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Texans’ Will Anderson Jr. Among Favorites to Match J.J. Watt in Rare Feat

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By A. Kazmierczak | Last updated Jun 17, 2025 12:25 PM ET

Since beginning play as an expansion team in 2002, J.J. Watt is the only Houston Texans player to win a NFL sack title.

Watt accomplished the feat twice, the first coming in 2012 when he recorded 20.5 sacks, and the most recent in 2015, finishing with 17.5 sacks.

Texans third-year defensive end Will Anderson Jr. could very well join Watt this season as a sack king. In a recent article, Bleacher Report's Alex Kay believes Anderson Jr. is among five defenders that could win their first sack title in 2025.

"Although he played the same 63 percent of defensive snaps in 2024 that he did the prior season and appeared in one fewer contest due to injury, Anderson upped his sack count to 11—entering the top 10 in that category for the first of what is likely to be many times in his career." Kay wrote.

Selected No. 3 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft behind Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, Anderson Jr. registered seven sacks his rookie season. After upping his total in 2024, Kay believes his sack numbers could increase this fall.

"On the heels of earning an immensely impressive 85.1 grade from Pro Football Focus—ranking No. 10 out of 211 qualifying edge-rushers in 2024—Anderson could see a massive spike in his sack numbers by staying healthy and further building out his pass-rushing arsenal."

According to Next Gen Stats, Anderson Jr. led the NFL with a 3.7% sack rate per pass rush last season. Of course it helps that the Texans have another sack machine in Danielle Hunter, who led the team with 12 sacks last season, and should draw some of the attention off Anderson in 2025.

"With Hunter helping keep opposing offensive linemen honest, Anderson looks poised to break out and get serious Defensive Player of the Year buzz in 2025."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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