Alabama Linebacker Will Anderson Jr. Leaves Mercer Game with Injury

The sophomore linebacker left the game in the third quarter.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. —Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. has headed to the locker room after an apparent knee injury against Mercer. It looked like Anderson might have taken a helmet to the knee on the play where he left the field.

Anderson exited the game in the third quarter and headed to the medical tent. He then headed to the locker roomed flanked by medical staff, but in an encouraging sign, he was able to walk there under his own power. The sophomore linebacker did not return to the game. 

"Will Anderson went out," Nick Saban said in the postgame. "We’re checking on his knee. He’s questionable as to what his circumstance will be here this week.”

Before leaving the game, Anderson had three tackles including a tackle for loss. He was part of a Crimson Tide line that has been putting pressure on the Mercer backfield all game. 

After a breakout freshman season, Anderson received a lot of offseason hype. He is a preseason first team all-American and also on the preseason watchlists for the Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Walter Camp Award and Lombardi Award. 

Last season, Anderson was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team, earned second team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press, finished third in the SEC in sacks with seven and started all 13 games as a true freshman.

Alabama's depth at outside linebacker has already been tested with the injury to Christopher Allen against Miami. The redshirt senior injured his foot against the Hurricanes and had season-ending surgery this week. Drew Sanders and Chris Braswell have been playing in replacement of Allen and Anderson.