Getty Will Anderson reminds some of San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa.
Though the San Francisco 49ers didn’t have a pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft, the team of former defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, the Houston Texans, had two, holding the second and 12th selections heading into the evening’s affairs. The Texans did not, however, pick at both of those spots, as after using their first selection to draft C.J. Stroud out of Ohio State, Houston GM Nick Caserio traded up from 12 to three with the Arizona Cardinals for Alabama defensive end Will Anderson Jr., who John Crumpler of the Texans Wire believes is Ryans’ new version of Nick Bosa.
“Anderson immediately slots in as one of the foundational players of coach DeMeco Ryans’ defense and will play a huge part in pressuring quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence and Anthony Richardson in the AFC South,” Crumpler wrote. “Houston will ask him to be the team’s premier edge rusher and hopefully create pressure that allows players like Derek Stingley and Jalen Pitre to thrive in the secondary.”
Does Anderson play with the exact same style as Bosa? Not necessarily; Lance Zierlein compared the Alabama product to former Cowboy DeMarcus Ware, while Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus believes his playing style is more comparable to another former Cowboy, Randy Gregory. Still, if Anderson can become the Texans’ top edge rusher and command the same attention from opposing defenses as Bosa, Crumpler’s comparison should still stand as apt.
Drop a 🤘 if you saw it coming
Will Anderson Has ‘Pro Bowl Caliber Tools’ per Lance Zierlein
Evaluating Anderson before the draft in his NFL draft profile for NFL.com, Zierlein was incredibly impressed with what the Alabama edge rusher brings to the table, suggesting that he has all of the tools to become a Pro Bowler one day.
“Three-year starter for vaunted Alabama program with eye-popping production that encapsulates his potential impact. Anderson is well-built with long arms,” Zierlein wrote. “He has the rush get-off and skill level to consistently shave edges or pry open rush paths with inside moves. Even when he’s blocked around the arc or on the diagonal, Anderson’s footwork, cornering, and closing speed help him dive into the pocket. There is room for more growth with hand usage, and he will need to prove he can keep racking up the sack totals outside of Nick Saban’s scheme. Anderson is suited to a 3-4 front, where he can play wider to better allow his length to overcome size deficiencies at the point of attack. His traits, athleticism, and production against high-level competition are indicators of a Pro Bowl future.”
While it would be an impressive feat for Anderson to become a Pro Bowler as a rookie, it isn’t unprecedented, as Bosa was voted into the exhibition game in 2020, and two rookie cornerbacks, Sauce Gardner and Tariq Woolen, were voted into the game in 2023. If Anderson can replicate his Alabama tape in the Lone Star State, he might just be the “foundational player” Crumpler suggested.
AND WE GOT ‘EM BOTH 🤘
Nick Bosa and the San Francisco 49ers Loved DeMeco Ryans
Speaking with reporters at his locker on December 31st, 2022, ahead of his team’s Week 17 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Bosa gave a pretty ringing endorsement of Ryans as not only his defensive coordinator but in relation to every coach he’s worked under, period.
“Just the way he is as a coach and a leader is, he’s the best coach I’ve been around,” Bosa said via NBC Sports Bay Area. “I can say that, yeah, defensive coordinator, for sure. I’ve had D-line coaches, but as a defensive coordinator, (he is) easily the best one I’ve ever been around.”
To Bosa’s credit, it would appear the Texans feel that way, too, as they signed their former draftee to a six-year contract amid interest from the Arizona Cardinals. Assuming Ryans continues to be as hands-on with the Texans’ defense as he was in San Franciso, Anderson may come away with similar feelings.
Nick Bosa calls DeMeco Ryans the best defensive coordinator he has ever played for 👏