Bleacher Report's 2016 Consensus NFL All-Rookie Team

What did multiple NFL teams find during the 2016 season? Hope. 

Optimism can come in many forms. For the football teams, the development of a talented young player into a star can redefine a franchise. 

The 2016 campaign's biggest story involved a pair of young studs who didn't just develop into stars; they're also wearing them. 

The Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott dominated on the team's way to a league-best 13-3 record. 

Their play expanded beyond normal expectations. Most rookies are supposed to experience peaks and valleys during their first season. A select few never hit the rookie wall and play at a relatively high level. 

Those players comprise Bleacher Report's 2016 Consensus NFL All-Rookie Team after being voted upon by 12 analysts: Jason Cole, Gary Davenport, Tyler Dunne, Doug Farrar, Mike Freeman, Brad Gagnon, Matt Miller, Dan Pompei, Chris Simms, Mike Tanier, Sean Tomlinson and myself.

Among the 28 players included, three teams—the Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears and San Diego Chargers—each claimed three honorees.  

A strong draft plan and development provides hope for each franchise's long-term success.

Quarterback

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Winner: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (12 votes)

For years, Tom Brady served as the standard for any team trying to strike gold in the draft by selecting a mid- to late-round quarterback and having him turn into a superstar. 

Move over Brady. You have company. 

When teams other than the Dallas Cowboys look back on the 2016 NFL draft, they'll just shake their heads because they didn't have the foresight to draft Dak Prescott. 

It's already happening. Former San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly lamented the fact his former boss, Trent Baalke, wouldn't listen to him and the team passed on Prescott, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo (via Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith). 

Seven quarterbacks were selected before the Cowboys chose the Mississippi State product with the 135th overall pick. 

Due to an injury to Tony Romo, Prescott started all 16 games this season. The 23-year-old signal-caller finished top four overall in completion percentages (67.8 percent), yards per attempt (7.99) and quarterback rating (104.9).

Plus, he provided a sparkling 5.75 touchdown-to-interception ratio as well as six rushing scores. Oh, he also helped lead his team to a 13-3 record and the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed. 

Prescott wasn't simply the best rookie quarterback this year; he made waves throughout the entire league.

Running Back

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Winners: Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys (12 votes); Jordan Howard, Chicago Bears (12 votes)

It's been said the running back position is devalued since the NFL is a pass-happy league. In reality, talented runners aren't devalued; a downturn in talent occurred. The position is now bouncing back. 

For the first time in league history, a pair of rooking running backs finished first and second in rushing yardage. The Dallas Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott and Chicago Bears' Jordan Howard each rushed for 1,300 or more yards. 

To place their production into context, the young duo kept company with Adrian Peterson, Doug Martin, DeMarco Murray, Le'Veon Bell, LeSean McCoy, Marshawn Lynch and Matt Forte as the only backs to run for as many yards in the past three seasons. 

Elliott took the NFL by storm with a league-leading 1,631 yards. The past year's fourth overall pick also added 15 rushing touchdowns as he staked his claim as the game's best running back. If Elliott isn't, he's in the conversation with Bell, McCoy and David Johnson. 

Howard, meanwhile, didn't open the season as starter after being a fifth-round pick, but it didn't take long before the Bears coaching staff realized what it had in the Indiana product. By Week 4, he managed his first 100-yard game. From that point, Howard averaged 95.9 yards per game on his way to 1,313 yards. 

Both of these young backs provided their teams with an identity. They're physical and talented runners who wear down opponents but also present explosiveness and versatility. 

Along with Bell, Johnson, Jay Ajayi, Todd Gurley, Melvin Gordon and the incoming Leonard Fournette, the running back position is once again in good hands. 

Wide Receiver

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Winners: Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints (12 votes); Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs (eight votes)

When the New Orleans Saints moved on from the organization's all-time leading receiver, Marques Colston, many wondered how the franchise could replace him. 

