10 Players Who Could Win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year

The NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award is the top honor for first-year defensive players.

The AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year has something the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year can’t boast in its winners over the past decade. A player who led the team that drafted him to a Super Bowl win. Aaron Donald did it with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021 after they drafted him while they were still in St. Louis.

The last two winners of the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year — Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons and New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner — both seem like they could be perennial Pro Bowlers. Who will be next in line?

These are the 10 players with the best chance to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

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10. Deonte Banks, Cornerback

Seth Wenig / AP Photo

Defensive ROY odds: +2000

2023 NFL draft: No. 24, New York Giants (first round)

Born: March 3, 2001 (Baltimore, Maryland)

High school: Edgewood High School (Edgewood, Maryland)

College: Maryland

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 205 pounds

Career highlights: All-Big Ten (2022)

Bottom line: Maryland native Deonte Banks is a great example of taking one decent year of college football, pairing it with an out-of-this-world NFL combine performance, and turning yourself into a first-round draft pick, with the New York Giants swooping up this athletic marvel.

At the combine, Banks wowed the scouts by running a 4.35-second 40-yard dash to go with a 42-inch vertical leap and a broad jump of 11-foot-4. All big-time numbers. The stats just make us pause a little bit. We need more production. Not a great bet.

Check out Deonte Banks’ rookie jersey and all the latest New York Giants gear.

Note: Odds are from FanDuel as of May 9, 2023.

9. Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Defensive End

Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah

Charlie Riedel / AP Photo

Defensive ROY odds: +1800

2023 NFL draft: No. 31 overall, Kansas City Chiefs (first round)

Born: Jan. 24, 2002 (Kansas City, Missouri)

High school: Lee’s Summitt High School (Lee’s Summitt, Missouri)

College: Kansas State

Career highlights: AP All-American (2022), Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2022), two-time Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year (2021, 2022), two-time All-Big 12 (2021, 2022)

Bottom line: The Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs kicked off the NFL draft in their backyard by bringing out quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce with the Lombardi Trophy, then finished things off with the final pick of the first round.

The Chiefs turned that pick into the first round’s feel-good story by drafting hometown hero Felix Anudike-Uzomah, who was born and raised in Kansas City and played college football just a few hours away at Kansas State.

Anudike-Uzomah was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, as he led the Wildcats to the Big 12 championship. One thing Anudike-Uzomah has done consistently is put up numbers. That’s a great sign for the NFL.

Check out Felix Anudike-Uzomah’s rookie jersey and all the latest Kansas City Chiefs gear.

8. Jack Campbell, Linebacker

Charlie Neibergall / AP Photo

Defensive ROY odds: +1800

2023 NFL draft: No. 18 overall, Detroit Lions (first round)

Born: Aug. 22, 2000 (Cedar Falls, Iowa)

High school: Cedar Falls High School (Cedar Falls, Iowa)

College: Iowa

Career highlights: Butkus Award winner (2022), AP All-American (2022), Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (2022), Big Ten Linebacker of the Year (2022), two-time All-Big Ten (2021, 2022)

Bottom line: The Detroit Lions cemented their status as the biggest losers of the first round of the 2023 NFL draft by taking Iowa linebacker Jack Campbell with the No. 18 overall pick — one of two picks the Lions had in the top 20.

This isn’t so much a knock on Campbell’s talent but more on the fact that the Lions could have probably selected him in the second or third round. No team took a bigger L on draft day, and it’s hard to envision Campbell making a huge impact right away.

Check out Jack Campbell’s rookie jersey and all the latest Detroit Lions gear.

7. Emmanuel Forbes, Cornerback

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Riviera, left, with first-round draft pick Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes

Luis M. Alvarez / AP Photo

Defensive ROY odds: +1700

2023 NFL draft: No. 16 overall, Washington Commanders (first round)

Born: Jan. 13, 2001 (Grenada, Mississippi)

High school: Grenada High School (Grenada, Mississippi)

College: Mississippi State

Career highlights: AP All-American (2022), two-time All-SEC (2021, 2022), SEC All-Freshman Team (2020)

Bottom line: Some people were surprised the Commanders went with Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes at the No. 16 overall pick since Oregon’s Christian Gonzalez and Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. were still available, and both rated higher on almost all draft boards.

Forbes is more than suitable right here, and a little closer examination shows he may be one of the surprise stars of the draft. Look past the fact that he’s 6-foot and 166 pounds, and focus on the fact Forbes had 14 interceptions in three seasons, returning six of those for touchdowns. Those are video-game numbers.

Check out Emmanuel Forbes’ rookie jersey and all the latest Washington Commanders gear.

6. Lukas Van Ness, Defensive End

Green Bay Packers defensive end Lukas Van Ness

Morry Gash / AP Photo

Defensive ROY odds: +1400

2023 NFL draft: No. 13 overall, Green Bay Packers (first round)

Born: July 6, 2001 (Barrington, Illinois)

High school: Barrington High School (Barrington, Illinois)

College: Iowa

Career highlights: All-Big Ten (2022)

Bottom line: The Green Bay Packers stayed true to their brand and provided zero help to their quarterback, now Jordan Love, by selecting Iowa defensive end Lukas Van Ness in the first round and passing on the myriad offensive weapons available.

One thing to keep in mind about Van Ness is that he’s just coming into his own as a football player. In two seasons at Iowa, Van Ness never even started a game but was still a freshman All-American in 2021 and was an All-Big Ten pick in 2022 while putting up 70 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks over two seasons in a limited role.

