2008 NFL Rookie Year End Report

January is here again, and like last year, we present you with the PHSports Rookie Year End Report. This also signals our shift to the 2009 NFL draft. Look for our Mock Drafts that will be coming soon.


Top 10 Offensive Rookies:

Matt Ryan (courtesy of emqb)

1. Matt Ryan, QB – Atlanta Falcons
2. Joe Flacco, QB – Baltimore Ravens
3. (tie) Matt Forte, RB – Chicago Bears
3. (tie) Chris Johnson, RB – Tennessee Titans
3. (tie) Steve Slaton, RB – Houston Texans
6. Ryan Clady, OT – Denver Broncos
7. Jake Long, OT – Miami Dolphins
8. Eddie Royal, WR – Denver Broncos
9. Kevin Smith, RB – Detroit Lions
10. Jonathan Stewart, RB – Carolina Panthers


Top 10 Defensive Rookies:

Jerod Mayo (courtesy of daylife)

1. Jerod Mayo, LB – New England Patriots
2. Chris Horton, S – Washington Redskins
3. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB – Arizona Cardinals
4. Curtis Lofton, LB – Atlanta Falcons
5. Brandon Carr, CB – Kansas City Chiefs
6. Brandon Flowers, CB – Kansas City Chiefs
7. Antoine Cason, CB – San Diego Chargers
8. Cliff Avril, DE – Detroit Lions
9. Aqib Talib, CB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
10. Jason Jones, DT – Tennessee Titans


Top 3 Rookie Squads (By Team):

1) Atlanta Falcons: QB Matt Ryan, OT Sam Baker, LB Curtis Lofton, CB Chevis Jackson, WR Harry Douglas
2) Denver Broncos: OT Ryan Clady, WR Eddie Royal, RB Ryan Torain, FB Spencer Larson, S Josh Barrett, RB Peyton Hillis, LB Wesley Woodard, P Brett Kern
3) Kansas City Chiefs: DT Glenn Dorsey, OT Branden Albert, CB Brandon Flowers, RB Jamaal Charles, CB Brandon Carr, CB Maurice Leggett


2008 PHSports NFL All-Rookie Team:

QB: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons – Offensive Rookie of the Year Matt Ryan finished the season with 3440 yards 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also had a 61.1 completion percentage and an 87.7 passer rating. All great numbers for a rookie QB. But, most impressive was his ability to lead a team, decimated by debacles surrounding Bobby Petrino and Michael Vick, to the playoffs. Joe Flacco also deserves mention as he did similar things with the Ravens. (Backup: Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens)

RB: Matt Forte, Chicago Bears & Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans & Steve Slaton, Houston Texans – Many, including Chris Johnson, feel that Johnson was the top RB in this year’s draft. Actually Johnson thought he was the top player in the draft. I put Matt Forte and Steve Slaton right up there with him as the top RB. All three rushed for similar yardage (1200+). Slaton had 9 TDs, while Forte and Johnson had 8. All had good receiving numbers. Forte had 63 catches for 4 TDs, Slaton had 50 for 1 TD and Johnson had 43 for 1 TD. All three were solid contributors to their teams in positions where the teams needed help. (Backups: Kevin Smith, Detroit Lions; Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers)

WR: Eddie Royal, Denver Broncos & DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles – Eddie Royal came out of nowhere on the first Monday Night Football game of the season, nabbing 9 passes for 146 yards and a TD. He continued to be productive all season as Brandon Marshall’s running mate, finishing with 91 catches 980 yards and 5 TDs, leading all rookies in those receiving categories. DeSean Jackson caught 62 passes for 912 yards for 2 scores. Both receivers were also cogs in the return game, with Jackson adding a TD on a punt return. (Backups: Donnie Avery, St. Louis Rams; Davone Bess, Miami Dolphins)

TE: John Carlson, Seattle Seahawks – It was a tight race for the top rookie TE. Receiving numbers were comparable with Carlson nabbing 55 passes for 617 yards and 4 TDs. However, the caveat that must be taken into consideration was that Carlson had to shoulder more of a load with all the injuries at WR in Seattle. (Backup: Dustin Keller, New York Jets)

C: Jamey Richard, Indianapolis Colts – There wasn’t much playing time given to rookie centers this year, however Jamey Richard is definitely deserved of this spot. In the seven games that he filled in for Jeff Saturday, the Colts didn’t skip a beat, going 5-2.

