Mom of Will Anderson reveals what played a 'significant' role in choosing Alabama

Will Anderson was one of the more talented players in the 2020 recruiting class, finishing with five-star status on the On3 Consensus and ranked No. 18 overall. He could have gone to nearly any school in the country, receiving 39 offers throughout high school and not just from anybody — some of the top programs in the country.

Alabama ended up being the selection for Anderson, with only a couple of other schools receiving visits from the Peach State native. It was an early decision made by the pass rusher, with a family member giving us a peak behind the curtain as to why the Crimson Tide was the choice.

On3 and Bama Insider‘s Andrew Bone sent out a tweet praising the Alabama recruiting staff for some of the work they have done. Tereon Anderson, the mother of Will, sent back a reply tweet, saying they are a “significant” reason as to why her son ended up in Tuscaloosa. She even complimented somebody they work with to this day.

“Definitely a significant part of why we choose Bama,” Tereon Anderson said. “Our parent liaison is top-notch.”

Anderson was a summer decision for the Crimson Tide, committing in the summer of 2019 just days after taking an official visit to Georgia Tech. He wound up playing his entire senior year as an Alabama pledge and saw his ranking skyrocket.

While other top programs could have landed Anderson and even produced similar type of success, off-the-field staff played a huge role in his decision. Impressing family can be just as important as the player himself.

The Alabama decision has paid off for Anderson in a big way. He instantly became one of the best players in college football, helping the Crimson Tide win a national championship. Many even believed he deserved a spot at the Heisman Trophy ceremony last season but ultimately came up short.

Anderson has recorded 24.5 sacks throughout his two seasons, adding 41.5 tackles for a loss. Quarterbacks and left tackles throughout the SEC have been absolutely terrorized by the edge rusher and worse of all, there’s still another year.

If he was draft eligible, Anderson could have been the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Within his own class, there’s a chance teams will have him as their top overall prospect. However, the quarterbacks available near the top could cause him to slide closer to the top five.