The team provided an answer when it selected Ohio State's Michael Thomas in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft. Thomas immediately developed into Drew Brees' new favorite target. 

The 6'3" receiver didn't just put together a stellar rookie campaign; he provided a historic first season. 

Thomas' 92 receptions were second-best all time among first-year receivers. His 1,137 receiving yards were seventh-best for a rookie and ninth overall among the entire league. Plus, his nine touchdown receptions tied for sixth behind names like Jordy Nelson, Antonio Brown, Mike Evans and Odell Beckham Jr. 

While Tyreek Hill didn't post similar eye-popping receiving numbers, his presence for the Kansas City Chiefs can't be denied. 

The speedster is a threat to score any time he touches the football. Hill combined for 860 offensive yards and nine total touchdowns. His versatility within the scheme provides an explosive entity the Chiefs lacked since running back Jamaal Charles suffered a knee injury during the 2015 campaign. 

Plus, the West Alabama product is a special teams standout, but we'll get to that later. 

Others receiving votes: Sterling Shepard, New York Giants (four votes)

Fullback/Halfback/Tight End

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Winners: Hunter Henry, San Diego Chargers (12 votes); Austin Hooper, Atlanta Falcons (12 votes)

The 2016 NFL draft class wasn't exactly chock-full of tight end talent, yet the San Diego Chargers got it right when they selected Hunter Henry in the second round as the first at his position to come off the board. 

In his first season, the Arkansas product caught 36 passes for 478 yards and a team-leading eight touchdown receptions. He led all rookie tight ends in each category. 

Henry will ease the transition once future Hall of Fame tight end Antonio Gates decides to hang up his cleats. 

"He's awesome, and he's going to be an awesome tight end," quarterback Philip Rivers said of Henry in October, per ESPN.com's Eric D. Williams. "He has a long way to go, obviously, to even say this about him and Antonio, they're different, but I'm thankful as we transition Antonio—as long as he’s going to be here, hopefully a long time—to have a guy like Hunter coming in."

With Henry off the board, the Atlanta Falcons selected Stanford's Austin Hooper in the following round. They also made the right choice. 

Hooper finished second among rookie tight ends with 19 receptions for 271 yards and three touchdowns. In an offense loaded with talent, the first-year target showed he can be a viable threat down the seam. His role should only grow in the coming seasons.

Offensive Tackle

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Winners: Taylor Decker, Detroit Lions (12 votes); Jack Conklin, Tennessee Titans (11 votes) 

Offensive linemen never get the recognition they deserve, but this year's class proved to be outstanding. Three of the first four blockers selected in April's draft found their way onto Bleacher Report's All-Rookie Team. 

Of course, left tackle still holds the most value as the team's blindside protector, even though the game continues to change. 

Taylor Decker's ability to play on the left side was questioned throughout the process, yet he answered the bell by starting all 16 games at left tackle for the Detroit Lions. 

The Ohio State product is a technician with a nasty side. His presence allowed Detroit's coaching staff to move Riley Reiff to the right side and solidify the entire unit. 

Before Decker came off the board with the 16th overall pick, the Tennessee Titans chose fellow Big Ten lineman Jack Conklin with the eighth selection. 

Just how good was Conklin this past year? 

The first-year blocker graded higher than stalwarts such as the Oakland Raiders' Donald Penn, the Philadelphia Eagles' Jason Peters and even the Dallas Cowboys' Tyron Smith, according to Pro Football Focus. 

Unlike Decker, Conklin started every game at right tackle. He not only received the highest grade for a rookie offensive lineman, but only five tackles proved to be better this past season. 

Others receiving votes: Ronnie Stanley, Baltimore Ravens (one vote)

Guard

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Winners: Laremy Tunsil, Miami Dolphins (11 votes); Joe Thuney, New England Patriots (10 votes)

Once upon a time, Laremy Tunsil was considered the top talent available in the 2016 NFL draft. However, a masked attempt to ruin his career appeared just minutes before the event began. 

