Where does the Panthers’ Jeremy Chinn stand in DROTY race? Here’s what our survey found.
When Panthers rookie safety Jeremy Chinn was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft, 29 defensive players had been drafted ahead of him.
Yet, after 13 games this season, it’s Chinn who is on a short list of players in contention for the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Chinn is among the top contenders for the award, but it may be an uphill climb for him to win it.
An Observer survey found that most voters are leaning toward Washington defensive end Chase Young, though almost all say that pick could change.
The Observer attempted to contact every voter in the Associated Press’ Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Those 50 voters are media members ranging from newspaper writers to online journalists, radio personalities and TV analysts. Of those 50, 21 responded. The Observer asked each of them: “If the season ended today, who would you vote for for Defensive Rookie of the Year. And why?”
Only two of those voters said they were leaning toward Chinn. One said they were leaning toward Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. Seven said they were leaning toward Young.
“Now that he’s healthy, we’re seeing what a dominant force he is and how he’s able to impact the game in so many different ways,” USA Today columnist Mike Jones said of Young. “He’s a monster. Nobody comes close.”
Still, six voters said the race was too close to call. They instead gave a short list of candidates they were considering, and all had both Chinn and Young on the list. Two said they were not yet sure and wanted to do more research. Two other voters declined to participate.
Jeremy Chinn or Chase Young?
Most voters who are leaning toward Young referenced his play in Washington Football Team’s Week 14 win over the San Francisco 49ers as what helped influenced their thinking. Young finished with six tackles, one tackle for loss, a sack, two passes tipped, a fumble recovery for a touchdown, a forced fumble and two quarterback hits in that 23-17 win.
“If you’d asked me after the Minnesota game, when (Chinn) had the two scores, I’d tell you he’s the guy,” Miami Herald columnist Armando Salguero said. “But you’re asking me after a weekend of games in which Chase Young was dominant against the 49ers and I cannot stop thinking he’s the guy right now.”
Both Chinn and Young have had impressive seasons so far.
Young has 35 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, three pass deflections, and the fumble recovery, which was returned for a defensive touchdown.
Chinn has 95 tackles, two tackles for loss, five pass deflections, one interception, one sack, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, both of which were returned for touchdowns.
Alex Marvez, of SiriusXM NFL Radio, was one of two voters who said he was leaning toward Chinn.
“The number of impact plays he has made,” Marvez said, “the use of him on defense has been so sophisticated well beyond his years, combined with the fact he came from a small school program makes it more impressive. Nobody else has made as big of an impact as of yet.”
Chinn, who plays multiple positions for the Panthers, including safety and linebacker, had his best game on Nov. 29 in Week 12 against the Minnesota Vikings. He had a season-high 13 tackles, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries for touchdowns, 10 seconds apart. He had a sack and a forced fumble last week against the Broncos.
Other possibilities for the defensive rookie award
Perhaps one of the biggest knocks against Chinn, and in Young’s favor, is how their teams have played this season. The Panthers are 4-9 and won’t make the playoffs. Washington Football Team is 6-7, has won four straight and is in first place in the NFC East.
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen said Chinn was on his short list along with Young and Indianapolis Colts safety Julian Blackmon, but he needed more time to evaluate and have discussions with “opposing coaches and personnel people and their own staffs as well as opposing players. NO AGENTS.”
Other voters mentioned Baltimore middle linebacker Patrick Queen as a possible candidate. Queen’s numbers are similar to Chinn’s. He has 92 tackles, two fumbles forced, two fumble recoveries, one interception and one defensive touchdown.
But Young and Chinn were the overwhelming favorites among voters.
Lorenzo Reyes, an NFL reporter for USA Today, said based on their production and efficiency and impact on their respective teams, Young and Chinn stand out from the rest of the field. But he said Chinn has a few obstacles to winning the defensive rookie of the year award.
“I think the biggest obstacle Chinn is going to have to overcome is the lack of name recognition, which Young is blessed with,” Reyes said.
Still three weeks to go in the NFL regular season
Young, who played three seasons at Ohio State, was taken No. 2 overall in the 2020 NFL draft in April. Chinn was drafted No. 64 overall out of Southern Illinois, a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) program. He was not a household name.
“What also hurts Chinn is that Young is putting up highlight-reel moments that tend to stick with voters,” Reyes said. “It’s interesting that Young’s touchdown has seemingly been on repeat, while Chinn’s touchdowns on consecutive plays, literally something we’ve never seen, seems to have become an afterthought rather quickly.”
A lot can happen in the last three weeks of the regular season, including how Chinn and Young fare in the Washington Football Team’s matchup with the Panthers on Dec. 27 in Week 16.
That’s why Salguero, from the Miami Herald, said he wants to see the rest of the season play out first before making a decision.
“Sorry, but the season doesn’t end today,” he said. “And the reason it’s important to wait is some rookies play like gangbusters early and hit a wall. That’s what I wondered might be happening with Young when he went a while without a sack.
“But some rookies have the proverbial light bulb come on late in their first season and really show great improvement. So I can’t tell you definitively who I’m going to vote for. But, yes, Chinn will get a fair evaluation from me. It’s not over.”
