Why Will Anderson Jr. is a fit for the Texans and DeMeco Ryans

The Texans’ facilities were empty but for one prospect in a quiet room. The door opened. In walked a crowd of coaches, personnel staff and administrators. They were days fresh off the scouting combine. They were armed with new data, new information and new questions for their first in-person interview of the draft cycle. They sat down and fixed glances on the defensive end they’d eventually acquire with the largest draft-day trade in franchise history.

It would’ve been understandable for Will Anderson Jr. to be nervous. Instead, he was natural. The Alabama edge rusher, the two-time winner of the Nagurski Trophy given to college football’s best defensive player, immediately bonded with Houston’s newly hired defensive-minded head coach, DeMeco Ryans, who’d also played for the Crimson Tide.

Ryans called theirs “an instant connection.” Not only between them but the entire coaching staff. Their union was evident on Friday when they sat together onstage along with general manager Nick Caserio and newly drafted quarterback C.J. Stroud. It helped explain why the Texans packaged four picks in exchange with the Cardinals to snag Anderson at No. 3 after they’d selected Stroud at No. 2.

Anderson disclosed his visit with the Texans at Alabama’s pro day in late March. He’d voiced the same feelings about Ryans that he repeated again Friday. He “couldn’t stop thinking about” his visit with the Texans, he said. “It just felt right. It felt authentic. The energy in here was right.” He’d been one of six kids separated in age by almost 10 years who’d split two rooms in a three-bedroom house in Hampton, Ga., who’d learned from his parents to be the best version of himself.

Anytime Anderson slipped up on the field, he knew they were going to let him know. Even if he had a good game, he knew they were going to find at least one play somewhere. You could’ve been running faster! You looked slow on this play! What were you doing on this play? They’d even snap pictures of game film and text it in the family group chat.

“And I love them for that,” Anderson said Friday. “As long as I have people in my immediate circle that I love the most and care about me like that, I’m going to be fine.”

Anderson sensed the same standard from Ryans. He’d valued his connections to his high school coach, to Alabama coach Nick Saban, to coaches whose command and passion for their defenses were coupled with a challenge, an expectation that his task, however enticing, wasn’t going to be easy. He and Ryans spent close to half an hour together going over film, going over the first-time head coach’s vision for his first team.

“I was like, ‘I’ve got to be here,’” Anderson said. “The same exact mindset. The same mentality. The way he’s trying to preach. Everything. That’s what I’m all about. That’s what I want to do. It’s going to be a lot of work. Nothing is given to me. That’s the way I like it. I want to go out there and earn it. I want to go out and compete. The mindset that he has and the standard and the expectation, that’s everything what I’m about. That’s why it was so easy for me to say, ‘Yeah, I want to be a Houston Texan. I want to go and play for that man right there.’”

Ryans was silent for a moment, lifted his own microphone and smiled. “That’s it,” he shrugged, evoking laughter from Anderson, Caserio, Stroud and the rest of the Texans staff in the room. Chair and CEO Cal McNair and his wife, Hannah, were among them. Cal McNair, who’d been more involved with Caserio overseeing his third coaching search in three seasons, deferred to Caserio and Ryans in their draft-day decisions, including Caserio’s ultimate move to spend the picks yielded from the Deshaun Watson trade to draft Anderson in a move that signaled they’re prepared to compete now.

“I was a little less involved than in the coaching search because that’s the real (specialty) of these guys,” McNair said. “It wasn’t last month that they woke up and started looking at Will Anderson or C.J. They’d been watching them for years, literally years. So, they really know them so well. Know their teammates, know their coaches, know their high school coaches probably. There’s so much that goes into it that you’ve got to let these guys do their job, and they did it yesterday.”

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Houston Texans top draft selections quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, left, and outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., pose for photos during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks, No. 2 and 3 respectively, on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

Brett Coomer/Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less 2of29Houston Texans top draft selections quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, left, and outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., answer questions during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks, No. 2 and 3 respectively, on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.Brett Coomer/Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less 3of29Houston Texans top draft selections quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, left, and outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., answer questions during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks, No. 2 and 3 respectively, on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.Brett Coomer/Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less 4of29Houston Texans head coach sits with top draft selections, quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio Statem and outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., with general manager Nick Caserio during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks, No. 2 and 3 respectively, on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.Brett Coomer/Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less 5of29

Houston Texans top draft selections, outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., from Alabama, left, and quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, pose for a portrait on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston. Anderson was the No. 3 overall selection and Stroud was the No. 2 overall pick.

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Houston Texans top draft selections, outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., from Alabama, left, and quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, pose for a portrait on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston. Anderson was the No. 3 overall selection and Stroud was the No. 2 overall pick.

