Fine Freshmen: Sizing Up the NFL's Rookie of the Year Candidates

To hear some people talk, the NFL Rookie of the Year races have been decided since mid-season. St. Louis quarterback Sam Bradford is the popular front-runner in the Offensive ROTY race, while Detroit defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is the favorite on the defensive side. And to be fair, they're both had very good years.

But are they really the only rookies lighting it up in 2010? It's time to take a look at the rest of the field, on all sides of the ball - and yes, that includes special teams. Some freshmen are playing key roles on Super Bowl contenders. Others are the only reason to watch teams that are playing out the string. Some are legitimate ROTY contenders; others are barely in the conversation.

All of them, however, have done something memorable this season. Here's a look at the candidates, in roughly alphabetical order.

Jahvid Best, RB, Detroit Lions

Best got off to about as hot a start to a career as imaginable. The first-round draft pick (30^th overall) scored five touchdowns in his first two games, and had 232 yards of offense (78 rushing, 154 receiving) in Week 2 against Philadelphia. It was folly to think he would maintain that pace for an entire season, but even a moderate drop-off would have put him right in the ROTY race.

Well, Best did fall off—a lot. He hasn't found the end zone since Week 2, and may need a search party to do so. While he leads all rookies in total yards from scrimmage with 908 (497 rushing, 411 receiving), he averages just 3.2 yards/carry, the lowest among rookies with at least 50 carries. As a result, Best has been supplanted in recent weeks by veteran Maurice Morris as the primary back in Detroit.

Eric Berry, SS, Kansas City Chiefs

Berry was the highest defensive back taken in the 2009 draft (5^th overall), and he has delivered on that promise. The strong safety has been a smorgasbord player, contributing something in every category: 61 solo tackles, three interceptions, nine passes defensed, two sacks, and a forced fumble.

With Berry's presence, the Chiefs' defense has improved from 20^th to ninth in defensive passer rating (DPAR). More importantly, though, has been the improvement in wins: after going 4-12 last year, Kansas City is 9-5 and on the verge of their first division title since 2003. Berry is a big reason why.

LeGarrette Blount, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In any other year, Blount would be one of the great redemption stories. He missed most of his senior season at Oregon after punching a Boise State player following the season opener, and went undrafted as a result. After signing with the Tennessee Titans as an free agent, he got into another fight at practice. He was waived by Tennessee on September 5 with the intention of signing him to the practice squad, but Tampa Bay claimed him off waivers the following day.

By mid-season, Blount had displaced Cadillac Williams as the Buccaneers' primary running back. He now leads all rookies with 777 rushing yards (4.7 yards/carry) and six rushing touchdowns. He also has three 100-yard games, including a breakout 22-for-120 and 2 TDs effort against San Francisco in Week 7. If Blount finishes the year strong, he'll get a lot of votes on the ballot.

Sam Bradford, QB, St. Louis Rams

The No. 1 overall pick has certainly been the talk of the rookie class, starting for St. Louis from Opening Day. But how does his rookie season stack up against the last top-drafted quarterback to start every game as a rookie—some guy named Peyton Manning? Let's take a look:

Bradford: 307-of-517 (59.4%), 3065 yards, 5.9 YPA, 17 TD, 14 INT, 75.9 passer rating

Manning: 326-of-575 (56.7%), 3739 yards, 6.5 YPA, 26 TD, 28 INT, 71.2 passer rating

As you can see, Manning has the edge in volume, with more yards and touchdowns. Bradford, however, is more efficient, with a better completion percentage and far fewer interceptions – and thus a better passer rating. More importantly, Manning's Colts went 3-13 his rookie year; Bradford's Rams are 6-8 – after going 6-42 over the last three seasons – and control their own playoff destiny in the NFC West.

Dez Bryant, WR/RET, Dallas Cowboys

A broken ankle suffered against Indianapolis ended Bryant's season and likely his ROTY bid, but he still did enough in his 12 games to at least be part of the conversation. Bryant was suspended for his senior season at Oklahoma State after lying to NCAA investigators, but Jerry Jones saw enough talent to use a first-round draft pick (24^th overall) on the speedy wideout.

After a training camp incident involving Roy Williams' shoulder pads, Bryant eventually replaced Williams as the No. 2 target in Dallas, catching 45 passes for 561 yards and six touchdowns in his 12 games. Bryant also electrified as a return man, running two of his 15 punt returns back for touchdowns and averaging 14.3 yards/return (4^th in the league).

His biggest role, though, was Giant killer; he had three total touchdowns (2 receiving, 1 return) in the Cowboys' first match with the Giants, then added 104 receiving yards and a TD in the second round.

