The Defensive Rookie of the Year race will be in the primetime spotlight as 2024 first-round edge rusher Jared Verse and defensive back Quinyon Mitchell face off with one another Sunday night as the Los Angeles Rams take on the Eagles. Even though Mitchell and Verse headline the race, there are also rookie standouts in this game who will try to get in the race as well.
Current Defensive Rookie of the Year odds via BetMGM Sportsbook:
Jared Verse (Los Angeles Rams) -190
Quinyon Mitchell (Philadelphia Eagles) +320
Laiatu Latu (Indianapolis Colts) +2000
Kamari Lassiter (Houston Texans) +2500
Cooper DeJean (Philadelphia Eagles) +3000
Edgerrin Cooper (Green Bay Packers) +3000
Braden Fiske (Los Angeles Rams) +3000
Defensive Player of the Year Could Be Determined in Rams-Eagles Matchup
The Philadelphia Eagles vs the LA Rams matchup will feature four of the top seven rookies from the 2024 NFL Draft. The game will be on Sunday Night Football, a standalone game in front of the country; it could be a pivotal swing in the odds in the Defensive Rookie of the Year race. Verse is the current odds-on favorite for the award, with Mitchell closing the gap.
Verese has 4.5 sacks on the season, with two forced fumbles and 11 tackles for loss. A big game from Verse will continue to solidify him as the favorite for the award, regardless of what the second-place Mitchell could do on Sunday. Not only has Verse been the best rookie defender this season, but he has been in the upper echelon of the NFL’s best defenders this season. According to Pro Football Focus, there are only three players with grades of 80 or better in pass rushing and running stop Verse, T.J. Watt and Dexter Lawrence make up the three.
Mitchell has been stout this season in the secondary for an Eagles defense that ranks among the best in the league. The Eagles are second in opponents’ passing yards per game, allowing 173.2, while also being first in total yards given up a game with 273.1. Mitchell doesn’t have the flashy stats like interceptions to back up his solid play, but he ranks 33rd in the league as a rookie for the fewest yards allowed, according to Next Gen Stats. He has allowed a passer rating of 70 and has not allowed a single touchdown all season.
Both Verse and Mitchell get juicy matchups to showcase their skills. Mitchell gets to go up against a top Rams receiving core, which features Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, while Verse gets to go up against an Eagles offensive line that’s also among the top in the league. A big play like a sack or forced fumble could be enough to keep hold of the top spot for Verse, while an interception for Mitchell could inch him closer to Verse in the odds or even make him the new favorite.
Verse and Mitchell are going to have most of the spotlight, but there is no shortage of other defensive rookies in this matchup who are also making an impact. Rams second-round defensive tackle Braden Fiske leads all rookies in sacks with five. Fiske could push his name into the top three after Sunday night. In contrast, Mitchell’s running mate in the defensive backfield, round pick Cooper DeJean, missed time to start the season but instantly became a top cover corner. Another player worth noting in this matchup is Rams third-round rookie defensive back Kam Kinchens, who has three interceptions, a touchdown, and a forced fumble with two NFC Defensive Player of the Week awards to his name.
This matchup will be a great spotlight on the young defensive talent from the 2024 draft, and even though we have two favorites that will get most of the attention, don’t sleep on the best of the rest in this game who are each capable of stealing the show.
Main Image: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
