Throughout the Nick Saban era, dominant defenders made a name for themselves at Alabama. However, there were not many players better than Crimson Tide legendary pass rusher Will Anderson Jr., who made a habit of terrorizing opposing quarterbacks in college.
Once he reached the next level, not a whole lot changed for Anderson.
The No. 3 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Houston Texans — coached by fellow Alabama legend DeMeco Ryans — Anderson has really started to come into his own.
After his best season yet in 2025, Anderson was nominated for one of the most prestigious honors in football, the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award.
Along with some of the best players in the league such as Aidan Hutchinson, Myles Garrett and Micah Parsons, Anderson is now being recognized right in that same category.
With 12 sacks and 85 quarterback pressures this season, he was second in the league in both categories.
In just three seasons, Anderson has already recorded 30 sacks and has begun his ascension into one of the most feared pass rushers in all of football.
The sky appears to be the limit for him, and no matter how far he takes his career, he likely is going to continue repping Alabama as he does it.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
