Anderson’s heart not to be doubted
BRANDON Marshall remembers the first time he saw Robby Anderson. It was at a gym in Florida that Marshall owns. Anderson had just finished his senior season at Temple and now he was training for the NFL draft.
“After talking to him I was like, ‘This kid has no chance,’ ” Marshall said. “He was this little, frail kid.”
Anderson does not have an imposing physique. Standing 6-foot-3 and listed at 190 pounds, Anderson looks like a pipe cleaner. But when the wide receiver gets on the football field, something happens.
“Robby has that wow factor,” Marshall said.
The Jets have seen that “wow factor” all summer from Anderson, who signed after going undrafted. He has shown it in practice with acrobatic catches. He showed it last week against the Redskins when he had six catches for 131 yards and a long touchdown.
Anderson is in a fight for a roster spot, but he might just be doing enough to make it. If you’re looking for a guy to root for, check out No. 83 in green and white Saturday against the Giants.
Two years ago, it would have been hard to imagine Anderson fighting for an NFL roster spot — that is for everyone but Anderson. He was ruled academically ineligible at Temple in 2014 after a strong redshirt sophomore season. Anderson went home to Florida and took classes at Valencia College, a community college in Orlando.
“I learned a lot,” Anderson said of his year away from football. “I learned not to take anything for granted. It showed me a lot about who is in my corner. Sometimes when you hit rock bottom a lot of people are not there. It taught me a lot about myself. It made me a better person.” In 2015, Anderson could have transferred to another college and played im- mediately or gone back to Temple needing to earn six credits over the summer to regain his eligibility. He chose to return to Philadelphia.
“He’s such a loyal kid,” Temple coach Matt Rhule said. “He gambled on coming back to Temple and finishing what he started. He came back and got a 3.3 [GPA] that summer and had a really good senior year and now he’s a Jet.”
Rhule calls Anderson one of his favorite players he has coached. The two remained close during his year away and Rhule remembers Anderson returning to the Owls.
“That was an emotional, joyous occasion,” Rhule said. “Not only did he get a second chance, but he created a second chance by going and getting it done in the classroom.”
Anderson had a big senior season for Temple, catching 70 passes for 939 yards and seven touchdowns. It was not big enough to earn him an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine, though.
The NFL was doubting Anderson again, something he is used to.
“I like that,” Anderson said. “Coming out of high school, people thought I was small and that was why I didn’t get as many offers. But you can be 225 pounds and soft. It’s about your heart at the end of the day.”
The Jets signed Anderson after the draft and he has impressed during training camp. He has soft hands, blazing speed (he ran a 4.28 at his Pro Day) and tenacity that can’t be coached. Against Washington, he had receptions of 50 and 42 yards. Could he be the deep threat the Jets have been searching for?
Along the way, he won over one of his earliest skeptics — Marshall.
“That guy really came in and put his hard hat on,” Marshall said. “He’s a good receiver.”
It won’t be easy for him to make the roster. The Jets have Marshall, Eric Decker and Quincy Enunwa as locks to make the roster at the position. Anderson is fighting with veterans Kenbrell Thompkins, Jeremy Ross and Kyle Williams and fellow rookies Jalin Marshall and Charone Peake for three, maybe four spots.
It is not the first time the odds have been against Anderson.
“One thing I’ve learned about life,” Anderson said, “is things will always work themselves out.”