ESPN NFL draft analyst on Will Anderson: 'He checks every box'

On3 imageby:Clint Lamb07/01/22

ClintRLamb

By now, everyone who keeps up with college football knows the name Will Anderson. The star pass rusher for the Alabama Crimson Tide has been on campus for over two years now, and he’s widely regarded as the best player on his respective level of the sport.

With Anderson now entering his first draft-eligible season, NFL scouts and analysts are beginning to shift focus towards his future in the league. One of the latest examples of that comes from NFL draft analyst Matt Miller, who works for ESPN. Earlier this week, Miller went on “This Just In” to share his thoughts on the rising junior.

“[Anderson] had 34.5 tackles for loss last year, which was more than the top three pass rushers drafted this year combined,” Miller said. “So, he’s productive. He’s athletic. He checks every box for you. He’s been durable at Alabama.

“He can sit down right now and probably still be the first pick in the 2023 draft. But he’s not wired like that, which is the other part of his game you absolutely love is he’s a non-stop motor guy. He’s a team leader and scouts are already pretty excited about him.”

We’ve heard the talk about other top college players — Jadeveon Clowney and Trevor Lawrence, for example — in the past who could possibly sit their last season and still have a chance to go No. 1 overall. Those examples were valid, but Anderson takes it to a new level.

His talent is off the charts, but he’s not just a projection.

This is a guy who already has the production over multiple seasons. The tackles for loss and sack numbers are impressive enough, but edge players aren’t usually racking up 100-plus tackle seasons. Anderson’s 101-tackle output in 2021 speaks to a high football IQ, but more importantly, it speaks to a non-stop motor.

Plus, the 6-foot-4, 243-pound pass rusher is still an ascending player with a well-rounded skill set. Not only is he a constant disruptive force when getting after opposing quarterbacks, but he’s also a plus-run defender. Outside of a frame that some would consider slight, Anderson doesn’t have many weaknesses. In fact, Alabama coach Nick Saban could only think of one back in April.

Miller also made an eye-opening comparison for Anderson during a recent “Get Up” segment on ESPN.

“Will Anderson is not of this earth, basically, is the answer … It’s just not fair what Will Anderson can do,” Miller said on ESPN’s Get Up. “You want to talk about comps? He’s Von Miller. 6-foot-4, 245 pounds with amazing explosiveness off the edge, great strength. He has a motor that never stops.

“No, he’s not as big as Chase Young or one of the Bosa brothers, but I think the total package you get for him as an edge rusher … he has the tools to be one of the best in the NFL within his first season. That’s why you take him over one of these quarterbacks.”

The praise can’t get much higher than that.

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