Tennessee football: Top 10 SEC stars Vols have to account for in 2021
Alabama Crimson Tide. Will Anderson Jr.. Linebacker. player. 829. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 2
Sophomore; 6’4″ 243 pounds
Given how loaded the Alabama Crimson Tide are every year, it’s really impressive when a freshman breaks through and becomes one of the top contributors on the roster. That’s exactly what Will Anderson Jr. did last year, though.
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In his first year playing, Anderson racked up seven sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss. He also forced a fumble and had 52 total tackles, 34 of which were solo. Simply put, he was a star immediately, and now, with another year of experience, there’s no reason to believe that he’s not going to explode into a historically great player if he stays healthy.
Tennessee football is obviously going to have its hands full with lots of Alabama players. None of them will pose the threat Anderson poses. Josh Heupel’s system does rely on a quick release from quarterbacks, which is good news for the Vols when it comes to dealing with such an edge rusher, but Anderson is still going to be able to impose his will.
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There are honestly plenty of Alabama players who could become household names when they play the Vols. The talent is just all over the field with them, which is why they have so many people UT has to account for. However, the good news for Heupel is that nobody expects or asks that he win that game this year.