Tunsil experienced an unfortunate first-round tumble before being selected 13th overall by the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins organization certainly got the last laugh. 

After moving the collegiate left tackle to guard since veteran Branden Albert already manned the blind side, the Ole Miss product excelled from the onset. He helped lead the way as running back Jay Ajayi experienced a breakthrough campaign with 1,272 rushing yards and three 200-yard outings.

Also, Pro Football Focus graded Tunsil as the best pass protector among first-year guards. 

In New England, the Patriots didn't need to spend a first-round pick to find a long-term answer along their offensive interior. The organization selected North Carolina State's Joe Thuney in the third round, and he also became an early success story. 

Thuney hasn't been quite as successful as Tunsil, but he's played more snaps than any other rookie blocker, per PFF, and he's been a physical presence in the Patriots' running attack. 

Ultimately, Tunsil will move to tackle, while Thuney found a home at left guard. 

Others receiving votes: Alex Lewis, Baltimore Ravens (three votes)

Center

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Winner: Cody Whitehair, Chicago Bears (eight votes)

Only five rookies started a single game at center this year. The Chicago Bears' Cody Whitehair and the Indianapolis Colts' Ryan Kelly started all 16 contests. 

Thus, the choice for All-Rookie center turned into a coin flip—though Whitehair garnered a slight edge.

After playing left tackle and guard in college, the Kansas State product impressed Bears offensive line coach Dave Magazu. 

"The first guy is obvious; it's Cody," Magazu said, per Larry Mayer of the team's official site. "Being a rookie and then spending all his time in camp and all that playing guard and then making that transition to center, every day is a new learning experience for him and he just keeps gathering information and putting it in the bank and it's going to pay off."

The transition never overwhelmed the second-round pick as he helped lead the way for running back Jordan Howard, who finished second in the NFL with 1,313 rushing yards. 

As Whitehair becomes more comfortable with his current position, he's only going to get better. 

Others receiving votes: Ryan Kelly, Indianapolis Colts (four votes)

Defensive End

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Winners: Noah Spence, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (eight votes); Joey Bosa, San Diego Chargers (eight votes); Yannick Ngakoue, Jacksonville Jaguars (eight votes)

The best way to slow the NFL's high-octane offenses is by applying pressure on opposing quarterbacks. As such, 25 different edge defenders were selected during the 2016 NFL draft. 

Three stood above the rest. 

The only reason Joey Bosa wasn't a unanimous decision is the fact he's often listed as an outside linebacker even though he plays defensive end. Otherwise, he's everything a team would want in a first-year pass-rusher. 

After the San Diego Chargers selected Bosa with the third overall pick and a lengthy contract holdout, the Ohio State product dominated from the day he stepped onto a professional football field. 

Bosa didn't play in the first three games, but he still managed 10.5 sacks to lead all rookies and graded among the league's top five edge defenders, according to Pro Football Focus. 

Noah Spence's impact with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cannot be questioned, either. This second-round pick finished third on the team with 5.5 sacks and 28 quarterback hurries. 

Meanwhile, Yannick Ngakoue led the Jacksonville Jaguars with eight sacks—which was two more than Malik Jackson, who the organization handed a $85.5 million contract during the previous offseason, and four more than Dante Fowler Jr., last year's third overall pick. 

A total of 24 sacks is a pretty impressive start for this trio.

Defensive Tackle

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Winners: DeForest Buckner, San Francisco 49ers (10 votes); Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs (10 votes)

Along the defensive interior, certain talents are described as war daddies. These are the baddest dudes in the trenches with an ability to physically dominate their opponents. 

When the San Francisco 49ers' DeForest Buckner and Kansas City Chiefs' Chris Jones walk to the line of scrimmage, they're physically intimidating. Buckner towers over most defensive linemen at 6'7" and 300 pounds, whereas Jones isn't exactly small at 6'6" and 310 pounds. 

Their natural skill sets translate to the field, too. 

