Rookie edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton didn't get as much attention as some of his Green Bay Packers teammates in Sunday's win over the New York Jets, but he quietly delivered a stellar performance that should inspire confidence in the young pass rusher moving forward.
The box score isn't necessarily the place to look, although Dennis-Sutton produced solid numbers: six tackles, half a sack, two quarterback hits.
His impact on the field went far beyond that. He created opportunities not just for himself but also for teammates with his relentless disruption in the pass rush. In general, Dennis-Sutton was a big part of keeping Jets veteran Geno Smith uncomfortable in the pocket.
If the Packers are going to survive Micah Parsons' absence, they'll need Lukas Van Ness to keep wrecking games and Dennis-Sutton to keep the pressure on in a rotation that also includes Barryn Sorrell and Brenton Cox Jr. That's a lot to ask of a rookie, but this one looks up to the task. Is anyone surprised?
Dani Dennis-Sutton looks like another Packers draft steal
Making the most of a modest 30 defensive snaps, Dennis-Sutton showed up early and often against the Jets. What the box score won't tell you: late in the first quarter, his third-down pressure on Smith created a Van Ness sack, forcing the Jets to punt from deep in their own territory.
Early in the third, Dennis-Sutton pressured Smith again. Incompletion, punt.
He finally got home in overtime, joining Van Ness for a second-down half-sack that put the Jets hopelessly behind the sticks. On a third-and-30 dump-off to rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq, Dennis-Sutton impressively chased him down from behind, wrapping up Sadiq well short of the marker.
A third-and-30 stop won't appear on SportsCenter, but the play was an example of a young pass rusher not giving up on a play after the ball left the pocket. And sheesh, Dennis-Sutton reversed course to close the gap quickly.
Actually, here's a stat that captures his impact two games into his career: after Sunday, Sumer Sports ranked Dennis-Sutton 15th among edge defenders in pass-rush win rate. That's impressive by itself. Then add in the fact that DDS was the 120th pick of the draft, not even a Day 2 selection, and that's some kind of steal.
Aside from leading the Packers, Dennis-Sutton also topped fellow rookies David Bailey (drafted second overall by the Jets), Reuben Bain (Buccaneers, 15th), and Akheem Mesidor (Chargers, 22nd).
Talk about a return on investment. Dennis-Sutton looks like more of a steal than ever, and not just because of a cherry-picked axis on a chart. Watching him play will tell you that.
