With the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft now underway, the top prospects are rapidly finding their new homes. The latest prospect to go off the board is none other than Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. after a bombshell trade between the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals. Right after taking C.J. Stroud second overall, the Texans traded up to No. 3 to grab Anderson.
The former Crimson Tide superstar was the consensus best defensive player in the draft, and now he gets the chance to shine at the NFL level. But what exactly is Houston getting in Anderson? To find out, let's look back on his football career to this point.
Will Anderson's Pre-College Football Career
Anderson played his high school ball at Dutchtown High School in his hometown of Hampton, Georgia. As a senior, he racked up 22 sacks and 15 tackles for loss to lead a defense that allowed just 7.7 points per game. He was a part of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's “Super 11” and received an invite to the 2020 All-American Bowl.
Anderson received a ton of hype coming out of high school, being a five-star recruit and the No. 17 overall player in the nation according to 247Sports. He received over 40 offers, most of them coming from Power Five Teams. In the end, though, he chose to play for Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Will Anderson's College Football Career
It didn't take long for Anderson to make an impact once he arrived in Tuscaloosa. He earned a starting job in Fall and proceeded to put up 52 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. As a freshman, he was already a huge piece of an Alabama team that steamrolled everyone en route to a national championship.
Then in 2021, Anderson put together one of the greatest seasons by a defensive player in recent memory. In 15 games, Anderson racked up 102 tackles, 34.5 tackles for loss, and 17.5 sacks, leading the country in the latter two stats. He was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation's best defensive player.
Anderson's stats weren't quite as insane in 2022, but he was still fantastic all the same. In 14 games, he accounted for 51 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks. He won the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and the Nagurski Trophy for the second straight year. This time, he also won the Chuck Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award, and Lott Trophy.
After a storied career at Alabama, Anderson declared for the draft in December. Unsurprisingly, he is one of the can't-miss prospects in this class, being virtually a lock to go in the top five.
Will Anderson's NFL Draft Fit With Texans
Just in case Anderson's college accolades weren't enough, scouting reports also rave about his game.
Some of Anderson's many strengths include his size (6-3.5, 253 pounds), explosiveness, and his variety of pass-rush moves. He isn't without weaknesses, though, with a notable one being an occasional lack of energy on running plays. However, Anderson's strengths far outweigh his weaknesses and he is one of the safest bets to succeed in this draft.
The Texans entered this offseason needing a lot of help, and they just pulled off a bombshell by trading up to get Anderson after taking their franchise quarterback in Stroud. These two players will be foundational pieces for DeMeco Ryans for years to come as this franchise tries to turn things around.
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