4 EDGE draft prospects the Carolina Panthers should monitor in 2022

Carolina Panthers should monitor Will Anderson

There are times when a player’s production sometimes doesn’t match the film. In this case, it does.

If you had watched any Alabama Crimson Tide football in the last two seasons, you may already know who Will Anderson is.

Anderson put up Heisman Trophy-worthy numbers last season (he received 31 first-place votes and didn’t get invited to New York): 31 tackles-for-loss, 17.5 sacks, and just over 100 tackles. These are absurd numbers for any defensive end at any level.

As a former five-star recruit, Anderson is as violent, sudden, and explosive as you would expect. While he might be an estimated 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, he possesses an unbelievable amount of functional strength and the length to overwhelm offensive linemen at the point of attack.

The Bronko Nagurski Award winner is as good of a run defender as they come. Anderson is sharp at the mesh point and sets an incredibly firm edge. He also offers amazing power at the point of attack while being able to squeeze gaps at a consistent rate.

Anderson, while still developing his technique, is already a high-level pass rusher who uses his elite explosiveness and power to bull rush linemen and penetrate gaps at a high clip. The SEC Defensive Player of the Year is also a lethal rusher on stunts and twists, using his top-tier athleticism and speed to penetrate the pocket.

I could go on and on about what Anderson brings to the table. However, I’ll keep this short: he’s a true game-wrecker. If you need a big sack or stop, this is the guy you’d want to have on your defense.

Carolina Panthers fans, could you imagine this time next year the possibility of Anderson and Brian Burns coming off the edge? That would be a nightmare for the rest of the NFL.