NFL

Top 10 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Candidates

Top 10 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Candidates

NFL Rookie of the Year
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL season has only six weeks left, and with it comes the season of giving out awards. Here are 10 players to keep an eye out for who are all in the running to win Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

10. LB Aaron Lynch (San Francisco 49ers)

Aaron Lynch
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10. LB Aaron Lynch (San Francisco 49ers)

Aaron Lynch
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With so many injuries and one stupid person on suspension, the 49ers' defense has been relying on rookies for much of the season. Lynch has greatly benefited from this and has racked up three sacks this season, proving to be able to apply pressure to opposing quarterbacks.

9. CB Bradley Roby (Denver Broncos)

Bradley Roby
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9. CB Bradley Roby (Denver Broncos)

Bradley Roby
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Despite the limited playing time Roby has received, he still is posting some promising numbers, including two interceptions, a sack and a forced fumble. Not bad for a player who has seen limited minutes.

8. S Deone Bucannon (Arizona Cardinals)

Deone Bucannon
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8. S Deone Bucannon (Arizona Cardinals)

Deone Bucannon
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Being a part of the magically amazing Arizona defense certainly helps Bucannon, but his ability to make plays has definitely been on display this season. He’s now started two straight games, and has 52 tackles and a sack on the season. He, along with Tyrann Mathieu will make quite the formidable duo in years to come.

7. CB Kyle Fuller (Chicago Bears)

Kyle Fuller
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7. CB Kyle Fuller (Chicago Bears)

Kyle Fuller
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The 14th-overall pick had a huge game against the 49ers in Week 2, where he had two interceptions and put himself on the map. Since then, he has added another interception to his total and coupled it all with 39 total tackles. He gets plenty of practice intercepting the ball facing Jay Cutler at practice.

6. S Ha Ha Clinton Dix (Green Bay Packers)

Ha Ha Clinton Dix
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6. S Ha Ha Clinton Dix (Green Bay Packers)

Ha Ha Clinton Dix
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The Packers needed a safety heading into this year’s draft, and they nailed it with Ha Ha Clinton Dix. Clinton Dix has 55 total tackles, a sack and an interception on the season, and has brought a hard-hitting mentality to the Packers’ defense.

5. DT Aaron Donald (St. Louis Rams)

Aaron Donald
Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

5. DT Aaron Donald (St. Louis Rams)

Aaron Donald
Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Donald was expected to be an athletic freak and overall beast coming into the NFL, and while it did take some time, he has more than proven those thoughts to be correct. He has four sacks on the season (three over last five games), and has been terrorizing offensive lines all season long.

4. LB Khalil Mack (Oakland Raiders)

Khalil Mack
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4. LB Khalil Mack (Oakland Raiders)

Khalil Mack
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While Mack hasn’t quite got the high sack count with only one, he has certainly proven himself to be a playmaker. Fourth on the Raiders in tackles (56) with an interception, Mack is showing small-college roots don’t mean anything in the NFL.

3. LB Anthony Barr (Minnesota Vikings)

Anthony Barr
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3. LB Anthony Barr (Minnesota Vikings)

Anthony Barr
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Barr has been everything the Vikings could have ever wanted when they drafted him ninth overall. Barr is second in the team in tackles (62) and has four sacks on the season. His biggest highlight was his forced fumble recovery touchdown to beat the Buccaneers in overtime. Lucky for me, I was starting the Vikings' defense that week.

2. LB C.J. Mosley (Baltimore Ravens)

C.J. Mosley
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2. LB C.J. Mosley (Baltimore Ravens)

C.J. Mosley
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Had this list been written even a week ago, Mosley would be the favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. He leads the Ravens in tackles with 90, has two interceptions, a forced fumble and has helped the Ravens seamlessly transition from Ray Lewis leading the charge. In many people’s books, Mosley still might be the front-runner.

1. LB Chris Borland (San Francisco 49ers)

Chris Borland
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1. LB Chris Borland (San Francisco 49ers)

Chris Borland
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On the other hand, I cannot pick against Chris Borland. In the short span of four weeks, Borland has taken the NFL by storm and is single-handedly making all opposing running attacks look sad and pathetic. Borland has started only four games (270 snaps) yet already has 63 tackles and two interceptions. Mosley has 90 tackles on 672 snaps. At his rate, Borland would have 156 tackles on 672 snaps.

Peter Rogers is a New England Patriots writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @petahrahgas, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google

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