Spring Mills (WV) tight end commits to Cincinnati
Cincinnati added to their 2026 recruiting class on Saturday with the commitment of Spring Mills (WV) tight end Xavier Anderson. The commitment came while on his official visit that will conclude Sunday morning.
Anderson chose the Bearcats over offers from the home state program, West Virginia, as well as Virginia Tech, LIberty, and Appalachian State, among others. Anderson was apart of a group that visited UC on February 2nd for the Bearcats' Junior Day.
When you turn on the film, it is easy to see why tight ends coach Josh Stepp prioritized the Spring Mills star. At 6'6" 200-pounds, Anderson is a big, athletic playmaker that does a little bit of everything when on the field.
The first thing that stands out is his size and length. He has the frame to be a big-time red zone threat but also shows the ability to line up out wide and beat his man for chunk yardage over the top or across the middle where he showcases above average speed for a guy his size.
The strength is the next thing that you will notice when watching his film.
Anderson is a willing blocker out wide or off the line, but having played both ways for Spring Mills, you also see a physicality that likely translates from playing defensive end.
On the other side of the ball, Anderson shows good burst off the edge and the ability to beat his man with power or speed. Those traits should translate well to the next level as UC continues to prioritize guys that can come in and compete early from a physical standpoint.
Anderson also comes from a winning culture. He helped lead his team to a AAAA state runner up finish on the gridiron, and followed that up with a basketball state championship in the spring.
It also shouldn't go unnoticed that Cincinnati was able to win this recruiting battle and land one of the top players in the Mountaineer state, despite his older brother, Max, being committed to West Virginia in the 2025 class as a quarterback.
With the commitment of Anderson, UC is now up to nine commitments in the 2026 class, with Anderson joining wide receiver Dadrien Waller (AL), quarterback Brooks Goodman (GA), and offensive linemen Luke Collins (OH) and Soloman Mathis (GA) on the offensive side of the ball.