The Defensive Player of the Year award is one of the highest honors a player in the European League of Football can win. And although it seems like the award is tied to Berlin Thunder defensive end Kyle Kitchens, who won it the past two season, and will be in the race for it again this season, there are some other players that will have a shot at the award.
 
But there is one guy that is flying under the radar: Prague Lions defensive lineman James Brooks. I know that he is not the youngest player in the league, but he has a lot of experience on the highest level of college football, in Europe and especially in Japan. And Brooks is still playing at a tremendously high level. With a size of 1,96m and 125 kilograms, the 34-year-old was selected to seven All X-League teams in the past eight years, proving he still has what it takes to make an impact on high-level football.

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Since Brooks is returning to his former team and a coach he already played for, it won’t take a lot of time for him to get acclimated, leading me to believe that he will be able to perform at the highest level. And that will go a long way for him and the Prague Lions. I think that his play is going to put him in the conversation for the Defensive Player of the Year award. Will he win it? I don’t know yet and it is too early for me to decide, but I am sure that Brooks will be in contention.  

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