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Rams Rookie Sensation Given Player of the Year Honors

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Griffin Conant | Last updated Mar 8, 2025 12:33 PM ET

A first-year Los Angeles Rams standout is reaping the benefits of an outstanding rookie season in the NFL.

Braden Fiske, a dominant defensive lineman who stepped up to fill the shoes of future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald following his departure, was recognized for his tremendous play this past fall with an award from a well-respected organization on Friday.

After announcing its 2025 Hall of Fame Hall of Fame inductees, the Senior Bowl also unveiled that Fisk was given Defensive Player of the Year Honors by the storied organization.

Following a standout collegiate career at Western Michigan and Florida State, the Rams selected Fiske with the 39th overall pick in the 2nd round of the 2024 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he quickly made his presence felt, disrupting opposing offensive lines with his ability to pressure quarterbacks and shut down the run game.

Fiske made a sensational impact in his rookie season, tallying an impressive 8.5 sacks along with 44 tackles. Even more importantly, he delivered in clutch moments during the postseason, recording 1.5 sacks in Los Angeles' matchups against the Minnesota Vikings and the eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.

Of course, availability is also the best ability as Fiske did not miss a single regular season game due to injury.

Replacing an all-time great like Aaron Donald was always going to be a daunting task for the Rams' front office, but in Fiske, they may have found a hidden gem for years to come.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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