Bryant (Arkansas) 2024 RB Daniel Anderson picks up offers from Notre Dame, Mississippi State
By Nate Olson
Daniel Anderson has had to have patience early in his high school career. The rising junior stood on the sidelines much of last fall as the Hornets won their fifth straight Class 7A state championship.
In the offseason, he waited for interest from college programs, but the process was slow. Things are moving quicker now as his recruiting process has heated up just like the Southern summer.
In June alone, Anderson, who had an early offer from Long Island University, has an offer from Notre Dame and Mississippi State after attending their camps with more camps slated for the next few weeks.
“It’s been really good,” Anderson said Friday morning after an opening-round Shootout of the South 7v7 win on the Pulaski Academy campus. “It’s been an honor to receive those offers after not having much recruiting game going on, and I am very blessed to have three offers to my name.”
The Notre Dame offer began with an invitation to the Irish Invasion camp. While Anderson was pondering on taking the long drive to South Bend, Ind., he received a 'Golden Ticket' invite from Irish staffer Dre Brown, and that sealed his decision to attend.
'“They just kind of followed me on Twitter and sent me some invites,” Anderson said. “I didn’t send any tape. They may have just seen it on some other apps.”
Anderson, who is 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, seized the opportunity and caught the Irish coaches' eyes immediately.
“It was a huge surprise,” Anderson said. “I just balled out at the camp. They told me they wanted to talk to me afterward, and they sent me up to the coaches’ offices and gave me an offer. That was great.”
Anderson said after word of the Notre Dame offer surfaced, more and more coaches became interested and offered camp invites. He attended camp at SEC schools Auburn and Mississippi State and recently received his second Power 5 offer from the Bulldogs. He is also hearing from Baylor and Ole Miss and will decide on attending one of those camps and is also texting with the Tennessee staff.
Anderson said the Mississippi State offer process was very similar to Notre Dame's.
“[Mississippi State] sent me an invite, and I chose a date and went up there and showed out,” he said.
An SEC school Anderson hasn't heard from is the University of Arkansas. Anderson is very familiar with the Hogs, spending part of his growing-up years in Fayetteville near the campus before moving to Central Arkansas in eighth grade.
“I haven’t heard anything from Arkansas,” he said. “[Arkansas] was on my radar because I went to two of their camps two years in a row before, but I just haven’t heard any word from them. It would be an honor to get an offer from there, but I just haven’t heard anything much from them, really.”
Being so early in the process, Anderson hasn't thought much what offers he'd like to have.
“Honestly, I don’t have many dream schools as a sophomore right now,” he said. “I still have a lot to look forward to, especially with my academics, too, because I have to focus on school as well and not just focus on sports, so I am not sure what my ‘Big 10’ would be.”
While the college coaches didn't know much about Anderson, the locals have seen what he can do since junior high as he has followed in the footsteps of older brother Tanner Anderson. Also a running back, Tanner Anderson was named the MVP of the 2020 Class 7A state championship game. Tanner Anderson ran 18 times for 146 yards and two touchdowns as Bryant held off North Little Rock 27-17.
The older Anderson played briefly in junior college but moved on and owns a business, his younger brother said.
“I have always looked up to my brother,” Anderson said. “He was a big part of my life. He really got me into sports when I was younger and ever since then, I have kind of followed in his footsteps and kind of tried to make my own image after him.”
Playing time was hard to get last year with senior Chris Gannaway, who signed with Lindenwood (Mo.), and rising senior James Martin garnering most of the carries.
“They were great running backs in front of me,” Anderson said. “I never had any hatred toward them because they were good dudes – I was friends with both of them, so I never looked down on them for me not getting playing time over them.
“I was just working on me and getting better so I could get some playing time and deserve it."
Now, Anderson is preparing for more playing time with Gannaway's departure. Between camps, he's been busy with summer workouts and 7v7 tournaments like Friday's Shootout of the South, where the Hornets are defending champions.
Not only will Anderson be adjusting to a bigger role this season, he will be playing for a new coach. Late last month, Buck James announced he was taking a job at rival Conway. Former defensive coordinator Quad Sanders, who had taken the head-coaching job at Jonesboro in March, returned to Bryant to lead the Hornets.
“Not much has really changed,” Anderson said. “I love Coach Sanders and am glad to have him as our head coach. He is just a good. It is a good environment that he brings as a head coach and not just defensive coordinator.”