But let’s be clear. Van Ness not starting makes you wonder more about the Iowa coaching staff — which is super suspect at this point — and not so much his talent. He could be huge for Green Bay right away.

Check out Lukas Van Ness’ rookie jersey and all the latest Green Bay Packers gear.

5. Devon Witherspoon, Cornerback

Seattle Seahawks first-round NFL football draft pick Devon Witherspoon

Lindsey Wasson / AP Photo

Defensive ROY odds: +1100

2023 NFL draft: No. 5 overall, Seattle Seahawks (first round)

Born: Dec. 11, 2001 (Pensacola, Florida)

High school: Pine Forest High School (Pensacola, Florida)

College: Illinois

Career highlights: AP All-American (2022), Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year (2022) All-Big Ten (2022)

Bottom line: The big winners of the first round of the 2023 NFL draft were the Seattle Seahawks, who got not one but two impact players at skill positions.

And if you’re looking for an individual who won the draft, that’s probably their pick at No. 5 overall with Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon.

Seattle head coach Pete Carroll compared him to no less than Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu, who Carroll coached at USC. It’s easy to see Witherspoon being a star for the Seahawks right away.

Check out Devon Witherspoon’s rookie jersey and all the latest Seattle Seahawks gear.

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4. Christian Gonzalez, Cornerback

Oregon defensive back Christian Gonzalez

David Zalubowski / AP Photo

Defensive ROY odds: +1100

2023 NFL draft: No. 17 overall, New England Patriots (first round)

Born: June 28, 2002 (Carrollton, Texas)

High school: The Colony High School (The Colony, Texas)

Colleges: Colorado/Oregon

Career highlights: All-Pac-12 (2022)

Bottom line: The son of a former Division I basketball player and the brother of three sisters who were all Division I All-Americans in track and field, Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez had a breakout season in 2022, with 45 tackles, seven pass breakups and three interceptions on the way to All-Pac-12 honors.

Gonzalez transferred to Oregon after two seasons at Colorado and shined at the NFL combine, where he ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash to go with a 41.4-inch vertical leap and a broad jump of 11-foot-1.

The Patriots traded down and still got a player some projected to go in the top 10. Now Gonzalez gets to go learn from arguably the greatest defensive mind in NFL history in New England head coach Bill Belichick.

Check out Christian Gonzalez’s rookie jersey and all the latest New England Patriots gear.

3. Tyree Wilson, Defensive End

Brandon Wade / AP Photo

Defensive ROY odds: +750

2023 NFL draft: No. 7 overall, Las Vegas Raiders (first round)

Born: May 20, 2000

High school: West Rusk High School (New London, Texas)

Colleges: Texas A&M/Texas Tech

Career highlights: AP All-American (2022), All-Big 12 (2022)

Bottom line: Tyree Wilson thrived under new Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire in 2022. The Texas A&M transfer turned himself into an All-American and surefire first-round pick as the top-rated pure defensive end in this year’s draft class.

That was enough to entice the Raiders to pick him when many thought they would go with a quarterback for the future in Kentucky’s Will Levis.

If Wilson is healthy, the Raiders are going to set him loose. Unfortunately, it’s hard to see anyone on the Raiders winning any sort of postseason honor.

Check out Tyree Wilson’s rookie jersey and all the latest Las Vegas Raiders gear.

2. Jalen Carter, Defensive Tackle

Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter sacks Kentucky quarterback Will Levis

Butch Dill / AP Photo

Defensive ROY odds: +600

2023 NFL draft: No. 9 overall, Philadelphia Eagles (first round)

Born: April 4, 2001 (Apopka, Florida)

High school: Apopka High School (Apopka, Florida)

College: Georgia

Career highlights: Two-time CFP national champion (2021, 2022), AP All-American (2022), two-time All-SEC (2021, 2022)

Bottom line: Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter was being talked about as a possible No. 1 overall pick until he was arrested for reckless driving and street racing in an accident that led to the deaths of Georgia football staffer Chandler LeCroy and Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock.

Carter has denied the allegations, and whatever happens with the case, he’s not likely to do jail time — both charges are misdemeanors. So when the Philadelphia Eagles picked him at No. 9 overall, it seemed like the biggest steal of the draft and the rich getting richer.

The problem is that Philly is stacked on the defensive front, and he’s not going to get to be a full-time player (i.e., 2-3 downs) as a rookie.

Check out Jalen Carter’s rookie jersey and all the latest Philadelphia Eagles gear.

1. Will Anderson, Linebacker

Vasha Hunt / AP Photo

Defensive ROY odds: +340

2023 NFL draft: No. 3 overall, Houston Texans (first round)

Born: Sept. 2, 2001 (Hampton, Georgia)

High school: Dutchtown High School (Hampton, Georgia)

College: Alabama

Career highlights: CFP national champion (2020), Lombardi Award (2022), two-time Nagurski Trophy (2021, 2022), Bednarik Award (2022), Lott Trophy (2022), two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2021, 2022), two-time AP All-American (2021, 2022), three-time All-SEC (2020-22), Cotton Bowl MVP (2021)

Bottom line: Will Anderson Jr. has been the dominant defensive player in college football for the last three seasons. If you watched him play, you know it’s hard to see his game not translating well to the NFL. The dude can really play.

There’s little Anderson can’t do on the defensive side of the ball, from playing the traditional linebacker role to rushing the passer to dropping into pass coverage, where he can match up with the NFL’s freakish tight ends. He could be a Pro Bowl player as a rookie.

Check out Will Anderson Jr.’s rookie jersey and all the latest Houston Texans gear.

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