Jahns: Will Anderson be all the Bears want and need in the first place?

INDIANAPOLIS — At 9:03 a.m. inside the Indiana Conference Center, Alabama running back Will Anderson stood at the stand where Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter was scheduled to be after just over an hour later.

“I feel like what I bring to the table: just consistency, humility and whatever culture I’m going to do it the right way,” Anderson said, answering his first question.

“And I think that’s what sets me apart.”

On Wednesday, he was also participating in the media segment of NFL Scouting.

9:58 a.m., Seth Emerson, covering Georgia the athlete, first shared the announcement that the Athens-Clark County Sheriff’s Department had secured an arrest warrant for Carter for his alleged role in a January 15 car accident that killed teammate Devin Willock and recruiting employee Chandler Lecroy. According to police, Carter will be charged with reckless driving and racing, both misdemeanors.

Earlier in the week, Bears general manager Ryan Paul hinted at possible unforeseen circumstances that the Bears will have to “eat and adapt to.” This certainly applies. Carter’s story became the talk of Wednesday. Carter A statement was released on social media In response to the warrant that was issued, he concluded by saying, “There is no doubt in my mind that when all the facts are known, I will be wholly cleared of any criminal wrongdoing.”

From a football standpoint, there has been debate as to whether Anderson or Carter is the best non-quarterback in this year’s NFL Draft. Considering how important the three-way defensive tackle is to the Bears’ defense, Carter has been associated with the Bears a lot and has become a popular pick in mock drafts.

Everything is different now.

For the Bears, he could be Anderson and then anyone else, although Texas Tech defensive end Tyree Wilson appears to be everything they want in terms of his profile and personality. Both players met the Bears in Indianapolis.

“It went really well,” Anderson said. “I went there, watched a couple of tapes, and really got to know myself, got to know them. The culture is great there and I could tell they’re working on something special.”

The Bears, who put up the worst rushing defense in the league last season, will have to consider whether Anderson is special enough to be considered with the first pick or whether their “tendency” toward trading back develops into a strong preference in light of the Carter news. The possibility of returning to fourth place with the Colts and continuing to pick Anderson and Carter is now becoming more complicated.

Wilson or one of the better offensive linemen could replace Carter in that scenario, but the Bears aren’t quite there yet. As the Poles said on Tuesday, the draft board is nowhere near done. It happens after collection and after learning more about higher expectations.

On Wednesday, Anderson discussed which players he modeled his style on (Nick Bosa, Von Miller, Khalil Mac), credited his mom for keeping him humble and detailed how he watched his five older sisters (Shawnta, Shanice, Chyna, India, and Tria) play. Sport helped shape him.

His nickname was the Alabama Terminator, and he hopes to follow him to the NFL.

He said, “I have to earn it when I get there.”

The longer Anderson spoke, the more he sounded like a player the Bears would like. Coach Matt Eberfluss wants “big, tall and fast” players for his defensive line – prerequisites Anderson meets – but a potential player’s passion for football will also be judged.

“For me, there is no motivating factor to get ready to play a football game,” said Anderson. “It’s really in me. That’s how much I love the game. The most important thing for me is jumping up and down with my brothers. Celebrating making plays. That’s what football is all about, and that’s why I like it because you get memories with those guys in the locker room and long relationships.” The term is with these guys, and that’s why I love the game so much.”

It’s easy to see that love on the field. Or should be. Anderson isn’t likely to take much projection when it comes to production. He got it in college, making 34 and a half sacks and 62 tackles for loss over three seasons. His production in 2022 was a down year by the standards of his All-America winner, Bronko Nagurski (17 1/2 sacks to 10), but his numbers were still better than other top forecasters.

Anderson seems to have what Eberflus is after rushing to the edge. The Bears coach was specific about those traits when asked about them on Tuesday.

“I would just say the ability to go around the corner,” said Eberflus. “Most guys, when they start their lunge, when they get to the move zone, the ones who can’t get there, they start running off the middle. The ones who have everything pointing—their hips, their toes, their knees—everything toward the middle… They have the ability to move around the edge.

“And then when they get past the quarterbacks, they have the strength to work again inside. Obviously you have to have great sportsmanship, and then help out as well. Those are the things we look for.”

And the bears don’t have to look any further than Anderson if they don’t want to. They can make him the first pick from the draft.

(Top photo: Justin Casterline/Getty Images)