Adam Anderson is one of the best pass rushers in the 2022 NFL Draft
By John Blair
One of the more intriguing players in the 2022 NFL Draft is Georgia outside linebacker Adam Anderson.
On one hand, Anderson is one of the better pass rushers in the 2022 NFL Draft. On the other hand, he has yet to be a full-time starter and is not much of a factor vs. the run. This contrast in strength and weaknesses is one of the reasons why scouts are all over the board with his evaluation.
As a pass rusher, Anderson shows the tools to be a great pass rusher in the NFL. His top trait is his ability to get off the ball, and his quickness to get around the edge. This speed allowed him to rank second on Georgia’s defense with 6.5 sacks, despite playing in less than 100 snaps. To go along with his speed he also has the length the NFL craves coming in at 6-foot-5 and shows impressive athletic ability for a player that size.
Georgia outside linebacker/Star Adam Anderson confirms he was timed running a 4.47 40-yard dash.
— Marc Weiszer (@marcweiszer) August 26, 2021
Despite having these raw tools though he does have some concerns when it comes to this area of his game. One of these concerns is his lack of strength. He rarely beats his man with his power, and if his opponent can control his first move off the ball then he will usually win the matchup. He also lacks a variety of pass-rushing moves and currently wins off his pure athletic ability.
The other big concern with Anderson is that he has not been much of a force vs. the run. Georgia mainly plays him in passing situations and when teams do run with him in the game he is a major liability. The biggest issue with him in this area is his lack of power. He lacks the bulk and overall strength to hold up at the point of attack and can easily be pushed off the ball.
The fact Adam Anderson is such a feared pass rusher yet is not efficient against the run is one of the reasons scouts and NFL evaluators are all over the map on him. According to Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline scouts grade him anywhere from a first to a sixth-round prospect. Overall, I grade Anderson out as a high second-round pick going into the draft and see his game similar to another former Bulldog linebacker Leonard Floyd.