Carlos Dunlap, DE, Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati's season fell apart early, but don't blame Dunlap – he has been one of the few bright spots on the Bengal defense. The defensive end lasted until late in the second round (54^th) in the draft, then missed four of the first five games due to injuries.

Since returning, however, he has been a force on the defensive front. Despite his abbreviated schedule, Dunlap ranks second among rookies with seven sacks, and also has three passes defensed. If Cincinnati could get three more Carlos Dunlaps, they might rank better than 20^th in DPAR.

Jacoby Ford, WR/RET, Oakland Raiders

Ford hasn't gotten as many offensive touches as other rookie counterparts – but he makes the most of what he gets. The speedster fell to the fourth round (108^th) before Oakland snapped him up, and his big plays have helped key the Raiders to their best season since 2002.

His breakout game in a comeback win over Kansas City – six catches for 148 yards and a kick-return TD – was mere a sampling of of his impact. Ford only has 22 receptions, but his 18.8 yards/catch lead all rookies. His eight runs have produced 133 yards (16.6 yards/carry), including a 71-yard TD scamper against Denver last weekend. He also has two kick-return touchdowns for good measure.

Joe Haden, CB, Cleveland Browns

Cleveland used a high first-round pick (7^th) on Haden in an effort to improve their subpar pass defense from 2009 (24^th in DPAR), and the cornerback has not disappointed. He leads all rookies, and is tied for 5^th in the league, with 16 passes defensed. He also is tied for second among rookies (T-5 overall) with five interceptions, and averages 20.2 yards per interception return.

Haden's emergence also partially coincided with the Browns' mid-season run. He recorded interceptions in four straight games from November 14 to December 5, the longest streak in the NFL this season. Along with Colt McCoy and Peyton Hillis, he is one of the pieces for Cleveland to build around in the coming years.

Aaron Hernandez/Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots

If these two were combined into one player named Roron Hernowski, he would be the clear ROTY front-runner (and a great fantasy tight end); as it is, both are on their way to becoming household names. When the Patriots drafted two tight ends – Gronkowski in the second round (42^nd) and Hernandez in the fourth (113^th)—they were likely hoping that one would work out and become the dual receiving/blocking threat that Ben Watson never developed into.

As it happened, they both worked out. Hernandez has caught 45 passes for 563 yards and six touchdowns, while Gronkowski has nabbed 32 balls for 390 yards and seven TDs. Their emergence has been a big part of New England's new-look offense, allowing them to run two-and-three tight end sets (with veteran Alge Crumpler) and still have a dangerous aerial threat.

Chris Ivory, RB, New Orleans Saints

With Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, and Julius Jones all missing significant time, the Saints needed someone to step up in the running game. Just like in Tampa Bay, an undrafted free agent heeded the call.

Ivory needed three games to crack the line-up, but broke out in a big way in Week 6 (against the Buccaneers, ironically), gaining 158 yards on just 15 carries. He now leads the team with 683 rushing yards and five touchdowns, and ranks fifth in the league with 5.3 yards/carry. Ball security has been an issue with four fumbles, but Ivory has managed to create a logjam of running talent in New Orleans.

Marc Mariani, RET, Tennessee Titans

It takes a lot for a football player to get noticed when the only time the see the field is on special teams. Marc Mariani has done that. One of the last players taken in the 2010 draft (seventh round, 222^nd), Mariani is officially listed as a wide receiver, but he has yet to catch a pass. Instead, he as found a role as the Titans' primary return man.

Mariani has returned 73 combined kicks and punts this year, second only to Detroit's Stefan Logan. But more important is his efficiency: he ranks among the league leaders in yards/return for both punts (14.6, 3^rd) and kicks (25.7, 11^th), and has run one of each back for a touchdown. He might not be Devin Hester, but there are worse ways to make a living.

Devin McCourty, CB, New England Patriots

Chris Collinsworth said last Sunday night that if Ndamukong Suh wasn't the Defensive ROTY, then McCourty should be. One could argue that McCourty deserves the award in his own right. New England has lacked a shutdown corner since losing Asante Samuel, and used a first-round pick (27^th) on the cornerback in hopes of shoring up their pass defense.

McCourty struggled early in the season, but has improved dramatically during the season. He leads all rookies with six interceptions, ranks second in passes defensed (15) and yards/INT return (18.3), and has recorded 39 solo tackles. It's no accident that the Patriots' current six-game winning streak has coincided with his best play of the season; in that time McCourty has four interceptions, a sack, and a forced fumble that was returned for a touchdown.

