Katy High senior receiver Nic Anderson is a team guy. He wants to be around his teammates and win state championships. Nothing more, nothing less.
After all, if his M.O. was anything else, he'd probably have never gone to Katy, a program recognized more for its I-formation and running backs than quarterbacks and receivers.
But the Tigers and Anderson share similar DNA: the no-nonsense approach to work, goal-conscious standards and, of course, winning. And it's paid off for the 6-foot-4, 195-pound pass-catcher in a Class 6A-Division II state championship in January and a verbal commitment to play football for Oregon on July 1.
Anderson had 28 offers and ultimately picked the Ducks over Notre Dame.
"It came down to the feel," Anderson said. "I had a gut feeling after that last visit to Oregon (last weekend) that I had a great connection with the whole program. It's where I felt I needed to be. The coaching staff, the community, the town. It was a really great experience."
Anderson called the recruiting process "overwhelming" at times, but he had shoulders to lean on. He's in line to join older brothers Rodney and Ryder as Katy stars who went on to play Power 5 college football.
Rodney, Katy High Class of 2015, was a star running back at Oklahoma who was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He is Katy's all-time leading rusher and currently a free agent. Ryder, Class of 2017, played defensive end at Ole Miss from 2017-2020 and is now at Indiana University as a graduate transfer.
Like Nic, Rodney and Ryder won state titles at Katy.
"It definitely helped having brothers going through this process," Anderson said. "I would call them almost every week, update them on what I felt about different schools. It drove my parents crazy, because they thought they were the ones that would know all this stuff, but my brothers were a real big help with me keeping a cool head."
Anderson said his brothers' biggest advice was to just "let it fall in God's hands."
"In the end, they knew He would put me wherever I need to be," Anderson said. "Now I can just focus on my game and winning another state championship."
Anderson was essential in helping Katy to a ninth state title last season.
On the field, he was a dynamic playmaker, catching 30 balls for 480 yards and five touchdowns. He became more confident in his hands and route-running and plans to continue to improve in those areas while strengthening flexibility and speed.
Anderson has an impressive ability to sink his hips and play low to the ground despite his height and length, something that gives him an edge against cornerbacks.
Nicholas Anderson Junior Season
Nicholas Anderson Junior Season
But it was his influence as a voice of reason that may have had the strongest effect.
"My game was just in its early stages last year, having to deal with a new quarterback (then-sophomore Caleb Koger) and helping him gain the confidence he needed," Anderson said. "I realized I needed to use my voice more. I used to only lead by example, but now I know my team needs to hear from me a little bit more and I feel like it helped with our quarterback and keeping him encouraged and focused."
Koger said Anderson's work ethic is contagious and his leadership is impressionable.
"You see how hard he works and the results he gets, it's motivating," Koger said. "He's a vocal leader, something I'm starting to see in myself. I wouldn't feel that way if it wasn't for his encouragement. I'm excited to have another year to throw to him."
When asked about expectations for his senior year, Anderson, per his ways, kept it team-oriented.
"I just want to finish strong and lead this team to another state title," he said. "I want to finish by celebrating with my teammates like we did last year. We definitely have a big challenge ahead of ourselves, trying to go back-to-back, but I feel like if we all do the right things, put in the work and stay disciplined, we can make it to the next state championship and hopefully win another one."