UGA football roster: Adam Anderson, the third down superstar

UGA football made pressuring quarterbacks a priority last season. The Bulldogs succeeded in increasing pressure thanks in part to rising junior Adam Anderson.

When you play on a defense as deep as the one UGA football has, carving out a niche in the system is paramount when it comes to earning a prominent job outside of a starting role. That’s exactly what outside linebacker Adam Anderson has done through his first two seasons in the program.

The rising junior from Rome has claimed the “third-down pass defender” role. Anderson plays on obvious passing downs when the Bulldogs urgently need a stop. He typically blitzes from the outside linebacker position, be he occasionally drops back into coverage or to spy on quarterbacks.

Anderson excelled at the job in 2019, producing two sacks, forcing an intentional grounding penalty and helping Georgia’s defense greatly increase its total number of quarterback pressures (69 in 2018, 248 in 2019). Anderson led the team in quarterback pressures in the SEC Championship Game with five, and his sack against Baylor late in the first half preserved a shutout going into the lockerroom.

As a pass rusher, Anderson is a multi-tool player capable of getting to the quarterback in a myriad of ways. He is relentless in pursuit, busting through even the smallest of gaps to break into the backfield. He is just as good at breaking towards the receiver on short passes and pursuing rushers outside the tackles.

Anderson isn’t just a skilled player, he’s extremely experienced as well. He hasn’t missed a game since the season opener his freshman season. That’s 28 games in two seasons and he was one of 37 Georgia defenders last season to record at least 37 snaps. The former five-star has the potential to be an every-down player, but an inability to bulk up to over 235 lbs. places him at a disadvantage against successive rushing plays.