Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. has been chosen as the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America.

The organization’s annual All-Rookie team included Anderson and two of his teammates on Alabama’s 2022 squad. Cincinnati Bengals safety Jordan Battle and Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs also are members of the PFWA All-Rookie team.

After joining Houston as the third pick in the NFL Draft on April 27, Anderson had 45 tackles, seven sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 22 quarterback hits in 15 regular-season games. Anderson helped the Texans win the AFC South with seven more victories in 2023 than they had in 2022, and Houston also won another game in the postseason.

A third-round draft choice, Battle joined Cincinnati’s starting secondary for the final seven games of the season after recording 12 tackles in a 34-20 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 16. In his starts, Battle tallied 47 tackles and recorded his first NFL interception and first two sacks.

The 12th player picked in the 2023 NFL Draft, Gibbs ran for 945 yards and 10 touchdowns on 182 carries and caught 52 passes for 316 yards and one touchdown in 15 regular-season games. The Lions have advanced to Sunday’s NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers with two postseason victories, with Gibbs getting 99 yards and two touchdowns on 17 rushing attempts and 83 yards on eight receptions.

RELATED: JAHMYR GIBBS SCORES KEY TOUCHDOWN IN LIONS’ VICTORY

Anderson’s teammate, quarterback C.J. Stroud, won the PFWA’s NFL Rookie of the Year and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year awards.

Anderson is the second Alabama player to receive the PFWA’s NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. His current NFL coach, DeMeco Ryans, won the award in 2006.

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Former Alabama running back Josh Jacobs won the PFWA’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award with the Oakland Raiders in 2019.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.