3. Chase Young Wins Defensive Player of the Year

Chase Young was the second overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Washington Football Team was fortunate enough to land the defensive star and he will have an immediate impact on the field.

Young has won plenty of awards in his life. He was named the 2019 Big Ten Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year. He finished with 38 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, and seven forced fumbles.

This also earned Young the Bednarik Award given to the nation’s top defensive player. Young is the favorite to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 20020 but could he compete for the overall Defensive Player of the Year award as well?

Coming into the league, Young has been compared to the Bosa brothers. Nick Bosa was a candidate during his rookie season in 2019. 

A main factor is that Young will not be playing for a second rate defensive coordinator like Greg Manusky. Washington brought Jack Del Rio in to be their defensive coordinator and this hire is a big reason why Young will be successful. Del Rio will switch the team to a 4-3 defensive front in 2020.

This will allow the pass rushers to get to the quarterback and put the responsibility of stopping the run mainly on the linebackers. In four seasons as a defensive coordinator, Del Rio has had a top 10 rushing defense in each season.

Young is an explosive player with incredible size and elite quickness. He is going to be a force in Washington who could total double-digit sacks in year one. Do not be surprised to see young’s name near the top of the DPOY race come the end of the season.