G: Mike Pollak, Indianapolis Colts & Carl Nicks, New Orleans Saints – Both rookie guards started the last 13 games of the season for their teams. Mike Pollak brought a run blocking presence to the Colts that they haven’t had at guard in a few years. He will be a mainstay on that line for years. Carl Nicks was forced into starting when Jamar Nesbit went down. He did such a great job that when Nesbit returned, Nicks held the starting spot. (Backup: Jeremy Zuttah, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

T: Ryan Clady, Denver Broncos & Jake Long, Miami Dolphins – Both Clady and Long started all 16 games for their teams. Clady was especially dominant all season, and should have garnered Pro Bowl attention. He gave up on a ½ sack all season and was only flagged 3 times. Long lived up to his status as the #1 overall pick, helping a 1-15 team improve by solidifying the offensive front and protecting his QB who received some MVP votes. (Backups: Jeff Otah, Carolina Panthers; Duane Brown, Houston Texans)

DT: Sedrick Ellis, New Orleans Saints & Jason Jones, Tennessee Titans – This wasn’t the best year for DTs, but there were a couple that stood out. Sedrick Ellis was thrust into the starting role from day one, holding his own and finishing with 30 tackles and 4 sacks. Jones, on the other hand, didn’t play much early, but his impact later in the season could not be overlooked. He finished with 5 sacks (with 3.5 coming in a dominant game against Pittsburgh). Jones is also versatile enough to move over to DE. (Backups: Glenn Dorsey, Kansas City Chiefs; Marcus Harrison, Chicago Bears)

DE: Cliff Avril, Detroit Lions & Trevor Scott, Oakland Raiders – Like DT, the pickings at DE were somewhat slim this year. Many big names failed to step up. Avril didn’t start until the last month of the season, but proved his worth on the hapless Lions team by registering 4 of his 5 sacks in the last 6 games. Trevor Scott was a pass rushing specialist for the Raiders. While he never started, he put together 5 sacks in his limited play and should be a bigger part of the defense next season. (Backups: Chris Long, St. Louis Rams; Kendall Langford, Miami Dolphins)

LB: Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots & Curtis Lofton, Atlanta Falcons & Keith Rivers, Cincinnati Bengals – Defensive Rookie of the Year Jarod Mayo leads a deep set of rookie LBs that contributed to their teams this season. He finished the season with 128 tackles and solidified himself as a starter in the middle of the Patriots 3-4 defense for a long time. Curtis Lofton might have won the DROY honors if it wasn’t for Mayo’s great year. Lofton was a key part of a defense (94 tackles) that reversed the fortune of the Falcons and got them to the playoffs. Keith Rivers didn’t play the entire year as he had a season-ending injury, however, he started off strong enough to garner a spot on this team. His impact went beyond the numbers as well, as he showed great coverage skills in his short time. (Backups: Wesley Woodard, Denver Broncos; Xavier Adibi, Houston Texans)

CB: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Arizona Cardinals & Brandon Carr, Kansas City Chiefs – While the Arizona Cardinals had teams passing all over them, DRC held his own while being thrown into the fire as a rookie. DRC picked 4 passes on the season, including a 99 yarder for a TD. He also batted down 23 passes, which is the reason I rate him as highly as I did. It won’t be long before he’s a shutdown corner in this league. Carr, a 5th rounder, stepped up from Day 1 for the Chiefs. He amassed 73 tackles and played as the Chiefs’ top corner all season. (Backups: Brandon Flowers, Kansas City Chiefs; Antoine Cason, San Diego Chargers; Aqib Talib, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Dwight Lowery, New York Jets)

S: Chris Horton, Washington Redskins & Kenny Phillips, New York Giants – Horton started the year off as the early favorite for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Much of his ball-hawking hype came off a 3 turnover (2 INT, 1 Fumble Recover) game against New Orleans in Week 2. However, his play the rest of the season still landed him on this squad, as he was all over the field as a safety making tackles (76) and coming up big in run support. Kenny Phillips didn’t start many games for the Giants, but was a key contributor to the defending Super Bowl Champs’ defensive backfield. He registered 67 tackles and an interception. In a full-time role next season, he could end up doing a lot more damage to offenses. (Backup: Charles Godfrey, Carolina Panthers)

Special Teams: K Dan Carpenter, Miami Dolphins & P Brett Kern, Denver Broncos & KR/PR Clifton Smith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Carpenter looked pretty good in his rookie season, going 21 for 25 on field goals, including a 50 yarder. Brett Kern had a nice year in the Mile High air, by booting 46 punts for a 46.7 yard average. Clifton Smith, undrafted out of Fresno State, caused teams to start kicking away from him. He returned both a kickoff and a punt for TDs this season.

NFL Monday Wrap-Up

Is it fair to "wrap-up" the NFL week before Monday night's game? Yes.

We all try our best to supply a top-notch Fourcast; however, I feel the juice of a successful Sunday running through my veins (J-E-T-S) and think it's time our loyal reader(s) get to enjoy Monday analysis outside of Peter "Stiller" King and whomever else wants to rant today.

While I could generate talk of the week galore, instead I want to focus on the "awards chase", which changes weekly (of course).

