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Wow, no bitterness here is there.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9169011
Jan. 16, 2006) -- One of the most asked questions after the NFL draft is which teams did the best job drafting. My answer was always you have to wait and watch to see who plays and how well they do. This process usually takes several years.
In selecting our rookie team this year, we tried to evaluate what players did this season on the field. There were likely more rookies than ever that had a chance to start. Why? A number of reasons -- partly due to cap problems, some teams like Tennessee needed rookies to start, while others, like New England, had to rely on rookies due to injuries. Nowadays, though, rookies coming into the NFL seem more prepared to play.
Here is my All-Rookie Team for the 2005 season. There shouldn't be any surprises here, as all these players did a great job playing right out of college.
OFFENSE
Kyle Orton · QB · Bears
Drafted: 4th round from Purdue
Started 15 games, winning 10 of them
Carnell Williams · RB · Buccaneers
Drafted: 1st round from Auburn
Rushed for 1,178 yards and six TDs
Madison Hedgecock · FB · Rams
Drafted: 7th round from North Carolina
Started seven games
Drew Hodgdon · C · Texans
Drafted: 5th round from Arizona State
Started three games
Logan Mankins · G · Patriots
Drafted: 1st round from Fresno State
Started all 16 games
Dan Buenning · G · Buccaneers
Drafted: 4th round from Wisconsin
Started all 16 games
Jammal Brown · OT · Saints
Drafted: 1st round from Oklahoma
Started all 13 games he played in
Michael Roos · OT · Titans
Drafted: 2nd round from E. Washington
Started all 16 games
Heath Miller · TE · Steelers
Drafted: 1st round from Virginia
Had 39 catches with six TDS
Mark Clayton · WR · Ravens
Drafted: 1st round from Oklahoma
Injured early but finished with 44 catches
Chris Henry · WR · Bengals
Drafted: 3rd round from West Virginia
Finished with 31 catches and six TDs
Mike Nugent · K · Jets
Drafted: 2nd round from Ohio State
Hit 22 of 28 FG and finished with 90 points
Chris Kluwe · P · Vikings
Undrafted: From UCLA
Signed by Seattle and claimed by Minnesota; sixth in NFL with 44.1 avg.
DEFENSE
Erasmus James · DE · Vikings
Drafted: 1st round from Wisconsin
A starter with four sacks
Trent Cole · DE · Eagles
Drafted: 5th round from Cincinnati
A pass rusher who had five sacks
Luis Castillo · DT · Chargers
Drafted: 1st round from Northwestern
Had 49 tackles and 3½ sacks
Mike Patterson · DT · Eagles
Drafted: 1st round from Southern Cal
Had 44 tackles and 3½ sacks
Shawne Merriman · LB · Chargers
Drafted: 1st round from Maryland
Had 10 sacks and is headed to the Pro Bowl
Lofa Tatupu · LB · Seahawks
Drafted: 2nd round from Southern Cal
Full-time starter that led his team in tackles
Odell Thurman · LB · Bengals
Drafted: 2nd round from Georgia
Started 15 of 16 games with five INTs
Darrent Williams · CB · Broncos
Drafted: 2nd round from Oklahoma State
Had two INTs and returned kicks
Ellis Hobbs · CB · Patriots
Drafted: 3rd round from Iowa State
Started final eight games of the season
Chris Harris · S · Bears
Drafted: 6th round from Louisiana-Monroe
Started 13 games with three INTs
Nick Collins · S · Packers
Drafted: 2nd round from Bethune-Cookman
Started all 16 games and was third leading tackler
Jerome Mathis · KR · Texans
Drafted: 4th round from Hampton
Averaged 28.6 yards on kick returns with two TDs; going to Pro Bowl
Brady Poppinga · Coverage · Packers
Drafted: 4th round from Brigham Young
Injury ended a season with 22 special-teams tackles
Offensive Rookie of the year
Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, BR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Williams ran for 1,178 yards, scored six touchdowns, caught 20 passes and started the season with three straight 100-yard games. The Bucs won all three
Defensive rookie of the year
Lofa Tatupu, LB, Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle defense improved from 26th overall in 2004 to 17th in 2005, and from 23rd vs. the run to fifth. Tatupu not only led the Seahawks in tackles, but he was 30 tackles ahead of the second player.
Future player to watch
Reynaldo Hill, CB, Tennessee Titans
Hill played in 15 games, starting 10 of them with 48 total tackles, three interceptions and six passes defensed. When the Titans improve, so will he.
