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Brandon Williams, Jalen Ramsey lead NFL DROY race
This was a tough list to compile, in that there were probably about 15 players who could have made the cut. That said, I do feel confident about my top candidate to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award this season -- a youngster who has more than a little bit in common with 2015 winner Marcus Peters (whose success I correctly predicted last year).
Who is that No. 1 contender? And who else could be fighting him for the top spot among defensive newbies? Below, you'll see my top six candidates to win the 2016 Defensive Rookie of the Year award, listed in reverse order.
1 / 6
6) Karl Joseph, safety, Oakland Raiders
Scott Boehm
2 / 6
5) Keanu Neal, safety, Atlanta Falcons
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3 / 6
4) DeForest Buckner, defensive tackle, San Francisco 49ers
Greg Trott
4 / 6
3) Vernon Hargreaves, cornerback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Phelan M. Ebenhack
5 / 6
2) Jalen Ramsey, cornerback, Jacksonville Jaguars
Al Messerschmidt Archive
6 / 6
1) Brandon Williams, cornerback, Arizona Cardinals
Paul Jasienski
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