Positive: One-time dominant defensive player who surprised scouts by entering the draft after a scary medical condition. Solid athlete who breaks down well, plays with leverage, and quickly changes direction. Displays speed off the edge, can pursue from the back side, and aggressively attacks ball carriers. Solid job reading and diagnosing the action and remains disciplined with assignments. Displays good first-step quickness, easily redirects to the action, and makes plays in every area of the field. Rarely off his feet. Flashes explosiveness up the field as well as speed laterally.
Negative: Lacks the size/speed numbers to be a top prospect. Possesses more of a short burst of speed. Has serious medical red flags.
Analysis: Coming into the year Anthony was considered by many as one of the top small school prospects in the nation. His season ended before it began after his medical scare last August. If he's given a clean bill a health and is able to get back to prior playing form, Anthony has the skills to be a situational pass rusher at the next level in a four-man front."
Negatives: Does not have much of an arsenal... Tends to run around blocks, struggles to face them head on... Seems to tire late in the game... Can take plays off... Can be pushed back by bigger linemen... A bit undisciplined, tends to gamble a lot and can give up some big plays to his side... Needs to improve maintaining containment... Needs to add a bit more bulk if he is to play DE... Has said he would like to get down to 255 pounds, and would be best fit as a 3-4 OLB, but has little experience dropping into coverage... Out indefinitely after suffering an apparent heart attack 8/13/10, was a fourth round prospect prior to heart attack... Did not play a single snap in 2010, seems unlikely the NCAA would grant a sixth year of eligibility."
He was initially recruited out of Birmingham, Ala., by a number of larger programs like Southern Miss. Since didn’t do as a well as he’d hoped on the ACT, and was facing a year in junior college, but opted for GSU when they stayed with him.
Strengths: Anthony has qualities such as: great range, athleticism and pass rush ability that will likely lead to him climbing boards during this post season. He could carry 270+ or slim down to 245, he may be suited to play an outside backer position in a 3-4 scheme in the NFL based on his size and athletic ability to move in space. As a DE, Christian has quick-twitch burst off the snap and he suddenly shortens distance between him and the OT. From what I witnessed against Texas Southern, he was a player that was very dominant and couldn't be stopped when he decided he was going to be the player he can be. I think Anthony is a leader on defense that every one feeds off of during the game. He brings real intensity and with dominant attitude. Anthony has the athletic ability and tools to make big plays and change a game and has the potential to do the same in the NFL.
Weaknesses: As a pass rusher he tends to rely on his speed too often to beat his man around the edge and needs to add other pass rush moves. Anthony's not the most disciplined player when it comes to staying in his gaps. There have been times when he goes for the big play too much. At times he winds up giving up big yards, he needs to be a little more conscientious about staying scheme responsible. It appears he may take some plays off when his team has a comfortable lead also he can be pushed off the ball in the run game. Does not always use his hands and power well to avoid getting walled off and sealed on a perimeter runs and at times he losses containment to his side. If he is to be a DE he needs to gain more upper and lower body power, to play OLB he'll need to polish his coverage game considerably.
Projection: If he he has lackluster work outs he could fall lower or out of the draft, but I believe he could become a third or fourth round draft pick in the NFL draft in 2011.
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Christian Anthony had an Heart Attack, last August, and there are many teams ~ perhaps all of them, for all I know ~ who will simply refuse to draft the kid. And that would be a damned shame. Because the kid has MONSTER Potential.
MIND you: there're some Red Flags: He is NOTORIOUSLY undisciplined in assignments. The interview process is particularly important with young Mister Anthony, because if I were checking him out, I'd want to question him directly about blown assignments, Free Lancing, and what his intentions are in the NFL. Ironically, it's very possible that the heart attack ~ a life changing event, if there ever was one ~ may turn out, at the end of the day, to have been a blessing in disguise, for a wake up call was certainly in order.
Christian Anthony was an absolutely spectacular player in college, and an emotional and inspiring team mate. We can only hope, first, that the heart attack was either a freak occurrence that Doctors can convincingly explain as such, or a warning to change his life style ~ IF it was behavior related ~ that he will heed, and heed well. Second, would be the hope that the process has inspired him to take inventory, as they say, and realize, among other, more celestial things, that Championship FootBall comes not from Free Lancing, but from working with 10 other men, one play at a time, which means, in the lexicon of Coach Bill Belichick: "Do Your Job."
As a prospect, Christian Anthony offers an outstanding fusion of Power, Speed, Strength, and Athleticism: He is, indeed, that rare Athlete ~ 6.5/275 ~ who can effectively Rush the Passer AND Set the Edge. He has potential as either an End in a 40 Scheme, or as a Flanker ~ OutSide Line Backer, to you Earthlings!! ~ in a 30 Scheme. Should he check out, medically, and if he has, indeed, learned, via this life threatening wake up call, the true value of playing as part of a team for the entire game, he could forge a tremendous career.
Super Sleeper!!
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