The race for 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year came down to three strong candidates: Kobie Turner, Will Anderson Jr. and Jalen Carter. Turner, the Rams’ standout rookie, put together a fantastic season and led all first-year players with nine sacks, but he came up just short in his pursuit of the coveted award.
At the NFL Honors show on Thursday night, Anderson was crowned the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. The Texans edge rusher finished with seven sacks, 22 quarterback hits and 10 tackles for a loss this season, making an immediate impact as the No. 3 overall pick in Houston.
The @HoustonTexans SWEEP the Rookie of the Year awards. 🧹️ pic.twitter.com/kBhnwUXqgX
— NFL (@NFL) February 9, 2024
Turner was a third-round pick but still managed to have one of the best rookie seasons ever by a defensive tackle. He had 16 quarterback hits and eight tackles for a loss to go along with nine sacks, which tied Aaron Donald for the most by a rookie in Rams history.
Carter, the ninth overall pick, was very impactful for the Eagles this season, recording six sacks, nine quarterback hits and eight tackles for a loss in 16 games played. He also recovered a fumble and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown against the Cowboys in December.
Turner finished third in the race, but it was incredibly close as he received 14 first-place votes.
AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
Will Anderson 16-21-8 = 151
Jalen Carter 14-14-10 = 122
Kobie Turner 14-6-7 = 95
Devon Witherspoon 4-7-16 = 57
Joey Porter Jr. 1-0-1 = 6
YaYa Diaby 1-0-1 = 6
Brian Branch 0-0-6 = 6
Jack Campbell 0-1-0 = 3
Byron Young…— Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) February 9, 2024
The Rams hit a home run with Turner and though he made a remarkably strong case to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, he’ll have a chance to build on that impressive season when he returns as a starter in 2024.
