Jalen Carter was the front runner for most of the season, but after fading down the stretch, Houston Texans pass rusher Will Anderson Jr. has been named the Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Anderson received 16 first-place votes, compared to Carter’s 14, and he received 151 votes compared to Carter’s 122.
AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
Will Anderson 16-21-8 = 151
Jalen Carter 14-14-10 = 122
Kobie Turner 14-6-7 = 95
Devon Witherspoon 4-7-16 = 57
Joey Porter Jr. 1-0-1 = 6
YaYa Diaby 1-0-1 = 6
Brian Branch 0-0-6 = 6
Jack Campbell 0-1-0 = 3
Byron Young…— Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) February 9, 2024
Anderson Jr. is the first Houston Texans player to win the award since 2009 and the third in franchise history. Anderson’s first-year head coach, DeMeco Ryans, won the prize for the Texans in 2006, and Brian Cushing captured the award in 2009. The Texans swept the rookie awards, with quarterback C.J. Stroud winning Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Anderson logged 45 tackles, ten tackles for loss, 22 quarterback hits, 7.0 sacks, and a pass defensed in 15 games — leading a Texans defense that improved from 24.7 points per game allowed in 2022 to 20.8 points per game allowed in 2023.
Anderson registered 59 pressures on the season, the third-most by a rookie over the last five seasons — trailing only Nick Bosa (80 in 2009) and Micah Parsons (67 in 2021).
It’s a frustrating finish to a season that started utterly dominant for Carter.
Through the first nine weeks, Carter generated 29 pressures (tied for eighth in the league among interior defensive linemen), according to Pro Football Focus, including four sacks and 20 hurries.
During the first half of the season, Carter played 49% of the defensive snaps (despite missing Week 6 against the New York Jets with an injury), second among Eagles defensive tackles behind only Fletcher Cox.
His production fell off down the stretch.
Carter finished his rookie year with 6.0 sacks, 33 tackles, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery (which he returned for a touchdown) in 16 regular-season games.
Carter started just one game and played 51 percent of the Eagles’ defensive snaps, but the ninth overall pick in the 2023 Draft was third on the team in sacks and fifth among all rookies.