Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson declares for 2023 NFL Draft

Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson has officially announced he will enter the 2023 NFL Draft. Anderson made the announcement on Monday morning alongside his quarterback, Bryce Young, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs.

Anderson began his career at Alabama in 2020 as the No. 3 linebacker and No. 17 overall player in the class according to On3 Consensus. He made an instant impact on the Crimson Tide, amassing seven sacks in his first season on campus.

Afterwards, the defensive star proved the hype was real, continuing to grow from his fantastic freshman season. His sophomore season put him among the best of the best, as he accumulated 101 total tackles, 17.5 sacks and three pass deflections. Finding the backfield consistently and forcing opponents to scheme around him, Anderson was arguably the most dominant player in the entire country.

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That set high expectations for Anderson entering his junior season at Alabama in 2022, as he was considered one of the top overall prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft. He didn’t disappoint, as he recorded 51 tackles, 17 of which were for loss, and 10 sacks this season. All that sets up for Anderson to be a premium selection at the top of the 2023 NFL Draft in April and many expect he could be in the conversation for a top five pick.

More on the 2023 NFL Draft

The 2023 NFL Draft is set to take place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event will be held at the plaza just outside of Union Station.

Round 1 of the NFL Draft is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.

To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility. 100 underclassmen were approved for last year’s draft. 73 of those 100 underclassmen were granted special eligibility while 27 of them were underclassmen who had completed their college degrees.

The 2023 NFL scouting combine will take place from Feb. 28 through March 6 in Indianapolis.