Adam Anderson finally realizing potential with Georgia Bulldogs

The fact is, Anderson is an excellent football player, a fine pass rusher, and the No. 5 Bulldogs are glad they have him as they get set to open the season against No. 3 Clemson on Sept. 4 (7:30 p.m., ABC).

As for his own expectations, the long, tall former 5-star recruit has some lofty goals. Reminded this week that former Georgia outside linebacker Azeez Ojulari predicted Anderson would record at least 10 quarterback sacks this season, Anderson revealed he’s shooting for twice that.

“I don’t know if my goal is realistic, but I’m really going for 20,” Anderson said after the Bulldogs’ 16th preseason practice Thursday night. “That’s wild to say, but if you’re going for something smaller, you’re not really getting anything out of it.”

For the record, Georgia’s single-season sacks record is 14.5, logged by Jarvis Jones in 2012. Jones also had 13.5 in 2011, making him the only Bulldog to record 10 or more after 2010.

Ojulari had 8.5 sacks in 10 games as a third-year sophomore last season. That earned him an early second-round call by the New York Giants.

But considering Anderson’s production versus the time he’s spent on the field, 20 sacks might not be beyond the realm of possibility. To start with, he’s expected to spend a lot more time on the field this season than in previous ones.

And that’s where the cold, sterile evaluation of the pro scouts can sting a bit. According to PFN, Anderson has played only 337 snaps since he’s been at Georgia. Having appeared in 38 contests, that’s an average of 8.9 snaps per game.

Even more eye-opening is when PFN breaks down his reps on passing downs versus run downs. Only 60 of Anderson’s reps have come against the run.

Understandably, Anderson is bent on proving he’s more than a pass-rushing specialist. The reason Ojulari spent so much more time than Anderson on the field the past two seasons is Ojulari was equally adept against the run and the pass. He left Georgia with 68 tackles in two seasons. Anderson has totaled 36 in three.

That’s why Anderson and fellow outside linebacker Nolan Smith hope to prove to defensive coordinator Dan Lanning and coach Kirby Smart that they, too, can handle both disciplines.

“Obviously, Azeez provided a lot of consistency for us from a pass-rush standpoint, but his success also limited maybe some other guy’s opportunities on the field,” Lanning said earlier this month. “We know Adam Anderson’s skill set and his ability to rush the passer. I think (Ojulari’s absence) is going to create some opportunities for him and guys like Nolan Smith and Robert Beal, who have been sharing some of those reps in the past.”

To do that, Anderson has tried to gain mass and weight. Actually, he’s been trying to do that since he arrived from Rome High at 6-5 and 220 pounds. Playing at 230 pounds most of his career, Anderson said at the moment he weighs 238. Ultimately, he’d like to play at over 240.

At the same time, Anderson doesn’t want to lose his speed. That is his ultimate asset. He said he was clocked at 4.47 seconds in the 40-yard dash earlier this year. His goal is to mark in the 4.3s.

Accordingly, Georgia isn’t working Anderson solely at outside linebacker. He’s spending at least half his time working with the defensive backs at the Star position.

That has offered some new challenges, particularly being asked to cover swift skill-position players. But Anderson said he’s actually enjoying it.

“Coming from high school, I always played D-end. So, I never really dropped in coverage for real,” Anderson said. “At Georgia, I’ve been having to learn to come from the line to actually cover somebody. Just standing out in the open is hard. Probably the hardest thing in college football is the open-field tackle. So, like, strengthening that has helped me, too.”

The Bulldogs will be counting on Anderson at both positions against Clemson. Georgia lost one of its key contributors at the Star position when junior Tykee Smith went out with a foot sprain last week. Senior Latavious Brini has had a strong camp playing that spot and will log the majority of reps there. But it’s clear at this point that Anderson will play there as well.

Using Anderson in the backfield opens myriad strategic options for the Bulldogs. His size and speed make him a triple threat to cover, blitz or stay home to defend the run. It’s not a tactic unique to Georgia or other Power 5 defenses. The key is having players with the athletic ability to do all three.

The Bulldogs believe Anderson does. He has drawn comparisons to former Georgia greats such as Leonard Floyd and Lorenzo Carter.

“I’ve watched them quite a lot,” Anderson said of Floyd and Carter. “When I first came here, they were like my role models. A lot of people have compared me to them. If you want to be the best, you want to see what the best is. So, a lot of the things I do are based on the things I’ve seen them do.”

Both of those former Bulldogs are still flourishing in the NFL. Anderson plans to follow suit. Many believe he will. Currently, ESPN lists Anderson as the highest-projected NFL prospect on a Georgia roster that includes 6-6, 330-pound defensive tackle Jordan Davis.

To maintain such a distinction, Anderson will need to have a productive senior season. Relative to the number of opportunities he has been given so far, that figures to be achievable. He had four sacks in Georgia’s last two games last season, including a key fumble recovery in the win over Cincinnati in the Peach Bowl.

The key for Anderson is being able to stay on the field longer, on run downs as well as those against the pass.

“Honestly, it makes me hungry,” Anderson said those who might doubt him. “There are a lot of things other people say. ‘He can’t do this’ or ‘he’s just a third-down pass-rusher’ and stuff like that. But it’s more than just proving to them. It’s more about proving to myself and to show what I’m really capable of.”

Ojulari believes that is much more than Anderson has shown so far. So does Anderson.