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Justin Anderson becomes first cornerback to commit to Washington State in 2020 class

Washington State Cougars wide receiver Travell Harris (5) dances with Butch T. Cougar after the second half of a college football game on Saturday, October 19, 2019, at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash. WSU won the game 41-10. (Tyler Tjomsland / The Spokesman-Review)
By Theo Lawson theol@spokesman.com(509) 459-5584

Washington State’s turned to the recruiting trail to replenish the position group that’ll be most in need of a facelift when the 2019 season ends.

Justin Anderson, a three-star cornerback prospect from Northern California, committed to the Cougars Sunday night, giving them their 17th pledge in the class of 20, their fourth defensive back and their first cornerback.

The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Anderson gives WSU not only another body, but a body with size at a position where the Cougars severely need both. Senior starter Marcus Strong leaves after this season and former junior college transfer Daniel Isom was dismissed from the team last week for a violation of team rules.

The only corners with signficant experience returning in 2020 will be George Hicks III and Derrick Langford.

Anderson currently attends Menlo-Atherton in Menlo Park, California, which is located right in Stanford’s backyard in the San FraThe ncisco Bay Area. According to 247Sports.com, Anderson’s a three-star recruit who also held offers from Utah, Iowa State, Boston College and Utah State.

At Menlo-Atherton, Anderson’s been a lockdown corner on defense and a Swiss Army Knife on offense, playing quarterback, running back and wide receiver for the Bears at times. This season, he has two carries for 18 yards and a touchdown to go with 22 catches for 385 yards and three touchdowns, according to Max Preps.

On defense, Anderson has 17 tackles in nine games to go with one interception and he’s been the primary punt and kick returner for Menlo-Atherton, returning three kicks for 193 yards and four punts for 117 yards.

“It kind of puts you in a bind because of the offense that we run and the style that we run,” Menlo-Atherton coach Steve Papin told The San Jose Mercury News last year. “We want to use Justin more on the offensive side, but with him being heavily recruited as a defensive back it kind of limits us.”

Anderson lifted M-A to a state championship in 2018, playing a variety of roles for the Bears. As a quarterback, he was 20 of 35 for 313 yards and five touchdowns, he ran the ball 47 times for 296 yards and another five touchdowns, and added 15 receptions for 247 yards and two scores, according to the Mercury News.

Anderson is also the younger cousin of WSU senior wide receiver Easop Winston Jr.