Tag: Will Anderson Jr.

4-Down Territory Live Mock Draft: Doug and Kyle pick the first round!

This week, Doug Farrar and Kyle Madson of “4-Down Territory” give you a live, first-round mock draft captured on video!

It’s Mock Draft Season everywhere, and that’s no different at 4-Down Territory HQ. Instead of their normal four-subject video, Doug Farrar and Kyle Madson break out of the format with their own first-round mock, all captured on video with the help of Pro Football Focus’ outstanding Mock Draft Simulator.

The rules for this live mock were pretty simple: Doug and Kyle alternated picks with Kyle taking the odd-numbered picks, and Doug taking the even-numbered ones. There weren’t any trades in this particular mock, but there was one major quarterback deal, with the Colts signing Lamar Jackson to a massive offer sheet, the Ravens refusing to match it, and Baltimore getting two first-round picks in the bargain, including Indy’s fourth-overall selection.

So, here’s the entire mock on video, and all the picks below, with Doug and Kyle explaining themselves!

Cletis Cutts’ 2023 NFL mock draft

Cletis Cutts releases our 2023 NFL mock draft.

Cletis Cutts presents our latest NFL mock draft of 2023. Sound off on social media to let us know your thoughts, and be sure to check our 2023 NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of the offerings.

2023 NFL Mock Draft

*Note: Miami forfeited its No. 21 overall selection for tampering.

Pick NFL team Pos Player School
1 Carolina Panthers (via CHI) QB C.J. Stroud Ohio State
2 Houston Texans QB Bryce Young Alabama
3 Arizona Cardinals EDGE Will Anderson Jr. Alabama
4 Indianapolis Colts QB Anthony Richardson Florida
5 Seattle Seahawks (via DEN) EDGE Tyree Wilson Texas Tech
6 Detroit Lions (via LAR) DT Jalen Carter Georgia
7 Las Vegas Raiders CB Christian Gonzalez Oregon
8 Atlanta Falcons EDGE Lukas Van Ness Iowa
9 Chicago Bears (via CAR) OT Paris Johnson Jr. Ohio State
10 Philadelphia Eagles (via NO) OT Broderick Jones Georgia
11 Tennessee Titans OT Peter Skoronski Northwestern
12 Houston Texans (via CLE) WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba Ohio State
13 New York Jets OT Darnell Wright Tennessee
14 New England Patriots CB Devon Witherspoon Illinois
15 Green Bay Packers EDGE Nolan Smith Georgia
16 Washington Commanders QB Will Levis Kentucky
17 Pittsburgh Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. Penn State
18 Detroit Lions TE Michael Mayer Notre Dame
19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers OT Cody Mauch North Dakota State
20 Seattle Seahawks CB Emmanuel Forbes Mississippi State
21 Los Angeles Chargers DT Mazi Smith Michigan
22 Baltimore Ravens WR Zay Flowers Boston College
23 Minnesota Vikings CB Deonte Banks Maryland
24 Jacksonville Jaguars OG O’Cyrus Torrence Florida
25 New York Giants WR Quentin Johnston TCU
26 Dallas Cowboys RB Bijan Robinson Texas
27 Buffalo Bills DT Bryan Bresee Clemson
28 Cincinnati Bengals CB Brian Branch Alabama
29 New Orleans Saints (from SF>MIA>DEN) DT Calijah Kancey Pittsburgh
30 Philadelphia Eagles EDGE BJ Ojulari LSU
31 Kansas City Chiefs EDGE Myles Murphy Clemson

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2023 NFL mock draft: David Dorey

The Huddle’s David Dorey releases his first NFL mock draft of 2023.

David Dorey’s first mock draft of 2023 is now out. Sound off on social media and let us know what you think.

We’ll be unveiling several more mock drafts leading up to the real thing, so be sure to check back with our 2023 NFL Draft Central page to keep track of all of our offerings.

2023 NFL Mock Draft: Round 1

*Note: Miami forfeited its No. 21 overall selection for tampering.

