Defensive Rookies To Keep An Eye On During 2023 NFL Season

Rookies on the offensive side of the football usually get the most attention in the NFL, but there is a handful of first-year players on defense that tend to hit the ground running. Draft picks spent on defense can help turn a struggling team into a respectable one. We’ll take a look at a few rookies on defense that could make an impact during the 2023 NFL season.

Before it was confirmed that a quarterback would be selected first overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, there was chatter that Anderson was being considered in that spot. It speaks to just how talented he is. Anderson totaled 27.5 sacks in his final two years with Alabama, and it’ll be fun to see him unleashed at the professional level.

 It feels like the Raiders have been trying to fix a leaky defense for several years now, and they’re hoping Wilson will help achieve that goal. Las Vegas still believes that defensive end Maxx Crosby can be an effective player, and his production will only be helped by a strong rookie season from Wilson.

There were a lot of rumors that Carter could fall precipitously during the draft due to the potential legal trouble he was in coming out of college. That narrative was much ado about nothing, as Philadelphia scooped him up with ninth overall pick. Some evaluators believed Carter was the best player in this year’s class, so it’s possible the Super Bowl runner up just got even better.

After they traded Russell Wilson, the Seahawks were believed to be one of the worst rosters in the NFL. They surprised a lot of people last year by making the playoffs, but that was on the back of a strong offense. Opposing teams had their way with Seattle’s defense in 2022, but Witherspoon’s addition in the secondary might change that.

The Jets have done a good job establishing an identity in the last couple of years, as their defense has led the charge. New York may not have needed to invest a first round pick on another defender, but they did anyway. McDonald and 2022 first rounder Jermaine Johnson figure to be fighting for similar snaps, but the team is in a good position to let the better player earn that opportunity.

It’s always exciting for a defensive player to end up with the Patriots, as they’ll get a chance to learn from one of the best defensive minds of all time. Bill Belichick likely won’t leave Gonzalez on an island right away, but he will expect the rookie to hold his own against some top tier wide receivers in the AFC East.

The addition of Smith is an intriguing one for Dallas, who has solid players at all three levels of their defense. Micah Parsons already strikes fear in the heart of his opponents, and Trevon Diggs just got a new contract extension. If Smith can soak up blockers on the interior, those players might even be more effective in 2023, which is a scary thought.

Organizations are fans of positional versatility, as it allows them to creatively build their football team. Bresee can play anywhere along the defensive line, which is a wild card that New Orleans will use to their advantage. Bresee will likely earn consistent snaps at one spot, but will likely be deployed all over the field in practice as a rookie.