(2023) Will Anderson Jr. -EDGE/OLB - Alabama

Will Anderson Jr.

EDGE/OLB

6’4, 243

Junior

Strengths	Weaknesses
Block Shedding Ability Elite Explosiveness and Speed Relentless Pursuit Pass Rush Arsenal Plus Run Defender	Can Miss Tackles Inconsistent Effort

2022 Statistics (Per PFF)

*(Ranking is out of the 241 EDGE/LB with 200+ pass rush snaps this season)

2022 Statistic	Total	Ranking *	Rank Percentile
Pressures	59	4th	Top 2%
Sacks	14	1st	Top 1%
Hurries	36	5th	Top 2%
Pass Rush Win Rate	19.6%	25th	Top 10%
QB Hits	9	T-26th	Top 11%
Tackles	23	N/A	N/A
Missed Tackle %	27.5%	N/A	N/A

Write-Up:

Will Anderson Jr. is a top edge rushing prospect as a true Junior out of Alabama. He has not missed a game since his 2020 freshman season. He lined up mainly at 4i and 5 technique, but also some interior 3 tech and occasionally wide 9. Anderson Jr. did drop into coverage a little bit and was generally okay on shorter routes.

Will Anderson Jr. has one of the most impressive resumes and statistics that we have seen come from an edge rusher in the modern era, and, for the most part, the tape backs those numbers and accolades up. He has an elite get-off and explosiveness off the line and compounds that with unreal speed and agility. He possesses a deep arsenal of pass rush moves, specifically fantastic swim and rip moves. Anderson Jr. also has a power element to his rushing ability, and can knock unsuspecting linemen off balance if they aren’t prepared to deal with his powerful hands. He is not the “bendiest” edge rusher ever seen (though saying he has none is disingenuous), but his athleticism largely makes up for it. When he gets a lane to the QB or ball carrier, he becomes a heat-seeking missile in pursuit. 

Anderson Jr. also excels as a run defender. One of his greatest strengths is his ability to shed blockers and quickly fill run gaps, leading to many tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage. He is a good edge setter, and his length and speed make it difficult for running backs to get around the edge on him. Despite how intelligent he usually is in the run game, he can get overzealous at times and miss open field tackles, one of his few true weaknesses. This carries over to his coverage ability, which is fairly okay, though mainly buoyed by his athletic traits. His only other concern which popped up was Anderson taking a few plays off in each game. These were very much a minority of snaps, but they did happen and should be noted.

In total, Will Anderson Jr. is a top-end edge rusher that should find immediate success at the next level. He has fantastic explosiveness and unreal speed combined with a strong power element to his game. Despite a few minor concerns with tackling and effort, Anderson Jr. should be one of the first players off the board at the NFL Draft.

Draft Projection:  Top 5