Pick NFL team Pos Player School
1 Carolina Panthers (via CHI) QB C.J. Stroud Ohio State
2 Houston Texans QB Bryce Young Alabama
3 Arizona Cardinals EDGE Will Anderson Jr. Alabama
4 Indianapolis Colts QB Anthony Richardson Florida
5 Seattle Seahawks (via DEN) DT Jalen Carter Georgia
6 Detroit Lions (via LAR) CB Devon Witherspoon Illinois
7 Las Vegas Raiders OT Peter Skoronski Northwestern
8 Atlanta Falcons EDGE Myles Murphy Clemson
9 Chicago Bears (via CAR) EDGE Nolan Smith Georgia
10 Philadelphia Eagles (via NO) CB Christian Gonzalez Oregon
11 Tennessee Titans QB Will Levis Kentucky
12 Houston Texans (via CLE) WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba Ohio State
13 New York Jets OT Darnell Wright Tennessee
14 New England Patriots CB Joey Porter Jr. Penn State
15 Green Bay Packers EDGE Tyree Wilson Texas Tech
16 Washington Commanders CB/S Brian Branch Alabama
17 Pittsburgh Steelers CB Deonte Banks Maryland
18 Detroit Lions TE Michael Mayer Notre Dame
19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers OT Broderick Jones Georgia
20 Seattle Seahawks DT Calijah Kancey Pittsburgh
21 Los Angeles Chargers WR Quentin Johnston TCU
22 Baltimore Ravens WR Jordan Addison USC
23 Minnesota Vikings CB Emmanuel Forbes Mississippi State
24 Jacksonville Jaguars WR Zay Flowers Boston College
25 New York Giants WR Jalin Hyatt Tennessee
26 Dallas Cowboys RB Bijan Robinson Texas
27 Buffalo Bills EDGE Lukas Van Ness Iowa
28 Cincinnati Bengals TE Dalton Kincaid Utah
29 New Orleans Saints (from SF>MIA>DEN) RB Jahmyr Gibbs Alabama
30 Philadelphia Eagles OG O’Cyrus Torrence Florida
31 Kansas City Chiefs OT Paris Johnson Jr. Ohio State

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The Houston Texans should consider Will Anderson Jr. at No. 2 overall

The Houston Texans have been linked to man quarterbacks in the draft process, but should they consider Will Anderson Jr.?

The Houston Texans currently hold the second overall selection of the 2023 NFL draft and most analysts expect the franchise to take a quarterback. Houston has been connected to Bryce Young of Alabama and Ohio State‘s C.J. Stroud, basically whoever the Carolina Panthers don’t select with he first pick.

Davis Mills and Case keen are currently the two quarterbacks on the roster that could compete for a starting job, but a franchise player is needed at the position for the rebuilding team.

Well, maybe the front office decides to go in a different direction.

John Dillon of the Texans Wire argues that Young and Stroud are great prospects, but the quarterback class is deep and arguably the best player in the draft will be available.

“While Young and Stroud may be the best quarterbacks in this class, that does not always reflect status on a big board. The overwhelming value of the quarterback position is unquestionable in the modern game, but neither Young nor Stroud sit atop most draft boards.

“Instead, Young’s teammate Will Anderson, a polished edge rusher with all the tools and credentials a scout could ever dream of, stands alone as the single most promising prospect in the 2023 draft class. His pedigree is the stuff of legend, and if the Panthers and Texans weren’t so desperately in need of quarterbacks, Anderson would be a natural selection with the first overall pick.”

Dillon understand this is an unpopular opinion among Texans fans, but that it would be best possible move for the franchise.

“Anderson is not only the logical choice for the Texans with their second overall pick, he would be the right choice. Anderson would immediately bolster their lackluster pass rush and secure Houston’s flailing defense a legitimate star-in-the-making who could make an immediate and positive impact for the Texans.”

