NFL defensive rookie rankings: Rams' Jared Verse, Texans DB lead the way
The 2024 NFL draft was marked by a historic run on offensive players on Day 1. This class set records with 14 consecutive offensive players taken to open the draft, including six quarterbacks in the first 12 picks, as well as 23 offensive players taken overall in the first round.
While rookie quarterbacks and wide receivers are rightfully getting attention, rookies on the other side of the ball have had an impact across the league this season. First-round picks like Jared Verse and Quinyon Mitchell are highly-touted prospects living up to the hype while many late-round draftees have outplayed their draft position.
For this ranking of rookie defensive players, we're using the Total Points Saved metric calculated by Sports Information Solutions (SIS) data.
This formula is not perfect, as it weighs impact against the pass more than against the run, making pass rushers and defensive backs more valuable than linebackers or interior defensive linemen. But it is a formula for quantifying a player's impact on a per-snap basis on a league-wide scale.
Here are the top rookies on defense this season.
NFL defensive rookie rankings: Week 12
Rankings by Total Points Saved entering Week 12.
T-10. Laiatu Latu, DE, Indianapolis Colts: 15
Latu was the first defensive player taken in the 2024 NFL Draft at No. 15 to the Colts. He's played 54% of defensive snaps for the Colts this season and has racked up three sacks, 21 total tackles (including four for loss), and two forced fumbles entering Week 12. He's improved as the season's gone on and has 26 pressures per SIS data, an impressive figure considering his limited snaps.
T-10. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles: 15
Mitchell was the first defensive back selected in the draft at No. 22 overall. He's started all 10 of the Eagles' games in 2024 at outside cornerback and has played well, especially in the last three weeks. He's been targeted 35 times this season per SIS data and allowed a 51.4% completion percentage and 6.9 yards per target on those passes. Entering Week 12, Mitchell has not allowed a touchdown in coverage.
T-8. Renardo Green, CB, San Francisco 49ers: 20
Green's started at outside corner for the 49ers since the bye and has played well. He's talloed 13 tackles and three pass breakups in the last two games alone. On the season, he's allowing a 51.9% completion percentage and 5.6 yards per target in coverage. He was targeted a season-high 10 times in Week 6 against Seattle and had his first career interception.
T-8. Cam Hart, CB, Los Angeles Chargers: 20
Hart was one of two cornerbacks Los Angeles took in the fifth round playing well for the Chargers. The Notre Dame product has started at outside cornerback since the Chargers' Week 5 bye and has four passes defensed since then. He's allowing a 51.5% completion percentage when targeted but has allowed two touchdowns in coverage.
7. Evan Williams, S, Green Bay Packers: 22
Williams was one of three safeties the Packers drafted in April and has excelled as the starting free safety. The Oregon product had his first start in Week 5 against the Rams and had a team-high 10 tackles and two passes defensed in the win. He's been in and out of the lineup since then but has allowed just four completions on 11 targets.
T-4. Malik Mustapha, S, San Francisco 49ers: 26
Mustapha's another Day 3 pick at safety who is outplaying their draft status. The fourth-round pick out of Wake Forest had his first start in Week 4 against New England but has filled in for Talanoa Hufanga at free safety since Week 6. He's fifth on the team in tackles (43), including one for loss. He has four passes defensed and had his first career interception against Seattle as well.
T-4. Tyler Nubin, S, New York Giants: 26
Nubin was considered one of the best safeties in the class and has played well for a second-round pick. He's played all but two snaps at strong safety for the Giants this season and is second on the team in total tackles (69) entering Week 12, including three for loss. He's allowed a relatively high completion percentage (71.4%) when targeted but has allowed just 110 yards on those 14 targets.
T-4. Terrion Arnold, CB, Detroit Lions: 26
Arnold was right with Mitchell as the top cornerback prospects in the class and has played very well as a day one starter. He's been targeted 54 times in coverage but has allowed just a 51.9% completion percentage, an impressive stat given his high targets. He's allowed two touchdowns in coverage but has five passes defensed for one of the best defenses in the NFL this season.
T-1. Kamari Lassiter, CB, Houston Texans: 32
Houston took Lassiter in the second round and he's been an impact starter for the Texans as a rookie. Despite playing just eight of 11 possible games entering Week 12, Lassiter's rated very high for his ball skills. He had just one interception in his college career but has three so far this season. He's allowing a 35.1% completion percentage when targeted and has six passes defensed.
T-1. Calen Bullock, S, Houston Texans: 32
Unlike Lassiter, Bullock had the reputation as a ball hawk at USC and that's translated to the NFL. He's started seven of the last eight games for Houston and has a team-high four interceptions this season along with eight passes defensed. He has more interceptions (four) than completions allowed (three) for the No. 6-ranked pass defense in the league. This class could provide multiple building blocks alongside recent draftees Derek Stingley Jr. and Jalen Pitre for the Texans' secondary heading to next season.
T-1. Jared Verse, DE, Los Angeles Rams: 32
Verse was the No. 19 pick to Los Angeles out of Florida State and has been an impact player from the jump. His 44 pressures rank tied for fourth in the NFL entering Week 12. That total puts him ahead of Nick Bosa, Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt. His sack production isn't there at just 4.5 but his quarterback hits total (25) is tied for third-most in the league. He was a menace in Week 7 against Las Vegas with 10 pressures and four tackles (one for loss). In prime time against Miami in Week 10, Verse had a sack, two tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. Los Angeles' defense may be down from last season but things would likely be much worse without Verse.
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds: Week 12
1. Jared Verse, DE, Los Angeles Rams (-190)
With his mix of pedigree and production, Verse is likely to be the favorite for the rest of the regular season.
2. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles (+320)
Mitchell doesn't have the same production as other defensive backs but Philadelphia's getting the attention needed to move him up the order.
3. Laiatu Latu, DE, Indianapolis Colts (+2000)
Latu's pedigree has him third behind Verse and Mitchell but he's pretty far out of it, barring a second-half surge in production this season.
Next five: Kamari Lassiter, Texans (+2500); Cooper DeJean, CB, Eagles, Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Packers, Braden Fiske, DL, Rams, Evan Williams, S, Packers (+3000)