- Danielle Hunter is ecstatic about joining the Houston Texans. He began to draw interest in the franchise after attending its blowout Wild Card victory over the Cleveland Browns in January. Two months later, his fondness for the franchise grew after meeting coach Demeco Ryans for the first time.
But when it comes to his new teammates, Hunter became more intrigued by the Texans due to the potential pairing with Will Anderson Jr.
Hunter watched Anderson from afar during his final season with the Minnesota Vikings. He became impressed by Anderson, who established himself as a prominent defensive end during his rookie season.
Hunter's respect for the former Alabama prospect grew once the two parties met for the first time inside NRG Stadium Thursday afternoon.
"That kid right there, he's exciting," Hunter said. "Has a lot of tools. I was with him earlier, and he just can't stop jumping, how eager he is to go out there and rush the passer together. Very good kid. I'm excited just to be able to go out there and teach him a lot of things that I know and become a better player. And same, I can learn from him, also.”
The promise Hunter saw in Anderson led to the second-year pass rusher winning Defensive Rookie of the Year after an impressive first season, which also included his first Pro Bowl nod at the end of the 2023 season.
Anderson notched 45 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 67 pressures, 7.0 sacks, one pass deflection and one blocked field goal across 15 games. His 7.0 sacks set a new rookie franchise record for most sacks in a single season. He also led all rookies in pressures.
Anderson had several memorable performances throughout the 2023 season. However, his best may have come during the Texans' Week 13 victory against the Denver Broncos on Dec. 3.
He recorded five tackles, three tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, four quarterback hits, two tackles for loss and one pass deflection, which led to an interception for cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. inside NRG Stadium.
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