Will Anderson identifies what went wrong in Alabama's 2022 losses, which hurt worst

The 2022 season was a frustrating one by the Alabama Crimson Tide’s standards, losing two SEC games and missing the College Football Playoff. Ahead of the NFL Draft, edge rusher Will Anderson explained what went wrong in those games.

During an appearance on First Take, Anderson broke down the two games, including how they differed from one another.

“The Tennessee game, that was just one of those rough games, you know, where it was different, you know,” Will Anderson said. “We just had to do a lot better job executing stuff on the defensive side of the ball and just locking in.”

However, for Anderson, the LSU game was different because he doesn’t think the Crimson Tide could have done anything differently. It came down to the final play and Alabama lost.

“But the LSU game, I think that one hurts more than any other game, just because I felt like the preparation was so good, everybody was doing everything that we needed to do at practice. That was just a really great week for us. I think, for the leaders, it just hurt us so bad, because … what more could we have done? It just come down to locking in at the last play.”

Both of these games were euphoric for Alabama’s opponents. For Alabama, though, it meant that the Crimson Tide missed out on even getting a shot to play eventual national champion Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.

Will Anderson takes Bryce Young ahead of Tom Brady

During the same appearance on First Take, Will Anderson was jokingly asked to pick between Bryce Young and Tom Brady. Anderson stuck with his guy, taking Young ahead of Brady despite Stephen A. Smith’s protests.

“I’m taking Bryce Young. I played with him, so…” Anderson said before Smith cut him off.

Smith shouted, “You gonna say Bryce Young over Tom Brady? Tom Brady that just retired at 45 with seven Super Bowl titles? Behind a dude that hasn’t played in the NFL one game yet?”

In all fairness to Smith, he’s right. Tom Brady played for more than two decades, won seven Super Bowls, and is going to the Hall of Fame. Young has a ton of potential, but he isn’t on that level for a career. Still, Will Anderson stuck with his guy.

“I gotta have my boy’s back, you know what I’m saying?”

On3’s Alex Weber contributed to this article.