Defensive Player of the Year: Iowa DE A.J. Epenesa
This race is going to come down to two elite pass rushers. Ohio State’s Chase Young and Iowa’s A.J. Epenesa, and the edge goes to Epenesa here.
One of the biggest mysteries throughout the Big Ten was just how little Iowa played Epenesa in 2018. There were undoubtedly some players in front of him age-wise, but none of them possessed his talent level. He only played a little over 400 snaps in 2018 but was still able to record 10.5 sacks and finished All-Big Ten.
Epenesa is one of the most physically imposing players you’ll see in the entire country. Standing at 6’6″ and weighing 280 pounds, he brings an ideal frame and power that makes him almost impossible to stop one-on-one. His strong hands give him the ability to work tackles in pass pro while also being able to anchor in the run game
In his first two seasons, Epenesa wins on nearly a quarter (22.5 percent) of his 449 of the career pass-rush snaps according to Pro Football Focus. So if he can get around 600 snaps like most full-time starters, he is going to destroyer Big Ten tackles.
Iowa has as good a chance as any team to come out of the West division, so Epenesa will get his chances to shine.