Rookie Watch Thread (`12-`13 Season)

[gpngc]

Bobby Wagner well on his way to DROY.

EDIT: Just saw Kuechly had 15 tackles... 3-horse race with Jones.

[Miaoww]

Luke Kuechly is playing awesome football.

Panthers D has completely turned around with him at MLB.

Alexander is playing very well too - finally a Hurney trade that has worked out.

[Mufasa]

Originally Posted by gpngc

Bobby Wagner well on his way to DROY.

EDIT: Just saw Kuechly had 15 tackles... 3-horse race with Jones.

I'd rank them

1. Chandler Jones
2. Casey Hayward
3. Luke Keuchly
4. Bobby Wagner
5. Mark Barron/Harrison Smith

[ShutDwn]

Originally Posted by Miaoww

Luke Kuechly is playing awesome football.

Panthers D has completely turned around with him at MLB.

Alexander is playing very well too - finally a Hurney trade that has worked out.

Keek is gonna need some higher impact plays. He's been totally solid and has had a huge impact but he needs some picks, FFs or sacks.

[BucSquad]

Originally Posted by Mufasa

I'd rank them

1. Chandler Jones
2. Casey Hayward
3. Luke Keuchly
4. Bobby Wagner
5. Mark Barron/Harrison Smith

I love some Barron but Lavonte David is the better player for now.

[BloodBrother]

Casey Hayward got beat on a deep ball today but did a great job of recovering and getting a hand in on the play and nearly knocked the ball loose. Credit to the receiver for holding on, but it was good to see Hayward able to recover after getting beat and still getting a hand in there at the end. He recovered nicely with good coverage after that, including a play where he jumped on a route, got a hand in there and tipped the ball up, which was then INT by his team mate. Had a big 4th down breakup as well at the end of the game with more good coverage

[Miaoww]

Originally Posted by ShutDwn

Keek is gonna need some higher impact plays. He's been totally solid and has had a huge impact but he needs some picks, FFs or sacks.

Oh he's not going to win it because he's not flashy enough.

He's a fantastic player though.

[Bengals78]

Originally Posted by Miaoww

Oh he's not going to win it because he's not flashy enough.

He's a fantastic player though.

Sad really.

[MetSox17]

Morris Claiborne continues to be very good for us. Bruce Carter is an absolute beast, and i'm only mentioning him because he was out most of last season with his ACL injury. This is pretty much his rookie year and he looks like a perennial pro-bowler.

[AntoinCD]

Even though the DROTY of the year award has historically mainly gone to a LB, I think with the shift in the NFL it is becoming increasingly difficult for a LB to win it now. Having 120 tackles just isn't impressive anymore because there is a higher focus on stopping the pass and creating turnovers. Offensive minded teams are finding ways to get more offensive snaps. The Patriots have at least twice this year had upwards of 80 offensive snaps. Any middle LB should come away from that game with 10 plus tackles.

This award is going the way of guys who defend the pass. Keuchly and Wagner are good cover LBs but covering a RB in the flat or dropping in a Tampa 2 look and wracking up tackles just doesn't get the same attention as a CB with 7 INTs who covers Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald, or a DE with double digit sacks and a handful of forced fumbles.

For a DB to win this award he probably needs 6+ INTs and not to be beaten badly, particularly on national television.

For a DE to win the award he probably needs 10+ sacks and a few turnovers.

For a LB to win the award now he realistically needs to do everything. The type of rookie year Brian Cushing had is the ballpark of what is needed nowadays, unless it is a mediocre year for everyone else.

If a defensive lineman puts up over 10 sacks or a DB picks off a handful of passes then it is becoming increasingly difficult for a LB to win this award.

[Caddy]

Doug Martin + Lavonte David + Mark Barron have been beastly. Leonard Johnson has 2 picks in 2 weeks as a fill in starter/nickel guy. Not bad for an undrafted rookie. Drake Dunsmore is on the PS and Najee Goode/Keith Tandy/Michael Smith are backups/special teamers.

[bucfan12]

You can call it homerism all you want but lavonte David is a stud and no question should be Def rookie of the year. He's just phenomenal.

[MaxV]

While all the attention is on Luck, Colts' other rookies have impressed as well.

Being considered (by most Colts' fans) as Colts' worst 2012 pick, 3rd round TE Dwayne Allen is quickly becoming one of the team's fan-favorite players.

TY Hilton and Coby Fleener have been inconsistant, but they have shown flashes of big-play ability.

