Will Anderson Jr. Ain’t No Micah Parsons

Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr. is one of the most hyped NFL Draft prospects we’ve seen.

This linebacker is also one of the biggest disappointments I’ve seen in 40 years of watching the game.

Anderson has a huge football resume, but a number of games in 2022 haven’t lived up to the hype.

It’s no secret I was the toughest grader in America on Micah Parsons coming out of Penn State. I ended up giving him a first-round pre-draft grade, but I never warmed up to his sluggish motor.

Anderson has that same kind of sluggish motor, which is what will make him a bust in the NFL.

Why do I say that?

Parsons can turn it on and still make plays with his 4.39 (40-yard-dash) speed.

Anderson runs a 4.60.

What’s the difference between a 4.39 and a 4.60?

It’s like the difference between drinking a cold beer versus drinking one at room temperature.

The saving grace for Parsons has been his speed and ending up on a playoff-caliber team.

If Anderson goes top-10, he will have neither thing going for him.

We may never hear from Anderson again if he goes to a team that has a losing record, because he doesn’t play like football is important to him.

10 games

Including the three games listed below, I’ve now evaluated Anderson in 10 games (2021–2022). In these 10 games, there is nothing that screams first-round.

I am including a summary of the most three recent games evaluated.

Nobody can look at these three games and tell me he looks like a first-round pick.

Why then is Anderson considered a first-round pick by over 95% of NFL Draft platforms?

If he isn’t wrecking Utah State, what leads us to believe he’s going to wreck the NFL?

The game film doesn’t lie.

Will Anderson Jr. vs. Utah State

September 3, 2022

Stats: 5 tackles (3 solo, 2 assists), 0 sacks

In a 55-0 Alabama win, Anderson had one pressure when he beat the left tackle and got to the quarterback after he threw.

He made one blow-up tackle for a loss against the run.

Outside of that, he made a handful of assists, one tackle when he was able to push off a blocker and make the tackle on his edge, and another one he chased it down unblocked from behind.

Will Anderson Jr. vs. Mississippi State

October 22, 2022

Stats: 4 tackles (2 solo, 2 assists), 1 sack

Anderson was active rushing the passer. Got a sack when he beat the right tackle through the backdoor and had enough time to make a rounded change of direction to close the deal. He used his hands better and showed serious bullrush power. He also stalled out easily on the edge and 12x on inside stunt rush attempts.

Anderson was not that active against the run.

Will Anderson Jr. vs. Ole Miss

November 12, 2022

Stats: 4 tackles (2 solo, 2 assists), 1 sack

Anderson’s one sack came stunting inside on a clean shot. He generated some light pressure on a number of reps. There was a missed sack because he couldn’t adjust quickly enough in the pocket.

He was soft against the run, making four solid run stops, but the rest of his reps were scored negative or neutral.

Anderson looked sluggish and uninspired.

#31 Will Anderson Jr. 6-foot-4, 234 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Final 2023 NFL Draft Grade: Second-Round (I would not select him)

Bust Probability: High

2021 stats: 101 tackles (57 solo, 44 assists), 3 passes defended, 17.5 sacks

2022 stats: 51 tackles (24 solo, 27 assists), 1 pass defended, 10.0 sacks

Note: The following evaluation is based on the study of these three games (Utah State, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State)

2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Opportunistic physically strong pass rusher who has long arms, heavy hands and a sputtering motor. Vanilla pass rush. Flashed head fake. Struggled winning the edge. Flips from side to side standing up and with his hand down in the dirt. Relies on raw power, and gives up too easily. Inconsistent hand usage. Looks to get into inside gaps and take the least path of resistance. Draws a good number of double teams. Stiff and rigid. Can’t make quick adjustments in the pocket. Extremely limited pass coverage reps. Doesn’t show he cares much about the run. Solid wrapping tackler when he feels like it.

Final words

A brute power bully who loses interest in the game easily.

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He currently writes for Sports Illustrated New York Jets and he is the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.