Houston Texans DC shares what Will Anderson Jr. has a 'really good feel for'

Will Anderson Jr. is already making a good impression. Houston Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke recently discussed what he’s seen from the rookie defensive end.

“The screens he’s got a really good feel for, actually,” Burke said on Tuesday. “We ask our whole D-line to turn and run toward the ball, and that’s just sort of a calling card of what we ask those guys to do, and [Anderson] has embraced that.”

Nobody should be surprised. The Texans drafted Anderson with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Anderson was a standout at Alabama, finishing his three seasons with the program ranked second on Alabama’s career sacks list with 34.5. Anderson also finished second in career tackles for loss with 62 (-272 yards).

For his efforts, Anderson was a two-time Nagurski Trophy winner, just the second player in the award’s history to take home the honor twice. Additionally, the 6-foot-4 star was selected as the 2022 SEC Defensive Player of the Year by both the AP and the league coaches.

While Anderson thrived in his spot with Alabama, the Texans are slightly adjusting Anderson’s on-field role.

“What we ask our ends to do is to like play in space. So, we don’t ask him to play inside a lot where he played a little bit more in college,” Burke said. “It just frees some of those guys up to because of their athletic ability. I think he’s just a natural fit for the way we ask those guys to play, so he’s probably feeling that comfort.”

If athletic ability helps, Anderson will do just fine. The Georgia native recorded a 4.60-second 40 yard dash and 1.61 10-yard split at the NFL Combine earlier this year. Burke isn’t the first person to claim Anderson exceeds expectations at the professional level.

“Anderson has run with the first-team defense, but only so much evaluation can be done on a player at his position without pads,” DJ Bien-Aime wrote for ESPN. “He has displayed explosiveness throughout practices with his ability to rush upfield and contain the edge.”

The Texans will welcome Anderson’s explosiveness with open arms. The team recorded just 39 sacks last season, tied for the 18th-most in the league. Additionally, Houston allowed the third-most opposing yards in the NFL.

Watch Anderson attempts to return the Houston Texans’ defense to glory on Sept. 10, when they take on the Baltimore Ravens in their season opener.