NFL Draft: Mel Kiper, Todd McShay move Alabama’s Will Anderson to No. 2 pick, cite ‘intel’
The Alabama Crimson Tide is in a position to have back-to-back selection to start the NFL Draft on Thursday night.
Todd McShay, in his final mock draft, has moved Alabama linebacker Will Anderson to the No. 2 overall selection in the draft behind Carolina selecting quarterback Bryce Young.
“I originally had Texas Tech edge rusher Tyree Wilson in this spot, but my intel is pointing at Anderson now as we move closer to the draft,” McShay writes.
The Houston Texans hold the No. 2 pick.
RELATED: Where will Alabama players be drafted? Check out prop odds
Mel Kiper also has the Texans selecting Anderson.
“I struggled with what to do here. Are the Texans really going to pass up a quarterback here?” Kiper writes. “Will they trot out Davis Mills again next season? Could they find a veteran passer via trade (or take one with their other first-rounder?)”
“I’m hearing Houston will take an edge rusher, either Anderson or Tyree Wilson (Texas Tech), unless it throws everyone a curveball. I like Anderson much more than Wilson, and that’s the direction I’d go.”
If Young and Anderson go 1-2, it would be the first time players from the same school have been selected in the first two picks since 2000 when Penn State’s Courtney Brown and LaVar Arrington were selected.
McShay points to Anderson’s “explosive first step and powerful hands” would be an immediate help to a defense which allowed 5.7 yards per play last year.
Anderson is widely considered the best edge rusher in the draft and the numbers certainly back it up.
The linebacker finished fifth in Heisman voting after the 2022 season and collected 204 total tackles, including a whopping 58.5 for loss and 34.5 sacks overall across 41 career college games.
As of Wednesday, Anderson is +300 at BetMGM to be the second overall pick of the draft.
RELATED: Why Will Anderson got along so well with Nick Saban
Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.