Will Anderson Jr.

TRANSACTIONS: Selected by the Houston Texans with the third overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.

TRANSACTIONS: Selected by the Houston Texans with the third overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.

HONORS:

• PFWA Defensive Rookie of the Year (2023)
• AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2023)
• Named to the 2023 Pro Bowl

2023 (Houston 15/13, 2/2):

• Started in 13-of-15 games played as a rookie and notched 45 tackles (29 solo), 10 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, 22 quarterback hits and one pass defensed
• Made his first career start against Baltimore (9/10), totaling six tackles (four solo), two quarterback hits, 1.0 sack and one tackle for loss, becoming the first rookie in Texans history to record a sack in Week 1
• Per Next Gen Stats, Anderson's six quarterback pressures were the most by a rookie in Week 1 since Nick Bosa and Josh Allen in 2019, and his six defensive stops are tied for the most by a rookie edge rusher in Week 1 since the stat was tracked (2016)
• Becomes the seventh Texan in franchise history to record a sack in their NFL debut, joining DE Duke Ejiofor, LB LaTroy Lewis, DE Alfred Malone, CB Chris McKenzie, DE Charles Omenihu and LB Shantee Orr
• Blocked a field goal from K Brandon McManus in Week 3 at Jacksonville (9/24) with 12:02 remaining in the second quarter, becoming the first Texans rookie to block a field goal since DE J.J. Watt in 2011 and the first Texan to block a field goal since S Justin Reid in Week 6 vs. the Titans (10/18/20)
• Anderson Jr. is the only rookie to block a field goal in the 2023 season
• With 2.0 sacks, four quarterback hits, two tackles for loss and one pass defensed vs. Denver (12/3), Anderson Jr. now joins Khalil Mack and Micah Parsons as the only players to record or exceed at least 2.0 sacks, two tackles for loss, four quarterback hits and one pass defensed in a single game this season, and he joins J.J. Watt and Jaelan Phillips as the only rookies with such a performance dating back to 1933
• Became the eighth rookie in Texans history to record multiple sacks in a game, the last of which was Nate Hall on 11/26/20 at Detroit
• With 2.0 sacks vs. Tennessee (12/31), Anderson Jr. now holds the franchise record for most sacks by a Texans rookie in a single season (7.0) surpassing Whitney Mercilus and Brooks Reed (6.0)
• Joins Whitney Mercilus (2012) as the only other Texan to have multiple games with 2.0 or more sacks in their rookie season
• At the conclusion of the 2023 season, Anderson Jr. ranked fourth among all rookie sack leaders trailing only NT Kobie Turner (9.0), LB Byron Young (8.0) and LB Yaya Diaby (7.5) and his 67 pressures led all rookies in the NFL this year
• Notched three tackles (two solo), 1.0 sack, one quarterback hit and one tackle for loss in the AFC Wild Card win vs. Cleveland (1/13), and now joins Brooks Reed, J.J. Watt and D.J. Reader as the only rookies in franchise history to record a sack in a playoff game
• Tallied one tackle, one tackle for loss and one quarterback hit in the Divisional round at Baltimore (1/20)

COLLEGE:

• Spent three seasons (2020-22) at Alabama, where he played in all 41 games and recorded 205 total tackles (115 solo), including 62 tackles for loss and 34.5 sacks. Additionally, he recorded five passes defensed, one interception for a touchdown and one forced fumble
• Finished his career at Alabama ranked second in school history on the career sacks (34.5) and tackles for loss (62) list, trailing only Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Thomas
• Two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2021-22) voted by Associated Press and league coaches
• Recipient of the 2022 Chuck Bednarik Award, presented to the nation's top defender
• Two-time Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner (2021-22), becoming only the second player in the award's history to win it twice
• 2021 College Football Playoff National Champion and Defensive Player of the Game

2022 (Alabama):

• Played in 13 games and recorded 51 total tackles (24 solo), including 17 tackles for loss and 10.0 sacks. Also recorded two passes defensed and one interception
• Led the SEC and tied for sixth in the country in sacks with 10.0 (-54 yards)
• First team All-American at linebacker by CBS Sports and USA Today and at edge defender by ESPN.com and Pro Football Focus
• Paced the conference and tied for eighth nationally with 17 tackles for loss (-72 yards)
• Contributed a team-leading 12 quarterback hurries
• Recorded a blocked field goal and an interception that he returned 25 yards for a touchdown

2021 (Alabama):

• Played in 15 games and totaled 102 tackles (58 solo), 34.5 tackles for loss, 17.5 sacks and three passes defensed
• Unanimous first team All-American (AFCA, Associated Press, FWAA, The Sporting News, Walter Camp)
• Earned first-team honors from CBS Sports, ESPN.com, Pro Football Focus and USA Today
• Selected as one of the Crimson Tide's permanent team captains for the 2021
• Led the nation in tackles for loss with 34.5 (-148 yards), a total that finished second in the Alabama single-season ranks
• Contributed 17.5 sacks (-108 yards) to pace all Division I defenders and rank third in UA single-season history

2020 (Alabama):

• Appeared in 13 games and notched 52 total tackles (33 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks and one forced fumble
• Named to the SEC All-Freshman Team
• Earned second team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press

PERSONAL:

• A consensus four-star prospect by all major outlets
• Coached by Clifford Fedd at Dutchtown High School in Hampton, Ga.
• Signed with the Crimson Tide over Auburn, LSU and Tennessee among his nearly 40 offers
• Loves to fish
• Has five older sisters