5 Defensive Rookies that will rock the NFL

San Diego Chargers v Houston Texans
Joey Bosa

# 1 Derwin James (Los Angeles Chargers, Safety):

2018 NFL Draft
Derwin James

Derwin James was the steal of the draft, case closed. Los Angeles Chargers got the Florida State product with the 17th overall pick. My belief is that Tremaine Edmunds and Derwin James will go back and forth as the favorites for DRPOY, but I give the slight edge to James. Having the best defensive tandem in Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram will often result in more takeaways and tackles as quick decisions are made by the other team. This will result in Derwin James taking full advantage of that. His knack for the ball will make him a threat for interceptions and open tackles. His blazing speed and making quick decisive decisions at safety will make Derwin James a household name this season. His most comparable in the NFL player is Troy Polamalu. Like Troy Polamalu, James will be all over the offense making the right play at the right time.

Honorable Mentions:

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

2018 NFL Draft
Roger Goodell (Left) and Minkah Fitzpatrick (Right)

# 6 Minkah Fitzpatrick (Miami Dolphins, Safety)

# 7 Marcus Davenport (New Orleans Saints, Edge)

# 8 Maurice Hurst (Oakland Raiders, Defensive Tackle)

# 9 Darius Leonard (Indianapolis Colts, Linebacker)

# 10 Denzel Ward (Cleveland Browns, Cornerback)

Denver Broncos Fans! Check out the latest Denver Broncos Schedule and dive into the Broncos Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Quick Links

Edited by Moderator -PJ
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications