Alabama Football: Seven Crimson Tide Greats Who Were Zero-Star Recruits
By Ronald Evans
Mark Anderson – Defensive End/ Linebacker (2001-2005) – Tulsa, OK 2001 Recruit Ranking: Zero-Star (NR)
2005 Second-Team All-SEC
2004 Most Improved Defensive Player Award
2003 Billy Neighbors Most Improved Defensive Lineman Award
2002 Ozzie Newsome Most Improved Freshman Award
Mark Anderson was a redshirt for Alabama football in the 2001 season. In 2002 he competed in every game, made 11 tackles and two sacks, forced two fumbles, and recovered one fumble.
Anderson played in every game for Alabama Football in 2003 and made six starts. He made 48 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
In 2004 Mark started every game and was the eighth leading tackler on the team with 41 stops. He forced two fumbles and had two fumble recoveries.
Anderson started every game in 2005, taking him to 29 consecutive starts for his Tide career. For the season he had 40 tackles and 7.5 sacks. He also blocked a field goal in the Tide’s 13-10 Cotton Bowl win over Texas Tech.
Anderson was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL draft.
Anderson played for the Bears for five seasons, 2006-2010. He appeared in 66 games for the Bears and made 18 starts.
He also played for the Houston Texans in 2010, taking part in 11 games with two starts.
In 2011, Anderson played for New England in 16 games, with one start. He finished his NFL career in 2012 in five games with the Buffalo Bills, making four starts.
In a seven-year NFL career. Mark Anderson played in 98 games and made 25 starts. His career stats are 175 tackles, 36.5 sacks, and seven forced fumbles. Anderson also played in two Super Bowls, with the Bears and the Patriots.