Consider Will Anderson a sponge since he’s soaking up as much as possible during mandatory minicamp under Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter.
Knowing that the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year is still looking to better his craft while working with one of the top pass-rushers in practice might be an even scarier thought for teams preparing to face the Houston Texans’ defensive duo.
“I’ve tried some of Danielle’s moves, and they are working,” Anderson told reporters on Wednesday. “I’ve learned how to take care of my body, how to do those things to help me turn a corner, how to help me get off blocks, how to escape, how to help me use the long arm and things like that.”
The duo of Danielle Hunter & Will Anderson Jr really is some Batman & Robin / Spiderman & Miles Morles type of feel.
Both combined for : 24 sacks, 83 solo tackles, 4 forced fumbles , 33 tackles for loss, 104 QB pressures
For my defensive game lovers, we are in for a treat 🫰… pic.twitter.com/b4IgGrTDCd
— CJ Anderson SzN 💫 (@AyooTexanNation) May 28, 2024
Anderson, the Texans’ future franchise pass-rusher, built a close relationship with veteran Jonathan Greenard as a rookie. The two were a fixture in helping Houston secure its first division title in four years and the most sacks (46) in franchise history.
Grennard, who inked a four-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings this offseason, notched 12.5. Anderson, a two-time All-American and pass-rushing savant under Nick Saban at Alabama, broke J.J. Watt’s rookie sack record with 7.0.
While Greenard heads to Minneapolis, Hunter heads home. The Katy native signed a two-year, $49 million deal this offseason and looks poised to take over that mentorship role for the promising potential All-Pro.
“They instantly have this connection that you need for both of those ends and playing off of each other, picking off of each other’s brain,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Danielle is a veteran in the league, he has done it for a while, so Will being able to lean on him for advice on how he has seen it done, I think that is very important.”
#Texans HC DeMeco Ryans has been pleased with the relationship brewing between Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. pic.twitter.com/w2MWQF0ati
— Cole Thompson (@MrColeThompson) June 5, 2024
Those in Houston hope that last season’s turnaround was the start of a new era rather than a one-year flash. The Texans were aggressive in adding proven talents like Hunter, trading for Pro Bowlers Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon to help out C.J. Stroud on offense while singing multi-year deals with linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair and defensive lineman Denico Autry.
Anderson said last season he was trying to get acclimated to the system. This year, with three new starters on the defensive line, he wants to take over a leader, proudly living up to the captain persona.
Danielle Hunter sheds the block for a huge play in the backfield on Jahymr Gibbs. Not a fair assignment for the poor tight end.
He's going to be an incredible addition to the SWARM across from Will Anderson. Absolutely has to be accounted for wherever he's lined up. pic.twitter.com/WePsqlg4LX
— John Crumpler (@JohnHCrumpler) March 13, 2024
Hunter, a third-round pick out of LSU in 2015, didn’t take long to establish himself as a rising star under Mike Zimmer. Though only in his second season, the veteran Hunter doesn’t see Anderson as a second-year standout
“It feels like he’s in year four, five or six by how he plays and how he carries himself,” Hunter said of Anderson. “You don’t see that much in people and players in year one going into year two.”
