HOUSTON – Texans Pro Bowl defensive end Will Anderson Jr. relentlessly chased down quarterbacks and running backs all season.
Now, the third overall pick of the draft has earned the Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year crown.
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Anderson was previously named the Pro Football Writers of America NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
He won by a large margin with 148 overall votes.
Anderson was named to the Pro Bowl as an injury replacement for Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby.
The former Alabama consensus All-American and Najurski award winner finished his rookie season with a franchise-record seven sacks along with 45 tackles, 67 pressures, 10 tackles for a loss, one pass defensed and one blocked field goal.
His 67 pressures paced all rookies in the NFL this year. After suffering a high-ankle sprain against the New York Jets, he had a pair of sacks in a win over the Tennessee Titans.
Anderson was the third rookie in franchise history to appear in the Pro Bowl, joining Jerome Mathis (2005) and Brian Cushing (2009).
Anderson Jr. joined Dunta Robinson, coach DeMeco Ryans and Cushing as Texans who have claimed the Defensive Rookie of the Year honor from the Pro Football Writers of America.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.