Rookie Report: Gurley, Peters lead 2015 ROTY candidates
With the NFL's regular season over, it's time to take a look at which players made the biggest names for themselves in their rookie campaigns.
Here are the favorites to take home the 2015 Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year awards.
Offense
Todd Gurley, RB, St. Louis Rams
Gurley burst onto the scene after sitting out the first two games of the season, becoming the first rookie since at least 1932 to rush for 125 yards or more in four straight games.
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound wrecking ball finished third in the NFL in rushing yards (1,106), fourth in rushing yards per game (85.1), and tied for second in rushing touchdowns (10). Not bad for a player coming back from a torn ACL that ended his collegiate career.
Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Winston wasn't able to get the Buccaneers to the playoffs this season, but he did put himself in some impressive company after throwing for 4,042 yards. That was the third-highest total of any rookie quarterback in NFL history, behind only Andrew Luck and Cam Newton.
The Florida State product also posted the second-best passer rating (84.2) of any rookie quarterback selected first overall since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland Raiders
Although he had some drop issues and disappeared for stretches this season, Cooper gave the Raiders plenty of reasons to be optimistic about his future. He led all rookie receivers with 72 catches for 1,070 yards, and was the first rookie in franchise history to top 1,000 yards receiving.
Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks paid a steep price to move up 26 spots in the third round and select Lockett, sending four draft picks to Washington. It proved to be a wide investment, though, as he's developed into an excellent receiver and return man for Seattle.
Lockett was just the second rookie in the last 15 years to record receiving, punt-return, and kick-return touchdowns in a season. He also finished with the second-most punt-return yards (379) by a rookie in Seahawks history.
David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Johnson was thrust into a starting role after injuries to veteran running backs Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington, and while his late emergence may not be enough to earn him the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, it at least warrants consideration.
The third-round pick had three consecutive games where he rushed for at least 92 yards, including a 187-yard, three-touchdown performance in Week 15. For the season, he totaled 1,636 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns, a franchise rookie record.
Other Notable Names
- Marcus Mariota, QB, Tennessee Titans
- Thomas Rawls, RB, Seattle Seahawks
- Stefon Diggs, WR, Minnesota Vikings
- T.J. Yeldon, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Jamison Crowder, WR, Washington Redskins
Defense
Marcus Peters, CB, Kansas City Chiefs
Widely considered the front-runner for Defensive Rookie of the Year, Peters has been lighting up the stat sheet all season long for the Chiefs. He finished the regular season with a league-high eight interceptions, 60 tackles, 26 passes defended, and a forced fumble while starting every game.
Peters also led the NFL with 280 yards returned on interceptions, which was the third-most by an NFL rookie.
Ronald Darby, CB, Buffalo Bills
Darby turned out to be a pleasant surprise for the Bills, contributing 68 tackles, two interceptions, and 21 passes defended in 15 games. His best outing of the season arguably came in Week 10, when he broke up two passes and allowed just one catch (for a loss of 2 yards) in a 22-17 win over the New York Jets.
Leonard Williams, DE, New York Jets
Touted by some as the best overall player in the 2015 draft, Williams was outstanding against the run and improved his pass-rushing technique as the season went on.
The 6-foot-5, 302-pounder finished the season with 63 tackles and three sacks, two of which came in back-to-back games. If the Jets let Muhammad Wilkerson walk in free agency, Williams figures to step into a starting role.
Eric Kendricks, LB, Minnesota Vikings
Kendricks was a major contributor on defense for the Vikings, helping the team win its first division title since 2009. He notched 105 tackles in 14 games, becoming the first rookie to lead the team in that category since Rip Hawkins did so in 1961.
The second-round pick also contributed four sacks, nine quarterback hurries, and two passes defended.
Stephone Anthony, LB, New Orleans Saints
Anthony was one of the few bright spots on an otherwise dismal Saints defense, which finished 31st in yards allowed and set an NFL record for the most touchdown passes allowed in a season.
The former Clemson standout finished with the team lead in tackles with 112 and became the first player to return a blocked extra-point kick for a defensive two-point conversion since the rule was changed this season.
Other Notable Names
- Adrian Amos, S, Chicago Bears
- Kwon Alexander, LB, Tampa Bay Bucca
- Preston Smith, LB, Washington Redskins
- Kwon Alexander, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Hau'oli Kikaha, LB, New Orleans Saints
- Damarious Randall, CB, Green Bay Packers