What happened: Pro Football Focus charted Rodriguez nine stops ahead of his closest rookie peer in tackles resulting in an offensive failure during the 2026 regular season. Arvell Reese holds third place among first-year defenders with 16 stops. Josiah Trotter, David Bailey, and Akheem Mesidor are tied at 12 apiece.

Why it matters: Day 2 and Day 3 selections are outproducing top-tier first-rounders at the point of attack through mid-October. Rodriguez, selected 43rd overall in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and Jaishawn Barham, who previously ranked as PFF's highest-graded rookie after going 92nd overall in the third round, both sit ahead of top-five picks Bailey (second overall) and Reese (fifth overall).

What to watch: First-year defenders enter Week 7 action looking to build on their early-season tackle-for-failure totals.