Payton Anderson
About Payton
Expert Analysis
Ty Xanders | Prep Lacrosse Scout
Seeing as he’s listed at 6’2 and 205 pounds, the fact that Anderson is nicknamed ‘Bear’ is certainly appropriate. His combination of size, athleticism, versatility, and skill made him one of the most intriguing prospects in the Class of 2024 heading into 9/1 of his junior year, and a handful of recruiters predicted that he could wind up as the best player in the entire class. Right now, he’s not too far off. A bull in a china shop with tremendous body control for a player of his stature, Anderson was an attackman with Prime Time on the club circuit but quickly settled into a midfield role with Brunswick and has proven to be a matchup nightmare for the Bruins’ opponents. He’s always been at his best when he’s attacking from the wings and up top, and no matter where he’s initiating from, he consistently gets to high-percentage areas and makes a killing getting back to the middle of the field. Shooting a heavy ball with his feet moving, it’s very rare to see Anderson’s shots get saved, as he has proven to be incredibly difficult to stop for longpoles and goalies alike.
It’s always been easy to envision Anderson as a midfielder once he arrives at Syracuse. The Orange will bring back five of its top six midfielders — Michael Leo, Finn Thomson, Sam English, Luke Rhoa, and Jackson Birtwistle — in 2025, so seeing what they do with Anderson will be interesting. I can’t help but feel as if he’d add a ton to the attack as a freshman and give the unit an athletic dodging threat, which would take pressure off of Joey Spallina and allow Hiltz to thrive more in a natural off-ball role inside while Anderson attacks from the wings. With Hiltz and grad student Christian Mulé in starting roles this year, offensive coordinator Pat March is familiar with having two lefties on the attack, and this would maximize Anderson’s role and make the unit much tougher to defend.
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