Washington Football Team EDGE Chase Young wins Defensive Rookie of the Year

In a development that comes as little surprise, Washington Football Team edge rusher Chase Young has won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award for the 2020 season.

Expectations were high when the Washington Football Team passed over more urgent needs to select Ohio State edge rusher Chase Young with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Other rookies might have crumbled in the face of those expectations. But Young delivered early, and gave reason for unfettered optimism in the coming years.

Young’s rookie season performance earned him the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, ahead of players like Panthers linebacker Jeremy Chinn, Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr., Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, and fellow WFT rookie Kamren Curl. In a defensive class somewhat lacking in immediate utility, Young was the clear front-runner for the award all year, and his strong performance down the stretch all but solidified his chances.

In his rookie season, playing on one of the league’s vaunted defensive lines, Young played and started in 15 games opposite from Montez Sweat. In that time, Young amassed 44 total tackles, 7.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits, four forced fumbles, four pass deflections, three fumble recoveries, and a defensive touchdown. For his production, Young earned Pro Bowl honors, becoming Washington’s first defensive rookie Pro Bowler in over a decade.

One could also make the argument that Young’s impact went beyond his stats. Young saved his best plays for some of the most important moments, and was very timely with his playmaking ability. Past the field, Young provided energetic leadership on the defensive front, and was awarded the captain label midway through his first NFL season.

It’s entirely possible that the Washington Football Team doesn’t make the 2020 NFL playoffs without Young’s influence on the defense. The defensive front enabled the secondary to play more freely, and also improved the play of linebackers Cole Holcomb and Kevin Pierre-Louis. There’s clear room for improvement with Young’s polish as a pass rusher, but his impact on the defensive side of the ball was unmatched by few rookies across the league.

In 2021, Young will be looked at closely as he aims to take the next step in his development. As he showed in 2020, he has the physical tools and the energy to be a dominant edge defender for years on end. Teaming up with a defensive line that should return Sweat, Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, and a healthy Matt Ioannidis, Young has the potential to rise even higher.