The early season in Georgia has produced some stellar plays so far, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better one than Tristan Anderson’s one-handed catch in Week 2 against Carterville.
With the Yellow Jackets in the red zone knocking on the door to score, Rockmart sent Anderson to run a fade route to the left corner of the endzone. The ball was lofted out and with single-man coverage, Anderson did what he does best, make a play on the football.
The senior leaned back and managed to snag the football with just one hand before falling back into the endzone. The cameras at GPB and Rockmart’s videographer captured the remarkable play, which created several unique angles that were atypical for a high school broadcast, much akin to Anderson’s amazing catch.
The play was named to the top 10 plays of the week last Sunday night and Anderson was ultimately voted the top play on the website a day later.
“My senior is going pretty great so far,” Anderson said.
Although Rockmart is 0-2 on the season, they have faced off against two of the best teams in 4A with Cartersville and Cedartown in back-to-back weeks. They were our preseason favorite to win the classification and figure to be a fixture in the 2A rankings throughout the fall, but the tough early season competition provides opportunities in several ways.
“What I like about playing a tough schedule to start the season is it helps college coaches see that I play with any level of competition. I’m not just making plays against 2A players I can compete with anyone.”
Anderson was named an All-State WR last fall where he caught 1098 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 66 receptions while being an impact player on special teams and defense too. His dynamic skill level helped Rockmart to the 2A state title game. That success on the gridiron coincides with his continued maturation as a young student-athlete, which created a new outlook on football and his future.
“I have improved the most in the last year I feel like my maturity level has improved over the past year and the way I view football, which is something that can change my life,” he said.
Anderson’s recruitment is going well, but from our perspective, the 2025 athlete is overlooked by college evaluators. He tends to believe.
Last offseason Anderson earned offers from programs like Marshall, Arkansas State, Memphis, etc. Given his 6’3″ frame and his consistently excellent ball skills displayed in the last two seasons, we agree vehemently that college evaluators are missing the mark, or more poignantly, focused on the transfer portal. Still, our convictions are high on Anderson’s upside, so much so that we have named sleeper of the day twice.
Going into his final year of high school football, Anderson has a lot to contemplate and goals to accomplish. Obviously, reinvigorating his recruitment is at the top of his goals, but the senior also wants to lead his team to a state title and continue to grow as a teammate.
With the 2024 season just kicking off, the opportunities for Anderson are boundless. Recruiting can be as much an emotional roller-coaster as the actual game between the lines, so to keep to date with Anderson’s latest recruiting news and season be sure to follow @RecruitGeorgia on Twitter/X to hear the latest on the senior and athletes everywhere in Georgia.
