Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted November 20, 2012 We are into the second half of the season now, I believe every team has had their BYES and this is when the men come to play. I want to know... Who is your defensive rookie of the year right now? Feel free to predict he final award winner if those two choices differ. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted November 20, 2012 I am going to go homer here, but hear me out... My defensive rookie of the year as of today is... Casey Hayward, 2nd round pick of the Packers. Linebackers have dominated this award in recent memory... Only 6 corners have won this award in its history, the last being Charles Woodson in '98 as an Oakland Raider. Casey has amazing football instincts and plays the ball extremely well. We drafted him to be the NEXT Charles Woodson, to fill the role that would be left when Charles decides to hang em up. Boy, did we pick the right guy. Not only are his instincts impeccable... but he can play the run very effectively, he throws his body around, and is already locking down opposing WRs after being thrown into the spotlight with Sam Shields being hurt. Through 11 weeks (10 games).... Hayward is allowing a catch rate of under 50% which ranks him in the Top 5 -- and he has gotten thrown at more than any of the others in that category. He has yet to give up a TD, has contributed with 7 passes defensed and 5 interceptions which puts him 10th and 2nd in the league respectively. Contributes with one of the highest stop rates (solo tackles that result in an offensive failure) in the league, being bested by Antoine Winfield. And finally, QBs have a rating of a mere 28.5 throwing into his coverage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thanatos 2,847 Posted November 20, 2012 I think it will be Lavonte David, Luke Kuechly, or Chandler Jones. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
housemd 338 Posted November 20, 2012 DROY will be a lot harder to select than OROY..The guys Thanatos listed are probably gonna win it but Heyward and Harrison Smith should be considered,too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BucD+ 648 Posted November 20, 2012 I think it will be Lavonte David, Luke Kuechly, or Chandler Jones. I agree here. One of those three will win it baring a big change from now and until the end of the season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KiLaSix9+ 398 Posted November 20, 2012 I think it will be Lavonte David, Luke Kuechly, or Chandler Jones. This. It will be a tight race too. I knew Kuechly was going to be good but not as good as what I saw this Sunday. Kid looks like an all pro veteran out there leading that defense. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RazorStar 4,025 Posted November 20, 2012 Too many names to consider. I think guys like David and kuechly have the edge because you can just look at the tackle numbers and have the voters immediately put them in, but there's more to it than that. Heyward has been a lockdown corner this year. Harrison Smith took charge of a Minnesota defense that need some leadership deep, and has always been in position. Chandler Jones has been a force as a pass rusher but his play in the run game is understated. His ankle injury against Indy may be a problem though. Then of course the linebackers have all had good play going for them, Bobby Wagner, as well as the guys Thanatos listed all have legitimate shots at the title. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shotgun 442 Posted November 20, 2012 I'll homer it and say Lavonte, in large part due to him playing as good as he has being out there every single down, and wearing the green dot helmet as a rookie. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ATL_Predator+ 1,196 Posted November 20, 2012 To me it's Luke...it's kinda ridiculous what he's been doing. Looks like a young man's Urlacher out there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AllYouNeedIsLovie 377 Posted November 20, 2012 Kuechly and David have both been very good, but IMO, David is the better player and should win DROY. Before people start calling me a homer, please go watch him play. This kid is for real. David has been a stud this year and is one of the best tacklers I've ever seen. Ronde Barber even said he IS the best tackler he has ever seen and that is saying something seeing as he played with guys like Derrick Brooks, John Lynch, Warren Sapp, etc. David doesn't miss tackles. When he makes contact with someone, the play stops there. He doesn't let the player get any extra yardage. Kuechly had a solid game against the Bucs, but I saw him get ran over by DJ Ware and Doug Martin a few times on Sunday. Even though Kuechly may have a few more tackles than David, look at solo tackles. David is 3rd in the NFL with 73, while Kuechly only has 45 and doesn't even crack the top 40. David also leads the NFC in TFL with 13, while Kuechly only has 8. David is the guy who is calling plays for our defense and if you remember, we had the worst run D in the NFL last year. This year we are number 1. David (and Gerald McCoy) has been a huge reason for this. Both are good players, but I think you have to give David the edge here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bay 2,003 Posted November 20, 2012 Weren't the Bucs last in Run D last year? Now they are 1st. What a turnaround. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AllYouNeedIsLovie 377 Posted November 20, 2012 Weren't the Bucs last in Run D last year? Now they are 1st. What a turnaround. Forgot to add, it wouldn't surprise me if Chandler Jones won this award just because he is a pass rusher and has more flashy stats. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KiLaSix9+ 398 Posted November 20, 2012 Weren't the Bucs last in Run D last year? Now they are 1st. What a turnaround. David is a HUGE part of that but I give more credit to McCoy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Favre4Ever+ 4,476 Posted November 20, 2012 Bucs have top contenders in OROTY AND DROTY.... Quite the draft, regardless of anyone else, and regardless if either actually win or not. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
