When you look at a draft class, your eyes tend to go immediately to the Quarterbacks. Of course, they do. Quarterbacks always tend to get picked first. They’re the one position in football that can turn a bad team into a good one. As a result, players at other positions that might be a better prospect, fall down the board as QB-needy teams grab the signal-callers first. In this year’s draft, one of those players could be Edge Rusher, Will Anderson Jr.

Sure, the Green Bay Packers already have some decent Edge Rushers. Rashan Gary is slated to be a premiere player on the Packers Defense when healthy. After Gary is Preston Smith who is still a force on the Edge and made a case for the Packers to keep him around one more season after 2022. The Packers also have Kingsley Enagbare, who could be a future force on the Edge after a pretty good rookie campaign. But despite this, there are still questions at the position.

Will Rashan Gary be ready for week 1 after a torn ACL?

How long will Preston Smith be effective?

Will Enagbare suffer a sophomore slump?

Can you really have enough Edge Rushers?

That last question has many betting on the Packers taking an Edge Rusher on Day 1 or Day 2 of the draft. Will Anderson Jr. is hands-down the best player at that position in this year’s draft.

The Next Khalil Mack?

Two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year. 34.5 sacks, 58.5 tackles for loss in 41 games. Will Anderson Jr. has been nicknamed “The Terminator.” When he’s not on the stat-sheet, you can bet there’s a good chance Anderson possibly rushed the QB’s decision, or at least was in the vicinity of the ball-carrier. He’s drawn comparisons to recent top Edge Rushers like Khalil Mack, Myles Garrett, and DeMarcus Ware. That’s enough to make any team salivate at his potential.

If not for most teams picking at the top of the Draft needing that franchise-changing Quarterback, Will Anderson would be considered a possible first overall pick. Unfortunately, we all saw what the addition of a Khalil Mack did for a Bears defense. Will Anderson might not reach that major impact in year 1, but he will likely still be a big contributor and possibly hit that potential within a year or two.

Anderson may seem undersized, but his ability to shed blocks definitely makes up for it. He is very competitive and is willing to do the dirty work. Which shows me that whatever he needs to do to improve his craft, he will not hesitate to do it.

Now the questions surrounding Will Anderson though, seem to be plentiful. Many say he’s not that dominant. He doesn’t seem to be a freakish athlete to warrant such a dominance. But yet, you can’t question the production. Such questions though, could cause the Edge rusher to fall down the draft board.

If that happens, should the Packers try to pull the trigger?

Trade up for Anderson

Like I said before, at pick 15, the Packers likely have no chance at Will Anderson. But the way the draft could play out, Anderson could fall a bit.

The first two picks are QB’s. That leaves number 3, which could be traded as the Cardinals don’t need a QB. What if the Titans trade up in front of the Colts to get their pick of the remaining top 4 QB’s? That could leave the top 4 picks as QB’s. That could put Anderson at 5 or 6. It’s unlikely he falls further with his potential.

Hear me out now. If an Aaron Rodgers trade goes through before the draft, the Packers could have an additional first or second round pick. This could make them more willing to trade one of those picks to move up. They did it with an additional 2nd round pick last year. So, combined with number 15, and maybe a mid or late-round in return could be enough to push the Packers to 5 or 6.

So, do they take that chance for Will Anderson?

Honestly, I say yes. Rashan Gary on his own has already shown the potential to be a premiere pass-rusher. He hasn’t officially drawn the comparisons, but he could be the same type of player that many say Anderson has to potential to be as well. Gary is likely to sign a new deal this season for an additional 3-4 years. Drafting Will Anderson could put them together for at least four years.

Imagine a defense with Khalil Mack and Myles Garrett in their prime on the edges. That’s Quarterback nightmare fuel.

Many want an offensive investment with Jordan Love taking over at the helm this season. I admit that I am included in that. But there’s one thing Aaron Rodgers only had for maybe a year or two in his Packers career, and that’s a dominant defense. If you gift your young QB a dominant defense to stop the opposition and help make his job easier, it could go a long way.

Do I want a Wide Receiver, Tight End, or even an offensive lineman at the number 15 pick? Sure I do. But if Will Anderson falls, and someone is willing to trade giving the Packers a chance at picking him, I want them to get it done.

Greg Meinholz is a lifelong devoted Packer fan. A contributor to PackersTalk as well as CheeseheadTV. Follow him on Twitter at @gmeinholz. for Packers commentary, random humor, beer endorsements, and occasional Star Wars and Marvel ramblings.

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