National Football Foundation

Considered by many as one of the top players in the United States coming out of high school, Stanford found a gold mine when they landed this top recruit and academic scholar.

With an ACT score that ranked in the top 10% in the state of Montana and a 3.9 grade point average in an AP Honors Program, Mark Anderson earned Academic All-State honors three consecutive years.

At 6'7", 260 pounds, Anderson utilized his 4.8 speed to play tight end and dominate the defensive line for Fergus High School, registering 55 tackles and five sacks as a senior. As the 2000 SuperPrep National Player of the Year and Consensus All-America selection (8 teams, which included USA Today and CNN), he received scholarship offers from the top programs in the land. Additionally, he was named the Gatorade Montana Player of the Year, Conference Defensive MVP, and received All-State and All-Conference honors as both a defensive end and offensive tight end.

He was a member of the National Honor Society, Key Club, and his high school's Science Bowl team, which competed in the national finals in Washington, D.C. last year. Anderson also volunteered as a Little League umpire, football referee, and Elementary School mentor. He earned bachelor's degrees in economics and mathematics from Montana State University, where he currently serves as an assistant professor of economics. Anderson holds a master's and doctorate in economics from the University of Washington.