With the season closing in on us at a rapid pace things in the NFL are becoming more and more clear as far as final rosters and depth charts. With those things out of the way it comes time for projections! In this series we will be going through each individual award and pick five players that we think have a great shot at bringing home the medal. Today we will be looking at the potential winners of defensive rookies of the year. He are our five picks for that award.
1. Houston Texans EDGE Will Anderson
The Houston Texans took a big swing by trading back into the top of the draft after taking their franchise quarterback and nabbing the top defensive player in the class in Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson. There is little doubt that Anderson is going to be a focal point of the DeMeco Ryans defense, and used as a primary pass rush specialist, and given his production in college, there is little doubt he could be a double-digit sack man in his first year. If Anderson can maintain his elite burst and his non-stop motor, he should be considered the favorite to take home the Defensive Rookie of the Year trophy and push the Houston defense to new heights.
2. Detroit Lions LB Jack Campbell
The Detroit Lions finally find the man to lead their defense from the middle linebacker position in former Iowa Hawkeye Jack Campbell. With excellent range, a nice pop in his hits, ability to get after the quarterback, and a nose for the football, Campbell could be well on his way to leading Detroit in multiple statistical categories. If Campbell can show off the leadership traits and raw physical ability he showed in Iowa, there is a good chance he can make a huge impact early and be one of the favorite for the Defensive Rookie of the Year trophy.
3. Washington Commanders CB Emmanuel Forbes
Though rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes is not the most physically imposing player on the Commanders defense, his production over his past few collegiate seasons speak for themselves and why he should be immediately productive at the next level. With an astonishing six interceptions returned for touchdowns during his time with Mississippi State, Forbes has proven to be a lethal weapon in the secondary, and has the right traits to transfer that success to the next level. If Forbes can continue to jump on top of routes and put his hands on the football consistently, he could be a sneaky pick to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year trophy.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers IDL Calijah Kancey
It is scary to think that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers landed one of the most productive interior rushers in all of college football to stack onto their already stout defensive line. Playing opposite the likes of Vita Vea, Shaq Barrett, and Greg Gaines bodes well for the Pitt rookie defensive lineman’s early success in the league. If Kancey can bring his incredible energy, leverage, and short area quickness to the Tampa Bay interior, he may just find himself with double digit sacks. Could he follow in the footsteps of fellow Pitt alum Aaron Donald? Could be. Kancey is built to go after the quarterback, and if his numbers approach his college stats, he may bull-rush his way into the award.
5. Seattle Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon
The Seattle Seahawks bolstered an already young and exciting secondary by adding this best corner in the entire 2023 class in former Illinois corner Devon Witherspoon. With his naturally feisty nature, physical style of play, and off the charts shut down production, Witherspoon is going to fit right into the Legion of Boom 2.0. With teams wary of targeting the likes of Tariq Woolen, Witherspoon should see a lot of targets come his way early as teams try to test the rookie, and if he can turn those early targets into interceptions he might just shove his name into contention for the award. Witherspoon will have a lot of competition given this stacked defensive back class, and may need to produce similar shut down numbers that he showed off in his final college season to earn the award.