Awards Index: Monday of Week 12

MVP
1) Kurt Warner
-The 300+ yards would've looked better with a W, more than 1 TD, less than 2 turnovers, and countless other reasons. Nevertheless, the Cardinals remain 7-4 and primed for a NFC West title and good shot at a bye (the NFC South will beat each other up). What was truly telling - even with the G-Men absent Jacobs & Plax - was the Cardinals expecting to win yesterday. Guess who changed that philosophy??? Warner (and Whisenhunt).
2) Peyton Manning
-Don't look now but the Colts are becoming the favorite in the AFC playoff picture. If they get in. To think, David Thomas might end up playing a huge role in a tie-breaker between Colts/Pats. The more likely scenario has the Ravens falling off and the Colts/Pats being lethal 5 and 6 seeds. Yikes.
3) Eli Manning
-Jacobs and the RBs get all the acclaim; however, it's obvious Eli is a changed QB. Despite some struggles at times, he is a poised passer who can win games. The Giants are 10-1 and the consensus best team in the league. It's because of their QB they are 10-1. Thus, the #3 slot.
4) Michael Turner
-Matt Ryan's story is getting more pub; yet, Turner changed Atlanta. A few frowned at how much of an impact he could have, until he finally won me over with a 4 TD day. He's 3rd in the NFL in rushing and is a fantasy force to boot. Turner has Atlanta in prime contention for a playoff spot. Nobody saw that. NOBODY.
5) Brett Favre
-Jets fan, right? Of course. Check the atmosphere in New York around Favre and the team. He breeds confidence and winning. The Jets are 8-3. After the 1-2 start and that loss at Oakland, I questioned the move. Now, I realize why Green Bay fans love the guy so much. He's an egotistical prick who wanted everything handed to him. Now, he's winning with a team that has a lot more talent - and spent their money oh so well this off-season - and is becoming dangerous.

Offensive Player of the Year
1) Clinton Portis
-On a gimpy knee he carried the Skins to victory in Seattle. Then Ladell Betts ruined it. Why Jim Zorn had to back up Betts the way he did is beyond me.
2) Adrian Peterson
-Durability is still an issue...or is it? A-Pete is likely to take home a rushing crown, but can he get his team into the playoffs out of a crowded NFC North?
3) Kurt Warner
-As talented as Fitz/Boldin/Breaston are, do you honestly think Matt Leinart would have them at numbers anywhere close to they are now? Seriously?
4) Brandon Jacobs
-Missed a week; however, his rushing prowess, goalline abilities, and the steamrolling attitude has been a godsend for the Giants. He's also made Derrick Ward and Bradshaw better because their contrasting styles are a nightmare after Jacobs bulldozes you.

Defensive Player of the Year
1) Kris Jenkins
-Slips past Alby due to shutting down he gameplan for the Titans. Guess how many rushing attempts Len Dale had? ONE. That isn't because the Titans planned on passing. (Not with Revis, Rhodes, & Elam playing so well) Instead, the Titans knew Jenkins would swallow up the inside rush attack and CJ had to be deployed outside the tackles. Didn't work either way. Jenkins or Favre is a great "better off-season trade" debate.
2) Albert Haynesworth
-One week doesn't take away from an incredible campaign. He is getting better. Although, I don't like the excuses of him being dinged up in the second half. He was barely a factor in the first. Faneca has breathed life back into Mangold. It's ironic Mangold and Mawae were on the same field yesterday, at least for me.
3) Charles Woodson
-He might intercept 12 passes...tonight. Drew Brees is overrated as an offensive force. So what if he throws for a lot of yards. His team constantly underachieves and it isn't 100% the defense. The offense makes plenty of mistakes, including Brees. As Pay told me, his stats are biggest in his losses. I smell a pick-six for good old AllProCW2 (plug!).
4) Julius Peppers
-His return to dominance might've been rushed. He's been a force this year, yet I want to see it in a big game. A really big game. He'll get his shot soon enough.

Offensive Rookie of the Year
1) Matt Ryan
-If you thought the Falcons would be 7-4 and that Ryan would have 7 games without an INT, go to Vegas and start placing multiple bets.
2) Joe Flacco
-If you thought Joe Flacco would be 7-4 as a rookie starting QB, you'd have to think the Ravens defense from 2000 was cloned in 2K8.
3) Matt Forte
-Amazing he's an obvious third-selection. The guy is a force of nature as of late. By the way, this dude can catch the ball too. If anything, he would've been a great third down back by this point for any other team who might've drafted him.

Defensive Rookie of the Year
1) Jerod Mayo
-Enough said. Oh wait, he's a BEAST. (Damn Patsies)

I'll let you all worry about Comeback and Executive of the Year and all the rest.

Although I gotta give more Jet love to our former QB Chad Pennington.
Could he really win Comeback Player of the Year two years in a row?
Stranger things have happened...

See you next Monday!!!