It also allows him to get past the tackle before they get to their set point. This combined with excellent instincts leads to him putting himself in very good positions to make plays in the run game. First two-time Nagurski Award winner since 1996 (Best defensive player in college football), 2022: 14 sacks, 65 pressures- tied for second in the power five, 2021: 15 sacks, 82 pressures- most in FBS, Dominant as a run stopper in all 3 seasons, Run defense grades: 2022- 86.0 2021- 89.6 2020- 81.1, 53 stops in 2021 was second amongst FBS EDs. He's the best Alabama defender in the Nick Saban era and possibly the best Alabama defender in school history not named Derrick Thomas. Anderson is very explosive in short ranges. NFL.com analyst and former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah takes a "first look" at some of college football's top players for 2022. That was evident even in 2020 when Anderson logged seven sacks and 10 1/2 tackles for loss as a true freshman. Anderson ended up finishing third in the SEC with 7.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss to go with 52 tackles and a team-high eight quarterback pressures. His hips sometimes lock up at the apex, and with his high-cut frame, he doesnt have elite bend or sinking capacity. Has no issues shedding blocks with his hand placement and strength, and has the agility to cross the face of the offensive lineman hes engaged with to make tackles in the adjacent gap. He has a very quick first step which allows him to gain leverage immediately after the snap. The latter is more that he just lacks the elite bend that one might expect from a potential No. Anderson was a four-star recruit at defensive end coming out of the state of Georgia in high school. While Anderson led the nation with 17.5 sacks in 2021, he's probably an even better run defender. Hes hard to move one-on-one with his strength and leverage at the point of attack, and he has little to no issues getting off blocks with his excellent hand placement. 2022 NFL season: Which fan base most deserves a Super Bowl title. Throughout the course of the week, teams will be allowed to interview players to help them make their choices easier when it comes time for the NFL draft in April. They understand how to set up blockers and finish. More refinement with his hand usage, however, could help combat this. However, Andersons production and tape really speaks for itself. Anderson isnt the largest edge rusher, but hes an exceptional athlete, and he also brings surprising play strength and power capacity for his frame. Scouting report "Anderson has little weakness. Stroud Jalen Carter Bryce Young NFL.com analyst and former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah takes a "first look" at some of college football's top players for 2022. Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) Scouting Report - NFL Draft Prospect Grade Will Anderson Jr. at 2023 NFL Combine: Measurements, Highlights and Additionally, his motor shows up on the chase as well. 7:23 pm ET, NFL combine 2023: Winners and losers from DB workouts, WR Jordan Addison tells Steelers to 'come get me', TCU's Johnston hopeful to surprise at NFL combine, Cunningham on USFL talk: I'm not playing in that, NFL Draft 2023: Former NFL GM on pro comps for WR, TE, Levis wants to show off his 'cannon' at NFL combine, Will Anderson Jr. NFL Draft profile, scouting report, Picks for Saturday's top college basketball games, Ex-Patriots star McGinest facing 8 years in prison, Celtics booed off floor after blowing 28-point lead to Nets, LSU responds after Dunne promotes AI homework tool, Big 12 contacts four Pac-12 schools on potential move, NFL combine 2023 results tracker: Top performances, First-step quickness and bend around the edge flashes play after play, Surprising power and the ability to win consistently with hands on his way to the QB, Comparable to Von Miller in size and twitch; both are around 6-3, 245, which is undersized by NFL edge rusher standards, but they play much bigger than that, Made some business decisions in 2022, though it's hard to blame him -- he still played through Alabama's bowl game, Can sometimes whiff on arm tackles in space- Sometimes there doesn't have to be something wrong with a player -- with Anderson it feels like you're searching for issues that don't really exist, Career: Two-time Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner -- only second player to do so in award's history, Career: Two-time Unanimous first-team All-American, Career: Two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year, 2020: National Freshman of the Year (Football Writers Association of America), 2020: Freshman All-America (FWAA, 247Sports and The Athletic), 2020: Second-team All-SEC (Associated Press), Career: Second in program history in tackles for loss (62) and sacks (34.5) -- trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas in both categories, 2021: Led FBS with 34.5 tackles for loss (second in school history), 2021: Led FBS with 17.5 sacks (third in school history), 2021: Five-time SEC Defensive Player of the Week. Jake Haener Scouting Report . Some notable players he was ranked above include Myles Murphy, Broderick Jones, Brian Branch, and Jahmyr Gibbs. Will Anderson Jr. is most definitely a blue chip prospect. Puts himself in position to make plays consistently, but at times struggles tackling. 2023 NFL Draft lookahead: Quick notes on Jalen Carter and Will Anderson Mock Draft Machine Beta Testing Has Begun! #DrTeals #ad 0:16 13.2K views 17 38 Anderson has elite production, to the level where him failing almost seems impossible. Will Anderson Jr. has been one of the most productive EDGE rushers in the nation since he arrived in Tuscaloosa. Will Anderson Jr. Scouting Report - Draft Dive | 2023 NFL Draft LB Will Anderson Jr. | 31. As prospects prepare to see what their future holds, they will go through the Combine and Pro Days to impress NFL scouts, coaches and execs. He generates excellent burst on his first step and accelerates instantly when keying on plays. When his alignment is loose on the edge, he uses that runway to devastate offensive tackles with speed-to-power rushes. Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. is one of the top prospects, regardless of position, as we look ahead to the 2023 NFL Draft.A five-star prospect out of Dutchtown High School in Georgia, Anderson immediately became a force along Alabama's defensive line. The Detroit Lions defense gets faster and more athletic with the top corner in the draft. All Rights Reserved. He is the number one overall prospect (on average) according to ESPNs top-four pundits. Also uses his hands well to get clean wins that lead to sacks. Not a big knock as hes simply more of a speed rusher as opposed to a power rusher. He held his own when Alabama asked him to do the latter, which suggests he can be asked to zone-drop in the NFL as a change of pace. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'draftdive_com-leader-1','ezslot_5',115,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-draftdive_com-leader-1-0'); As I briefly mentioned earlier, Anderson Jr. has an elite first step off the snap. pic.twitter.com/QOQrdpbBnp, Now we're talking, baby. Beyond Andersons physical traits, he brings immediate high-level utility both as a pass rusher and a run defender. Both guys have very long arms. 1 WDE, 2022 Stats: 65 pressures 14 sacks 30 stops, 2021 Stats: 82 pressures 15 sacks 53 stops, Position Rank: ED1if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'nfldraftdiamonds_com-leader-2','ezslot_16',129,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-nfldraftdiamonds_com-leader-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'nfldraftdiamonds_com-leader-2','ezslot_17',129,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-nfldraftdiamonds_com-leader-2-0_1'); .leader-2-multi-129{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. It was an excellent final season with the Crimson Tide. He is able to record this many sacks because of his high motor and agility through traffic. He has been elite for Alabama since he first stepped foot on the field. Written by B/R NFL Draft Scout Matt Holder. Most believe it will be the latter, but nobody can say for sure. Anderson was a top-50 prospect on ESPNs board in the 2020 recruiting class after racking up 22 sacks as a high school senior. Missed 14 tackles in 2022- 27.5% of his tackle attempts, Tackling grades at Bama- 2022: 46.6, 2021: 71.4, 2020: 64.0. Will Anderson Jr. scouting report Anderson has elite production, to the level where him failing almost seems impossible. Scouting report "Anderson has little weakness. 2021: 873 snaps in 15 games- tied for first amongst EDs in FBS. Played 600+ snaps in 2022, 2021, and 2020 seasons. His pass rush ability is unlike anybody else in the nation due to his ability to effortlessly get into the backfield. Andersons agility allows him to work back inside and make a play on the QB in congested areas. . A five-star from outside Atlanta, Will Anderson Jr. has been as good as -- and maybe better than -- advertised since arriving in Tuscaloosa. But in 2022 season, his numbers were down quite a bit. Best player in college football and still decides to compete today (when he could of sat and done nothing). Anderson Jr. is just as likely to overwhelm an offensive lineman with a vicious straight arm while exploding off the edge. Adam Anderson 2021 Preview By Charlie Campbell Career Recap: Georgia has been a factory for top-notch defensive talent under Kirby Smart, and Anderson will continue that trend for the 2022 NFL Draft. Will Anderson Jr. participates, impresses at 2023 NFL Draft Combine Will Anderson - College Football News & Updates | FOX Sports As of today, nflmockdraftdatabase has Anderson as the 2nd best prospect in the nation. Makes up for the lack of size and raw power with perfect use of leverage and length. Widely known as one of the best players in college football. Anderson weighed in at 253 pounds, 10 more than his listed playing weight with the Crimson Tide: #Alabama Will Anderson Jr. official measurements:

Height - 6'3 1/2"
Weight - 253
Arm - 33 7/8"
Hand - 9 7/8" pic.twitter.com/XGEbXnsg27. He can also take off toward the inside of the line to perform stunts and knock the interior offensive lineman off balance. Anderson has great acceleration to get past offensive linemen and close to the quarterback. Where he needs to improve: There isn't much to mention here. After bursting onto the scene in Nick Saban's defense as a true freshman in 2020, Will Anderson Jr. cemented himself in the elite class of college football talents in 2021, showing the ability to dominate off the edge against top competition. Excellent change of direction for a defensive lineman to test offensive linemens ability to redirect and consistently win with inside pass-rush moves. In a 2-point stance, he shows amazing initial quickness to run the arc and beat the opposing lineman. Anderson Jr. is a tier above even Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux from last year's batch. Will Anderson Jr., EDGE, Alabama | NFL Draft Scouting Report On high-percentage passing downs, Alabama utilizes him on twists and stunts which makes it difficult for offensive lines to key in on him and potentially double-team him. Between Anderson and Jalen Carter, draft evaluators have a split between who is 1a and who is 1b. Vikings updates from DL/LB interviews at NFL Scouting Combine Not here. The youngster is stout against the run and violent at the point of contact. When his rush does not get home, he shows the awareness to peel off and get his hands in passing lanes. Will Anderson Jr. from Dutchtown High School was rated a 4-star recruit by ESPN and handed a 5-star grade by 247 Sports after making 22 sacks as a senior. Weaknesses Despite getting good leverage on most pass rushing plays. Daniel Jeremiah provides his initial scouting report on Bulldogs DL Jalen Carter, with a pro comp to a former top-three pick. That's the player you'll get when you draft Will Anderson Jr. Anderson's official time was later revealed to be 4.60. All Rights Reserved.