The last time the Rams picked a defensive player in the first round of the NFL draft, almost 11 years ago, he would win Defensive Rookie of the Year, the first in a long list of hardware that he would add to his shelves.

That defensive rookie a decade ago was Aaron Donald. On Thursday, the Rams’ next first-round defensive pick, Jared Verse, carried on the tradition, being named the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year at NFL Honors in New Orleans.

The 19th overall pick out of Florida State in last April’s draft, Verse — the Rams’ first first-round pick, period, since 2016 — totaled just 4.5 sacks in 2024. But he led all rookies with 77 QB pressures during the regular season.

He added 12 more in the Rams’ two postseason games, including two sacks in the divisional round loss to the Eagles.

Verse beat out fellow Ram and fellow Florida State product Braden Fiske for Defensive Player of the Year, sure to add fire to their friendly competition at the practice facility.

That makes three total members of the Rams’ young pass rush to be invited to the NFL Honors as Rookie of the Year finalists in the last two seasons, after defensive tackle Kobie Turner was the runner-up following the 2023 season.

— Adam Grosbard

Bills QB Allen is MVP

Josh Allen beat out two-time winner Lamar Jackson for the NFL Most Valuable Player award in the closest race since Matt Ryan beat out Tom Brady in 2016.

Allen, who led Buffalo to a fifth straight AFC East title, got 27 first-place votes to Jackson’s 23 and finished with 383 points. He received 22 second-place votes and one third.

Jackson, who led the Ravens to a second straight AFC North championship, got 26 second-place votes and one fourth for a total of 362 points.

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley finished third (120 points) followed by Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (82) and Lions QB Jared Goff (47).

Kevin O’Connell beat out Dan Campbell for Coach of the Year after leading the Minnesota Vikings to 14 wins with quarterback Sam Darnold.

Barkley won Offensive Player of the Year, with 35 of the 50 first-place votes. Jackson got 12 first-place votes.

Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II won the Defensive Player of the Year award with 26 first-place votes

Burrow took the Comeback Player of the Year award after returning from wrist surgery in 2023 to lead the NFL with 4,918 yards passing and 43 touchdown passes.

Antonio Gates, Jared Allen, Eric Allen and Sterling Sharpe were voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the smallest induction class in 20 years following offseason rule changes meant to make it harder to get inducted.

Sharpe got in as a seniors candidate and will join younger brother Shannon as the first siblings inducted into the Hall.