Best Rookie Impact Player Since 1973, 50 Years

[kskboys]

Nominations:

Tony Dorsett: he took the team over the top to champs, as the first blazing speed RB ever, a threat to take it to the house on every down
Emmitt Smith, instant star on reborn team
Zach Martin and Travis Frederick, both instant OL stars their first year
Everson Walls, CB, led league in INT's in 1981
Dak Prescott, behind great OL and Zeke's best year
Demarcus Ware, flashed instant pash rush skills
Tyron Smith, master ROT as rookie, then move to Hall of Fame career at LT

How do you leave Parsons off the list?

 

[Bobhaze]

well, if you're going to add that many kickers you might as well just put the best rookie season of all time by a kicker is right now Brandon Aubrey,,, he's one game away from being perfect like making every field goal give me three extra points but I don't think you're going to find a better rookie kicker ever....

Blue I agree that Aubrey has been great but technically I thought he’s not considered a rookie because of his USFL experience. Could be wrong but that’s what I remember.

 

[kskboys]

Best Cowboys rookie seasons the last 50 years? Here are some sleepers:

• Everson Walls- 1981- had 11 INTs! (NFL record)
• Michael Downs- 1981
• Nick Folk- 2007
• Dan Bailey 2011
• Micah Parsons 2021 (not really a sleeper)

Couple more for you!!

Eugene Lockhart: Unfortunately for him he played when we sucked. 84-90
Jim Jeffcoat: One of the best pass rushers of all time. Most don't even know that he played on the 93/94 super bowl teams, or that he had 10.5 sacks for the 92 super bowl winning team.

 

[blueblood70]

Blue I agree that Aubrey has been great but technically I thought he’s not considered a rookie because of his USFL experience. Could be wrong but that’s what I remember.

Last I checked anyone's first year in the NFL you're considered a rookie now he was already a professional so he couldn't go back to college or something but just as far as your designation if it's your one you're a rookie... Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure that's how it works I'm pretty sure Turpin was considered a rookie again he was already a professional but that didn't make him not a rookie in this league this is the big leagues....

 

[atlantacowboy]

Bobbie Carpenter
Morris Claiborne

Bobby Carpenter didn’t have a bad rookie season under parcels. He was our best defensive player in the Seattle playoff loss when Romo fumbled the snap. Then wade came and tried to make him an inside linebacker which was like trying to shove a square peg in a round hole.

 

[Reality]

Last I checked anyone's first year in the NFL you're considered a rookie now he was already a professional so he couldn't go back to college or something but just as far as your designation if it's your one you're a rookie... Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure that's how it works I'm pretty sure Turpin was considered a rookie again he was already a professional but that didn't make him not a rookie in this league this is the big leagues....

From PFR ..

"Per the NFL Record & Fact Book the term NFL Rookie is defined as a player who is in his first season of professional football and has not been on the roster of another professional football team for any regular-season or postseason games."​

Because he was considered a professional in the USFL, the NFL designates him as a non-rookie.

Personally, I think he should be considered a rookie and that goes for anyone's first season in the NFL because the other leagues are well behind the NFL in quality.

I mean based on that concept, NIL players in college could make a lot more money than a USFL/XFL ("UFL" now) player makes in a career in USFL/XFL/UFL/etc. leagues, so they should be considered non-rookies as well.

 

[SFloridaCowboy]

UPDATED LIST, NOT MEANT TO RANK ANY IN PRIORITY
Tony Dorsett: he took the team over the top to champs, as the first blazing speed RB ever, a threat to take it to the house on every down
Emmitt Smith, instant star on reborn team
Zach Martin and Travis Frederick, both instant OL stars their first year
Everson Walls, CB, led league in INT's in 1981
Dak Prescott, behind great OL and Zeke's best year
Demarcus Ware, flashed instant pash rush skills
Tyron Smith, master ROT as rookie, then move to Hall of Fame career at LT
MICAH PARSONS
Brandon Aubrey

Responding to Comments: Jim Jeffcoat did not start his first year. The Randy Moss comment is unjustified. The Cowboys lost both starting defensive ends, Tony Tolbert and Charles Haley. DE Shante Carver, a former 1st round pick, was a bust. They had to draft a DE to start, and they did in Greg Ellis. Besides, Michael Irvin had just gotten in big trouble with his partying with bimbos and illegal substances. The Boys could not ignore their defensive end needs which were dire and draft a WR with a psych profile strongly negative.

 

[jazzcat22]

Benson Mayowa

But he was not a rookie for us.

 

[jazzcat22]

How about Larry Allen.

