AP NFL Defensive Rookie Of The Year

By Canadian Press on February 5, 2026.

The National Football League’s Defensive Rookie of the Year named by the Associated Press and selected each year by a nationwide panel of media:

2025 — Carson Schwesinger, LB, Cleveland

2024 — Jared Verse, Edge, Los Angeles Rams

2023 — Will Anderson, DE, Houston

2022 — Sauce Gardner, DB, New York Jets

2021 — Micah Parsons, LB, Dallas

2020 — Chase Young, Edge, Washington

2019 — Nick Bosa, Edge, San Francisco

2018 — Darius Leonard, LB, Indianapolis

2017 — Marshon Lattimore, CB, New Orleans

2016 — Joey Bosa, DE, San Diego

2015 — Marcus Peters, Kansas City, CB

2014 — Aaron Donald, St. Louis, DT

2013 — Sheldon Richardson, New York Jets, DT

2012 — Luke Kuechly, Carolina, LB

2011 — Von Miller, Denver, LB

2010 — Ndamukong Suh, Detroit, DT

2009 — Brian Cushing, Houston, LB

2008 — Jerod Mayo, New England, LB

2007 — Patrick Willis, San Francisco, LB

2006 — DeMeco Ryans, Houston, LB

2005 — Shawne Merriman, San Diego, LB

2004 — Jonathan Vilma, New York Jets, LB

2003 — Terrell Suggs, Baltimore, LB

2002 — Julius Peppers, Carolina, DE

2001 — Kendrell Bell, Pittsburgh, LB

2000 — Brian Urlacher, Chicago, LB

1999 — Jevon Kearse, Tennessee, DE

1998 — Charles Woodson, Oakland, CB

1997 — Peter Boulware, Baltimore, LB

1996 — Simeon Rice, Arizona, DE

1995 — Hugh Douglas, New York Jets, DE

1994 — Tim Bowens, Miami, DT

1993 — Dana Stubblefield, San Francisco, DT

1992 — Dale Carter, Kansas City, CB

1991 — Mike Croel, Denver, LB

1990 — Mark Carrier, Chicago, S

1989 — Derrick Thomas, Kansas City, LB

1988 — Erik McMillan, N.Y. Jets, S

1987 — Shane Conlan, Buffalo, LB

1986 — John Offerdahl, Miami, LB

1985 — Duane Bickett, Indianapolis, LB

1984 — Bill Maas, Kansas City, NT

1983 — Vernon Maxwell, Baltimore, LB

1982 — Chip Banks, Cleveland, LB

1981 — Lawrence Taylor, N.Y. Giants, LB

1980 — Buddy Curry, Atlanta, LB, and Al Richardson, Atlanta, LB

1979 — Jim Haslett, Buffalo, LB

1978 — Al Baker, Detroit, DE

1977 — A.J. Duhe, Miami, DT

1976 — Mike Haynes, New England, S

1975 — Robert Brazile, Houston, LB

1974 — Jack Lambert, Pittsburgh, LB

1973 — Wally Chambers, Chicago, DT

1972 — Willie Buchanon, Green Bay, CB

1971 — Isiah Robertson, Los Angeles, LB

1970 — Bruce Taylor, San Francisco, CB

1969 — Joe Greene, Pittsburgh, DT

1968 — Claude Humphrey, Atlanta, DE

1967 — Lem Barney, Detroit, CB

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

The Associated Press

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