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Houston Texans top draft selections, outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., from Alabama, left, and quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, pose for a portrait on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston. Anderson was the No. 3 overall selection and Stroud was the No. 2 overall pick.

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Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, left, answers questions while sitting next to Texans top draft pick, quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, who was selected No. 2 overall, during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans top draft selections, outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., from Alabama, left, and quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, pose for a portrait on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston. Anderson was the No. 3 overall selection and Stroud was the No. 2 overall pick.

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Houston Texans top draft selections quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, left, and outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., answer questions during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks, No. 2 and 3 respectively, on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans top draft selections quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, left, and outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., answer questions during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks, No. 2 and 3 respectively, on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, left, answers questions while sitting next to Texans top draft selections, quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, and Will Anderson, Jr., an outside linebacker from Alabama, during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans top draft selections quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, left, and outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., get ready to pose for photos following a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks, No. 2 and 3 respectively, on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans top draft selections quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, left, and outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., pose for photos during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks, No. 2 and 3 respectively, on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans top draft selections quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, left, and outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., pose for photos during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks, No. 2 and 3 respectively, on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans top draft selections quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, center left, and outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., from Alabama, center right, pose for laugh as they take photos with Cal McNair, president and CEO, DeMeco Ryans, head coach, and Nick Caserio, far right, following a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks, No. 2 and 3 respectively, on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans top draft selection quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, walks from the stage with his mother, Kimberly, during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks, No. 2 and 3 respectively, on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans No. 3 overall draft selection, outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., from Alabama, poses for a portrait on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans top draft selections, outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., from Alabama, left, and quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, pose for a portrait on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston. Anderson was the No. 3 overall selection and Stroud was the No. 2 overall pick.

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Houston Texans top draft selections, outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., from Alabama, left, and quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, pose for a portrait on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston. Anderson was the No. 3 overall selection and Stroud was the No. 2 overall pick.

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Houston Texans top draft selections quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, left, and outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., walk onto the stage to answer questions during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks, No. 2 and 3 respectively, on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans top draft selection quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, answers questions during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans head coach Demeco Ryans sits with top draft selections, quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, and outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., with general manager Nick Caserio during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks, No. 2 and 3 respectively, on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans top draft selection quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, answers questions during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, answers questions during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, left, sits with the Texans top draft pick, quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, who was selected No. 2 overall, during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans No. 3 overall selection Will Anderson, Jr., and outside linebacker from Alabama, answers questions during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans No. 3 overall selection Will Anderson, Jr., and outside linebacker from Alabama, listens to questions during a news conference introducing the Texans two top draft picks on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston.

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Houston Texans top draft selections, outside linebacker Will Anderson, Jr., from Alabama, left, and quarterback C.J. Stroud, of Ohio State, pose for a portrait on Friday, April 28, 2023 in Houston. Anderson was the No. 3 overall selection and Stroud was the No. 2 overall pick.

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Anderson was widely considered the best defensive prospect in the draft. He’s a 6-3, 253-pound backfield menace who ranks second in Alabama’s record book in both career sacks (34½) and tackles for loss (62). His lean frame and speed made him a versatile “Jack” linebacker in Saban’s scheme, and Ryans acknowledged Anderson will have to adjust to the style they intend to play.

But Ryans, who spent the last two seasons as 49ers defensive coordinator, is the architect of the NFL’s top defense last year. His sturdy defensive front included three former first-round picks on the defensive line, and Anderson immediately becomes the youngest and most dangerous asset in Houston’s defensive arsenal.

Ryans said Anderson will be “attacking, getting up the field” as a defensive end. The Texans attempted to field formidable four-man rushes in the last two seasons under former coach Lovie Smith, and veterans Jerry Hughes, 34, and Jonathan Greenard, 25, are the most effective holdovers from that era. Both Hughes and Greenard have one year remaining on their contracts, and Greenard has battled various injuries over the last two seasons.

Anderson will certainly be expected to improve a Texans defense that surrendered the most rushing yards in franchise history last season. They were routinely gashed by opposing running backs and frequently failed to make quarterbacks uncomfortable. But Ryans, a former Texans linebacker and team captain, aims to relieve Anderson of the pressure that comes with his No. 3 overall status and the weighed value on his side of a blockbuster trade.

“I told him earlier, he doesn’t have to be the ‘staple of a defense,’” Ryans said. “He just has to come in and be the best Will Anderson. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less. Just be the best version of himself, and that’s going to be good enough for our team.”