Ranking 2023 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates: Christian Gonzalez ready to shine with Patriots

8. Calijah Kancey, DT, Buccaneers

Kancey is Aaron Donald’s size — despite shorter arms, which absolutely matter for defensive linemen — with Donald-esque explosiveness and close to a Donald-type loaded arsenal of pass-rush moves. He’s in for a productive rookie season, but on a rebuilt Buccaneers defensive front, I can’t envision him getting the sack total likely needed to garner serious Defensive Rookie of the Year consideration. Voters are starting to value pressures — and pressure rate — over pure sacks, but that line of thinking isn’t widespread enough for any solely disruptive defensive tackle to win the award. Yet.

7. Jack Campbell, LB, Lions

I adored Campbell during the pre-draft process. Easily my LB1 in the 2023 class with a top 25 grade. No qualms from me about when he was drafted by Detroit. He’s going to be a three-down monster on the Lions defense — think 100-plus tackles, a few sacks, a handful of tackles for loss and the occasional splash play in coverage.

But in order to win DROY as a traditional off-ball linebacker like Campbell most certainly is, the stat sheet needs to be totally jam-packed, and he needs to get help, meaning limited productivity from the marquee edge rushers and cornerbacks. The Lions will be thrilled with Campbell’s play in 2023, but it won’t be enough for him to become a serious DROY candidate, mostly due to the position he plays.

6. Devon Witherspoon, CB, Seahawks

I liked Witherspoon as a prospect. I did. I wasn’t absolutely enamored with him like most were. The highlight reel hits were tantalizing, but he missed a fair amount of tackles, too, and didn’t have major ball production in his stellar Illinois career. However, Pete Carroll has long been one of the best defensive back teachers in football when it comes to the subtleties of playing the position. Yes, even tackling.

Heck, Tariq Woolen was universally viewed as a high-upside project who turned in a six-interception, 16-pass break-up rookie campaign. If anyone can get the most out of Witherspoon’s massive talent and emphatic style, it’s Carroll in Seattle’s secondary. Will the pass rush be good enough to help Witherspoon though? That’s typically the unheralded catalyst for a strong defensive back season. The Seahawks have invested in the pass rush with early picks. The pass rush is still very young and unproven. Witherspoon’s big-hit tendency won’t be enough to garner major DROY consideration.

5. Will McDonald, EDGE, Jets

McDonald’s is an outside speed-rushing specialist, through and through. He’s best when freed to pin his ears back, explode and bend. Unfortunately, he played end in many three-man fronts during his time at Iowa State yet still managed a stellar career for the Cyclones.

With the Jets, Robert Saleh will provide plenty more opportunities to attack the outside shoulder of the opposing right or left tackle. At around 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, McDonald doesn’t have the width and pure point-of-attack power yet to win as an edge-setting run-stuffer. And he’s on a defensive line in New York in dire need of a genuinely threatening edge-rushing presence — Carl Lawson’s was good, not great in 2022. McDonald can be that guy in Year 1, but I’m not expecting a Nick Bosa-type rookie season.