 

[blueblood70]

UPDATED LIST, NOT MEANT TO RANK ANY IN PRIORITY
Tony Dorsett: he took the team over the top to champs, as the first blazing speed RB ever, a threat to take it to the house on every down
Emmitt Smith, instant star on reborn team
Zach Martin and Travis Frederick, both instant OL stars their first year
Everson Walls, CB, led league in INT's in 1981
Dak Prescott, behind great OL and Zeke's best year
Demarcus Ware, flashed instant pash rush skills
Tyron Smith, master ROT as rookie, then move to Hall of Fame career at LT
MICAH PARSONS
Brandon Aubrey

Responding to Comments: Jim Jeffcoat did not start his first year. The Randy Moss comment is unjustified. The Cowboys lost both starting defensive ends, Tony Tolbert and Charles Haley. DE Shante Carver, a former 1st round pick, was a bust. They had to draft a DE to start, and they did in Greg Ellis. Besides, Michael Irvin had just gotten in big trouble with his partying with bimbos and illegal substances. The Boys could not ignore their defensive end needs which were dire and draft a WR with a psych profile strongly negative.

You're unwilling to accept the fact that Ezekiel Elliot had one of the best rookie seasons ever as a running back not only with the Dallas Cowboys but you put two others ahead of him that if you put both their rookie years together that would equal what Ezekiel Elliott did he needs to be on this list 1600 yards as a rookie show me Emma Smith and Tony Dorsett rookie years we weren't talking about careers here even though his stacks up pretty good in the top four all time for running backs for the Dallas Cowboys and yet his name is not on the list not impactful enough that he carried a rookie quarterback to rookie of the year and got us into the playoffs had we had a defense we had to went further...

 

[blueblood70]

How about Larry Allen.

Well I can't remember his rookie year but I do remember he was moved so technically did he have a great rookie year moving from tackle to guard is when he became the superhero we all know??

 

[jazzcat22]

Well I can't remember his rookie year but I do remember he was moved so technically did he have a great rookie year moving from tackle to guard is when he became the superhero we all know??

I can't remember all he did his rookie year either. But was just putting it out there to be considered.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Micah

Yeah that’s a really odd omission. Is this a thinly veiled spite thread?

 

[Blast From The Past]

well, if you're going to add that many kickers you might as well just put the best rookie season of all time by a kicker is right now Brandon Aubrey,,, he's one game away from being perfect like making every field goal give me three extra points but I don't think you're going to find a better rookie kicker ever....

A HUGE surprise for all of the fanbase is Brandon Aubrey. I won't dismiss his season just because of his position. He has been remarkable and then some with his long dag rockets that have sailed through the uprights all season long. This young man came from a soccer background not from a football pedigree and has kicked butt and took names along the way. His rookie season may never be duplicated.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Dak and it’s not close. He quarterbacked a team that won 4 games prior and won 13 after losing the first game of the season.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

CJ Stroud has had the best rookie QB season in NFL history on stats alone. Not to mention the Texans are on the doorstep of making the playoffs after being the second worst team in the NFL last year.

TE Schultz and WR Brown make it too easy for Stroud.

 

[DallasEast]

My vote goes to the former Heisman Trophy winner, who immediately became the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: Tony Dorsett. As far as nominations are concerned, I would include safety Roy Williams.

Williams' career was relatively short-lived but the guy was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up for a reason. His coverage skills were aided being paired with Darren Woodson but his tackling and HITTING were fiercely unquestioned.

Other players would talk specifically about getting hit or the prospect of getting hit by Williams. In other words, receivers and running backs alike feared him. All players respect each other but far fewer are afraid of another player. Williams was one such player.

 

[ghst187]

CJ Stroud has had the best rookie QB season in NFL history on stats alone. Not to mention the Texans are on the doorstep of making the playoffs after being the second worst team in the NFL last year.

Legit rising star. Dumb picks like the Panthers made taking Young over Stroud wreck franchises for years and in the case of a franchise QB, sometimes…decades.

 

[tunahelper]

Nominations:

Tony Dorsett: he took the team over the top to champs, as the first blazing speed RB ever, a threat to take it to the house on every down
Emmitt Smith, instant star on reborn team
Zach Martin and Travis Frederick, both instant OL stars their first year
Everson Walls, CB, led league in INT's in 1981
Dak Prescott, behind great OL and Zeke's best year
Demarcus Ware, flashed instant pash rush skills
Tyron Smith, master ROT as rookie, then move to Hall of Fame career at LT

Dare I say kicker Brandon Aubrey?