Josh Norman believes he should be Defensive Player of the Year

Josh Norman is nothing if not a confident man.

The Carolina Panthers cornerback burst onto the scene in his fourth year as a pro, transforming himself from an up-and-comer to a legitimate superstar in the 2015 NFL season.

Norman finished the season with 56 tackles, four interceptions, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two touchdowns. It was a remarkable performance that will undoubtedly earn him a ton of cash this offseason in the open market.

Norman believes he deserves to be the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year, according to David Newton of ESPN.com.

Ultimately, he said his goal is to win a Super Bowl, but winning the individual award would clearly mean a lot to Norman.

He has some stiff competition, though.

Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, with his NFL-leading 17.5 sacks and countless other impact plays will likely win the award for the third year in a row.

If not him, then next on the list would likely be defensive tackle Aaron Donald of the St. Louis Rams, who blew up opposing offenses on a regular basis and registered 11 sacks. Oakland Raiders defensive end/outside linebacker Khalil Mack, with 15 sacks, would likely be ahead of Norman as well.

Still, nobody can discount what an outstanding year Norman has put together.

Playing a pivotal role on the league’s most dominant team, Norman has certainly staked his claim as one of the NFL’s best players. He routinely blanketed the league’s top receivers on a weekly basis and earned the label “shutdown corner.”

He and his teammates have an extra week to prepare for the playoffs and will await the lowest remaining seed left following the wild card games this weekend.

More from Sportsnaut: