Winning DROTY would cap outstanding rookie year for Texans' Will Anderson: 'It was marked big on my goal sheet'

After helping to forge a Texas-sized turnaround, Will Anderson‘s hoping to knock one more goal off his rookie list.

Anderson’s a finalist for The Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and he’s hoped to bring home the hardware since the Houston Texans selected him third overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.

“It was on my goal sheet, 100 percent,” Anderson told NFL.com at Friday’s Pro Bowl Games practice. “It was marked big on my goal sheet: NFL Defensive Rooke of the Year. Just to be in this position is a blessing.”

Anderson’s fellow finalists consist of fellow Pro Bowler Devon Witherspoon of the Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., and Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Kobie Turner.

Among his competition, Anderson can boast having helped the Texans to an AFC South title and a wild-card win. No one else in the field won a division title or a playoff game.

Anderson was a driving force in both team accomplishments, posting seven sacks (fourth among rookies), 45 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 22 QB hits (first among rookies).

Should Anderson garner DROTY, he’d become the third Texans player to do so, joining linebacker Brian Cushing (2009) and his head coach, DeMeco Ryans (2006). More history could potentially follow, as Anderson and Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud have a chance to win both of the league’s top rookie honors a year after the New York Jets pulled off the feat with wide receiver Garrett Wilson and cornerback Sauce Gardner. Only three teammate tandems have ever won OROTY and DROTY in the same season.

“Yeah, I think it would be great,” Anderson said. “I know C.J.’s been unbelievable this year. Hats off to him. He helped us win a lot of games and if it wasn’t for C.J., I don’t know where we would be. He helped us do a lot of things and achieve a lot of things this year. It would be very special just to have that type of history going into Texas, but more so for the city and the team.”

Indeed, it would be a fitting end to a remarkable season in Houston. Having suffered through three straight seasons with no more than four wins, the Texans’ turnaround to division and playoff-game winners changed the narrative for Houston.

In addition to Anderson and Stroud’s candidacies, Ryans is also a finalist for coach of the year and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is one for assistant coach of the year.

It could be a big night for Houston Thursday at NFL Honors.

However it plays out for Anderson and Co., 2023’s success has provided motivation to reach even greater heights in 2024.

“I’m so excited about next season, I can’t stop thinking about it,” Anderson said. “How much better we’re going to get. You get in some more players who have that same mindset, that same mentality and just keep building off of that. So, I can’t wait for next year.”