He goes onto explain that any quarterback drafted into the current offensive situation could be set up for failure. Dillon states that a quarterback needs weapons to throw to and a supporting cast to elevate him. Anderson, however, carries a strong defensive presence that doesn’t require the level of support any quarterback would need.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Anderson, Young and other former Alabama players preparing for the 2023 NFL draft.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

PFF: EDGE is the Seahawks’ greatest roster need after free agency

According to Pro Football Focus, Seattle’s greatest roster need after free agency is the EDGE.

The Seahawks put together a strong 2023 free agent class, adding youth to their interior defensive line rotation and bringing Bobby Wagner back to anchor their linebacker group. There may still be another signing or two, but with exactly one month to go before the 2023 NFL draft that’s where this team and every other is now focusing the majority of their attention.

So, what do they have to do next? According to Pro Football Focus, Seattle’s greatest roster need after free agency is the EDGE.

“We knew the Seahawks were going to be aggressive in trying to upgrade their defensive line from Pete Carroll’s post-season press conference. And they did that in free agency by adding Dre’Mont Jones and Jarran Reed. But they still need a dominant edge presence, a position we expect them to target with their No. 5 pick. The next three positions on the list are lesser needs, but they are all areas where Seattle could use an injection of talent. They have plenty of potential to attack those holes with their extra first-round pick and their two second-round picks.”

The No. 1 EDGE prospect in this class is Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr., and it’s pretty much a tossup whether he will still be available when the Seahawks are on the clock at No. 5 overall. Arizona is the wild card there – as the three other teams picking ahead of Seattle are expected to pick a quarterback. However, this draft class is deep at edge, so the Seahawks may be able to wait and find a quality prospect here on Day 2 or even Day 3.

There are also still several interesting free agents out there at this position, including Jadeveon Clowney, Frank Clark and Yannick Ngakoue.

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Tennessee OT Darnell Wright explains how to block Will Anderson Jr. and BJ Ojulari

Tennessee right tackle Darnell Wright erased Will Anderson Jr. and BJ Ojulari in 2022. On Saturday, he explained exactly how he did that.

INDIANAPOLIS — It’s not always easy to get anything of import from the player podium sessions at a scouting combine. The 15-minute pressers are generally taken up halfway with various reporters asking, “Did you meet with [Team X],” “Did you meet with [Team X]?” “Did you meet with [Team X]?” “Did you meet with [Team X]?” “Did you meet with [Team X]?” and finally, “Did you meet with [Team X]?”

Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright took care of that during his Saturday morning podium session by pulling out his phone and running down the names of about three-quarters of the NFL.

With that out of the way, it was time to talk about Wright’s 2022 season reps against two of the best edge-rushers in this draft class — Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr., and LSU’s BJ Ojulari. Anderson is a consensus top-five prospect, and Ojulari might sneak into the first round, but neither man did much against Wright. In back-to-back games against LSU and Alabama, Wright allowed a total of no sacks, no quarterback hits, and one quarterback hurry on 81 pass-protection snaps. And at 6-foot-5 and 342 pounds, you know that Wright can get it done in the run game, as well.

But this was about how Wright protected quarterback Hendon Hooker in those two games. He did so to the point where Anderson, in his own podium session this week, said that Wright was the best offensive tackle he faced.

“My sophomore year to my junior year, he had gotten way better,” Anderson said of Wright. “Very athletic, can bend, [and] can re-trace with his steps. If he gets off balance, [he] can sit down on power[-rushes], so it was really exciting going against him this year. He was really great.”

Wright’s game against Anderson was one of the primary series of moments in the SEC last season, because Anderson had just two pressures in that Tennessee game, and he had to get as far away from Wright as possible to get either one of them. When it was mano a mano, Anderson found himself shut out.

I asked Wright how he decided to deal with Anderson, and from there, it’s time to go to the tape.

Tennessee OT Darnell Wright explains how to block Will Anderson Jr. and BJ Ojulari

Tennessee right tackle Darnell Wright erased Will Anderson Jr. and BJ Ojulari in 2022. On Saturday, he explained exactly how he did that.

