Oklahoma Freshmen: Getting a Jump on College Football — WR Nicholas Anderson

As the receiver position is in flux and everyone's learning a new system and new quarterbacks, Anderson could earn an opportunity for early playing time.

John E. Hoover | Jan 23, 2022

Editor’s Note: This is Part 1 of a 10-part series on Oklahoma’s early enrollees in the 2022 recruiting class.

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The future is now at Oklahoma.

That’s evident by the number of incoming freshmen Sooners who chose to graduate high school early and last week began classwork at OU.

But they’ve not only started their collegiate academic careers. They also submitted to the rigors of Brent Venables’ new strength and conditioning boss Jerry Schmidt.

Of the Sooners’ 17 freshmen in the 2022 class — 17 so far, that is; more will be signing in February — a total of 10 are already on campus and putting themselves through the infamous Schmitty workouts.

Meet Oklahoma's 2022 Early Enrolees

Sunday, Jan. 23: WR NICHOLAS ANDERSON
Monday, Jan. 24: RB Jovantae Barnes
Tuesday, Jan. 25: QB Nick Evers
Wednesday, Jan. 26: WR Jayden Gibson
Thursday, Jan. 27: TE Kaden Helms
Friday, Jan. 28: LB Jaren Kanak
Saturday, Jan. 29: LB Kip Lewis
Sunday, Jan. 30: TE Jason Llewellyn
Monday, Jan. 31: LB Kobie McKinzie
Tuesday, Feb. 1: DB Robert Spears-Jennings

It’s a bold step for a 17-year-old — new head coach, new staff, new strength coach, new attitude around the OU program — but it’s one that will almost assuredly pay immediate dividends. While the other incoming freshmen are running track or playing basketball or lifting weights or otherwise just enjoying their final semester of high school, these 10 are now Division I college football players.

Moreover, these 10 will kickstart their college football careers with 15 legitimate practices (including real scrimmages) during the spring. Anyone who wants to make an immediate impact on the depth chart these days would be well advised to enroll early and go through spring practice. That’s where coaches really begin to see the full picture of the freshmen they’ve been recruiting.

Leading up to National Signing Day, SI Sooners presents the 10 early enrollees in the 2022 recruiting class and their projection for playing time this season.

WR Nicholas Anderson

6-3, 195
Katy, TX
247 Sports: 4-star, No. 235 overall, No. 39 WR
Rivals: 3-star, no overall ranking, No. 69 WR
Background: He’s the little brother of former Sooner RB Rodney Anderson and has a deep-seated passion for Sooner football. Anderson was also offered by Notre Dame, Oregon, Penn State, USC and others. Won state at Katy as a junior. As a senior, Anderson caught 29 passes for 529 yards and five touchdowns. He also ran hurdles on the high school track team.
2022 Projection: The wide receiver position is in flux. Two former 5-stars (Jadon Haselwood, Mario Williams) just left. Mike Woods went to the NFL. Theo Wease is coming off injury. Inexperienced players like Trevon West, Brian Darby and Jalil Farooq are looking for an opportunity behind Marvin Mims and Drake Stoops. Anderson is young but is hungry and eager to learn and plenty athletic. He’ll have a chance to contribute right away as everyone tries to learn the new offense and build rapport with the new quarterbacks.

Published Jan 23, 2022

JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.