Los Angeles Rams DB tabbed as dark horse Defensive Rookie of the Year

Through the draft, the Los Angeles Rams brought in much-needed help for a team looking to return to the NFL playoffs. One of those additions was defensive back Kamren Kinchens, the third-round pick.

Bleacher Report labeled Kinchens as a dark horse candidate for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

"We're going real deep for this one, but there's a very good chance the third-round pick gets plenty of work right off the bat in a transformed Rams secondary, and he has the vision and playmaking ability (11 sacks the last two seasons at Miami) to make a huge impact," writes Brad Gagnon .

It makes sense that Kinchens could be a go-to plug-and-play option for the Rams. With 11 interceptions over the last two seasons, Kinchens became the first player since the late Sean Taylor to register double-digit picks throughout their Miami career.

Kinchens became a full-time starter during his second season with the Hurricanes in 2022. He had what likely was the best game of his college career against Georgia Tech, picking off three passes in one game. Kinchens intercepted six total passes that season and was named a first-team All-American. He picked off five passes as a junior and was named first-team All-ACC during his final two years of college.

It is unknown whether that production will translate to the pros. But he has the talent to be a good player at the NFL level.

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