Chase Young was the first defensive player taken in the 2020 NFL Draft, by the Washington Redskins. In fact, he was widely regarded as the best player in the class.
Thus, it should come as no surprise the former Ohio State star is the early favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, according to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein:
With the Buckeyes producing winners of this award in three of the last four years, I guess it shouldn't be a surprise to see (Chase) Young positioned as the favorite to take home the hardware this season. He has great size and length to transition to playing against NFL tackles. He's also shown a consistent pattern of growth as a rusher. He has the quickness and disruptive qualities to become an early factor as a run defender, too, which should bolster his production portfolio as a rookie.
Chase Young was an absolute menace with the Buckeyes.
The Consensus All-America racked up 16.5 sacks, 21 tackles for a loss and seven forced fumbles in just 12 games. Chase Young excels at rushing the passer, but his athleticism also allows him to make plays whenever he drops into coverage.
Chase Young was the subject of rumors aplenty during the buildup to the draft, with some reports suggesting Washington was open to trading the No. 2 overall pick.
Ultimately, however, Washington to opted to hold at the No. 2 spot and take Chase Young, adding the Maryland native to an already impressive front seven.
Much of the team's success is likely reliant on second-year Dwayne Haskins, but a strong rookie campaign from Chase Young would go a long way in helping Washington's quest of building a dominant defense.
—
Follow NFL on ClutchPoints on Twitter & Instagram, and like us on Facebook. We can also be found on Flipboard where you can subscribe and follow us.
All of our NFL content can be found on the NFL section of the ClutchPoints home page here. For all of our fantasy football content, click here.
Follow Us
Subscribe