Top 10 Impact Rookies Of Last 25 Years

[broadwayjoe]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mu...allery.nflimpactrookies3/index.1.exclude.html

 

[patsfan55]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mu...allery.nflimpactrookies3/index.1.exclude.html

no love for terry glenn's 90 catches leading the pats to a sb?

 

[primetime]

Rick Mirer isn't there? He had one heck of a rookie year.

 

[RoadGrader]

Ben Roethlisberger?

pardon me but didn't Pittsburgh simply run, run, run the s*** out the ball during Ben's 1st year thereby limiting his exposure in the passing game?

Oh, that was until the Playoffs, where Ben had to play against guess who? And how'd that turn out? Impact Rookie? NFW

 

[ilduce06410]

a lousy list

Ben Roethlisberger?
pardon me but didn't Pittsburgh simply run, run, run the s*** out the ball during Ben's 1st year thereby limiting his exposure in the passing game?
Oh, that was until the Playoffs, where Ben had to play against guess who? And how'd that turn out? Impact Rookie? NFW

i suppose all such lists are controversial. it begins with the premise. but SI's lists seem to be particularly shallow. seems the folks who do these lists don't have a real sense of the sport(s).
in any event, IMHO
terry glann has GOT to be in there in front of charles rogers. it's not even laughable that charles is in there, it's more like, sad that somebody thinks like that.
i'd say there has to be some room for emmitt smith.
how about jerry rice?
richard seymour deserves some love if charles woodson's gonna be there.

 

[drpatriot]

Though who the top 10 best rookies ever in the past 25 years is very debatable, it can definitely be said who the top rookies have been at each position.

As such, I'm going to make my own list.

QB: Dan Marino, Dolphins. Although Marino didn't start until game 6, but he had the highest completion rate (58.6) and QB rating (96.0) by a QB ever. Honorable mention: Ben Roethlisberger.
RB: Eric ****erson, Rams. ****erson still holds the rookie records for rushing yards (1,808), attempts (390) and touchdowns (18). Honorable mention: George Rogers.
WR: Randy Moss, Vikings. Moss had 69 pass receptions for 1,313 yards and 17 touchdowns. His receiving prowess helped lead the Vikings to a 15-1 record. Honorable mention: Anquan Boldin
TE: Jeremy Shockey, Giants. Shockey had the most receptions and yards ever (74 and 894) by a rookie TE. Shockey made the Pro Bowl that year. Honorable mention: None. No other TE has had a glorious rookie year.
DE: Jevon Kearse, Titans: 14.5 sacks as a rookie. Period. Honorable mention:
DT: Dana Stubblefield, 49ers. Stubblefield had 10.5 sacks as a rookie and helped lead the 49ers to the NFC Championship game. Honorable mention: Tim Bowens.
OLB: Lawrence Taylor, Giants. Taylor had 133 tackles and 9.5 sacks as a rookie, helping to lead the Giants to the playoffs after going 4-12 the previous year. Honorable mention: Shawne Merriman.
MLB: Brian Urlacher, Bears. Urlacher hit the league by storm and had 165 tackles and eight sacks as a rookie, earning him a trip to the Pro Bowl. Honorable mention: Mike Croel.
CB: Ronnie Lott, 49ers. Lott had 7 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles, 89 tackles and only one touchdown against in 1981. Lott's solidity in the secondary helped lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl title. Honorable mention: Charles Woodson
S: Mark Carrier, Bears: Carrier had 10 interceptions and 5 forced fumbles in his rookie year at Buddy Ryan's "X" position in the 46 defense. Honorable mention: Erik McMillan.

 

[Mooch]

This list is insane if it doesn't include Edgerrin James.

1999 stats:

1553 yrds rushing, 13 TDs
586 yrds receiving, 4 TDs

The Colts went from 3-13 to 13-3 that year. Edge was the very definition of "impact rookie". I'd put him in the top 3.

 

[desi-patsfan]

have i lost my mind or did tom brady lead us to the SB in his rookie year?

 

[T-ShirtDynasty]

have i lost my mind or did tom brady lead us to the SB in his rookie year?

mind, lost. Yikes.

 

[Fanfrom1960]

have i lost my mind or did tom brady lead us to the SB in his rookie year?

Brady carried a clipboard in his rookie year of 2000. Completed one pass.

 

[brdmaverick]

I know he didn't have phenomenal stats, but Jamal Lewis was a key part to the Ravens winning their first Super Bowl championship

 

[shakadave]

pardon me but didn't Pittsburgh simply run, run, run the s*** out the ball during Ben's 1st year thereby limiting his exposure in the passing game?

Run, run, run the s***
Gently down the stream,
Merrily merrily --- aw s***, you get the idea.

 

[the taildragger]

Ben Roethlisberger?

pardon me but didn't Pittsburgh simply run, run, run the s*** out the ball during Ben's 1st year thereby limiting his exposure in the passing game?

Oh, that was until the Playoffs, where Ben had to play against guess who? And how'd that turn out? Impact Rookie? NFW

absolutely.

He did a heck of a job, but Ben had the...
#1 running game.
#1 scoring defense.
- arguably the best trio of receivers in the league
- and a line that featured four pro bowlers.

That's the definition of a "system Qb"

He's not the most durable guy, but he's big and hard to bring down and he's got that gunslinger approach that everyone loves...never makes anything look easy out there but he's fun to watch. His teammates seem to love him too -- as long as he's not doing everything in his power to blow a big game.

But in terms of the read and react part of the game, I don't think his ceiling is much higher. I'm curious to see what he does this year.

I'm just sick of hearing about his passer rating and his YPA from nerds who don't understand the game.

Can't knock a guy with his record...just trying to keep things in perspective. If you actually look at Pitt's production since he took over, it's an improvement over Maddox, but it's about half as big as the spike we got when Tom replaced Drew.

 

[onegameatatime]

Brady carried a clipboard in his rookie year of 2000. Completed one pass.

True. If he were playing in baseball, he probably could have been considered a rookie, like Papelbon is now. But not under football rules.

 

[shatch62]

EDGE needs to be on the list

This list is insane if it doesn't include Edgerrin James.

1999 stats:

1553 yrds rushing, 13 TDs
586 yrds receiving, 4 TDs

The Colts went from 3-13 to 13-3 that year. Edge was the very definition of "impact rookie". I'd put him in the top 3.

I agree. They go from 3-13 the year before Edge gets there – even with Manning – to 13-3 with him. That is a HUGE IMPACT. Also, two years later when he misses 10 games with a knee injury the Colts fall apart. That year the Colts went 6-10 (3-3 with Edge and 3-7 without him).

I know everyone says that Edge was the RB he was because every team was willing to let Edge beat them but not Manning. Every team would play the pass and let Edge get his yards. While I am sure there is some truth to that the facts still remain that in the 7 years Edge was a Colt they went 77-35 (68.75%). When he was in the line up they were 70-26 (72.9%) and when he was out they went 7-9 (43.8%).

Edge was an impact Rookie and is an impact player.

 

[shakadave]

Ben had the...

- arguably the best trio of receivers in the league

Huh? Ward, OK. Rookie TE Heathster, yes OK. But who are you counting as the 3rd? Not Randle El! Well if you average the three together, I agree they were good, but there must be a better trio somewhere, mustn't there? Indy? You know, the more I think about it, the more it hits me --- there aren't many great trios, are there?!!! Our trio might have been in the top ten easily. Never thought of it that way.