Texans' EDGE Will Anderson Jr.: 'They Sleep on My Power'

Houston Texans rookie edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. breaks down his play-style and goals for every rep.

NFL analysts constantly said before the 2022 NFL Draft that Alabama sophomore edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. would be the first defensive player off the board because of his relentless speed and power. One year later, that's exactly what happened, when the Houston Texans traded up for the third overall pick.

The 6-foot-4, 253-pound rookie thinks a lot of teams will assume his speed is his main asset, but explained that's not the case.

"They sleep on my power," Anderson said during Wednesday's press conference. "They see me and say 'Oh, he's probably just a speed guy' and then BOOM I hit them with power to counter. It's good having that speed and power because a lot of people wouldn't think my body type would have that."

Anderson explained his pre-snap mentality and how he uses his speed and power on the first step.

"The coaches really emphasize hand placement," Anderson said. "Just making sure your hands are right on the breastplate of the O-tackle, but not putting your hands too high where he can get underneath you. Those are things you watch on film and when you come back you get better."

Despite recording 48 tackles for loss and 27.5 sacks over his last two seasons at Alabama, Anderson admitted that there's no such thing as a perfect rep.

"Even the reps that you beat somebody could've been better," Anderson said. "I'm always hard on myself thinking 'what could I have done better on this rep, even though I won and vice versa when I lose.'"

Anderson explained that the coaches had done an excellent job of showing him how to watch film "closely and slowly," as he found the most important asset for his game.

"My first step, my lunge, is one of the biggest things my coaches talk about," Anderson said. "Just having that first step and getting my footwork right—one, two, down, close—I just want to be precise with my details."

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