‘SZN Opener’ S2 Episode 1: Grambling State Defensive End Sundiata Anderson Reps HBCU Football

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Video

SZN
Opener
is
back
with
new
episodes
dropping
every
week
starting
this
December.
On
season
two
of
this
dynamic
podcast
series,
host
and
noted
sports
analyst
Monica
McNutt
showcases
Black
college
athletes
and
explores
their
triumphs,
challenges
and
aspirations
along
their
sports
journeys.

Source:
Icon
Sportswire
/
Getty

In
episode
one,

SZN
Opener
welcomes
Sundiata
Anderson,
a
defensive
lineman
at
Grambling
State
University.

Anderson
has

received
multiple
SWAC
honors
as
one
of
the
most
regarded
defensive
players
in
the
Southwestern
Athletic
Conference
(the
premier
collegiate
athletic
conference
for
Historically
Black
Colleges
and
Universities).
The
rising
talent
from
College
Park,
Georgia
was

considered
a
top
HBCU
NFL
draft
prospect
entering
the
2023
season.

Related
Stories

Anderson
has
made
his
mark
on
Grambling
State
football
with
his
lead-by-example
work
ethic
and
impressive
physical
gains
during
the
offseason.
The
GSU
defensive
end
is
known
for
his
sharp
instincts
and
effective
leadership
style.

“My
ability
to
work
hard
and
be
the
hardest
worker
in
the
room,
I
think
that’s
what
drives
me
past
everybody,”
he
told
McNutt.

Anderson
chose
to
attend
Grambling
State
for
its
proud
legacy
as
an
HBCU
as
well
as
its
football
program.
“I
wanted
to
be
in
the
culture.
And
with
Grambling’s
rich
tradition
and
all
the
past
NFL
players
that
have
been
here,
I
knew
this
was
the
place
for
me,”
he
said.

Health
Issues
Didn’t
Stop
Him

When
health
issues
forced
Anderson
to
take
time
off
from
football
in
2019,
he
was
able
to
lean
on
his
community
at
school.
“In
2019,
I
got
sick
where
I
had
to
sit
out
for
a
little
bit,”
he
said.
“It
made
me
get
closer
to
the
people
around
me
past
football.”

Anderson
was
diagnosed
with
ulcerative
colitis,
a
chronic
condition
that
caused
him
to
lose
about
70
pounds.
He
made
the
difficult
decision
to
step
away
from
the
sport
and
focus
on
his
health.
But
playing
football
remained
his
number
one
priority. “From
that
point
right
there,
I
had
to
put
my
head
down
and
work,”
he
said.
“I
was
setting
goals.
And
from
that,
we
got
here.”

Recovery
required
a
major
lifestyle
change,
but
Anderson
did
what
he
had
to
do
to
get
back
in
the
game.
He
gained
the
weight
back—he
is
now
at
240
pounds—and
continues
to

push
forward
in
his
senior
year
at
Grambling
State.

Life
After
Grambling
State

Anderson
is
determined
to
set
himself
up
for
the
NFL
by
being
the
best
defensive
player
he
can
be.
The
GSU
senior
was

named
2023
SWAC
Defensive
Player
of
the
Year
in
July
and

earned
All-SWAC
First
Team
honors
in
November.

Aspiring
for
the
NFL,Anderson
learned
a
lot
under
head
coach
Hue
Jackson
until
his
recent

departure
from
Grambling
State.
Jackson
coached
in
the
NFL
for
18
seasons.
“He’s
taught
me
how
to
be
a
pro,”
Anderson
said.
“So
when
I
get
to
the
next
level,
I’m
already
prepared
to
do
my
job.”

Catch
the
full
conversation
with
Sundiata
Anderson.
Listen
to
episode
one
of

SZN
Opener
season
two
on
the

Urban
One
podcasts
platform
or
your
favorite
streaming
app.

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