The race for defensive rookie of the year featured a couple of names throughout the year. By the time the dust settled, an unlikely candidate emerged as the winner.
The PFT defensive rookie of the year for 2023 is Rams nose tackle Kobie Turner.
A third-round pick from Wake Forest, Turner led all rookies with 9.0 sacks, a significant feat for any interior defensive lineman. He also tied the Rams’ rookie sack record, set nine years ago by Aaron Donald.
Turner finished strong, racking up eight sacks in the final nine games of the 2023 season. He played in 62 percent of the defensive snaps, with four starts in 17 games.
Has Kobie gotten enough attention to sway enough of the AP voters? That remains to be seen. He got our attention, however, and he gets the prize as this year’s best rookie on defense.
Finishing second on the internal ballots was Texans defensive end Will Anderson. Also getting consideration were Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter, Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon and Steelers cornerback Joey Porter, Jr.