By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great local journalism.
Football: West's Blake Anderson reflects on Blue-Grey experience, gives recruiting update
anderson_bluegrey_010817
West Forsyth seniro offensive lineman Blake Anderson (71) jogs off the field at the Blue-Grey Football All-American Game, an all-star game played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on Jan. 6, 2018. Photo courtesy Blake Anderson.

Blake Anderson's college recruitment is still going, with the West Forsyth senior mulling offers spanning from Division II to the ACC. The opportunity to play in the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa this past Saturday, then, was a welcome one for Anderson, a chance to improve his technique while facing high-level competition. 

Anderson, who was selected to play in the event by the recruiting website Rivals, played right guard for the South team, which fell 14-13 to the North team. Both teams featured numerous players who had committed to or received offers from FBS schools. 

The event also brought in NFL veterans to serve as coaches for the teams. South had seven on its coaching staff, including former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive lineman Jerry Wunsch, who served as Anderson's position coach. 

"I feel like I got a lot of great information from him, a lot of good (help) refining my technique and stuff like that," Anderson said. 

West_FootballPreview'17-3_web.jpg
West Forsyth's Blake Snee, from left, Blake Anderson and Zach Burns have had plenty of studying to do under first-year head coach Shawn Cahill. - photo by Micah Green
The 6-foot-4, 325-pound Anderson played right tackle for the Wolverines this fall, earning first team All-County honors and helping the team to a playoff berth. The tackle position is often played by taller players in college, though, and Anderson expects to play guard at that level, so he switched over to right guard during the weekend. 

Anderson said he currently has offers from Virginia and Ohio of the Football Bowl Subdivision; Howard and St. Francis of the Football Championship Subdivision; and Tusculum of Division II. He also said that he's talked with programs like Pittsburgh, Western Kentucky and Jacksonville State. 

Anderson is still mulling his options over, and he wants to stay close to home, so an offer from a school like Georgia Southern would be particularly attractive, he said. 

"Right now I'm just waiting around and seeing if anything else comes along," Anderson said. "Just trying to make the best fit for me and my family so I can stay close to home and where I feel most comfortable with all the coaches I'm playing for."