The 2024 NFL Draft featured just nine defensive players in the first round. It set a new single-draft record for the fewest defensive talents selected within the opening 32 selections. That's going to make this year's race for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award particularly unpredictable.
DraftKings responded by updating their DROY odds. Several exciting contenders are listed throughout. The odds are as follows:
Dallas Turner (+400)
Laiatu Latu (+700)
Quinyon Mitchell (+1000)
Jared Verse (+1100)
Chop Robinson (+1300)
Terrion Arnold (+1300)
Byron Murphy II (+1300)
Cooper DeJean (+2000)
Nate Wiggins (+2200)
Kool-Aid McKinstry (+2500)
THE FAVORITE AND MY PICK: DALLAS TURNER
I expected Dallas Turner to be the first defender drafted with a top-10 selection. Color me surprised when he was the third defensive player off the board at No. 17. Turner checked boxes throughout the pre-draft process, showcasing elite athleticism by running a 4.46 40-yard dash, a 97th percentile result. Turner also leaped a 40.5 inch vertical, and 10-foot-7 broad jump at the NFL Combine.
Despite the disappointing draft-day slide, Turner landed in the perfect spot with the Minnesota Vikings. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores will take advantage of Turner's rare athleticism by placing him in advantageous situations. The Vikings lost Danielle Hunter to free agency, who posted 16.5 sacks in Flores' player-friendly scheme last season.
Turner will be Flores' new starring pass rusher as a result. He enjoyed an outstanding campaign for the Crimson Tide in 2023, totaling career-highs in sacks (11). Turner could threaten double-digit quarterback takedowns as a rookie.
THE NO. 1 CONTENDER: LAIATU LATU
DraftKings' No. 1 contender was actually the first defensive player drafted. It's been an incredible journey for Laiatu Latu, who accumulated 13.0 sacks at UCLA in 2023 after once being forced to medically retire.
Latu joins an incredibly talented defensive line in Indianapolis that already features Kwity Paye and DeForest Buckner. That should provide Latu with plenty of opportunities to showcase his explosiveness as a defensive end in Gus Bradley ’s aggressive system via one-on-one matchups. The Colts could be playoff contenders with sophomore quarterback Anthony Richardson at the helm. A pass rusher has claimed four of the previous five DROY awards, so Latu will be in the mix.
A WORTHY UNDERDOG: QUINYON MITCHELL
Sauce Gardner was the last cornerback to win Defensive Rookie of the Year (2022). Before him, five years had passed since the previous cornerback winner (Marshon Lattimore, 2017). That's an admission of how difficult it is for defensive backs to out-position the competition, but Quinyon Mitchell is a special prospect who's capable.
The Eagles regressed last season after appearing in Super Bowl LVII. Part of the reason for their disappointing 2023 campaign was a 31st-ranked secondary that allowed 252.7 yards per contest. General manager Howie Roseman has revamped the defensive backfield, adding C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Cooper DeJean to the list of offseason acquisitions.
The Eagles are strong candidates to enjoy a bounce-back season. With Jalen Hurts spearheading an explosive offense, Philadelphia should return to legitimate Super Bowl contender status in 2024. That would position Mitchell nicely for the Defensive Rookie of the Year conversation.
