(SportsRadio 610) - The pressures that come with being a top-five draft pick are unavoidable.
They exist in everyone on some level.
Listen to SportsRadio 610 on the Audacy app
For the Texans' No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft Will Anderson Jr., the pressures that may overwhelm others to varying levels are ones for which the former standout Alabama linebacker has been groomed.
Listed at 6’4 and 253 pounds, Anderson’s rare combination of size and speed may have caught the SEC by surprise his first couple of seasons at Alabama when he combined for 24.5 sacks and 41.5 tackles for loss.
During his junior year in 2022, Anderson as a junior noticed early on the opposition game planning for him, not even running the football to his side anymore.
He embraced the challenge, while understanding that he was still affecting the game in other ways which opened up more opportunities for his teammates to make plays.
Longtime Alabama head coach Nick Saban characterized Anderson’s maturity and work ethic almost identically to how Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans has lauded the rookie.
Routinely handling double and triple teams his junior season, Anderson had the propensity to embrace the challenges rather than let it frustrate him, which would’ve been completely understandable for a young man anticipating going as high as No. 1 in the draft at seasons end.
Ryans has been adamant the organization is only expecting Anderson and their No. 2 overall pick, CJ Stroud to be themselves.
It sounds cliché, but it isn’t.
It’s purposeful.
That, in and of itself is an expectation and for Anderson, he’d already shown the ability to make a similarly mature and selfless decision while at Alabama.
“It’s just go out there and play football, do what you’ve been doing all your life, having fun doing it," Ryans said. "There is no pressure on Will or C.J. to perform. It’s a team game and those guys aren’t going out by themselves."
While it is the same with every coach at any level, there is a culture that is established, whether it be methodical or accidental.
The culture that Ryans has instilled thus far is one that exemplifies honesty, accountability, competition and relentlessness.
The first year head coach hopes that translates to winning.
While it would be a first that the aforementioned cultural qualities would result in anything less, it is a process to get there.
Anderson appearing as a guest on the Rich Eisen show nearly two weeks ago, echoed those same sentiments that Ryans has clearly already established in his top two rookies, particularly the former Alabama All-American.
“We’re just keeping each other level-headed through this process and making sure there’s no pressure,” Anderson said. “We both just go out there, have fun and make sure that we’re doing what we’ve been doing since we were little kids.”
It comes as no surprise that the two former Alabama stalwarts are on the same page early on.
Anderson has made it easy.
Mature beyond his years, with an exuberant personality and an “angry” persona on the field, Anderson has embraced the great expectations that naturally go along with being one of the top picks in the NFL Draft.
Finishing the preseason with one of the highest grades amongst rookies in this year's draft according to Pro Football Focus, Anderson, who finished with three tackles, one sack and a forced fumble is off to a helluva start.
“He’s been one of our most consistent players, one of our most physical players, dominant on the edge,” Ryans said. “So, Will has done everything we’ve asked him to do and we couldn’t be happier with where Will is right now.”