One of the best pass rushers in his era of college football did not always rush the passer.

On occasion at Alabama, Will Anderson dropped into coverage.

It was something that was met at times with eye rolls from fans. If Anderson is capable of wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks every time he took a step forward, why have him step backward?

Aside from the question of what role Anderson in coverage played in the Tide’s scheme, it had the benefit of training Anderson in something he might need at the NFL level.

“Being at Alabama made me very versatile — dropping into coverage, playing the 4i, five technique, six technique, seven [technique],” Anderson said Wednesday at the NFL combine, referencing various alignments along the defensive front. “All that type of stuff — helping me learn pass-rush moves, [defend the] run.

“So when I dissect myself, I see myself as a very versatile player that can do just about anything. That’s thanks to Coach Saban. He trusted me a lot. He saw a lot in me. He saw the potential, and he helped me mold the player I am today. When I look back, I just see, Alabama made me a very versatile player.”

Last April, Saban referenced Anderson’s need to improve his pass coverage with a tongue-in-cheek response following the Tide’s spring game.

Said Saban: “Somebody asked me the other day, ‘What’s Will’s weakness?’ And I said, ‘Well, he’s gotta learn more about pass coverage because he plays a position where every now and then he’s supposed to drop.’ But I mean, you all are gurus of the game. Should we spend a lot of time on him dropping or letting him rush? So, his weakness is pass coverage, but he helps the pass defense when he sacks the quarterback.”

Anderson could be an option for the Chicago Bears if they keep the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft, although Anderson has widely been projected to land at the Arizona Cardinals with the No. 3 pick.

“I feel like football is all about embracing the change,” he said Wednesday. “No matter what type of defense I get in, I’m gonna adapt to it, and I’m gonna be able to embrace the change and embrace the challenge that’s there and learn the lessons that come with it. That’s what I’m very excited about: whatever defense I get in, learning how to operate throughout it, and having fun doing it.”

Anderson plans on doing “just about everything” for drills at his position this week in Indianapolis, he said.

Mike Rodak is an Alabama beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @mikerodak.