2023 NFL Draft: Will Anderson - Alabama Edge Rusher
Will Anderson - Alabama
Strengths:
1. Edge Rushing - Edge rushing encompasses so many different aspects of the game, but Anderson is just good at all of them. His quickness off the line, linear and lateral acceleration, speed on stunts, bend on the outside, an pad level are all impressive when he is pass rushing from outside the tackle.
2. Hand Speed and Placement - Anderson knows how to use his arms and hands to his advantage on most plays. He almost always gets his hands on linemen before they react, and he knows how to use that leverage to slip into the pocket or create pressure from the outside.
3. Lateral Quickness - His single-step displacement and speed when moving laterally, and ability to then accelerate again is unbelievable. This is what truly separates Anderson from other great pass rushers. His acceleration laterally at his size is unparalleled in this draft class.
Weaknesses:
1. Shedding Inside Blocks - He occasionally gets held up when going inside on the run game or lining up across from a guard.
2. B-Gap - He does not have the strength or reliable inside moves to be as effective lining up as an interior defensive lineman. From the outside, he shows effectiveness shooting the B-gap, but is typically better at collapsing the pocket from the edge.
3. Pure Strength - If he gets stood up at the line, his move will not be effective. He is quick to recover and make a second move, but he can get tossed a bit by bigger tackles, especially in the run game. Gaining just a little bit of mass and overall strength will help his game in all facets.
Grade: Top 5 Pick
Pro Comparison: Von Miller
They are very similar skillsets coming out, although Miller could be considered better in run defense.
Film Notes:
Ole Miss (11/12/2022)
Drop step, but got the outside on tackle. Excellent burst off the line. Power on first step. Good balance at the line. Quickness for his size is unreal. Recognizes when to be patient in run game. Dropped in coverage. Great situational awareness with tackle angles. Single-step lateral burst is outstanding. Great hand placement before second move on left tackle. Quick feet. If first move does not work, second does. Blatant missed tackle in open space on quarterback. Decent bull rush, but beginning to look fatigued. Fluid hip flip to catch up with crosser. Great sack on inside stunt. Stuck on block in run game a couple of times. Lacks raw strength to pull off of blocks in the run game. Will not even be able to get an arm out at times. Mixed stances on line. Better outside than inside. Got off block from center quickly. Excellent single step power. Quick hand motions conceal pass rush move.
Mississippi State (10/22/2022)
Held up by right tackle. Good use of arms on inside move. Got off block to slow down runner. Good burst through B-gap on stunt. Closing speed slower than normal. Great power after two steps on inside stunt. Good acceleration up the middle. Great first step. First off the line. Great use of arms. Great bend off the edge. Excellent lean and body control. Near optimal pad level on most plays. Takes the edge much better than the inside. Great hand placement to maximize length on bull. Good closing speed. Lateral quickness and use of hands is excellent on sack. Great use of hands on edge rush. Good bull rush for size. Such a violent edge rusher with his hands. Got off block to fill a hole in a zone run. Gets under tackle's pads in one-on-one bull rush. Arms are so effective on a variety of different pass rush moves. Good bull rush against two late into fourth quarter after playing all game.
Tennessee (10/15/2022)
Good motor. Always good second efforts. Inside power to push back two stemming from great pad level and lean. Good use of shoulders to get through high block and make inside tackle. Attempts to out-muscle tackle when locked, which will never work for him. Not as effective inside tackle, seen on multiple plays. Generates pressure consistently from the edge. Good closing speed unblocked. Incredible bull rush, gripping with both hands to drive tackle back into Hooker. Excellent rip to get right by tackle with perfect hand placement. Pad level stayed low to push tackle back in the run game. Needs to be doubled when shooting B-gap from the edge.
Alignment:
A-Gap - Only took one snap from the nose in 2022.
B-Gap - When lining up inside of the tackles, he cannot use his agility and quickness as much to his advantage. Weighing under 250lbs, the interior is not where he will ever play consistently.
4/5-Tech - He did not find as much success as a 3-4 end without additional pressure coming from the outside. He did have success lining up over the tackle at times, but he is better suited to play outside the tackle.
Edge - This is going to be the ideal position for Anderson in the NFL. He wins frequently off of the edge in the pass rush, and has an incredible amount of versatility from the position. He can drop back in coverage, and is seemingly better in the run game when starting outside the tackle.
Off-Ball - Playing off-ball linebacker wastes his primary skillset.
Attributes (Grade/10):
Attributes | Bend | 8 |
Burst | 9 | |
Motor | 10 |
Bend: This is one of the few areas related to agility where he can improve. While his balance, forward lean, pad level, and lateral acceleration are excellent, his bend is not as impressive as his other traits indicate it could be. If he can learn how to better bend to penetrate the pocket from the outside, then he will get even better at his primary strength.
Burst: Usually his burst is great. He has many reps where he is first off the line, powerful, and can accelerate quickly on stunts and after other lateral moves. There are also some reps where this is not the case, so becoming consistent with his get-off will make him a better, more consistent player from anywhere on the line.
