After securing the Defensive Rookie of the Year award this season, Will Anderson Jr. is champing at the bit to get back to work with the Texans. He and quarterback C.J. Stroud have re-energized the franchise with their production and leadership. Despite quickly shooting to prominence after making the jump from Alabama to the NFL, Anderson isn’t taking his foot off the gas.
“It’s no time to be comfortable, no time to be relaxed,” Anderson said at an event with Big Brothers Big Sisters. “Always on edge. There’s so much more for us to accomplish as a team.”
While helping the Texans reach the playoffs with a 10-7 record in the regular season, Anderson posted 45 tackles, seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss. He also blocked one kick.
On top of out-doing himself and surpassing his team’s 2023 record, the former first-rounder is looking forward to learning from some of the new faces the Texans brought in via free agency. Included in that group are defenders Danielle Hunter, Denico Autry, Mario Edwards Jr. and Azeez Al-Shaair.
“I’ve been so jittery,” Anderson said. “I can’t wait to get back to it because the growth that I started experiencing throughout the season, I know what to expect now, I get to learn from all the new additions they added in the room, super great vets, whole new room, so I’m excited.”
The Houston Texans are less than a month away from the 2024 NFL Draft. They don’t have a first-round pick this year, but they do have two in the second round to continue bolstering the talent on both sides of the ball.
Anderson earns Defensive Rookie of the Year
The Texans shocked NFL fans and analysts alike for snagging Will Anderson with the No. 3 overall pick after just having taken Stroud at No. 2 overall. They traded the No. 12 pick, No. 33 pick and a future first-round pick to make it happen but it was the biggest splash of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Anderson set a franchise rookie record with seven sacks this season, beating out Whitney Mercilus (2012) and Brooks Reed (2011), who each logged six. He finished the regular season with 45 total tackles and proved to be a cornerstone of Houston’s future.
Anderson became the third player in Texans history to earn the AP’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award. He joined elite company with his head coach, former LB DeMeco Ryans (2006), and LB Brian Cushing (2009).
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