Report: Tyree Wilson Being Drafted over Will Anderson Jr. 'A Very Real Possibility'

Tyree Wilson may be encroaching on Will Anderson Jr.'s status as the top defensive player in the 2023 NFL draft.

Jordan Reid of ESPN reported Wilson being taken over Anderson is a "very real possibility" as the draft approaches.

"Wilson being selected ahead of Anderson is a very real possibility," Reid wrote. "Similar to what happened when Travon Walker went No. 1 overall ahead of Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux last year, many NFL front offices and scouting departments value upside and potential over the more polished player today. There are many around the league who feel Wilson has tons of upside. With his timeline of development at its peak possibly 1-2 years from now, Wilson fits into the Texans' rebuild plan of allowing him to improve on a team full of young players."

From a production standpoint, there is no comparison between the two. Anderson is the better prospect.

The Alabama star won the Chuck Bednarik Award in 2022 and won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy each of the past two seasons. In three years as a starter, Anderson racked up 34.5 sacks and established himself as a vocal leader on the Tide defense.

"What makes a great pass-rusher and edge-rusher is getting pressure on the quarterback and getting sacks," Anderson told reporters at the combine. "Get him to get off his spot, throw interceptions. Help other people make sacks. Get him to throw incomplete balls out of bounds. That's what makes an efficient pass-rusher. Just not getting sacks but affecting the quarterback in different ways."

Meanwhile, Wilson did not break out and become a true superstar until his senior season at Texas Tech. He struggled early in his career at Texas A&M before making the cross-state transfer. Wilson emerged as a starter over the last two seasons, highlighted by a 61-tackle, seven-sack campaign in 2022.

With that said, there's a clear attraction from NFL front offices to Wilson's 6'6", 271-pound frame and what he could become at the next level.

"A lot of people think Tyree Wilson's the best outside 'backer," an NFL assistant said, per ESPN's Adam Rittenberg.