Vick Ballard seems to be improving with each game and figures to be a big part of future RB rotation.

[Caddy]

Originally Posted by gpngc

Bobby Wagner well on his way to DROY.

EDIT: Just saw Kuechly had 15 tackles... 3-horse race with Jones.

Lavonte had 16 yesterday :3

[gpngc]

Kuechly: 77 tackles, 3 PD, 1 INT
Wagner: 72 tackles, 2.0 sacks
David: 67 tackles, 1 PD
Hawyard: 32 tackles, 9 PD, 4 INT, 1 FF
Jones: 33 tackles, 6.0 sacks, 3 FF, 2 PD
Irvin: 8 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 1 FF
Jerrell Freeman (IND): 71 tackles, 1.0 sacks, 1 FF, 1 INT, 1 TD

I think the LBs have an advantage because they all rank in the top 10 in tackles in the entire league whereas Jones has an impressive 6.0 sacks but it ranks about 30ish in the NFL.

It's a tight race though and Hayward has a shot. As do Jenkins and Barron going forward. Gonna take the second half of the season to clear it up!

[Caddy]

Originally Posted by gpngc

Kuechly: 77 tackles, 3 PD, 1 INT
Wagner: 72 tackles, 2.0 sacks
David: 67 tackles, 1 PD
Hawyard: 32 tackles, 9 PD, 4 INT, 1 FF
Jones: 33 tackles, 6.0 sacks, 3 FF, 2 PD
Irvin: 8 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 1 FF
Jerrell Freeman (IND): 71 tackles, 1.0 sacks, 1 FF, 1 INT, 1 TD

I think the LBs have an advantage because they all rank in the top 10 in tackles in the entire league whereas Jones has an impressive 6.0 sacks but it ranks about 30ish in the NFL.

It's a tight race though and Hayward has a shot. As do Jenkins and Barron going forward. Gonna take the second half of the season to clear it up!

Considering Jones plays for the Patriots, he is a shoe in if he gets to 10 sacks.

[Thecollegedropout]

Jets Rookies

Quinton Coples had his moments on stopping the run. Didn't do much vs a weak Rams O-Line as far as pass rushing goes but take whatever you can out of Coples at this point in year 1.

Stephen Hill is borderline unwatchable. We all knew he was raw but this is ridiculous...looks lost running down the sidelines, can't hang onto the ball to save his life and really outside of blocking on the outside(Which is next to none since our RBs don't go that deep), he's been useless.

Demario Davis was pretty decent...got apart of applying pressure on Sam Bradford and I didn't see anything bad out of him.

Don't think Josh Bush, Antonio Allen or Damon Harrison played(Harrison might have with Ellis hurt though)

[Caddy]

Bucs rookies did well again. I guess.

[kBuc5]

Originally Posted by Caddy

Bucs rookies did well again. I guess.

Martin has got a 1000 yards on the ground through 10 games with 7 TDs. He leads the league in yards from scrimage if I am not mistaken.
Trading down two spots in the draft landed us Martin and Lavonte David, we will look back at this draft with Barron, Martin and L. David as one of the best in Buc's history.

[G-Mac]

Justin Blackmon

7 receptions, 236yrds, 1 TD vs that Houston defense.

[irishbucsfan]

Vikings fans, hows Harrison Smith looking please?

[soybean]

Originally Posted by Thecollegedropout

Stephen Hill is borderline unwatchable. We all knew he was raw but this is ridiculous...looks lost running down the sidelines, can't hang onto the ball to save his life and really outside of blocking on the outside(Which is next to none since our RBs don't go that deep), he's been useless.

It was very frustrating to see him drop that easy first down and more conversion on a third down

[bigbuc]

As a Bucs fan I think Barron is having the worst season of our first three picks. But to back him up the CB's he's playing with aren't the best.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Originally Posted by irishbucsfan

Vikings fans, hows Harrison Smith looking please?

Looking real good. I was worried about him and really wanted Janoris Jenkins when we traded up but Smith looks like he will be an impact safety for years to come and brings stability and skill to a position that has so desperately been in need of it on the Vikes for years.

[vidae]

Originally Posted by Dr. Gonzo

Looking real good. I was worried about him and really wanted Janoris Jenkins when we traded up but Smith looks like he will be an impact safety for years to come and brings stability and skill to a position that has so desperately been in need of it on the Vikes for years.

What the ****? You're a Vikings fan?