Chase Young named PFWA Defensive Rookie of the Year originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Add another award to Chase Young's mantle.
The Washington Football Team pass rusher has been named Pro Football Weekly's Defensive Rookie of the Year, the organization announced on Tuesday.
Young is just the third player in Washington Football history to be named one of Pro Football Weekly's rookies of the year, joining Robert Griffin III in 2012 and Mike Thomas in 1975. Young is the first to win the award for Washington as a defensive player.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Young lived up to even the loftiest expectations as a rookie. The pass rusher was the only rookie to finish the season with seven or more sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Young's 7.5 sacks were also a rookie-best.
Washington's top draftee played his best football during the final month of the season. In the Football Team's final five regular season contests, Young totaled three sacks, 20 tackles, three tackles for loss, seven QB hits, three passes defended, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one touchdown.
Young's efforts were rewarded as he was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Month and Defensive Rookie of the Month for December.
For the season, the Ohio State product finished with 7.5 sacks, 44 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 12 QB hits, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and four passes defended.
For Young, though, the 2020 season was just the start of what he and Washington's defense can become.
"We can get crazy better," Young said on Jan. 10. "Next year it’s our chance to prove that. I know the guys are going to be fired up.”
