The Chiefs made Mansoor Delane the No. 6 pick in this year’s draft because they expect him to step in fast and grow into a star. But when ESPN’s Pamela Maldonado put together her Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates, Delane landed fifth - a placement that says plenty about how steep the road is for a cornerback in this race.
Maldonado’s list starts with Sonny Styles, the linebacker the Washington Commanders took one spot after Delane. Her argument leans heavily on how Washington plans to use him.
Styles generated pressure on 20 percent of his blitz chances at Ohio State, and Maldonado pointed out that he posted the lowest missed-tackle rate among linebackers in this draft class. With tackles, sacks and splash plays all in play, she put him at No.
Right behind him came Arvell Reese of the New York Giants, who went one pick ahead of Delane. The setup practically invites the “chip on the shoulder” angle for Delane, though Maldonado’s case for Reese is more about flexibility than certainty. She acknowledged the Giants don’t blitz often, and Reese will have to compete for snaps with Abdul Carter and Brian Burns, but his versatility kept him in the mix.
Dillon Thieneman, the Chicago Bears safety, was next, even with Maldonado calling him a long shot. He’s projected to start immediately at strong safety and should spend plenty of time near the action after taking 40 percent of his snaps in the box.
Thieneman finished his final college season with 94 tackles and missed just 7.8 percent of them. Still, the hurdle is obvious: safeties rarely win this award.
Maldonado then moved to Banks, who she said will start right away on a disruptive defensive line. She cited his size as a reason he could make an immediate impact inside, even if his college production was uneven. The upside is real enough that she gave him a spot in the group, and she also noted that Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores could shift him around to create better matchups.
That left Delane at No. 5, with one blunt reality sitting behind the ranking: only three cornerbacks have won Defensive Rookie of the Year this century. That’s a tough climb for any rookie, even one the Chiefs believe can make his mark right away.
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