Alabama Football: Three reasons Will Anderson Jr. won’t win the Heisman

Another teammate may be standing in the way of Will Anderson Jr.’s Heisman chances. Dallas Turner, the rising sophomore edge rusher opposite Anderson Jr., looks to be on the brink of stardom in his own right.

Although he wasn’t a day one starter, Turner’s freshman season had a lot of similarities to Anderson Jr.’s freshman campaign. A couple of injuries thrust Turner into the lineup and, after a slow start, he became a terror off the edge in the latter half of the year.

Turner totaled 8.5 sacks in 2021, and looks to build upon that output as a full time starter. He has been a media favorite this offseason as a potential breakout star candidate, so Dallas Turner won’t be sneaking up on anybody.

As a tandem, Anderson Jr. and Turner will make life easier for each other. Offenses have to account for both, and therefore cannot afford to commit extra blockers to either.

However, the importance of statistics to the Heisman conversation cannot be understated. Dallas Turner may put a limitation on Anderson Jr.’s statistical production simply by beating him to the quarterback.

While this may be bad news for the gambler who put money on Will Anderson Jr.’s Heisman campaign, it’s a win-win for defensive coordinator Pete Golding. Having two of the nation’s top pass rushers should benefit every level of the Alabama defense.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of external factors working against Anderson Jr.’s Heisman odds. He may have to settle for the Bednarik Award, the Nagurski Trophy, and his second CFP National Championship.

If he can accomplish these goals, he will also likely be Nick Saban’s first No. 1 overall draft pick at Alabama. It sounds like a trade-off the Terminator would gladly take.