When drafting units of players as opposed to individuals, opinions tend to vary wildly. That has always been the case when it comes to picking a defense, but in 2008, one team has risen to the top of the preseason hype. The Minnesota Vikings, who led the league in both rush defense and defensive TDs last season, picked up sack machine Jared Allen via trade before the NFL draft. In turn, the Vikings have been nearly the consensus first D taken in drafts.

Outside of the top three Ds of Minnesota, San Diego and New England, most other D units will be picked up in the back end of drafts. And besides the top three, most defenses have the look of producing nearly identical numbers. During the season, matchups and strength of schedule will play a big part in which units perform the best. Read more »