Buckner led all rookie interior defenders in snaps played (1,007), sacks (six), quarterback hits (14), and defensive stops (35), per Pro Football Focus. Jones, on the other hand, managed more quarterback hurries (32) despite playing 431 fewer snaps. 

These two rookies are big, athletic and can get after opposing quarterbacks. In today's NFL, there's nothing more a team can ask from the position. 

Others receiving votes: Maliek Collins, Dallas Cowboys (three votes); Michael Pierce, Baltimore Ravens (one vote)

Outside Linebacker

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Winners: Leonard Floyd, Chicago Bears (12 votes); Emmanuel Ogbah, Cleveland Browns (six votes)

Football continues to change, particularly on defense as teams attempt to counter prolific passing attacks. One way to do so is the acquisition of hybrid edge defenders who are as comfortable putting their hand in the dirt to rush the passer as they are working in space. 

The Chicago Bears' Leonard Floyd and Cleveland Browns' Emmanuel Ogbah are opposite sides of the same coin. 

Floyd is a far more fluid athlete. The Georgia product is long, lean and rangy. Not only did he finish tied for second on his team with seven sacks, this year's ninth overall pick also received a positive coverage grade from Pro Football Focus. He did so while missing four games due to injury. 

Ogbah struggled to pick up the intricacies of playing outside linebacker, and the Browns eventually shifted him to defensive end where he'd still drop into coverage on occasion. 

Even so, the top pick of the second round found a comfort level as the season progressed. The Oklahoma State product led Cleveland with 5.5 sacks. He also finished second among rookie edge defenders with 10 more quarterback hits and managed 30 total hurries. 

Due to the preponderance of nickel fronts found around the league, these young men are mostly playing on the edge, but their versatility provides coordinators with the ability to show multiple fronts and flash numerous different looks. 

Others receiving votes: Joey Bosa, San Diego Chargers (four votes); Jordan Jenkins, New York Jets (one vote); De'Vondre Campbell, Atlanta Falcons (one vote)

Inside Linebacker

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Winners: Deion Jones, Atlanta Falcons (12 votes); Jatavis Brown, San Diego Chargers (seven votes)

Inside linebacker isn't viewed as it once was, but the position can still create a major impact with the right player leading the way. The Atlanta Falcons and the San Diego Chargers have two exciting rookies who quickly developed into playmakers. 

At 222 pounds, Deion Jones is a modern NFL linebacker. He's not going to play downhill, blow up lead blockers and stuff running backs. Instead, he races from sideline to sideline, avoids traffic and makes plays in the passing game. 

The LSU prospect led the Falcons during the regular season with 108 total tackles. This year's second-round pick also led the team with three interceptions—two of which he returned for touchdowns. Oh, he also finished second on the team with 10 pass deflections. 

The Chargers' Jatavis Brown is even smaller than Jones. The 5'11", 221-pound linebacker is a big ball of energy. His quickness is exceptional, and he's explosive upon contact. 

Despite only starting seven games, the Akron product finished first on the team with 79 total tackles. He also added 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and six deflected passes. 

The more a player can do, the more valuable he is. Jones and Brown have been valuable additions for their respective franchises. 

Others receiving votes: Blake Martinez, Green Bay Packers (three votes); Su'a Cravens, Washington Redskins (two votes)

Cornerback

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Winners: Jalen Ramsey, Jacksonville Jaguars (12 votes); Brian Poole, Atlanta Falcons (four votes); Eli Apple, New York Giants (four votes)

Cornerback can be an extremely difficult position to play as a rookie. Young defensive backs must hone their technique yet forget about the times they'll inevitably be burned. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars used the fifth overall pick in April's draft to select Florida State's Jalen Ramsey, and he proved his worth. At 6'1" and 211 pounds, Ramsey is a long and physical defensive back who also liked to get into receivers' heads even as a rookie. 

According to Pro Football Focus, the Jaguars rookie received the highest coverage grade among the league's first-year corners. 

