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USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Jeff Risdon

These 10 players made the cut for top Defensive Rookie of the Year contenders

There were many prominent defensive players selected early on in the 2023 NFL draft. Several are projected to start, or at least play prominent roles immediately with their NFL teams. It leads to a pretty deep pool of candidates for the top rookie status.

One of the most respected draft analysts, Lance Zierlein of the NFL Network, laid out his top 10 candidates for the Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2023. Here are Zierlein’s choices.

Which player do you think it will be who ultimately captures the honor? The top 10 candidates here are listed in order of bottom to top odds.

Will McDonald, Jets

Jonathan Jones-USA TODAY Sports

McDonald was the No. 15 overall pick, from Iowa State

Calijah Kancey, Buccaneers

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Kancey, a defensive tackle from Pittsburgh, was the No. 19 overall pick.

Brian Branch, Lions

A defensive back from Alabama, Branch was the No. 45 overall pick

Christian Gonzalez, Patriots

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Gonzalez, a cornerback from Oregon, was the No. 17 overall pick

Tyree Wilson, Raiders

(Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)

A defensive lineman from Texas Tech, Wilson was the No. 7 overall pick

Emmanuel Forbes, Commanders

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The No. 16 overall pick, Forbes is a cornerback from Mississippi State

Jalen Carter, Eagles

: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Carter, a DT from Georgia, went No. 9 overall

Jack Campbell, Lions

The Iowa linebacker was the No. 18 overall pick

Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Witherspoon was the No. 5 overall pick as a cornerback from Illinois

Will Anderson, Texans

Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Anderson was the No. 3 overall pick as an EDGE from Alabama

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