Elite 11: Dr. Phillips quarterback Stanley Anderson-Lofton competed in nation’s top QB camp

When the Elite 11 camp series made its stop at West Orange High last weekend, the field of competing quarterbacks included one familiar face.

Dr. Phillips High starting quarterback Stanley Anderson-Lofton was the lone player from West Orange’s and Southwest Orange’s 12 high school football teams invited to the prestigious camp.

Last season, Anderson-Lofton, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound rising senior, helped lead DP to a second-round berth in the FHSAA Class 4M playoffs and gained a total of 2,400 yards to go along with his 26 total touchdowns. His combination of size, athleticism and production on what was arguably the best team in the area last season earned him a spot in the regional camp. 

“It was a very good experience, and it was very competitive,” Anderson-Lofton said. “I want to thank God for allowing me to participate in something this big. As a kid, all you hear about is Elite 11 quarterbacks; it’s the gold standard.”

The Elite 11 camp series and competition is the premier high school quarterback camp in the country. Its West Orange stop, held Sunday, April 14, was the fourth of eight this year. In addition to Anderson-Lofton, the field included some of the most talented QBs in the state and across the Southeast region for a five-hour training and testing session by some of the top quarterback coaches and mentors in the country. 

The QBs all are vying for one of only 11 coveted spots to compete at the Elite 11 Quarterback finals this summer. 

Historically, players who reach the finals of this camp have gone on to enjoy longterm success in the sport. According to the Elite 11 website, 27 of the 32 current NFL starting QBs are alumni of the camp, not to mention 15 of the past 16 quarterbacks to win the Heisman trophy also are alumni. 

And although Anderson-Lofton understood the magnitude of the opportunity in front of him — essentially living out a childhood dream — he was ready to soak up everything the trainers had to offer him and compete his tail off against the cream of the crop. 

“I learned a lot from studying the footwork and mechanics and seeing the smoothness of some of the other QBs compared to what I do,” he said. 

“I was able to take a lot of what I saw and what the coaches were telling us and (have) been able to try and incorporate those things in myself. By making sure I understand that my mechanics need to be consistent, it will help make everything I do a whole lot easier, as far as putting the ball in the right places.

“Something else I’m taking from this experience that will help me going into my senior year is the understanding that I’m not just competing with the teams in this area,” he said. “I’m really competing against teams and players from around the nation for the same spots at the next level, so that’s an extra motivation for me.”

Beyond focusing on the technical aspect of his game, Anderson-Lofton gained an even deeper belief in his ability when he lined up against the some of the nation’s top QB recruits.  

“I feel like after competing with everyone, I feel like I’m right there with the best of the best,” he said. “I just have to continue to keep my head down and keep working, rather than focusing my energy on showing people that I’m this or that. … At the end of the day, the only opinion that really matters is my opinion about myself. I’m going to just keep working, and eventually, others will see that my opinion of myself is right. That’s all I can do, really.”

Not only did the young quarterback pick up a tip or two that will enhance his game, but also Anderson-Lofton gained perspective from the camp that will be key to his continued development as a player.

“You have to come out and really show what you can do on the field,” he said. “There’s only really a fine line between a three-star, four-star, five-star, or even if you have no stars. It only really matters what you do out on the field.” 

Sam Albuquerque is the Sports Editor for the Orange Observer. Please contact him with story ideas, results and statistics.

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