Latwan Anderson Says: “I Am the Best Until Proven Otherwise”
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.