INDIANAPOLIS — It’s not always easy to get anything of import from the player podium sessions at a scouting combine. The 15-minute pressers are generally taken up halfway with various reporters asking, “Did you meet with [Team X],” “Did you meet with [Team X]?” “Did you meet with [Team X]?” “Did you meet with [Team X]?” “Did you meet with [Team X]?” and finally, “Did you meet with [Team X]?”

Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright took care of that during his Saturday morning podium session by pulling out his phone and running down the names of about three-quarters of the NFL.

With that out of the way, it was time to talk about Wright’s 2022 season reps against two of the best edge-rushers in this draft class — Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr., and LSU’s BJ Ojulari. Anderson is a consensus top-five prospect, and Ojulari might sneak into the first round, but neither man did much against Wright. In back-to-back games against LSU and Alabama, Wright allowed a total of no sacks, no quarterback hits, and one quarterback hurry on 81 pass-protection snaps. And at 6-foot-5 and 342 pounds, you know that Wright can get it done in the run game, as well.

But this was about how Wright protected quarterback Hendon Hooker in those two games. He did so to the point where Anderson, in his own podium session this week, said that Wright was the best offensive tackle he faced.

“My sophomore year to my junior year, he had gotten way better,” Anderson said of Wright. “Very athletic, can bend, [and] can re-trace with his steps. If he gets off balance, [he] can sit down on power[-rushes], so it was really exciting going against him this year. He was really great.”

Wright’s game against Anderson was one of the primary series of moments in the SEC last season, because Anderson had just two pressures in that Tennessee game, and he had to get as far away from Wright as possible to get either one of them. When it was mano a mano, Anderson found himself shut out.

I asked Wright how he decided to deal with Anderson, and from there, it’s time to go to the tape.

2023 NFL draft: Consensus big board top 30 EDGE prospect rankings

Here are the top 30 edge prospects in this class, according to the consensus big board.

The Seahawks struck gold when they signed Uchenna Nwosu last year in free agency. Nwosu became the team’s most consistent defensive player during the 2022 season, especially for an often overmatched defensive front seven. This offseason Pete Carroll and John Schneider will have to find him some help, either with another successful free agent investment or finding one in the 2023 NFL draft. The latter is more likely to be the case, since edge is the deepest and strongest overall position in this class outside of cornerback.

Here are the top 30 edge prospects in this class, according to the consensus big board.

Will Anderson posts an official 4.60 40-yard dash time

Will Anderson blows his 40-yard dash out of the water with remarkable time!

Of all of the players who have come through Tuscaloosa and Nick Saban’s program, it will be hard to find anyone who has bought in more than Will Anderson Jr. did. Anderson has always handled his career with the utmost professionalism whether it be on the field, in workouts or just on campus.

So it should come as no surprise to the Crimson Tide faithful that Anderson absolutely crushed his combine, and specifically his 40-yard dash time. Anderson is technically an EDGE rusher but was lumped in with the linebackers and still put up a remarkable time of 4.60 seconds. A time that had scouts all across the league buzzing.

Scouts have been salivating at Anderson’s length and athleticism all week and have been drawing comparisons to Demarcus Ware and Khalil Mack, both of who turned out to be phenomenal players in the NFL. It’s hard for Anderson to improve his draft stock as he is already a top-five lock, yet, he continues to find ways to impress the scouts.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

2023 NFL draft: Breaking down the top prospects for Bears

We counted down our top 15 draft prospects for the Bears with scouting reports for each. See our roundup here:

After finishing the 2022 season with a 3-14 record, the Chicago Bears have the No.1 pick in the NFL draft, in addition to seven other selections. Also, Chicago will likely take advantage of the opportunity to trade back, accumulating more picks in this year’s draft.

Here at Bears Wire, we counted down our top 15 draft prospects for the Bears with scouting reports for each, the team’s need for their position, and the likelihood Chicago drafts them.

See our roundup here: