This year’s rookie crop of defensive studs has created an interesting and diverse derby of candidates for the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Pro Football Focus listed their top 10 entrants in a recent article that naturally is headed by the two highest selected defensive players in the draft — Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young (picked second by Washington) and Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons, selected eighth overall by the Arizona Cardinals.
PFF’S next four choices are LSU linebacker Patrick Queen (Baltimore), Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah (Detroit), South Carolina defensive lineman Javon Kinlaw (San Francisco) and LSU safety Grant Delpit (Cleveland).
Their seventh choice is Alabama safety Xavier McKinney, who the New Your Giants made the 36th overall selection in the second round. He was the first safety off the board.
We all know “Mr. Versatile” to be Isaiah Simmons, but McKinney should be associated with that title as well. There have been only five safeties to play over 450 snaps in the box, slot and at free safety over the past two years, and only one of those five produced 70.0-plus grades at all three of those alignments — Xavier McKinney. He was effective against the run, as a pass-rusher and in coverage, producing grades above 79.0 in all of those facets in each of the last two seasons.
McKinney was a playmaker at Alabama in his versatile role, combining for 22 interceptions, pass breakups and forced fumbles. That type of playmaking for the New York Giants in 2020 would garner a lot of DROY attention.
Rounding out the top 10 are Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr. (Tampa Bay), Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson (Chicago) and Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray (L.A. Chargers).
On the prop betting sites, Young (2-to-1) is an overwhelming favorite followed by Simmons (5/1), Queen and Murray (both 9/1). McKinney is 33-to-1 to win the award.