Background

NAME: Will Anderson Jr.

POSITION: EDGE

SCHOOL: Alabama

HEIGHT: 6’4″

WEIGHT: 243

CLASS: 3JR

HOMETOWN: Hampton, GA

HIGH SCHOOL: Dutchtown

DOB: 9/2/2001

GAMES WATCHED: Mississippi State, Georgia

Career Stats

• 2020 (13 games): 13 starts. 52 tackles, 10.5 for loss, 7 sacks, and 1 forced fumble.
• 2021 (15 games): 15 starts. 101 tackles, 31 for loss, 17.5 sacks, and 3 pass deflections.

Analysis

Will Anderson was one of the highest producing pass rushers in the 2021 season, leading the NCAA in sacks and tackles for loss. The first thing that jumps off the screen when you watch Anderson is his first step. He has an explosive initial step that gives him an instant advantage against offensive linemen. Not only does he have great vertical explosiveness, but he has the lateral explosiveness to maneuver into other gaps as well. Anderson shows great finesse to scrape blocks. While not the strongest and biggest pass rusher in the class, he has strong and powerful hands that very visibly knock back linemen. There aren’t many things to knock about Anderson’s game but there are a few small things to note. There are moments where Anderson feels undersized and slightly underweight. He stands just over 240 and I can’t help but think if he added a little bit more weight he would help improve his strength. Anderson also could learn how to counter better. There are moments where he executes a move and he gets shut down; he could do a better job of using counter moves to keep him alive. Lastly, he lacks elite bend to get around and under some of the bigger and more experienced tackles. Overall, Anderson is unmatched in this class with athleticism, balance, agility, aggressiveness, and explosiveness. He should easily be a top five pick and should have a very successful NFL career.

Tier: Round 1