atljbo Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 2013 PFF Defensive Rookie of the Year3rd Runner UpStar Lotulelei, DT, Carolina PanthersIf you’re looking at a big reason as to why the Panthers’ defense has looked so much better this year we’d advise looking up front. In particular, take a gander at the ample frame of first round pick Star Lotulelei who has been a beast against the run.Of all defensive tackles he tied for the sixth-highest grade against the run, and it owed a lot more than just occupying blockers. No, the Panther ended up with 30 stops against the run on his 233 run defense snaps, good for a Run Stop Percentage of 12.9%. That was second-highest of all defensive tackles and showed just how much of a force he was.Sure he could rush the passer a little better, but his production this season was exactly what the team was hoping for2nd Runner UpTyrann Mathieu, SCB/S, Arizona CardinalsIn the eyes of some of our staff Tyrann Mathieu deserved to win it all. Why? Well it’s not easy playing well at one spot in the NFL. Let alone playing well at two and doing it as a rookie.Looking like a natural from Day 1 the part safety/ part slot cornerback graded positively in all but one game. He did that by getting more pressure than all but two defensive backs, picking up 20 tackles against the run and ending the year with a healthy two picks and six pass break-ups.Get well soon, Honey Badger, the league was better for your presence.1st Runner UpSheldon Richardson, DE, New York JetsHe led my Race for Rookie of the Year all the way through the season, but when push came to shove he narrowly missed out in the tightest of tight votes.There’s an awful lot to like about Richardson who finished second behind J.J. Watt with a +34.0 run defense grade. Ultimately he fell short in part because of the numbers he put up rushing the passer where his Pass Rushing Productivity score was only 17th out of 22 qualifying 3-4 ends.Still, it was a tremendously impactful rookie year and if he can make the kind of leap in this regard that Muhammad Wilkerson made from Year 1 to Year 2, then you should be very scared about what that Jets defense might do.2013 PFF Defensive Rookie of the YearDesmond Trufant, CB, Atlanta FalconsHe snuck up on us, lost a little in a horrible year for Atlanta but shining brightly enough by the end that nobody could miss it.Trufant looked a little lost in preseason but we’re now convinced he was just rope-a-doping us because once the regular season started he looked like exactly the player the Falcons needed from the draft. He ended the year with a league-leading 15 pass break-ups to go with his two picks, allowing just 53.4% of balls thrown his way to be completed.That earned him the eighth-highest coverage grade of all cornerbacks and what makes that so special and him the Defensive Rookie of the Year, is just how hard that is to do as a rookie.Look, for example, at how long it took Dee Milliner to show up and you see just how rare a feat Trufant achieved in a team with ranked as our worst pass rushing outfit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATLFalcons11 Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psychic Gibbon Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I look forward to what he can do next year with experience and, hopefully, a front seven that can actually pressure the QB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtybird2k5 Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I dig it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LookAboutFalcon Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I want him to win the official defensive rookie of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torpedo-Of-Truth Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 This is incredible. Congratulations to Mr.Trufant. He is looking like a future star in this league and I'm proud to say he is a Falcon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willy monday Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Brings a tear to my eye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atlGM Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Wow. Big ups to tru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndySG Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 I thought this was going to be a "LOOK WHO WE COULD HAVE DRAFTED" thread. Very pleasantly surprised. Congratulations, Tru! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATLFalcons11 Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Man we shouldn't have traded up for this guy /purple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoungHeezy Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 #BEASTTommy D nailed him and Alford.Edit: #nohomo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal Chief Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Can someone please explain how an untested player can look lost in the preseason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdz4i Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 impossible, td doesn t know how to draft! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal Chief Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 impossible, td doesn t know how to draft!actually true for certain positions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shockerfalcon Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Can someone please explain how an untested player can look lost in the preseasonYou must not have been on this board during preseason. He was described as everything from lost to another Dimitroff blunder. There were almost daily Alford is waaaaaayyyyy better than Trufant threads. Lol gotta love thus board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonOfThemBirds Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Give him a pass rush and he could end up being a top 5 corner real soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atljbo Posted January 8, 2014 Author Share Posted January 8, 2014 Jets fans crying ... i like shells ... always has .. but i think pff is sayin both balled out ... Transitioning to the NFL as a CB is harder then the DLineman .... Look at Patrick Peterson rookie year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsBountyBowlChamps Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 actually true for certain positionsSame can be said for literally every GM in the NFL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LookAboutFalcon Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 (edited) Jets fans crying ... i like shells ... always has .. but i think pff is sayin both balled out ... Transitioning to the NFL as a CB is harder then the DLineman .... Look at Patrick Peterson rookie yearI believe Tru surpassed Peterson in his rookie year coverage wise. Edited January 8, 2014 by LookAboutFalcon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal Chief Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 You must not have been on this board during preseason. He was described as everything from lost to another Dimitroff blunder. There were almost daily Alford is waaaaaayyyyy better than Trufant threads. Lol gotta love thus board.bruh I learned a long time ago not to take many things on this site serious. A lot of people were just salty over the 3rd rounder being traded and the position they felt was more important didn't get addressed the way they felt it should have been addressed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tribal Chief Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Same can be said for literally every GM in the NFL.lol I love this original comeback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thiccolas Cage Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 My next jersey selection Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsBountyBowlChamps Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 lol I love this original comebackIt's not a come back. It's a fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirdieBirdieIndie Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Being in the losing team definitely brought the best in Tru! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B_ELLIS24 Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 well deserved! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.