Before Charles Anderson Jr. was a Texas Tech defensive end commit, he was a 6-foot-7-inch junior attempting to translate his basketball prowess onto the gridiron as a tight end at Pearland Dawson.

He had the ideal frame and the requisite hands, but there was still a problem. The Dawson offense only used a tight end for roughly 20 plays a game. That left Anderson Jr. standing on the sideline next to Mike Allison for far longer than the head coach wanted him to.

“We can’t have him just sitting and waiting around for tight end plays on offense,” Allison said. “We’ve got to get him on the field. You’ve got to get your best players out there.”

So the coaching staff decided to switch him to defensive end where he could use his length to harass opposing quarterbacks. Anderson Jr. bought in whole-heartedly. 

A First Team All-District center for Dawson’s formidable basketball team, Anderson Jr. had the natural hip mobility and footwork to aid the transition. Then he added the proper hand techniques to his pass rush and a willingness to pop pads with Class 6A offensive linemen. In his first season playing primarily defense, he racked up 38 tackles, six tackles for loss and four sacks as the Eagles overcame an 0–3 start to finish 6–4. 

“Yes, he’s got the size, he has athleticism,” Allison said. “But also he’s a real physical kid that’s extremely unselfish in how he plays, which makes the whole defense better.”

The Texas Tech coaching staff noticed Anderson Jr.’s impact.

Head coach Joey McGuire stopped by Dawson in the winter to meet with him. Then, defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter and outside linebackers coach C.J. Ah You stopped by during spring practices to build their relationship. Anderson is a pure defensive end in high school at 240 pounds. But once he’s in a college weight room, and not running up and down a basketball court for half the year, he has room to add weight to his frame and play all over the defensive line.

“There’s no doubt that the coaches at Texas Tech wanted Charles to come there,” Allison said. “There was no question of that relationship they were trying to build. Which, heck, that’s a huge thing, especially for these young kids that are trying to find a home.”

Lubbock felt like home for Anderson Jr. when he took his official visit from June 9-11, and he committed to the Red Raiders on Sunday. Allison’s overseen Anderson Jr.’s development from gangly tight end to a seasoned defensive stalwart, and he’s confident the rising senior will one day make big plays on Saturday.

“I couldn’t be happier for that young man and for the opportunity that he has to go and play at the next level,” Allison said. “He’s going to make a difference.”