The Spire

Ben Lepper ’25

Chief Sports Editor

For five years, Liam Anderson called Mount Saint James his home. Now, he has a new one: Indianapolis. 

After a dominant five years as a cornerstone of the Crusader defense, Anderson realized one of his lifelong dreams – making the NFL. Throughout the talent evaluation process, Anderson was speaking with several teams who were interested in bringing him onto their roster late in the draft or in free agency, such as the Texans, Bills, Patriots, Browns, and more. But one team stood out in their interest: the Indianapolis Colts.

“I got a call from my agent, probably before the last round started,” Anderson tells The Spire. “And they were like ‘Hey, if you don’t get picked this round, the Colts are gonna sign you as an undrafted free agent’. I kind of knew that was a realistic possibility for me going into the draft, so I was more than excited. I liked the situation depth-chart wise, and they have a history of retaining undrafted free agents there. It was the best move for me, and I told my agent ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’”

Anderson would agree to terms with the Colts moments after the draft’s conclusion, and then he was off to Indiana. He immediately joined a team coming off a rough 2022 campaign, but with a lot of upside and a promising new head coach in Shane Steichen, who Anderson clicked with. 

“Coach Steichen’s great,” he says. “He’s a real football guru type. The thing about this league is that you don’t need a guy to be a big motivator – everyone’s really self motivated. Steichen is super smart, a football genius, and he’s great at teaching situational football. I’ve built a good rapport with him because of my work ethic and the way that I practice. He’s got a lot of respect for me, I’ve got a lot of respect for him, and I’m thankful they liked me enough to keep me around this year and develop.”

Anderson’s comments on Steichen are similar to those made by league experts – turning the Colts from a team with a top 5 pick to a legitimate AFC playoff competitor in a year is no small feat. He also believes that, had the Colts made the playoffs, “he probably would’ve been up there for Coach of the Year.”

Anderson mostly spent the 2023 season on the Colts’ practice squad, preparing the offense for the defensive looks they would face that coming week. However, according to Anderson, his life looked pretty similar to those on the active roster.

“The big difference between practice squad and active roster guys is just gameday,” says Anderson. “You go to every meeting, you go to every practice, you go to every walkthrough. You just have to be a little more conscious of what kind of looks the offense and special teams need in practice.” 

By going to every practice and being coached by the Colts’ staff, Anderson says he became a much better football player this year. He says he saw this year as a developmental year, rather than one being spent on the practice squad. And, it makes sense, due to the large gap between the NFL and college levels of play. Around midseason, the game slowed down for Anderson, and he started to thrive.

“I’ve talked to a lot of vets on the team, and a lot of them start out on practice squads,” says Anderson. “It’s not, like, practice squad players are looked down upon. It’s just that they’re not ready yet.”

Liam also credits a lot of his fellow Colts linebackers as people who have helped him get better as a player, and cites the room as a great one. “Every Thursday we’d go out and do a linebacker dinner, we’d go to Z[aire Franklin]’s house and watch Thursday Night Football, everybody gets to know everybody really well and it’s a close knit group.”

In Week 17 of this season, Anderson was called up to the active roster for the first time in a game with major playoff implications. He learned early in the week that he would be playing in the game, and approached that game like any other. But, of course, it wasn’t just any game: it was the game that made his childhood dream come true.

“I remember running out of that tunnel,” says Anderson. “I’m running next to, like, Z and DeForest Buckner, and those are my teammates who I talk to everyday, but still a little part of me was starstruck. And Lucas Oil Stadium is packed every single home game, those fans are amazing… I’ve never been a part of an atmosphere like that. I might’ve only had a limited role, but it was still a dream come true for me. I’ve been really looking forward to that moment ever since I was a little kid.” The Colts would defeat the Las Vegas Raiders, 23-20.

This offseason, Anderson plans on staying in Indianapolis and training at the Colts’ facility. He signed a reserve/future contract with the Colts just after the end of the regular season, so he will be back at training camp next year with a bigger and better shot at a roster spot. But, don’t be surprised if you see him around campus soon.

“I want to head over for the pro day and watch C.J. and Jalen, and I’ll be there for the Spring Game,” Anderson says. After all, even though he’s traded out purple for blue, he will always be an essential part of the Crusader family.

COPY EDITED by Sophia Mariani