(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
Heading into the 2024 NFL Draft, the expectation was that the first round would be filled with primarily offensive players taken, with a ton of talented quarterbacks and wide receivers in mock drafts by all the draft experts.
As expected, the draft experts were right, with offensive players being taken in 14 consecutive picks to start the first round, with UCLA’s Laiatu Latu being the first defensive player off the board at No. 15 overall taken by the Indianapolis Colts.
Immediately after the Colts selected the former Bruins star, the Seattle Seahawks drafted defensive tackle Byron Murphy II at No. 16 overall, followed by the Minnesota Vikings drafting pass rusher Dallas Turner at No. 17.
Only nine defensive players were taken in the first round, and now the odds have surfaced regarding who is the favorite to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, with Turner currently favored over Latu, according to DraftKings via ProFootballTalk.
Dallas Turner favored over Laiatu Latu to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. https://t.co/diSUTMG2wk
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 18, 2024
It’ll be interesting to see how things pan out with Turner in Minnesota, as he might have the best opportunity to make an impact right away when compared to Murphy and Latu.
The Vikings have lost some key veterans this year, with star quarterback Kirk Cousins and defensive end Danielle Hunter leaving Minnesota in NFL free agency, paving the way for a youth movement.
Along with rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy likely becoming the new face of the franchise, the Vikings will take on a new look defensively, with no telling how things will turn out in Minnesota moving forward, as it could be a quick transition or a painful one next season.
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