ESPN ranks Alabama LB Will Anderson Jr. No. 1 on top-100 list

Alabama was recently ranked No. 1 in the AP preseason Top 25 poll yet again. It is no surprise then, that a crucial member of the Crimson Tide defense tops a college football top-100 players list for the upcoming season, compiled on Wednesday by ESPN.

Senior writer Ryan McGee explains that voters were "presented with a series of one-on-one votes" and "more than 11,000 votes later," Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. earned the No. 1 ranking.

"Last season's Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner could be next year's No. 1 overall draft pick. The former Freshman of the Year emerged as one of the best players in college football as a sophomore, leading the country in sacks (17.5) and tackles for loss (34.5)," the article reads.

Anderson Jr. finished with 101 tackles (57 solo) in 2021 and placed 10th on the ESPN list last summer. He was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and was a consensus All-American as well.

Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young -- a fellow junior -- grabbed the second spot on the list after earning last season's Heisman Trophy. Young was ranked 21st on the ESPN list in 2021.

A pair of Ohio St. offensive forces in junior quarterback C.J. Stroud and junior wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba were ranked third and fourth respectively after not appearing on the list in 2021. Texas junior running back Bijan Robinson rounded out the top-five, shooting up from his No. 14 placing last year.