The NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (DROY) Award is given to the most outstanding first-year player on the defensive side of the ball. It is one of the biggest awards handed out by the league during the NFL Honors ceremony on the Thursday before the Super Bowl.
Some of the brightest young talent the NFL has ever seen have had the privilege of winning this distinguished award.
Full List of NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Winners
The DROY Award didn’t begin until 1967. Beginning in 1957, the NFL granted the Rookie of the Year Award. However, They created a new honor a decade later to recognize the outstanding defensive talent entering the league.
Detroit Lions CB Lem Barney won the inaugural DROY award in the 1967 season, where they also had running back Mel Farr win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Praising some of the young talent in the NFL, the award is given to acknowledge the incredible transition these players made in their rookie seasons.
Some of the all-time NFL greats have won the distinguished award and have gone on to have Hall of Fame careers. Some are even identified as being the greatest of all time at their respective positions.
The position that has had the most success in the award is linebacker. They have won the award 26 times since the award’s inception. A close second are defensive ends, who have won the award 24 times.
Despite the award being dominated by LBs and DEs, other positions have also seen success. Cornerbacks have won the award nine times, while defensive tackles have taken the award home on seven occasions. There is also a lone safety on the list: the Chicago Bears’ Mark Carrier (1990).
The complete list of the Defensive Rookie of the Year award winners is:
- 1967 – Lem Barney, CB, Detroit Lions
- 1968 – Claude Humphrey, DE, Atlanta Falcons
- 1969 – Joe Greene, DT, Pittsburgh Steelers
- 1970 – Bruce Taylor, CB, San Francisco 49ers
- 1971 – Isiah Robertson, LB, Los Angeles Rams
- 1972 – Willie Buchanon, CB, Green Bay Packers
- 1973 – Wally Chambers, DT, Chicago Bears
- 1974 – Jack Lambert, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
- 1975 – Robert Brazile, LB, Houston Oilers
- 1976 – Mike Haynes, CB, New England Patriots
- 1977 – A. J. Duhe, DE, Miami Dolphins
- 1978 – Al Baker, DE, Detroit Lions
- 1979 – Jim Haslett, LB, Buffalo Bills
- 1980- Buddy Curry and Al Richardson (co-winners), LBs, Atlanta Falcons
- 1981 – Lawrence Taylor, LB, New York Giants
- 1982 – Chip Banks, LB, Cleveland Browns
- 1983 – Vernon Maxwell, LB, Baltimore Colts
- 1984 – Bill Maas, DT, Kansas City Chiefs
- 1985 – Duane Bickett, LB, Indianapolis Colts
- 1986 – Leslie O’Neal, DE, San Diego Chargers
- 1987 – Shane Conlan, LB, Buffalo Bills
- 1988 – Erik McMillan, S, New York Jets
- 1989 – Derrick Thomas, LB, Kansas City Chiefs
- 1990 – Mark Carrier, S, Chicago Bears
- 1991 – Mike Croel, LB, Denver Broncos
- 1992 – Dale Carter, CB, Kansas City Chiefs
- 1993 – Dana Stubblefield, DT, San Francisco 49ers
- 1994 – Tim Bowens, DT, Miami Dolphins
- 1995 – Hugh Douglas, DE, New York Jets
- 1996 – Simeon Rice, DE, Arizona Cardinals
- 1997 – Peter Boulware, LB, Baltimore Ravens
- 1998 – Charles Woodson, CB, Oakland Raiders
- 1999 – Jevon Kearse, DE, Tennessee Titans
- 2000 – Brian Urlacher, LB, Chicago Bears
- 2001 – Kendrell Bell, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
- 2002 – Julius Peppers, DE, Carolina Panthers
- 2003 – Terrell Suggs, LB, Baltimore Ravens
- 2004 – Jonathan Vilma, LB, New York Jets
- 2005 – Shawne Merriman, LB, San Diego Chargers
- 2006 – DeMeco Ryans, LB, Houston Texans
- 2007 – Patrick Willis, LB, San Francisco 49ers
- 2008 – Jerod Mayo, LB, New England Patriots
- 2009 – Brian Cushing, LB, Houston Texans
- 2010 – Ndamukong Suh, DT, Detroit Lions
- 2011 – Von Miller, LB, Denver Broncos
- 2012 – Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina Panthers
- 2013 – Sheldon Richardson, DE, New York Jets
- 2014 – Aaron Donald, DT, St. Louis Rams
- 2015 – Marcus Peters, CB, Kansas City Chiefs
- 2016 – Joey Bosa, DE, San Diego Chargers
- 2017 – Marshon Lattimore, CB, New Orleans Saints
- 2018 – Shaquille Leonard, LB, Indianapolis Colts
- 2019 – Nick Bosa, DE, San Francisco 49ers
- 2020 – Chase Young, DE, Washington Football Team
- 2021 – Micah Parsons, LB, Dallas Cowboys
- 2022 – Sauce Gardner, CB, New York Jets
- 2023 – Will Anderson Jr., DE, Houston Texans
- 2024 – Jared Verse, DE, Los Angeles Rams