Colt McCoy, QB, Cleveland Browns

No, Colt McCoy hasn't played in enough games to merit serious consideration for Rookie of the Year. But he still deserves a shout-out for emerging as the clear quarterback of the future in Cleveland.

A shoulder injury suffered in the BCS title game allowed McCoy to fall to the third round (85^th overall) in the draft, and he began the season as the third-string quarterback behind Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace. Injuries to those players forced the Browns' hand in Week 6, and the fans sure are glad they did. McCoy has posted a 93.0 passer rating in his six games, completing 65.8 percent of his passes and throwing just three interceptions (to five touchdown passes).

More importantly, Cleveland is a better team with McCoy under center. He led upset wins over New Orleans and New England, and the Browns have averaged 21.8 points/game with McCoy starting, compared to 15.1 in their other games. For a team that has suffered through Tim Couch, Kelly Holcomb, Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn, McCoy is a rare good find.

Tony Moeaki, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

What do you do if you're Kansas City, and you lose future Hall-of-Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez in the prime of his career? You wait a year, then replace him with another Tony—Moeaki, that is.

The third-round pick (93^rd) has been the Chiefs' second-leading receiver in his freshman season, catching 41 passes for 476 yards and three touchdowns. By providing protection for Dwayne Bowe, Moeaki has helped open up the Kansas City passing game, a big reason why they've improved from 23^rd to T-13^th in scoring and why quarterback Matt Cassel has become a fringe MVP candidate.

Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, New York Giants

The Giants made their shocking Super Bowl run a few years ago on the back of the strongest defensive lines in the league. If they make another run this year, the line will again be the key – and Pierre-Paul will be a big part of it.

New York used a first-round pick (15^th) on the defensive end after a mediocre defense fueled their second-half collapse last year—they ranked just 21^st in sacks and 17^th in third-down conversions. With Pierre-Paul on the line, they have jumped to second and first in those categories this year. Pierre-Paul has 4.5 sacks of his own (second on the team) along six passes defensed and two forced fumbles, despite missing three games.

Jordan Shipley, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocincho get all the ink, but Shipley is quietly becoming a threat in his own right. Being the third-fiddle may actually have been a blessing for the third-round pick (84^th), allowing him to develop without the pressure of the spotlight.

Shipley only has one big game—a six catch, 131 yard, 1 TD effort against Atlanta—but he has been very consistent, catching at least two passes in all 13 games he's played. He now ranks second among rookies in receiving yards (583) and third in receptions (49). With Terrell Owens out for the final two games, Shipley is almost certain to get more targets, letting him strengthen his case to be one of the team's top receivers next year.

Ndamukong Suh, DT, Detroit Lions

There was a minor debate before last year's draft where Suh or Gerald McCoy would have a bigger impact in the NFL. After nearly a full season, we have an answer.

Despite Tampa Bay's improved record, their defensive front has actually regressed with McCoy, ranking last in rushing yards/attempt allowed and next-to-last in third-down conversions. Detroit, on the other hand, as improved from one the league's worst lines to upper mid-pack; they've also improved their defensive passer rating from 107.6 in 2009 to 93.0 this year. Suh leads all rookies with eight sacks, and also has 39 solo tackles, and interception, and a fumble return for a touchdown. The Lions have competitive despite one of the league's toughest schedules (nine games against teams with winning records), and there's a good chance they will go as Suh goes the next few years.

Earl Thomas, FS, Seattle Seahawks

Seattle used the 14^th overall pick on Thomas this year to try and improve a defense that ranked 28^th in DPAR in 2009, a big reason behind their 5-11 record. They're taken a step forward to 22^nd this year, and have step forward in the record to go with it, sitting at 6-8 and tied for the NFC West lead.

And the Seahawks has done it with Thomas roaming the secondary. He leads the team and ranks second among rookies with five interceptions, and also has 58 solo tackles and seven passes defensed. If Thomas steps up big in the last two games and helps Seattle into the playoffs, he could make a belated ROTY bid.

Mike Williams, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Much of the attention this year has gone to the “other” Mike Williams and his resurgence in Seattle. He's had a great year, but don't forget about this one, because he's a pretty good story too.

This Mike Williams fell all the way to the fourth round (101^st) before Tampa Bay snatched him up. He is now the Buccaneers' leading receiver, leading all rookies in receptions (58), receiving yards (880), and touchdowns (8) while ranking second with 15.2 yards/catch. He also has four games with at least 89 yards, including a 4-catch, 105-yard, 1-TD effort in a shootout win over Arizona. Just like the two Steve Smiths before them, there figures to a great debate in the coming years about who the better Mike Williams is.