he works really hard in the weight room. The kid is always smiling, he doesn't have bad days, he gets along with everybody. It was a pleasure coming here and knowing what kind of player he was, but really liking the kid way more than his ability."
The reason Anderson still has room to grow as a player: He only started taking football seriously a few years ago, "I really just played because a lot of people said 'you need to go out, you're big.' And up until about ninth grade, I really just thought of football as like a job. I wasn't too dedicated," Anderson said.
"But the more I played and started to be surrounded by my teammates, and having fun with. I fell in love with the game and I really have to thank my teammates for that. I just appreciate this game of football."
With his size, skills and attitude toward the game — though difficult — reaching the NFL is not out of the question for Anderson. He's still a kid, having fun with his teammates playing a game he loves. The sky is the limit for him on the football field.
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Dorman OT & South Carolina commit Markee Anderson just getting started
