Minkah Fitzpatrick has had an interesting welcome into the NFL, but it doesn’t seem to have stopped him from playing his best football yet.
After being drafted by the Miami Dolphins with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, it had looked like Fitzpatrick was poised to be the lead man in the team’s secondary.
Instead, he was bounced around three different positions, and was unable to solidify himself as a large contributor because of this.
When the Alabama product requested a trade early on in the 2019 regular season, the Dolphins granted his wish – it also helped that they were looking to build up draft stock in preparation for the 2020 NFL Draft.
A trade was made with Pittsburgh after Week 2, and thus, the breakout year had begun.
Steelers were 0-2 when they gave up a 1st for Minkah.
Since:
🔒 5-2
🔒 17.1 PPG allowed
🔒 3.4 forced turnovers per gameDifference maker. pic.twitter.com/ympCjbsApA
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 11, 2019
In his seven weeks as a Steeler, it’s been hard to not find Fitzpatrick’s name in a headline.
He’s made flashy plays and crucial plays in the black and yellow, almost as if he wanted to show the Dolphins’ front office ‘what could have been.’
So far in 2019, Fitzpatrick, with both teams, has accumulated five interceptions, two defensive touchdowns, eight pass deflections, two fumble recoveries and 45 total tackles.
This stat line is not only impressive for a second-year player that struggled with his original team, but for any defensive back in the pros.
If he is able to continue making big plays that positively affect his team, and keep his name in the headlines – for positive, on-the-field, reasons – he could enter the 2020 season as the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
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