FRANKLIN, Tenn. (BVM) — In football, all of the attention goes toward the star quarterback or the flashy playmakers, while offensive linemen tend to go unnoticed unless they make a mistake. 

As an eighth grader, Fisher Anderson didn’t enjoy playing football because of the position he played.

“I just didn’t see the point of being a lineman,” Anderson said. “It just felt so repetitive in my mind.”

Despite considering giving up the game, Anderson had a breakout season in his final year of middle school, earning a scholarship offer as a high school freshman to the University of South Carolina. This offer would be the first of many.

“It felt like the best time of my life,” Anderson said. “The process was to get an offer, keep grinding, go to workouts and have everyone congratulate you. You’d go to school, and you’d start getting more respect.”

This routine would become quite frequent for Anderson. He has racked up 27 collegiate offers as he nears the end of his junior year. The four-star tackle stands at 6-foot-7, 270 lb. and anchors the offensive line at Franklin High School in Tennessee.

Anderson’s perception of football as a junior is drastically different than it was his eighth grade year, realizing that the sport could open up doors he didn’t think were possible.

“I saw where it could take me and I liked the work,” Anderson said. “I liked the grind. I liked winning and getting pancakes.”

Anderson’s pancake stacking was recognized after a stellar 2020 season, earning him the Region 6-6A Lineman of the Year, as well as a spot on the all-state team.

“It made me realize that I had that big of a platform already as a junior,” Anderson said. “This is good to set the bar high for myself. What can I do next year?”

Not only does Anderson look back fondly about his individual performance, but his team performance as well. The Admirals finished 7-6, but had a big 31-28 playoff upset win over rival Ravenwood.

“It was very memorable,” Anderson said. “It’s something that I think the whole school will never forget.”

Looking towards his senior year, Anderson tried to figure out how he wanted to prep in order to elevate his game. He decided to go back to what helped him in his initial breakout in football: wrestling.

Anderson found instant gratification with his decision to re-join the wrestling team as a junior, but it wasn’t necessarily from a physical standpoint. His biggest takeaway was the hardships that come with wrestling, which allowed him to rekindle his faith with God.

“It changed my motives on life,” Anderson said. “This stuff doesn’t matter, you’re not getting better for yourself, you’re getting better for God. That needs to be my motive to workout. Not to get glory for myself, but to get glory for God.”

As Anderson gets closer to making a decision on a university, he is hoping God will show him the way. Anderson has already received a blessing in disguise in the form of a middle school travel basketball team. Anderson was teammates with twins, Destin and Keaten Wade, and Taylor Groves, who all happen to be four-star football recruits as well. Anderson still enjoys communicating with all three about going through the recruiting process.

“It is such a benefit to talk to those guys.” Anderson said. “All these guys I’m meeting up with are going through the same things as I am, so we can bond and relate to our unique position.”

Anderson’s end goal is for him and his peers to make it to the NFL one day, but his biggest priority at the moment is to become a vocal presence for Franklin High School in 2021.

“I want to be the leader of the team in every aspect,” Anderson said. “I want to lead by example and set the tone in the weight room and on the field. I want to be the team that has the most grit.”