Top 10 NFL Rookies of 2012
1) Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts
Luck came into an absolutely terrible Colts organization, coming off of a 2-14 season. Not only that, but head coach Chuck Pagano was out for almost the entire season in a battle with Leukemia. Luck stepped into the leadership role, and carried the team to a playoff berth. Personally, he set the NFL record for passing yards by a rookie. Along with that, he threw a total of 23 touchdown passes, only four off of the rookie record. To top it all off, the Colts don’t have too many outstanding players to surround Luck. With not that much support by team mates, Andrew Luck is the best NFL Rookie of 2012.
2) Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson joined a mediocre Seahawks team. Wilson lead the team from 7-9 to a exceptional 11-5, with a playoff berth. Like Luck, Wilson stepped into a leadership role, with few good supporting players around him. Wilson showed a maturity beyond his years after one of the most controversial calls in NFL history in Green Bay vs. Seattle. Along with that, tying Payton Manning’s single season NFL record for most touchdown passes by a rookie doesn’t hurt his ranking either.
3) Robert Griffin III, QB, Washington Redskins
Although the Rookie of the Year race is mainly between RG3 and Luck, I have him at third because he simply didn’t have as hard a role as Luck or Wilson. The stats tell the story that he is obviously an exceptional quarterback and player in the NFL. And although he turned around a 5-11 Redskins team to 10-6, he still didn’t show enough to me personally. Offensively, Griffin had much more of a supporting team than the first two. With Alfred Morris in his backfield, and Santana Moss outside as a receiver, he has much more support than Luck or Wilson. Despite me not being too big RG3 fan, he is still a superb player, and will have an extremely good career in the NFL.
4) Doug Martin, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5) Casey Hayward, CB, Green Bay Packers
6) Trent Richardson, RB, Cleveland Browns
7) Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina Panthers
8 ) Bobby Wagner, LB, Seattle Seahawks
9) Alfred Morris, RB, Washington Redskins
10) Lavonte David, LB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I completely agree with you that Luck deserves to be the rookie of the year. While Griffin III and Wilson both had exceptional seasons, Luck had to deal with Coach Pagano’s absence due to cancer and a team that was simultaneously far younger and far older than almost any other team in the league. Leading a team that was 2-14 last year to the playoffs this year is exceptional, doing it as a rookie is mind-boggling.
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