Four of the first 10 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft were defensive players . David Bailey, Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, and Mansoor Delane could all be candidates to emerge as Defensive Rookie of the Year winners. With so much talent selected early, the race for the award promises to be exciting.

The reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year is Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger. The Browns selected Schwesinger in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He became the first non-first-round pick to win DROY honors since Shaquille Leonard in 2018.

Could a non-first-round pick win Defensive Rookie of the Year for a second consecutive season?…