2022 NFL Draft: 3 Favorites, 2 Sleepers for Defensive Rookie of the Year
By Hunter Haas
Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, New York Giants
Even though Travon Walker and Aidan Hutchinson heard their names called first in the 2022 NFL Draft, Kayvon Thibodeaux possesses the same ability to make an immediate impact, while also bringing a higher ceiling than his two peers. Thibodeaux is supremely talented as a pass rusher, using his god-given ability to bend the edge and terrorize quarterbacks for four quarters. Not only that, he landed in the perfect system.
New defensive coordinator, Don “Wink” Martindale, demands pressure on the quarterback. Thibodeaux will have the freedom to fly off the edge and focus primarily on piling up the sacks and QB pressures. There is a chance that budding-star Azeez Ojulari steals too much of the production for Thibodeaux to make a run at the award.
However, as much as I love Ojulari, the former Oregon Duck is who I expect to lead the way for the positional group. I don’t think it is crazy to predict a double-digit sack total out of the gate. If that happens, combined with his exposure in New York media, there’s a strong possibility that Thibodeaux wins. Hence why he checks in with the second-highest odds.
Kyle Hamilton, Safety, Baltimore Ravens
I know, I know. I JUST listed off why members of the secondary are at a major disadvantage when it comes to the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. The thing is, Kyle Hamilton is not just any secondary player. He is capable of lining up at linebacker just as easily as he does as a free roaming safety.
Furthermore, Hamilton does not shy away from contact. He is always willing to stick his nose in the play and deliver a thunderous hit to the ball carrier. Additionally, Hamilton is savvy enough and athletic enough to serve as a pass rusher from time to time. Of course not in a traditional sense, but once David Ojabo recovers, the duo of Ojabo-Oweh will leave a number of gaps in the offense for guys like Hamilton to expose.
Sometimes prospects end up with a franchise that fits their style to a t, that is the case with Hamilton and the Baltimore Ravens. Sure, the track record for the award doesn’t bode well for the former Notre Dame standout, but a guy as talented as him, with the ninth best odds, is worth taking a shot on every time.
Aidan Hutchinson, EDGE, Detroit Lions
BORING. Picking Aidan Hutchinson is not much of a limb to go out on, but he is the favorite for good reason. The Michigan native was taken No. 2 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft by his hometown Detroit Lions and steps into a pass rushing group where he is head and shoulders above anyone else on the roster.
The reason I listed Thibodeaux and Hamilton over Hutchinson is partly due to that point. Hutch will be the focal point of the Lions defense, and with that comes lots and lots of attention. Still, without any real competition for the top spot, Hutchinson will have enough opportunities to make his presence felt in Detroit. He has the talent to challenge for the double-digit sack mark, but he will have to earn each one because the double teams will come early and often.
Dan Campbell has built a fun, but hard working culture and Hutchinson embodies that perfectly. He will be an ambassador for the city for as long as he’s in the silver and blue, and that is something that a franchise like the Detroit Lions needs desperately in order to build a consistent winner.