Colts' Star iDL Named NFL.com's 'Sleeper' DPOY Candidate

Coming off of a season in which he recorded 9.5 sacks and helped transform the front seven of the Indianapolis Colts' defense, DeForest Buckner was named a "sleeper" Defensive Player of the Year candidate by NFL.com. (Video via Indianapolis Colts YouTube).

When the Indianapolis Colts and general manager Chris Ballard dealt a first-round draft pick in the 2020 NFL Draft to the San Francisco 49ers for star defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, the Colts instantly added a legitimate game-wrecker to the front seven under defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. 

As a member of the Colts in 2020, Buckner became a dominant force in the center of Eberflus's defense, recording 9.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and 26 quarterback hits, grading out at an 89.7 overall from Pro Football Focus, grading out as the fourth-best defensive lineman in football. 

Now, ahead of the 2021 season and entering the second year of his four-year, $84 million deal with the Colts, Buckner is starting to get some under-the-radar NFL Defensive Player of the Year love from the national media. 

On Friday, NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks listed Buckner as his top "sleeper" DPOY candidate across the NFL. 

Linebacker Darius Leonard might garner the headlines as the Colts' defensive leader, but Buckner is the straw that stirs Indianapolis' defensive drink. The 6-foot-7, 295-pounder controls the point of attack as a long, athletic defender. Buckner's ability to crush the pocket as a pass rusher/run defender sets the table for Leonard and others to feast off errant throws (leading to interceptions) and run-throughs (leading to sacks and tackles for loss) created by his penetration. Given another year to settle into coordinator Matt Eberflus' hustle-and-flow system, the All-Pro could challenge Aaron Donald for the throne as the NFL's top interior defender.

There is no doubting Buckner's impact and overall ability in the middle of the Colts' defense. He's an elite-level defender against the run and can really rush the passer from the interior of the defensive line with the best of them. 

Though it's fun to consider Buckner as a sleeper DPOY candidate like Brooks does here, it's hard to see Buckner garnering enough attention in Indianapolis to push for some votes in the DPOY race, especially as an interior defensive lineman.

Of course, Aaron Donald in Los Angeles is an interior defensive lineman who has seemingly owned the DPOY award since entering the league. Buckner is certainly up there with Donald in terms of wrecking offenses from the interior of the defensive line, but he'd need to push near 15.0 sacks in a season — something he hasn't done — while also racking up tackles for loss against the run. 

It's great to see Buckner getting some love when it comes to league-wide awards, but DPOY seems just out of reach for the moment, especially with the bigger playmakers on the defensive side of the football like star linebacker Darius Leonard and top slot cornerback Kenny Moore II stealing some shine from the stout defensive tackle. 

Have thoughts on Bucky Brooks identifying DeForest Buckner as the league's biggest sleeper DPOY candidate? Drop a line in the comments section below letting us know how you feel!

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