Many worthy players have been left off the award list. Some of them because of injuries (Braylon Edwards ) and some because of the quality if players at that position (Ronnie Brown). But overall this was a very good group of rookies and many should have outstanding careers in the NFL.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9169011
Jan. 16, 2006) -- One of the most asked questions after the NFL draft is which teams did the best job drafting. My answer was always you have to wait and watch to see who plays and how well they do. This process usually takes several years.
In selecting our rookie team this year, we tried to evaluate what players did this season on the field. There were likely more rookies than ever that had a chance to start. Why? A number of reasons -- partly due to cap problems, some teams like Tennessee needed rookies to start, while others, like New England, had to rely on rookies due to injuries. Nowadays, though, rookies coming into the NFL seem more prepared to play.
Here is my All-Rookie Team for the 2005 season. There shouldn't be any surprises here, as all these players did a great job playing right out of college.
OFFENSE
Kyle Orton · QB · Bears
Drafted: 4th round from Purdue
Started 15 games, winning 10 of them
Carnell Williams · RB · Buccaneers
Drafted: 1st round from Auburn
Rushed for 1,178 yards and six TDs
Madison Hedgecock · FB · Rams
Drafted: 7th round from North Carolina
Started seven games
Drew Hodgdon · C · Texans
Drafted: 5th round from Arizona State
Started three games
Logan Mankins · G · Patriots
Drafted: 1st round from Fresno State
Started all 16 games
Dan Buenning · G · Buccaneers
Drafted: 4th round from Wisconsin
Started all 16 games
Jammal Brown · OT · Saints
Drafted: 1st round from Oklahoma
Started all 13 games he played in
Michael Roos · OT · Titans
Drafted: 2nd round from E. Washington
Started all 16 games
Heath Miller · TE · Steelers
Drafted: 1st round from Virginia
Had 39 catches with six TDS
Mark Clayton · WR · Ravens
Drafted: 1st round from Oklahoma
Injured early but finished with 44 catches
Chris Henry · WR · Bengals
Drafted: 3rd round from West Virginia
Finished with 31 catches and six TDs
Mike Nugent · K · Jets
Drafted: 2nd round from Ohio State
Hit 22 of 28 FG and finished with 90 points
Chris Kluwe · P · Vikings
Undrafted: From UCLA
Signed by Seattle and claimed by Minnesota; sixth in NFL with 44.1 avg.
DEFENSE
Erasmus James · DE · Vikings
Drafted: 1st round from Wisconsin
A starter with four sacks
Trent Cole · DE · Eagles
Drafted: 5th round from Cincinnati
A pass rusher who had five sacks
Luis Castillo · DT · Chargers
Drafted: 1st round from Northwestern
Had 49 tackles and 3½ sacks
Mike Patterson · DT · Eagles
Drafted: 1st round from Southern Cal
Had 44 tackles and 3½ sacks
Shawne Merriman · LB · Chargers
Drafted: 1st round from Maryland
Had 10 sacks and is headed to the Pro Bowl
Lofa Tatupu · LB · Seahawks
Drafted: 2nd round from Southern Cal
Full-time starter that led his team in tackles
Odell Thurman · LB · Bengals
Drafted: 2nd round from Georgia
Started 15 of 16 games with five INTs
Darrent Williams · CB · Broncos
Drafted: 2nd round from Oklahoma State
Had two INTs and returned kicks
Ellis Hobbs · CB · Patriots
Drafted: 3rd round from Iowa State
Started final eight games of the season
Chris Harris · S · Bears
Drafted: 6th round from Louisiana-Monroe
Started 13 games with three INTs
Nick Collins · S · Packers
Drafted: 2nd round from Bethune-Cookman
Started all 16 games and was third leading tackler
Jerome Mathis · KR · Texans
Drafted: 4th round from Hampton
Averaged 28.6 yards on kick returns with two TDs; going to Pro Bowl
Brady Poppinga · Coverage · Packers
Drafted: 4th round from Brigham Young
Injury ended a season with 22 special-teams tackles
Offensive Rookie of the year
Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, BR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Williams ran for 1,178 yards, scored six touchdowns, caught 20 passes and started the season with three straight 100-yard games. The Bucs won all three
Defensive rookie of the year
Lofa Tatupu, LB, Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle defense improved from 26th overall in 2004 to 17th in 2005, and from 23rd vs. the run to fifth. Tatupu not only led the Seahawks in tackles, but he was 30 tackles ahead of the second player.
Future player to watch
Reynaldo Hill, CB, Tennessee Titans
Hill played in 15 games, starting 10 of them with 48 total tackles, three interceptions and six passes defensed. When the Titans improve, so will he.
Many worthy players have been left off the award list. Some of them because of injuries (Braylon Edwards ) and some because of the quality if players at that position (Ronnie Brown). But overall this was a very good group of rookies and many should have outstanding careers in the NFL.