The Raiders' Khalil Mack has generated a lot of buzz as a top contender for the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year award, but SB Nation's Stephen White has a nice look at why he's more impressed by another linebacker — the Vikings' Anthony Barr:
The results (for Mack) have been encouraging but they have also not been earth-shattering either. Yeah, Mack is rushing better, but he still hasn't recorded a sack. Yes, he is a hitting machine who goes from sideline to sideline like a heat-seeking missile, but he still hasn't forced a fumble so far this season. I guess what I'm saying is, yeah I see the potential like everybody else, but that's mostly all there is right now — potential. Let's at least agree that actual production should matter a lot in who gets picked for Defensive Rookie Of The Year, no?
Which brings me to the guy I would have expected to be getting showered with the love that Mack has been getting, Minnesota Vikings rookie linebacker Anthony Barr. … Vikings head coach/defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer knows exactly how to use Barr's talents to the fullest. But it's not just that they are putting Barr in a position to succeed, the rookie is doing his part by making the most of the spots he is put in. When it comes to making big plays, Barr has been a weapon for his team.
If you are asking me what I want to see from a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate, I'm going to tell you I want to see them make splash plays. I assume that if they were picked that high they should be able to make the routine plays routinely. What nobody can ever know for sure, however, is if those high draft picks will be able to make the spectacular plays, the rare plays that only the best of the best players can make. Based on what I have seen so far, Barr has done a lot more to impress me as the Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Well-said. There is still plenty of season yet to be played, but we agree that Barr is the front-runner at this point.
