The SEC didn’t have any pass rushers drafted in Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft. In Round 2, Georgia’s Azeez Ojulari and Vanderbilt’s Dayo Odeyingbo both came off the board, though.

What does that lack of elite pass rushers from the SEC mean? Well, it means there is a ton of talent returning to fields this season!

It isn’t easy to get pressure on the quarterback in today’s game, as many offenses prioritize getting the ball out of the quarterback’s hand quickly. But, for those who are elite, there are still sacks to be found.

So, who did we choose to make up the perfect SEC edge rusher for the 2021 season? We break it down here:

Speed: Adam Anderson, Georgia

When Anderson steps on the field, he only has 1 job — get after the quarterback. He’s taller than Ojulari, but he’s also thinner. At 6-5 and 225 pounds, Anderson isn’t a guy who is going to make many stops in the run game up the middle.

In fact, he only had 13 tackles in 2020. The thing is, though, that he put up 5.5 sacks. That’s good production for any edge rusher in a shortened season.

Even when he lines up in a true defensive end position with his hand in the dirt, Anderson has explosive speed, as he showed on this strip-sack against Tennessee:

He also has the speed to chase down quarterbacks outside the pocket:

He needs to develop his all-around game a bit, but when it comes to racking up sacks, he’s a star. We’ll see if he can grow into an even bigger role with the Georgia defense this fall.

Body: Trajan Jeffcoat, Mizzou

At 6-3 and 245 pounds, Jeffcoat is a beast. He’s a terrifying sight for quarterbacks to see coming at them. Just ask JT Daniels:

Jeffcoat had 6 sacks last year, so Daniels wasn’t the only quarterback to panic seeing the Mizzou defender barreling toward him.

Jeffcoat was a first-team All-SEC selection in 2020. He’s back for the 2021 campaign and can jump into the Round 1 draft discussion with a big fall.

Run-stopping ability: Brenton Cox Jr., Florida

Cox needs to work on being consistently great in 2021, as he had some on-field lapses in 2020. At his best, he’s incredible. He only had 3.5 sacks last season, but he did record 10 tackles for a loss and 42 tackles total.

He’s at his best when opponents try to fool him, as he’s good at reading the play and making the correct diagnosis. Here he is blowing up an attempted trick play by Mizzou:

And, here he is blowing up a read-option against LSU, taking QB Max Johnson to the ground:

Again, if he can develop a bit more consistency this fall, he can quickly become one of the SEC’s best edge rushers.

Instincts: Will Anderson Jr., Alabama

All Anderson did in 2020 was step in as a true freshman after having no spring practices and record 7 sacks. That was good for 3rd in the SEC, behind only Ojulari and teammate Christian Barmore, both of whom were Round 2 picks in the NFL Draft.

Anderson showed his natural pass-rushing instincts early and often last season. Look at these 2 sacks, 1 against LSU and 1 against Auburn. On both plays, he gets his hand up to block a throwing lane and then continues to work until he has the quarterback on the ground:

https://twitter.com/AlabamaDieHards/status/1332817975003537414

https://twitter.com/GriffinTSmith/status/1335427321524842496

Those are the kinds of instincts that can take years to coach into players. Anderson had them as a true freshman. Oh, and he also has the awareness and dexterity to go after the football when he’s taking a quarterback to the ground:

He’s a budding superstar and will play an even bigger role in Alabama’s defense this fall. The sky’s the limit for Anderson.

Versatility: Christopher Allen, Alabama

At 6-4 and 250 pounds, Allen is strong enough not to get pushed around by offensive linemen. That gives him the ability to rush the passer with speed and strength, and from all over the line.

Need him to line up on the left side of the defensive line in a 2-point stance? He can do that and get to the quarterback:

https://twitter.com/AlabamaDieHards/status/1340480357511147520

Need him to line up with his hand in the dirt on the right side of the defensive line and use a speed rush to get around the edge? He can do that, too:

Need him to line up with his hand in the dirt on the right side of the defensive line and use his strength to push an offensive lineman around? Oh yeah, he can do that:

Allen and Anderson are going to be a ferocious pass-rushing tandem at Alabama this fall. They complement each other well, and both still have room to be even better. That’s a scary thought for Alabama opponents!