Chris Simms is throwing dirt on Will Anderson, Jr., a guy most draft experts consider the safest pick in the entire draft. A projected sure-shot talent who will make an impact the moment he steps on an NFL field.
There’s been plenty of debate about the talents and intangibles of quarterbacks Bryce young and CJ Stroud, but with Jalen Carter‘s fall from grace, Anderson’s name is being mentioned as the first defensive player off the board.
NFL analyst Chris Simms Not Sold On Will Anderson Jr.
With the NFL draft quickly approaching, and all the mock draft experts putting the final touches on their picks, it’s also time for NFL insiders and analysts to make outlandish predictions or give “hot takes.”
It’s the norm throughout the draft process but ramps up as the draft nears. This year is no different, as you’ve heard a ton of different opinions and reports thrown around daily, but this one here might be the oddest of those predictions.
NFL Analyst Chris Simms Not Sold On Will Anderson Jr.
Simms isn’t sold on Anderson and expressed his reasoning for his hot take during a recent episode of the “Unbuttoned” podcast.
Simms Says Anderson Is Fifth-Best Edge Rusher. Is He Trippin’?
One segment of the podcast focused pretty heavily on the edge rushers in this draft class, which is led by Anderson, no matter what Simms is spewing..
“There’s no way he goes before any of the other four guys we talked about, there’s no way. This is not, this is not me again, like Kayvon Thibodeaux last year, I was like, I don’t see it. There’s some things I see I like, but I just, I don’t see it. For me, right?
“This is one where I go, this is obvious that nobody’s going to be able to watch his film, and go, it’s as good as the four guys we just talked about. There’s no way. The other guys have multiple things they do elite, right? This guy has a lot that he does good, but nothing is elite. Nothing.”
For Simms to sit up and there and proclaim that Anderson’s film isn’t that good is asinine. He had 34.5 sacks over three seasons at Alabama despite being consistently double-teamed. While he’s not a prefect prospect, he’s proven to be more than unstoppable at times in his illustrious college career. NFL coaches will find the best way to make his freakish skills shine.
Where Will Anderson Be Drafted?
If the draft board holds as most predict it will, Anderson and his nonstop motor and elite pass rush skills will be taken after his Alabama teammate Young and Ohio State signal-caller C.J. Stroud. Whatever team is picking third will have a very hard time passing on a guy who can change games in a nanosecond.
While a team could decide to trade out of the third pick in an effort to accrue more picks, no matter what happens Simms is wrong again, as he was last year with the aforementioned Thibodeaux.
Is Will Anderson a Hall of Famer? Who knows, but as of now he’s a great player that plays a position of need in a pass-happy glorified 7-on-7.
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