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J.J. Watt is your Defensive Player of the Year in the NFL. SB Nation's NFL bloggers voted Watt as the Defensive Player of the Year over Aldon Smith, Patrick Willis, Von Miller and Geno Atkins.
Watt's season has been downright ridiculous. He has 20.5 sacks on the season with one game to go and his eye on Michael Strahan's NFL record of 22.5 sacks. He makes an impact on every single play, whether he picks up the sack or not, and he has to be accounted for on every play or he can ruin the opposing team's game plan.
And he's doing all of this as a 3-4 defensive end, which is crazy. The best pass rushers have always been 3-4 outside linebackers or 4-3 defensive ends. Not 3-4 defensive ends.
He can play anywhere and he can do anything. Watt is the most dominant defender in the NFL.
Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports
The results: J.J. Watt (16), Aldon Smith (7), Patrick Willis (1), Von Miller (1), Geno Atkins (1)
Preseason pick: 49ers LB Patrick Willis
Buffalo Rumblings: Players like J.J. Watt are rare. No interior pass rusher is even remotely in his class.
Niners Nation: I'd love to pick Aldon Smith, but as great as Smith is, Watt has been doing a bit more beyond piling up sacks. I think the battle between Watt, Miller and Smith could prove close, but I give the edge to Watt.
Bleeding Green Nation: What lifted Von Miller over Watt and Aldon Smith for me is the range of things he does. Sacks, six forced fumbles, picks... the guy fills up the stat sheet.
Bucs Nation: J.J. Watt is ridiculously good. With Aldon Smith and Von Miller, that 2011 pass-rushing class looks incredible right now.
More NFL awards: