Robert Griffin III was the No. 2 pick of the 2012 draft, but the Washington Redskins quarterback will be the best rookie in the NFL this season.
There was a time where quarterbacks were not even a consideration for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Until 2004, Only Dennis Shaw, in 1970, had earned the award while playing the sport's most important position. In the last eight years, however, five quarterbacks have won the trophy.
Players like Sam Bradford and Cam Newton have proved that it is no longer impossible to start as early as Week 1 and have a successful year while playing behind center.
This season, Griffin will continue that trend. The Redskins' new quarterback has all of the tools necessary to succeed at this level right away.
Rookies who struggle at the position usually have poor accuracy or make bad decisions. Griffin proved he could handle these issues last season at Baylor when he was fourth in the nation with a 72.4 completion percentage and only threw six interceptions compared to 37 touchdowns.
Even if he struggles as a passer, he can more than make up for it with his legs. The quarterback ran for 2,180 yards in his three full seasons as a starter in college, and his 40-yard dash of 4.41 at the combine was better than most receivers.
However, talent alone is often not enough to win individual awards. Fortunately, the Redskins are built to help their first-round pick succeed in his first season.
Trent Williams has proved in his young career that he is capable of protecting a quarterback's blind side as well as anyone in the league. This is an advantage that Andrew Luck does not have with the Indianapolis Colts. Williams will help give his quarterback time to look down the field and provide him with an extra sense of security.
Griffin will also have great check-down targets in running back Roy Helu, who had 37 catches in the second half of the year, and Fred Davis, who was second on the team in receiving despite missing the final four games with a suspension.
The rookie has already shown his potential in limited preseason play. In three games, Griffin was 20-of-31 with two touchdowns and no interceptions. If he can replicate this level of play when the games matter, no other rookie will be able to match his production.
ESPN asked 16 columnists to give their predictions for the season, and every writer named either Luck or Trent Richardson as their rookie of the year. The problem for both of these players is that they are on bad teams that will need to lean too heavily on the rookie. Defenses will adjust, and production will falter as the season progresses.
On the other hand, Griffin will have the ability to spread the ball around as his team gets better every week.
It is difficult to predict the output of a rookie, but Griffin is capable of putting up some outstanding numbers through the air and on the ground. This, along with a solid team record, will allow the quarterback to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Washington Nationals San Antonio Spurs Toronto Raptors Utah Jazz Washington Wizards Kevin Garnett
Keine Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen