3 reasons for Chicago Bears to be wary of Will Anderson at one overall
The debate between Jalen Carter and Will Anderson will only rage on until the Chicago Bears make a decision, or trade the number one overall pick. We made a post that looked into some of the questions about taking Jalen Carter number one overall. Now, it is time for Will Anderson.
Remember, both are deserving to be top picks, but when you are talking number one, above all others, there are reasons to nitpick. What are some of the questions with Will Anderson?
3. Will Anderson had a drop In run defense this season
One thing you will hear about Will Anderson is that his production dropped. Some of that has to do with playing two fewer games because Alabama did not make the National Championship or even the SEC Championship. In fact, on a per snap and per game basis, most of the pass rush production Wil Anderson had actually was replicated, he just played two games worth of snaps less.
However, while his pass-rush production was fine, he did see a drop in his run defense. His run-stop rate went from 10.2% down to 6.8%. That is pretty noticeable. His missed tackle rate went from 13.8% to 27.5%, essentially doubling his missed tackles. He also went from one accepted penalty called against him in run defense to nine. That is jarring.
Will Anderson did see his average depth of tackle drop. So, what you are seeing is that he was selling out more for the big plays. He was in the backfield but was not in his gap. When it works, it is great, but when it does not you have high missed tackles and low run-stop rates.
On the flip side, Jalen Carter was the best-run defender in the NCAA last season. Anderson showed more as a pass rusher, but the Chicago Bears may have to pick their poison between the two.