How Often Does the Defensive Rookie Of The Year Lead His Class in AV?

by Chase Stuart on February 21, 2016

Yesterday, we looked at how often the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year lead his draft class in AV; today, we do the same but for defensive rookies. ^[1]Since no undrafted player has ever won Offensive or Defensive Rookie of the Year, I have limited this analysis to only drafted players for administrative convenience.

This season, Kansas City cornerback Marcus Peters ran away with the award, taking 45 of 50 votes (Buffalo cornerback Ronald Darby (4) and Jets defensive end/tackle Leonard Williams (1) had the remaining votes). Now, how often does the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year wind up leading his draft class in AV? We saw that yesterday, 9 of the first 40 AP OROY wound up being the career leader from their class in offensive AV. On the defensive side, the results were even grimmer: just six of the first 40 AP DROY winners led their draft class in AV: Jack Lambert, Mike Haynes, Lawrence Taylor, Charles Woodson, Brian Urlacher, and Julius Peppers.

The table below shows the results from every season. Here’s how to read the table, using the 2004 line as an example. That year, Jonathan Vilma was the AP DROY, and produced 10 points of career AV. He finished his career with 57 points of career AV, while Jared Allen is the career leader in defensive AV from the class of ’04 with 99 points of career AV.

Year	AP DROY	Rookie AV	Rook Car AV	Career AV Leader	Career AV
2015	Marcus Peters
2014	Aaron Donald	11	30	Same	30
2013	Sheldon Richardson	6	20	Ezekiel Ansah	26
2012	Luke Kuechly	9	53	Same	53
2011	Von Miller	12	58	J.J. Watt	81
2010	Ndamukong Suh	15	65	Same	65
2009	Brian Cushing	11	47	Clay Matthews	70
2008	Jerod Mayo	9	52	Calais Campbell	61
2007	Patrick Willis	17	92	Same	92
2006	DeMeco Ryans	7	58	Haloti Ngata	97
2005	Shawne Merriman	7	39	DeMarcus Ware	99
2004	Jonathan Vilma	10	57	Jared Allen	99
2003	Terrell Suggs	4	96	Kevin Williams	99
2002	Julius Peppers	7	126	Same	126
2001	Kendrell Bell	16	41	Justin Smith	98
2000	Brian Urlacher	10	119	Same	119
1999	Jevon Kearse	16	68	Champ Bailey	114
1998	Charles Woodson	12	110	Same	110
1997	Peter Boulware	7	59	Jason Taylor	115
1996	Simeon Rice	6	85	Ray Lewis	158
1995	Hugh Douglas	4	70	Derrick Brooks	140
1994	Tim Bowens	8	62	Bryant Young	88
1993	Dana Stubblefield	7	72	Michael Strahan	120
1992	Dale Carter	8	68	Troy Vincent	88
1991	Mike Croel	7	34	Aeneas Williams	111
1990	Mark Carrier	14	67	Junior Seau	127
1989	Derrick Thomas	12	105	Deion Sanders	114
1988	Erik McMillan	8	27	Eric Allen	98
1987	Shane Conlan	10	58	Rod Woodson	141
1986	Leslie O'Neal	7	87	Pat Swilling	99
1985	Duane Bickett	7	63	Bruce Smith	147
1984	Bill Maas	7	54	Wilber Marshall	98
1983	Vernon Maxwell	8	25	Darrell Green	100
1982	Chip Banks	11	71	Andre Tippett	89
1981	Lawrence Taylor	17	137	Same	137
1980	Buddy Curry	10	44	Steve McMichael	99
1980	Al Richardson	12	33	Steve McMichael	99
1979	Jim Haslett	9	41	Dan Hampton	100
1978	Al Baker	10	69	Clay Matthews	93
1977	A.J. Duhe	7	47	Bob Baumhower	81
1976	Mike Haynes	14	104	Same	104
1975	Robert Brazile	8	72	Randy White	115
1974	Jack Lambert	8	109	Same	109
1973	Wally Chambers	6	43	Tom Jackson	82
1972	Willie Buchanon	8	59	Larry Brooks	66
1971	Isiah Robertson	8	99	Jack Ham	113
1970	Bruce Taylor	6	44	Mel Blount	100
1969	Joe Greene	8	103	Ted Hendricks	107
1968	Claude Humphrey	4	72	Curley Culp	76
1967	Lem Barney	13	98	Alan Page	134

From 2007, Patrick Willis is still the career leader in AV among defensive players, but he will almost certainly be passed by Darrelle Revis. In 2008, the current 9 leaders in AV all are offensive players. Among active players, Donald, Kuechly, and Suh sure look like decent bets to continue their dominant play, but studies like this are good ways to remind the power of The Field.

References[+]

References
↑1	Since no undrafted player has ever won Offensive or Defensive Rookie of the Year, I have limited this analysis to only drafted players for administrative convenience.

Tagged as: Awards

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