After Jacksonville chose Ramsey, Eli Apple became the second cornerback selected among the top-10 picks. As the New York Giants defensive back grew more comfortable in his role, he showed tremendous improvement during the second half of the season. 

With Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie sliding inside to cover the slot, Apple proved to be a reliable option opposite Janoris Jenkins. 

In Atlanta, undrafted free agent Brian Poole developed into one of the league's premier nickel corners. The Florida product ranked among the top six in coverage snaps per target and yards per coverage snap from the slot, per PFF. 

These three first-year corners held different roles with their teams, but all were vitally important. 

Others receiving votes: Artie Burns, Pittsburgh Steelers (three votes); Vernon Hargreaves, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (one vote)

Safety

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Winners: Keanu Neal, Atlanta Falcons (12 votes); Karl Joseph, Oakland Raiders (five votes); Andrew Adams, New York Giants (five votes)

The three safeties included in this year's All-Rookie squad each came into the league with very different expectations. 

First, many scoffed when the Atlanta Falcons used the 17th overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft to select Florida's Keanu Neal. The rookie defensive back finished second on the team with 106 total tackles. 

More importantly, Neal provides a physical presence. Head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Richard Smith like to use the rookie in a role similar to the one Kam Chancellor plays for the Seattle Seahawks. The Falcons safety forced five fumbles this season. 

Unlike Neal, Karl Joseph was considered the top safety prospect. The Raiders selected the West Virginia product with the 14th overall pick despite a lingering knee injury. When healthy, Joseph is a heat-seeking missile flying from sideline to sideline. Unfortunately, he missed the final four contests due to a toe injury, but he's expected to return for the Raiders' first-round playoff contest against the Houston Texans.  

On the other side of the spectrum, not much was expected of Andrew Adams when the New York Giants signed him as an undrafted free agent. Despite being disappointed on draft day, Adams has been one of the league's top safeties. The Connecticut product ranked among the league's best in coverage snaps per target, yards per coverage snap and coverage snap per reception, per Pro Football Focus. 

Others receiving votes: Sean Davis, Pittsburgh Steelers (two votes)

Kick/Punt Returner

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Winner: Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs (12 votes)

The Kansas City Chiefs' Tyreek Hill makes his second appearance on the All-Rookie Team as both a wide receiver and returner. 

As a return man, Hill is already the league's best with three touchdowns. 

On kickoffs, the rookie would rank third with an average of 27.4 yards per return if he had enough attempts to qualify. He doesn't, but he's still special when he gets an opportunity. 

His abilities as a punt returner are even more dynamic. Hill led the league in return yardage (592 yards) and average return (15.2). Two of his touchdowns came via punt returns. 

It's been over a decade since Dante Hall dazzled Chiefs fans with his returns. Hill is every bit as electric with the ball in hands, if not more so.

Specialists

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Kicker: Wil Lutz, New Orleans Saints (11 votes)

Punter: Riley Dixon, Denver Broncos (11 votes)

Kicking in today's NFL has become an adventure. Punters are OK, but kickers continue their adjustment with the longer extra-point attempts and new touchback rule. 

Thus, consistency from these positions is far more elusive than it once was. Finding a good young specialist who can excel under these conditions is difficult. 

For the New Orleans Saints, the organization signed Georgia State kicker Wil Lutz after the Baltimore Ravens gave him a look. Lutz converted 82.4 percent of his field-goal attempts. The number is a little low, but four of his misses came from 50 yards or deeper. Plus, the rookie only missed one extra point. 

In Denver, the Broncos actually drafted punter Riley Dixon in the seventh round, and he didn't disappoint. The Syracuse product finished top 10 in overall punting yardage, net yards per punt and average yards per return. 

Special teams are a third of the game, and these first-year performers helped solidify their teams' third phases. 

Others receiving votes: Roberto Aguayo, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (one vote); Drew Kaser, San Diego Chargers (one vote)