With the 2024 NFL Draft formally within the books, oddsmakers have already began setting traces on the favorites for NFL Defensive Rooke of the 12 months.
And whereas Minnesota Vikings edge-rusher Dallas Turner, Indianapolis Colts edge-rusher Laiatu Latu and Los Angeles Rams defensive finish Jared Verse are the presumed front-runners (for good motive), there are another under-the-radar gamers who may enter the dialog as soon as the season begins.
Listed here are three dark-horse candidates for 2024 NFL Defensive Participant of the 12 months.
1. T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Tennessee Titans
One factor Sweat can have going for him throughout his rookie season nobody else will: he’ll be taking part in subsequent to two-time second group All-Professional Jeffery Simmons, who instructions loads of consideration and double groups from opposing offensive linemen.
The 6-foot-4, 362-pound Sweat is surprisingly athletic (he ran a 5.27 40-yard sprint on the mix, which is nearly remarkable for a participant his dimension) and he’s tough to dam with only one man. He had the second-most tackles in run protection (28) and run stuffs (24) at Texas final season, per Professional Soccer Focus, and he had the second-most hurries (26), third-most pressures (31) and fourth-most tackles for loss (eight) on the group.
Simmons and Sweat could be essentially the most difficult-to-contain defensive deal with duo within the NFL, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see Sweat within the eight-to-10 sack vary by the top of the 12 months.
2. Austin Booker, Edge, Chicago Bears
Earlier than Montez Sweat’s arrival on the commerce deadline, the Bears had arguably the worst go rush within the NFL. Apart from Sweat, solely six different gamers recorded a number of sacks and three of them are not on the group (Justin Jones is with the Arizona Cardinals and Yannick Ngakoue and Rasheem Inexperienced are each free brokers).
Chicago wants to present Sweat some assist speeding off the sting on the other facet, and Booker will get his share of alternatives. The 6-foot-6, 245-pound defensive finish led Kansas in pressures (38), hurries (27), tackles for loss (12) and sacks (eight). Booker takes lengthy strides, has a superb spin transfer and excels at shedding blocks — all of which may assist him have a productive rookie season for a group in determined want of pass-rush assist.
3. Cole Bishop, S, Buffalo Payments
After dropping each beginning safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde and their mixed 1,238 protection snaps, security was arguably Buffalo’s greatest space of want heading into the draft final week.
Bishop not solely provides the Payments a bit of little bit of what each Poyer and Hyde did effectively — he’s bought nice consciousness and route recognition, he’s a punishing hitter in zone protection, and he has robust ball-tacking abilities and shutting velocity — however he’s bought the scale (6-foot-2, 207 kilos) to carry up in protection towards a number of the NFL’s prime deep threats.
Bishop allowed a completion proportion under 60 and fewer than 200 yards in protection in two of his three seasons at Utah. His ball-hawking abilities and robust skill to chop off angles from deep down subject may, and he may very well be as productive as a number of the prime rookie safeties in latest reminiscence together with Baltimore’s Kyle Hamilton and Tampa Bay’s Antoine Winfield Jr.
