Working on the individual defensive player story for the magazine, I tried to figure which rookies would make the biggest impact. At linebacker (and slightly less likely, safety), that would probably be a player who could go over 100 tackles in his first season.
Since 2000 there have been 39 rookies to do it, or about 2-3 per year. I settled on Buffalo's Reggie Ragland as the likeliest candidate. He should start immediately at inside linebacker in the team's defense.
Another possibility is Myles Jack -- healthy permitting, of course. He has a chance to start right away in Jacksonville, probably on the outside, but just possibly on the inside (if the team decides to move on from Paul Posluszny).
It's possible it will be a defensive back; around a quarter of the 39 were safeties (9) or cornerbacks (2). So maybe Jalen Ramsey in Jacksonville or Karl Joseph in Oakland.
I'll go with Ragland, though, as the most likely 100-tackle rookie and a decent target in IDP leagues.
The list of 100-tackle rookies since 2000, sorted by total tackles, is shown below. Last year's rookies who did it are in bold.
100-TACKLE ROOKIES, 2001-2015 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Pos | Solo | Ast | Tot |
2007 | Patrick Willis, S.F. | ILB | 135 | 39 | 174 |
2012 | Luke Kuechly, Car. | MLB | 103 | 61 | 164 |
2013 | Kiko Alonso, Buff. | MLB | 87 | 72 | 159 |
2006 | DeMeco Ryans, Hou. | MLB | 125 | 30 | 155 |
2012 | Bobby Wagner, Sea. | MLB | 87 | 53 | 140 |
2007 | Jon Beason, Car. | MLB | 106 | 34 | 140 |
2012 | Lavonte David, T.B. | OLB | 112 | 27 | 139 |
2014 | C.J. Mosley, Balt. | ILB | 89 | 44 | 133 |
2009 | Brian Cushing, Hou. | OLB | 86 | 47 | 133 |
2008 | Jerod Mayo, N.E. | ILB | 100 | 28 | 128 |
2013 | Paul Worrilow, Atl. | OLB | 79 | 48 | 127 |
2012 | Vontaze Burfict, Cin. | OLB | 73 | 54 | 127 |
2007 | David Harris, NYJ | ILB | 90 | 37 | 127 |
2006 | Ernie Sims, Det. | OLB | 81 | 43 | 124 |
2010 | T.J. Ward, Clev. | SS | 95 | 28 | 123 |
2009 | James Laurinaitis, St.L. | MLB | 107 | 13 | 120 |
2006 | A.J. Hawk, G.B. | OLB | 82 | 37 | 119 |
2013 | Alec Ogletree, St.L. | OLB | 94 | 23 | 117 |
2005 | Kirk Morrison, Oak. | LB | 91 | 25 | 116 |
2004 | D.J. Williams, Den. | OLB | 81 | 33 | 114 |
2015 | Stephone Anthony, N.O. | MLB | 70 | 42 | 112 |
2015 | Landon Collins, NYG | FS | 84 | 28 | 112 |
2003 | Nick Barnett, G.B. | MLB | 86 | 26 | 112 |
2006 | Thomas Howard, Oak. | OLB | 88 | 22 | 110 |
2014 | Preston Brown, Buff. | OLB | 66 | 43 | 109 |
2014 | Chris Borland, S.F. | ILB | 84 | 24 | 108 |
2004 | Jonathan Vilma, NYJ | MLB | 77 | 30 | 107 |
2005 | Kerry Rhodes, NYJ | SS | 85 | 20 | 105 |
2014 | Telvin Smith, Jac. | ILB | 72 | 32 | 104 |
2013 | Johnathan Cyprien, Jac. | SS | 87 | 17 | 104 |
2012 | Harrison Smith, Minn. | FS | 74 | 30 | 104 |
2006 | Donte Whitner, Buff. | SS | 67 | 37 | 104 |
2005 | Lofa Tatupu, Sea. | MLB | 85 | 19 | 104 |
2004 | Madieu Williams, Cin. | FS | 86 | 17 | 103 |
2004 | Teddy Lehman, Det. | OLB | 75 | 27 | 102 |
2003 | Mike Doss, Ind. | SS | 73 | 29 | 102 |
2010 | Alterraun Verner, Tenn. | CB | 85 | 16 | 101 |
2004 | Erik Coleman, NYJ | FS | 73 | 27 | 100 |
2002 | Chris Cash, Det. | CB | 87 | 13 | 100 |
--Andy Richardson