Aaron Anderson 2026 Prospect Profile

The LSU Tiger standout WR Aaron Anderson is the subject of today’s 2026 draft profile. He was one of the reasons that I rated Garrett Nussmeier lower than the consensus. I thought when watching Nussmeier, he was bailed out by his receivers, especially Aaron Anderson. So when I went back and put the magnifying glass on Anderson, I was not surprised by what I found.

Background

Anderson, born in New Orleans, LA, was a two sport star in high school. Cutting his teeth at Edna Karr High School in NOLA, he was a standout football player and track athlete. It was clear, though, that football was his future. He racked up over 6,000 yards of offense and 20 return TDs in his four years at Edna Karr. It was unsurprising, then, that Anderson was given an On3 Industry Ranking as a four-star recruit and the fourth-best WR in the country overall. He committed to Alabama before his Senior year, but due to injuries, he was unable to break through in his freshman year. After that disappointing freshman season, he decided to enter the transfer portal and return to his home state to play for Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers.

Physical Attributes

There is no getting around this, Anderson is 5’8”. He is stocky, 188 lbs, but there is no other way to say it other than he is short. It shows up in his game when there is tight coverage on him, because he rarely wins 50/50 balls. Thankfully, he is rapid, so most of the time, DBs are not close to him. He is not quite in the top 1%, but he is undoubtedly in the top 5%. Add to that real strength, and I am not just saying that relative to his size. WRs with five more inches and 20 lbs on him often don’t showcase the strength he has to push through contact, and even drive would be tacklers back off of him.

Data and Tape Analysis

If you are unfamiliar with my X radar charts, you can find more information

Aaron Anderson is a YAC monster. He has the rare blend of strength, speed, ball carrier vision, and elusiveness that makes plays happen. When catching what looks like a hopeless screen pass, he will get eight yards out of what looked like two. If a defender takes the wrong pursuit angle, they are left grasping at air quicker than they can blink. Even if a defender takes the right angle, nothing is stopping Anderson from plowing directly into him for extra yards or breaking his ankles. Most prospects do not have an elite trait to their games at all, but this is Anderson’s calling card, and it is special.

This whirling dervish of speed and athleticism I just described might have you thinking that Anderson has no refinement to his game, and that is wrong. He finds ways to get open. His route running is not virtuosic, but it works well. He paces routes well to lure in defenders, then uses his elite agility and speed to break away. He has a nice hesi-hop move that he uses occasionally, which works well. His ability to drop his hips and make quick movements back towards the QB works in concert with his speed to keep defenders guessing.

Anderson does not yet have the best feel for zone coverage. Not to say he never knows where to stop, but he can be inconsistent in finding good spots. Plus, he is almost exclusively a slot receiver. That is not necessarily a limitation of what I think his skills are; he is just too small to be on the outside. And as mentioned before, his lack of height gets in the way of his ability to make contested catches. Even when those catches are not contested, Anderson does not always look the most sure-handed. However, based on what I saw, I do not think he would necessarily struggle with press coverage outside if he had to face it. I mean, he is even a solid blocker at WR.

Grade and Outlook

Aaron Anderson possesses an elite skill that NFL offenses are desperately seeking. His ability to make any play into an explosive one with the ball in his hands is incredible. That being said, I'm not sure if his height is something that can be overcome. He is small, and the list of 5’8” WRs who have been gamechangers is short, pun intended. I hope this year LSU gives him more opportunities on the outside because I think he could excel and be a true outlier for his size.

Grade: 5.7 (2nd Rounder)