Texans' Rookie Will Anderson Jr. Has 'Really Good Feel' vs. Screen Passes

Houston Texans pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. continues to impress in his first Training Camp.

No. 3 overall pick Will Anderson Jr. has drawn quite a bit of praise from his coaching staff during his first Training Camp with the Houston Texans, a positive sign as the team tries to change the culture after winning just 11 games over the last three season. 

Earlier this week, coach DeMeco Ryans lauded the "tenacity" that Anderson brings to the team. Defensive coordinator Matt Burke got even more specific in his praise for the rookie pass rusher, citing how quickly he's shown an ability to defend screen passes. 

“Yeah, the screens he has got a really good feel for, actually,” Burke said. “He just kind of has a pretty quick feel on those, but we ask our whole [defensive] line to turn and run to the ball. Like, that’s sort of like a calling card of what we ask those guys to do, and so he’s embraced that along with most of the group.”

The Texans will see Travis Etienne and the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars twice this season, among other teams that they'll need to be able to defend the screen pass against. Certainly, it's encouraging that Anderson seems invested in defending screen passes, and making an impact in more areas than just the pass rush. 

In general, it's a very good sign that all the buzz surrounding Anderson appears to be positive. Obviously, when you use the No. 3 overall pick on any player, you expect an immediate impact. But there's arguably even more pressure on Anderson given that the Texans traded their 2024 first-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals, so he'll likely be compared to whatever that selection turns into. 

Anderson -- taken a pick after Houston selected quarterback C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 pick -- had a decorated collegiate career at Alabama. A unanimous All-American in both 2021 and 2022, Anderson had 204 total tackles, 58.5 tackles for a loss and 34.5 sacks in three seasons for the Crimson Tide. He'll now attempt to become a stalwart on the defense that Ryans and Burke are building in Houston. 

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