The three best rookies in the NFL may reside in the NFC East - Malik Nabers and Jayden Daniels on the offensive side in New York and Washington, respectively, and the Eagles’ own Quinyon Mitchell.
Nabers and Daniels are obvious. The receiver and quarterback are off to a high-flying three-game start, and Daniels earned the NFC Offensive Player of the Week honor on Wednesday.
Mitchell may not be as cut-and-dried as the best defensive rookie, though the Eagles are certainly happy to have him.
He has started all three games, and there’s no reason he won’t continue to start. Whether he continues on the outside or is moved inside to the slot, where he spent a lot of time in camp after not ever playing there his time at Toledo, head coach Nick Sirianni isn’t saying.
“We’ll see,” he said before Wednesday’s indoor walkthrough as the Eagles prepare to travel to Tampa to play the Buccaneers on Sunday. “We have the ability to be flexible with the different pieces we have back there, so you never know.”
Yes, it's only a three-game sample size, but so far so good for Mitchell, who has played 180 defensive snaps (98 percent) and 16 special teams (23 percent). In his three games, he has 12 tackles, nine of which are solo, and five passes defended, including PBUs on deep passes into the end zone in Week 1 vs. the Packers’ Christian Watson and one against Rashid Shaheed in Week 3 vs. the Saints.
“Those deep balls that he’s been getting hands on are obviously big plays that count as PBUs for Q,” said Sirianni. “Had they caught those, they are explosive plays for the offense, so those are huge plays. He’s done a nice job.
“The moment is not too big for him. That speaks a lot to the character of Q that he’s the same guy every day, just working to get better and doesn’t make a big deal of the moment. He’s just in the moment of where he is.”
As for other defensive rookies in the mix, Los Angeles Rams defensive end Jared Verse (picked No. 19 overall) is second in the league in pressures, per TruMedia, behind the Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson and ahead of the Eagles’ Josh Sweat, who has had six pressures in back-to-back games, and defensive tackle Byron Murphy (16) is playing well for the Seahawks.
Both players were drafted ahead of Mitchell, who the Eagles selected at No. 22.
Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu was the first defensive player drafted last spring, coming off the board at No. 15, but hasn’t had much impact. Nor has Dallas Turner (17) in Minnesota or Chop Robinson (21) in Miami.
It’s only three games, but Mitchell is in the conversation to become the Eagles' first player to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year. Jalen Carter came close last year, but a second-half dip in production is why he finished second behind the Texans’ Will Anderson.
