The 2012 NFL Draft yielded the best rookie class of quarterbacks that we have seen since the early 1980's and they got most of the attention. That being said, the defensive side of the ball wasn't necessarily lacking talent and production.
Luke Kuechly put up 165 tackles, eight passes defended and two interceptions for the Carolina Panthers in a Defensive Rookie of the Year effort.
Meanwhile, "lesser known" prospects such as Casey Hayward and Bobby Wagner got serious contention for those honors. In fact, my vote went to the Seattle Seahawks' linebacker.
Expect the same level of production from a few rookies on the defensive side of the ball this upcoming season. Let's look at a few I have pegged to stand out.
Sheldon Richardson, Defensive Tackle, New York Jets
I am intrigued as to how Richardson is going to do in the Jets scheme. I had him slotted as either a 4-3 defensive tackle or a 3-4 defensive end. It appears he will be playing inside in a hybrid defensive front for Rex Ryan. This could be interesting. Either Richardson will stand out because of his ridiculous skill set or he'll struggle finding a place to play. Despite the Jets not exactly fitting their scheme a great deal with this selection, I am going to conclude that he'll make an impact against both the run and the pass. You won't hear a lot about Richardson because he doesn't play a "sexy" position, but he'll dominate the trenches in The Meadowlands.
Kenny Vaccaro, Safety, New Orleans Saints
My early pick to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, Vaccaro is going to make an immediate impact in the Saints previously disastrous secondary. Look for him to play multiple roles, including free safety in base packages and even nickel corner in sub packages. This is how good the Texas product is against the pass. He can also stick his nose in there and make plays against the run in the box. He immediately becomes the Saints best defensive player, which might say something about the rest of their defense. An improved unit will be a direct result of Vaccaro's presence on the field.
Eric Reid, Safety, Louisiana State
Where Reid might struggle in coverage early in his career, he is going into a situation as a starter for one of the top-three defenses in the entire National Football League. The first-round pick is sure to benefit from stellar front-seven play in San Francisco, which should enable him to be the ball-hawling playmaker that San Francisco envisioned when it drafted him last month. Expect a hard-hitting mentality from the youngster to lead to some forced turnovers. That being said, his struggles in coverage over the top may be magnified a great deal due to him playing for the defending NFC Champions.
Desmond Trufant, Cornerback, Atlanta Falcons
Trufant will come in and likely be tasked with being the Falcons No. 1 cornerback now that both Brent Grimes and Dunta Robinson are no longer with the team. While he should struggle with consistency like most defensive backs, I firmly believe that the Washington product will finish the season as one of the top cornerbacks in the division. He has the bump-and-run ability as well great technique on the outside. Trufant will most definitely need it considering he is likely to go up against the likes of Steve Smith, Marques Colston and Vincent Jackson in the NFC South.
Cornellius Carradine, Defensive End, San Francisco 49ers
As most of you already know, I am extremely high on this physical beast. He is equally good against the run as he is getting to the quarterback, which is a necessity as a 3-4 defensive end. While San Francisco will look at moving Carradine inside (to an extent) in a Justin Smith role, he'll likely cover both Smith and Ray McDonald as a rookie. The Florida State product is one of my under-the-radar candidates to win Rookie Defensive Player of the Year. He comes into a situation where there are so many other cogs for offenses to have to focus on that he should see free pass-rushing lanes on a consistent basis. The only hold up here is the fact that "Tank" tore his ACL in his final game with the Seminoles and will be missing OTA's. If healthy, a solid impact as a rookie is nearly guaranteed.
Kevin Minter, Linebacker, Arizona Cardinals
Whether it is replacing Daryl Washington, who is already going to serve a four-game suspension prior to a recent domestic violence charge, or taking over for Jasper Brinkley at right inside linebacker; Minter should make a huge impact in 2013. I had a top-25 grade on the linebacker and absolutely love what he brings to the table in Arizona's scheme. Don't be surprised if he is '13's version of Bobby Wagner. That's how high I am on the Louisiana State product.
Arthur Brown, Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens
Will Brown be able to replace the Ray Lewis of 10 years ago? Of course not. Will he be better than the future Hall of Famer was last year? Definitely. I had Brown as the top overall inside linebacker in the draft and personally believe he can play a multitude of roles in Baltimore's revamped and younger defense. Look for the Ravens to utilize him in blitz packages, in nickel situation and even in other sub packages. If this is the case, the Kansas State product should be a three-down linebacker as a rookie. That equates to about 100-plus tackles, five sacks and a few forced fumbles. Not too shabby.
Sio Moore, Linebacker, Oakland Raiders
One of the most under-the-radar linebackers from the 2013 NFL Draft class, Moore is going into a perfect situation with the Raiders. There is no reason to believe that he won't be able to beat out Kevin Burnett for the starting weak-side linebacker job in camp. If this holds true, Moore will get plenty of action on an Oakland team that seems to lack the necessary skill to hold the ball for a majority of the game on offense. Expect some eye-opening numbers here.
J.J. Wilcox, Safety, Dallas Cowboys
Again, it is all about competition. As most of you already know, the Cowboys' safety situation has been beyond horrendous over the past couple season. Short of adding a marginal veteran here and there, Dallas really hasn't done much to fix the issue. Enter into the equation this small-school product, who played only one season on defense at Georgia Southern. Common logic seems to suggest that a defender without much experience that played against less-than-stellar competition in college will have a huge learning curve in the NFL. I just don't see it that way. Wilcox's coverage skills and fluid technique on the outside are already pro ready, which is simply stunning. Look for Wilcox to give new addition Will Allen a run for his money in camp and eventually start sometime before November.
Jesse Williams, Defensive Tackle, Seattle Seahawks
As with Tank Carradine in San Francisco, this will all depend on Williams' health. If he is able to show up in training camp and prove that his injury concerns are a thing of the past, I see no reason why Williams won't be able to line up next to Brandon Mebane in Seattle's base 4-3 set. Of course he will be taken out of the game when the Seahawks go to sub packages, but I absolutely love what he brings to the table in terms of stuffing the run. If healthy, this could prove to be one of the best overall late-round steals in the draft.