Motor: Stopping is not an option. He will keep driving until the ball is thrown.
Skillset | Pass Rush | 9.5 |
Run Defense | 7.5 | |
Coverage | NA |
Pass Rush: He generates some form of pressure on so many plays. His ability to win outside along with his threat of cutting back inside with his incredible quickness makes him a menace from the edge. A little more strength would certainly help his game, but he is plenty strong to be consistently effective at the NFL level already.
Run Defense: Despite failing to wrap up on occasion and some trouble getting off of run blocks down the middle, he is still surprisingly effective when shooting inside from the edge. This is not one of his main strengths, but could certainly become a strong part of his game.
Coverage: He dropped back into coverage occasionally, but never saw action in games observed.
Hands | Placement | 9.5 |
Effectiveness | 9 | |
Quickness | 10 |
Placement: He knows where to put his hands, and gets them there in a hurry. He maximizes his effectiveness on bull rushes, rips, and taking the outside by optimizing hand placement.
Effectiveness: The only reason his effectiveness is not a 10/10 is because he is not as strong as many other defensive ends. If his hands gained a bit of strength on his grip so that he could more easily control the movement of bigger tackles, then his hand effectiveness overall would be among the best in the game.
Quickness: Fastest hands in the game as seen play after play, regardless of pass-rush move.
Line Control | Strength | 7 |
Balance | 10 |
Strength: While Anderson has shown a decent bull rush, his strength is by no means elite. His strength is not a concern, but developing physically throughout his first few years in the NFL would be beneficial.
Balance: Anderson can alter his body angle and never lose balance. He simply wins on the line from the outside, and is always in position to quickly make a second move if the first one is unsuccessful.
Pass-Rush Decisions | Versatility | 8 |
Technique | 9 | |
Execution | 8.5 |
Versatility: Adding some go-to moves when he goes through the B-gap could help his effectiveness inside. It is a moot point for when he comes off of the edge, but his typical hand aggression and tenacity is not as effective up the middle as it is from the outside.
Technique: Pad level, hand placement, and timing are all excellent on the majority of plays. There are times throughout his tape where this is not as consistent, but it should become a 10/10 with a bit more coaching and experience.
Execution: His numbers are not as good as his status as a prospect would indicate. More reps will assist in execution more than anything when playing in the NFL.
Traits | Agility | 10 |
Athleticism | 10 | |
Length | 8 |
Agility: Unbelievable lateral displacement and burst while staying low enough to accelerate after.
Athleticism: Top caliber athlete. Reports of him going from 0 to 10.7mph in 5-yards at 245lbs show his burst. He clocked a 4.57 40-yard-dash, and is simply an outlier athlete.
Full Report:
Anderson will and should be a top three non-quarterback taken, if not first overall. He is a rare specimen who does just about everything well. His quickness is remarkable for his size. Lateral agility, pure acceleration, and hand quickness to reliably gain leverage on bigger offensive tackles make him one of the most dangerous edge prospects in years. His bull rush is considerably good for 243lbs, and his ability to maximize his length with great lean and pad level make it that much more dangerous. He has strong, fast, and effective hands, and will always make a second move if the first does not work. The second move is almost always effective as he resorts to his quickness and bend, which are no match for most offensive tackles. He can generate pressure when doubled, and his footwork on stunts is efficient. Generating over 200 pressures over his last three years, there is a reason he is widely considered the best prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft. With all of that said, there are still areas where he can improve. Occasionally when he is locked up by a tackle one-on-one, he pops up and attempts to out-muscle his opponent. This will never work at his size unless he uses his speed to generate power and rip, which he is exceptionally good at doing with his typically sound hand placement. He also does not provide much consistently when starting inside. This comes from a lack of pass moves that do not require bend, speed, or quick hands of some sort. He will not be asked to line up as an interior defensive lineman frequently, but gaining some strength and learning some better inside pass rush moves will be beneficial if playing for a team that likes to mix up their fronts. He is best suited from the edge where he can use his explosiveness and aggression to get outside around the tackle, or cut inside on a stunt or rip. In the run game, he can certainly improve his tackling when coming inside from the edge. He also is prone to getting locked up and pushed back to the point where he cannot extend off of the block to slow down the runner inside. He is great at closing the distance on outside runs, but he is overall more effective in the passing game. His areas of concern are minimal, and it is expected that the 21-year-old will gain strength throughout his first few years in the NFL. His skillset is polished with some of the best hands in the game at the line, and he will be an asset to any team in the NFL. He can play 4-3 end or 3-4 OLB, with experience dropping back in coverage occasionally if need be. He is an elite prospect who should not fall outside of the top 5 picks of any NFL draft.
NFL Projection:
Will Anderson will go top 5, and become over of the better pass rushers in the NFL. If he gains a bit of strength and improves his run defense, he could have a career similar to that of Von Miller. Essentially, with his unique traits, motor, and overall skillset, the sky is the limit for Will Anderson.
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