Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

Naturally, there’s hardly anything positive one can say about the Cowboys’ defense in 2012. However, Sean Lee made a claim to be a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate for the next decade during his sophomore NFL season. Jason Hatcher was correct when he recently said the Cowboys don’t have a leader on defense, but Lee will become that leader in 2012.

Lee tied for 28th in the NFL with 105 tackles this past season while defending seven passes and intercepting four more. Lee is quickly becoming the NFL’s purest tackler, a title that will be undisputedly his within the next two seasons. His ability to defend the pass makes him the ideal inside linebacker and his awareness to make plays in crunch time make him a coach and crowd favorite.

The Cowboys haven’t had a player like Lee on defense since Darren Woodson retired and Lee will be even more highly thought of by the time he retires. If you haven’t discovered Sean Lee yet, you soon will, whether you like it or not.