Getty Will Anderson Jr. on the field with Alabama in 2021 after the SEC Championship.
The Detroit Lions are considering all their options ahead of the NFL draft, and as the pre-draft visits roll in, plenty of intriguing names are coming to the forefront.
Yet another was revealed on Tuesday, April 11. NFL Network analyst Tom Pelissero revealed that the Lions would be bringing in Alabama edge prospect Will Anderson Jr. on a pre-draft visit.
As Pelissero wrote in his tweet, he sees Anderson as one of the “cleanest and most talented prospects” this year, and is someone who could be long gone by Detroit’s sixth-overall pick.
The #Lions will host Alabama edge Will Anderson Jr. for a visit later this week, per sources.
One of the draft’s cleanest and most talented prospects, Anderson figures to be gone by Detroit’s pick at No. 6. A possible candidate to trade up?
“The Lions will host Alabama edge Will Anderson Jr. for a visit later this week, per sources. One of the draft’s cleanest and most talented prospects, Anderson figures to be gone by Detroit’s pick at No. 6. A possible candidate to trade up?,” Pelissero tweeted.
Pelissero’s words make sense, because the Lions are in an interesting spot at the sixth-overall selection. The team has four picks within the first two rounds of the NFL draft, so if they see a player they like, they could certainly elect to move up.
A three spot jump in the draft order is fairly modest, and the Lions could find a way to facilitate that kind of move without dipping too far into their draft capitol. Anderson is the kind of player who could be a game-changer for a Detroit defense in need of a boost along the defensive line.
Already, some have speculated the Lions could make sense for a trade up for Anderson. With almost two weeks left until the draft, the wait is almost over to see how things play out.
Cardinals Analyst: Lions ‘Dark Horse’ for Trade
Outside of him slipping from the top-five, the only way the Lions could land Anderson is a potential trade forward in the draft. Interestingly enough, the Arizona Cardinals could be open for such a move.
The Cardinals have the third-overall pick, and that could be up for auction ahead of the draft. Plenty of teams could have interest in a move forward for plenty of reasons, but as Andy Kwong of Arizona’s SB Nation site Revenge of The Birds pointed out on Twitter, the Lions could be one of the squads not guaranteed to go quarterback in such a scenario.
“The Lions are a dark-horse team to trade up to the Cardinals No. 3 pick. Not necessarily to trade up for a QB but to leap frog the Seattle Seahawks, who own the No. 5 overall pick, for Will Anderson. Colts will take a QB either in a trade up or at No. 4,” Kwong tweeted.
If the Lions did trade up because Anderson was on the board, it could be a situation where Detroit lands the best overall defensive prospect for the second season in a row. Aidan Hutchinson, the second-overall pick in 2022, fit that billing last season.
Another player Detroit could wish to beat Seattle to the punch on? Defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who could be in the mix for a top-five selection. Carter has also visited the team pre-draft, but has a bit more baggage attached to his name thanks to some of his off-the-field issues.
Logistically, this could mean that if the Lions make the move up, Anderson could be the target given not only his talent, but his fit with the team. Pairing him with Hutchinson could give the Lions a potential dynamic defensive duo in the making to rush the quarterback.
Will Anderson Jr.’s College Stats & Highlights
Anderson seems like a very plausible pick for the Lions if they did move up or he slipped, given the team’s needs on defense. He has been a game wrecker in college while playing for the Crimson Tide, and that includes the 2022 season.
The defender has taken on the look of one of the most fearsome pass rushers in the college game in short order, and his production has been incredible on the field statistically.
During his recent two-year career with Alabama, Anderson put up some eye-popping totals coming into 2022, namely 153 tackles, 24.5 sacks and 41.5 tackles for loss. All of that work led to the player taking home major hardware, namely the Bronko Nagurski Award and 2021 SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Here’s some of his top highlights so far:
Anderson enjoyed a solid junior season, putting up 51 tackles, 10 sacks and one interception. That statistical work when combined with his obvious talent is almost certain to lead to a potential top-five selection in 2023.
Already, some are wondering what the fit of Anderson in Detroit could be, and wondering if the Lions could be intrigued enough by the prospect to make a move forward in the NFL draft.