Could Denver Broncos rookie Nik Bonitto lead NFL rookies in sacks?

Is it possible that Denver Broncos rookie pass rusher Nik Bonitto could lead all rookies in sacks this coming season? We take a closer look.

Denver Broncos rookie Nik Bonitto gets after the quarterback.

It’s what he does, and it’s what he’s always done best.

As a matter of fact, according to these PFF pass rush win rate metrics, there wasn’t a better pass rusher in college football over the last two seasons than Nik Bonitto, at least not one that was eligible for the 2022 NFL Draft.

That’s not just hyperbole, either.

There’s plenty of statistical evidence to back it up.

Nik Bonitto wins in the pass rush department. He creates pressure.

I think so far, he might be the most underrated major addition to this Denver Broncos roster in 2022. Of course, it’s understandable that he’s gone underrated.

Most of the attention this offseason has been paid to:

• A healthy Bradley Chubb
• Big-money free agent pickup Randy Gregory
• Baron Browning, changing positions

The EDGE position for the Denver Broncos is loaded and it’s tough to even know at this point how many snaps we’re going to see from Nik Bonitto, but as the Denver Broncos’ top pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, you can bet on it being a good amount.

Especially because Bonitto can play a reserve role and just do what he does best. Like a good bench player in the NBA, Bonitto can come off the sideline in his rookie NFL season with a “specialty” skill before having to really fully develop his game and become a full-time starter.

Of course, you want to see both happen. But, for the time being, Bonitto can be a pass rush specialist and that leads to today’s intriguing question:

Can Denver Broncos rookie Nik Bonitto be the best sack artist from the 2022 class?

Over the last five years, the NFL’s rookie sack leader has averaged around 10.0 sacks. Bradley Chubb threatened the rookie sack record of 14.5 back in 2018 when he had 12.0 sacks his rookie season.

Micah Parsons got even closer last year with 13.0 sacks for the Dallas Cowboys.

The Draft Network projected sack totals for all of this year’s first-round rookie pass rushers, and the most they predicted was up to 9.0 sacks from Detroit Lions top pick Aidan Hutchinson.

Let’s say Nik Bonitto needs 9.0-11.0 sacks this season to lead all NFL rookies. Is that attainable?

He never had that many sacks in a college season (11), but he also didn’t play 17 regular season games.

Having nine sacks is just about a sack every other game.

I think Bonitto has a chance to lead all rookies in sacks as long as there’s no “Micah Parsons” this coming season.

If there’s a starting, every-down player that goes on a tear and threatens the rookie sack record, I don’t know that Bonitto is going to see enough snaps to beat them.

Not to underrate the first-round pass rushers from this draft class either, there are a lot of really good ones. It makes more sense for someone like Hutchinson, Kayvon Thibodeaux, or heck — Travon Walker, the top pick overall — to lead rookies in sacks this season.

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With that said, Bonitto’s ability to consistently win off the edge gives him a shot if the number is somewhere between 9-11 sacks this season.