From a rocky season's beginning to an NFL Playoff berth, Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr.'s rookie year was a whirlwind. One thing, however remains constant: his unwavering admiration for his current head coach DeMeco Ryans.

In a presser on Monday, the former Alabama standout declared Ryans not just a great coach, but hinted at the first-year coach being the best he's had, surpassing even the legendary Nick Saban. The statement drew immediate laughter and shock from the group of reporters, causing even Anderson himself to take a step back and crack a wry smile.

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“I don’t rank all the head coaches I’ve ever had,” Anderson told media on Monday, two days after the Ravens eliminated the Texans in the NFL postseason “but, man, he’s so up there. I tell you, bro, like, he might be No. 1, bro, over Coach Saban, dog. He’s just a great dude. He’s a really great dude."

"And I tell people all the time, they say, ‘How’s Coach Ryans?’ and I say, ‘Honestly, bro, I view him as a coach, but I also view him as a player.’" Anderson continued. "In fact, I view him still as, like, he’s just a captain on the team sometimes because that’s the way he approaches us."

Anderson credited Ryans with injecting love and energy into his players, inspiring the team to rally behind the former 49ers defensive coordinator. In his first NFL season, the defensive end posted seven sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 22 quarterback hits, earning PFWA Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

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The former Crimson Tide edge rusher still pitched Ryans over Saban despite winning a national champion under the legendary college football coach in his first season in Tuscaloosa in 2020. Through three seasons at Alabama, Anderson recorded 34.5 sacks, 58.5 tackles for loss, and 204 tackles, earning SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2021 and 2022.

His outstanding college career under Saban resulted in Anderson becoming the first defensive player to be drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft, as the Houston Texas snagged the hellacious defensive end at the third pick in the first round.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Will Anderson Jr.: DeMeco Ryans "might be No. 1 over Coach Saban"