HOUSTON – The Texans landed their highest-graded pass rusher in the draft, trading up with the Arizona Cardinals to select Alabama All-American edge Will Anderson Jr.
The Texans, after drafting Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud second overall, traded with the Arizona Cardinals to draft Anderson third overall. The Texans exchanged 12th overall, 33rd overall selections, their own 2024 first-round and third-round picks, and Cardinals also send 105th overall pick
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“I’m just super blessed, super excited to be a part of something so special and a part of a lot of great defensive minds that just share the same mindset and mentality,” Anderson said in a virtual press conference from the draft in Kansas City. “To go from one coach like Coach Saban to another coach (DeMeco Ryans) that was at ‘Bama and knows the process and knows the standard and has the expectation, that’s exactly what I needed.”
Anderson Jr. plays the game with a dynamic, relentless style, chasing down quarterbacks with skill and determination.
He was in heavy demand, visiting the Seattle Seahawks, the Texans and the Detroit Lions, per league sources.
Anderson met with the Chicago Bears and the Texans at the scouting combine among others.
“It was fun,” Anderson said of his meeting with Texans general manager Nick Caserio at the combine. “We just went in there and watched tape, got to know each other. I’m very excited about the Texans as well.”
The 6-foot-4, 243-pound Georgia native also won the Bednarik and Lombardi awards and the Lott Trophy and was a two-time consensus All-American and Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
Anderson recorded 34 1/2 career sacks, one interception, 204 tackles and one forced fumble. He had 10 sacks last season and 17 1/2 sacks in 2021.
His favorite pass rushing move: the forklift.
“I love the forklift move, I like to watch Nick Bosa a lot,” Anderson said. “I like the way he does his bull-swipe I try to implement that into my game.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com