Anybody with a strong enough first season can win Rookie of the Year. Of course, certain positions have the advantage.
If you are a defensive lineman or a linebacker, the odds are far better than it is for defensive backs. Over the last 20 years, only two cornerbacks have won Defensive Rookie of the Year, while no safeties have taken home the highest rookie honors.
Sacks and tackles are the name of the game. Will that trend continue in 2020?
There are plenty of prospects from last week's NFL Draft on all three levels of defense who could win the award.
- Chase Young - DE - Washington Redskins
The top defensive prospect taken is always going to be an early favorite for Rookie of the Year. Especially when it is one of the best edge-rusher prospects the NFL has seen in years.
From Day 1, Chase Young is going to be a problem for offensive lines. This is an explosive, versatile defensive end with impressive speed, power, length, and technique. He gets to learn from head coach Ron Rivera, who is one of the best defensive minds in football. Not to mention, Washington already has a loaded defensive line, filled with young, budding stars that the Redskins have taken early in drafts annually.
Teams won't be able to put all their attention on Young when they also need to guard Jonathan Allen, D'Aron Payne, Ryan Kerrigan, and Montez Sweat.
Young could easily get 10-plus sacks in his rookie season.
- Isaiah Simmons - LB - Arizona Cardinals
It felt wrong labeling Isaiah Simmons a linebacker. This is the ultimate "positionless player" NFL defenses are looking for to play all across the formation. With so many versatile, explosive offensive weapons across the league, defenses need second and third level players to be able to play in the box against the run, cover man on man in the open field, and fly sideline to sideline.
That is what Arizona signed up for when they selected Simmons out of Clemson with the eight overall pick. The ultimate Swiss Army knife.
He is going to wear so many hats on that defense. It wouldn't be surprising to see him blow up the box score with tackles, sacks, and turnovers like he did in his final season at Clemson.
Simmons finished the 2019 season with 104 tackles, eight sacks, and three interceptions.
- Patrick Queen - LB - Baltimore Ravens
There might not be a more perfect pairing from the 2020 NFL Draft than Patrick Queen and the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens never truly replaced C.J. Mosley last year after he departed for the New York Jets in free agency. Baltimore will forget that name pretty quick when they see what Queen can do inside.
The LSU product is another versatile, modern-day player on the second level who has elite speed and athleticism for a linebacker. His coverage ability is the most attractive part of Queen's game. According to Pro Football Focus, Queen allowed only a half a yard per-coverage snap in his first full season.
Flash can go a long way towards winning the Rookie of the Year. A former running back turned linebacker, Queen is going to make a lot of highlight reel plays in 2020.
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