Who Is The NFL DROY Favorite?

We've reached the approximate midway point of the 2024 NFL season. The Defensive Rookie of the Year race has been a tight-knit one with several candidates jockeying for position. Los Angeles Rams rookie EDGE Jared Verse should be considered the current favorite, with Laiatu Latu and Quinyon Mitchell also establishing themselves as potential winners.

The first defensive prospect wasn't selected in the 2024 NFL Draft (Latu) until 15th overall. Three of the successive four selections were also defenders, including Verse, ensuring the race for DROY would be exciting. To date, Verse has been the most impressive candidate.

Verse has recorded 29 total tackles and 2.5 sacks this season. He was completely unstoppable in the Rams' Week 8 primetime victory over the Minnesota Vikings, taking advantage of an injury at left tackle to record 1.5 sacks. Verse accumulated five pressures.

Verse has totaled 32 pressures this season. That's 11 more than the second-place rookie, who happens to be his teammate, defensive tackle Braden Fiske. Verse has been consistent too. He's racked up three or more pressures in every contest this season, including five-plus in three separate games. He's Pro Football Focus' highest-graded rookie rusher as a result (77.8), minimum qualifiers included.

Verse’s form isn’t just impressive as far as rookie standards go. He's been one of the more productive and efficient rushers in the league, period. Through Week 7 (the Week 8 update has yet to arrive), Verse has posted a third-best pass-rush-win-rate (PRWR) of 27%, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

Aidan Hutchinson (35%) and Myles Garrett (31%) are the only EDGE defenders in the league with a better rush win rate than Verse. Hutchinson was a shoo-in for Defensive Player of the Year before suffering a season-ending injury, and Garrett is an annual frontrunner. Talk about good company to keep.

Verse hasn't just been a dominant pass rusher, either. He's been equally as effective versus the run, flashing true three-down potential. Verse's 31% run-stop win rate (RSWR) ranks ninth-best among all qualifying edge defenders. Rashan Gary and Maxx Crosby are some of the other defensive players on the list.

Latu has been good, but Verse has been head-and-shoulders above. Latu has recorded 17 pressures this season, 15 fewer than Verse. The former UCLA standout has 14 total tackles and two sacks to date as PFF’s second-highest graded rookie edge defender (67.4).

Mitchell is also playing quality football for an Eagles secondary that has shown terrific improvement this season. They are currently allowing a 10th-fewest 193.9 passing yards per game. They finished 31st in that category last year (252.7/game). Mitchell has allowed 19 receptions on 34 targets this season for 254 yards, zero touchdowns, and a completion percentage of 55.9%. He's amassed six pass breakups and is allowing a passer rating of 79.8.

Latu and Mitchell are fair candidates in the Defensive Rookie of the Year discussion. Verse has just transcended the rookie conversation by rubbing shoulders with elite veteran edge defenders in various categories. Verse is currently running away with Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.