Ohio Glenville High School safety Latwan Anderson is good and he’s not afraid to let you know. The speedster from Ted Ginn’s High School has gone on a mission this summer to prove the words in the headline of this story.
Some people go on fact finding missions, some people go on award tours, Anderson has been on a “prove it to you” expedition. The play making safety is brash and even cocky as some would describe but you have to say that this summer he has backed it up. The cherry on Anderson’s sundae came last week at the ESPN Gridiron Kings event at Disney’s Wide World of Sports. With a motherlode of top athletes and recruits competing at the event, Anderson shined from his safety position. Anderson used his track speed and instincts to nab 6 Int’s during the tournament (one for a 98 yard touchdown) and walked away with defensive MVP honors. If you didn’t know him when the summer began, you know who he is now.
“Not to sound cocky but if I’m not the best safety in the country, I can’t say who is, seriously” Anderson told me upon returning from the Gridiron Kings event.
After his performances, it’s not hard to see how he would not feel that way and it’s also hard to argue with him. Highly recruited safeties like Jonathan Dowling and Matt Elam were also at the Gridiron Kings event and neither put on the display that Anderson did.
“After watching the other safeties who are said to be better than me, I’ve come up with the fact that they are really just a little above average,” said Anderson.
“Take it how you want it, I am the best until proven wrong. I don’t care what these rankings say,” Anderson continued.
The Rankings are catching on to what Anderson is saying. In March, Rivals.com came out with their Top 100 rankings. Anderson at the time was rated the 66th prospect overall in the country. Fast forward to July and Anderson is sitting at #35. He’s also rated the #2 safety prospect in the country. Remarkably, Scout.com does not have Anderson ranked in the Top 100 and have somehow listed him as the 25th best safety in the country. Where have they been this summer?
Despite his new found climb up the ranks, Anderson’s list of top schools remains the same: West Virginia, Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina and Miami, FL. Anderson did camp at Michigan St. during the summer so I would not count them out down the road in this process. With Anderson’s recent performances, more schools may attempt to enter into the race but for now, West Virginia is his number one with the four others running the race.
Eventhough he was busy getting busy at the Gridiron Kings event, Anderson was not so blind as to not see who was doing their thing around him. Anderson was very impressed with Proviso West’s (Illinois) wide receiver Kyle Prater.
“He really is 6’5″ probably taller and he is a legit 4.4, 4.5 speed,” said Anderson. “That kid is sick, I can’t lie.”
Despite such a great report on Prater, Anderson says Dr. Phillip High School’s (Orlando) Kenny Shaw was the best receiver.
“Kenny Shaw from Florida, he was the best wide receiver to me by far,” Anderson said.
Anderson also gave Louisiana QB Munchie Legaux a lot of love saying that he had a rocket for an arm with accuracy. Video clips from the event back up Anderson’s summary of Legaux’s skills.
Despite all of the props, Anderson held his own against the wide outs which begged the question whether or not he would play cornerback in college, to which Anderson said this:
“I’m probably going to end up playing it anyway. They always say that I’m 5’10” or 5’11” but I’m actually 5’8 3/4″ and I don’t think I am getting any bigger. A lot of coaches have seen me cover and I think I can just take a wide receiver out of a game which I think I can also.”
With Anderson’s 10.9 speed in the 100, 21.73 speed in the 200 and reported 4.29 speed in the 40, he has the tools to get it done. You can make your own judgements on Anderson’s skill and performance this evening when ESPN airs the Gridiron Kings Event on ESPNU at 7 P.M. est. Tuesday.
Chad Wilson is a college football recruiting expert and creator of the GridironStudsApp which allows high school football players to gain exposure to college football coaches and fans. Wilson is a former college football player for the University of Miami (92-94) and Long Beach St. (’90-’91) and played briefly for the Seattle Seahawks (’95). He is also a former youth and high school football coach for over 15 years most recently for 5-A State of Florida Champs American Heritage. He runs All Eyes DB Camp a defensive back training company located in South Florida IG: @alleyesdbcamp. Wilson’s oldest son Quincy plays in the NFL for the New York Giants and his younger son plays cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals.
Glenville? I thought he played at lakewood St. Edward?? Oh, thats right, they expelled him this past year, and after reading this article, judging by his comments, is anyone actually surprised?
I don’t see how one relates to the other. I caution people against drawing conclusions about these recruits without knowing them. You would be making a mistake. The kid is confident and you have to be playing that position. I can tell you that from experience.
Had I not known his track record, I would have agreed that they do not relate, however, seeing as he does seem to have had a few rough spots in the past (really just that one i guess?) i think they relate. I think you have to be on watch, because not saying he will be a problem, but guys with alot of passion and confidence, sometimes can end up being problems. And all Im saying is he might be one of those types of guys.
Totally inappropriate, Matt. Unless you know all of the facts then it is best not to denigrate.
Well, I was failry close to the situation, so I know most of the facts bud.
And all Im saying is if you know him, you’d know what I mean. Im not saying that he cannot be a great playerm(he already is) and a great person (not saying he isnt). Im just saying you need to watch out because a lot of times cockiness and a strong passion can turn out badly. Im not saying it will happen, all I did was give an example of how they already kind of hurt him. I hope that everything works out for him in the end though, ita not like Im rooting agaisnt him.
You make the mistake of saying cockiness and strong passing A LOT of times turns out badly. That is not so. That’s a real media perception of things.
Fair enough.
There is absolutely no way that a 10.9 100m translates into a 4.29 40, unless Mr. Anderson was running his 100 uphill in construction boots. Granted, everyone sports a fake 40, but this one’s pretty egregious.
We could debate this all day. I have said this 100 times….. The 100 meters and the 40 yard dash are two totally different races. Besides, I don’t think Latwan ran many 100’s this year. He’s runs a 21.73 in the 200. That’s legit speed.
hah its silly how im all over the internet nwo and everybody claims they know me or know why i changed schools..how about this get off my dick and just watch me do what i do i appreciate the ppl who understand that yeah im not afraid to let yu know im the best but im not cocky i just call it how i see it…if yu think im to confident give me a reason why i shouldnt be yur a fan yu could never do what i do so shuttt uppp…”Well, I was failry close to the situation, so I know most of the facts bud”. thats bullshittt yu dont know anythingg…and if my cockiness hurt me already whyy am still able to go to whatever schoool in this country i wanna go to…geeze yu made yur self sound like a complete dumbass…FYI MATT:stop preteding to know me and SPEEP SKEPTIC: i run a consistant 10.45 100 meter electric time and a 4.34 also eletric time so yu get off my dick too…ADMIN:Thanx for defending me…im not a bad kid i just speak my mind and every college coach ive met from pete carrol to tressel even nick saban love that about…so they can hate me all they want im still THE BEST UNTIL THOSE TWOO OR SOME OTHE RLAME PROVES ME WRONGG HAHA VILLLEEEEE#1
Well, I’m glad to see this man going to WVU. I can’t speak for others, but they seem to have something special going on in Morgantown. I’ve been there a couple of times. It’s a really, really fun place to be. WVU also probably has the most honest, classy and moral coach in the country. Good luck.
WVU has the classiest coach? Uh…u mean the accidentally on purpose racist coach?