Sept. 30, 2012; Orchard Park, NY, USA; New England Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones (95) during a stoppage in play during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-US PRESSWIRE

Bobby Wagner- drafted in the 2nd round, Wagner can flat out play. Called a “baby Patrick Willis” by a teammate this kid has all the natural instincts a coach wants out of his middle linebacker. This guy has accumulated a staggering 50 tackles so far this year to go along with a single sack. Wagner will continue to develop and anchor on this uber-talented Seahawks defense with proper coaching and continued effort on his part. He will be a Pro Bowler in the not so distant future.

Lavonte David- a 2nd round draft pick of the Buccaneers. David was not high on many team’s draft boards. This is actually surprising when one considers the success he had while attending the University of Nebraska. David won the inaugural Butkus-Fitzgerald award which goes to the best linebacker in the Big 10. The award was won in addition to other national and conference accolades. David has 41 tackles so far this season. He is consistently around the ball and is a good tackler. He should continue his development and become part of a solid defensive foundation the Tampa Bay  Buccaneers will have for years to come.

Luke Kuechly- what more can I say about about this guy than what I said in the article I wrote about him titled “Kuechly in the Middle”. Great linebacker with a propensity for finding the football. Kuechly has 36 tackles and 1 interception (in limited action) to this point in the season. Expect these numbers to increase significantly due to Kuechly’s penchant for being around the football and the now seemingly fragile Jon Beason not being able to get back onto the field. Luke will be an All-Pro one day. I just pray it’s with the Carolina Panthers.

Mark Barron- drafted #7 overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team was looking for immediate help in the defensive secondary.They accomplished that by drafting Mark Barron. Barron was regarded by all the draft experts as the #1 safety in the class. I believe had he been on the board, the Panthers would have seriously considered him at the #9 spot. Mark has tasted success while attending Alabama, winning the National Championship in 2009. He has brought this winning attitude to the Buccaneers. He has good size to go up and get the ball with taller receivers and is a big hitter. Mark is the sole defensive back on this list due to his impressive numbers and the impact he has made on the Tampa Bay defense.He has 35 tackles, 1 interception  and 1 forced fumble so far this season. Mark Barron is a football player with real talent. With continued coaching and commitment, on his part, the Buccaneers will have a top level safety on they roster for years to come.

Sept. 30, 2012; Tampa FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Mark Barron (24) tackles Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Barron was called for a penalty on the play. Mandatory Credit: Matt Stamey-US PRESSWIRE

There they are. My list of potential ROY candidates along with some of their stats and a little editorial on my part. If the ROY award was to be handed out today it would have to go to Chandler Jones based on his numbers and the impact he has made on the New England defense. Mark Barron would be 2nd followed by Bobby Wagner. The 4th and 5th spot would go to Lavonte David and Luke Kuechly respectively.

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Andrew Luck was the #1 overall pick in 2012. His numbers are as follows-1,488 passing yards, 53.4% completion rate, he has thrown for 7 touchdowns and also has thrown 7 interceptions, his qb rating is 72. Luck has led the Colts to 2 wins this season. One of which came against perennial Super Bowl contender, Green Bay Packers in an emotionally charged contest in which Luck was able to lead the team back from a second half deficit to victory. The team was inspired by Head Coach Chuck Pagano and his battle with leukemia. Luck has performed well when you consider the enormity of the shoes he has filled. He has come in behind an NFL legend, Peyton Manning, and given the fans in Indianapolis hope for their team’s future.

October 14, 2012; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) runs with the ball past Minnesota Vikings cornerback Chris Cook (20) in the third quarter at FedEx Field. The Redskins won 38-26. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-US PRESSWIRE

Robert Griffin III was the 2nd overall pick in 2012. His numbers are as follows- 1,343 passing yards, 70% completion rate, RGIII has thrown for 5 touchdowns as well as 2 interceptions, his qb rating is 100.5. Griffin has been successful throwing the ball and he is a true dual threat as demonstrated by his 379 rushing yards and scoring an impressive 6 rushing touchdowns. These numbers confirm RGIII has lived up to all the expectations the fans had of him. The Redskins coaching staff has done an excellent job of tailoring the offense around the particular skill set RGIII brings to the team. The numbers RGIII is putting up are profound and I expect him to build on his early season success having already led the team to 3 wins.

Ryan Tannehill was the 8th pick in the 2012 draft. His numbers are as follows- 1,454 passing yards, 59.6% completion rate, 4 touchdowns,and 6 interceptions, his qb rating is 76.5. Tannehill is the most impressive of the rookie quarterbacks to me this season. He has only had one and a half years of playing quarterback at the college level prior to being drafted by the Dolphins in 2012. While at A&M in 2008, Ryan, competed for the quarterback position as a freshman but came in 3rd during the summer qb competition. Head Coach Mike Sherman decided to use Tannehill at receiver. Ryan was quick to experience success as a receiver and set a few school records while playing the position. It was during the 2010 that he began playing some quarterback, and in 2011 Tannehill became the full time starter. Considering how little college experience he had I think it is extraordinary the success he has had in the NFL in such a short time. Tannehill has led the team to 3 wins this season.

Oct 14, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) passes against the New England Patriots during the third quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-US PRESSWIRE

Russell Wilson was the 75th pick in the 2012 draft. His numbers are as follows- 1,108 passing yards, 62.5% completion rate, 8 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, His qb rating is 85.6. Wilson was named Seattle’s starter in week 1. This came as a surprise to many, mostly because money the Seahawks invested in highly coveted free agent quarterback Matt Flynn. Wilson is the smallest of the quarterbacks discussed here but he probably has the most heart. This kid leaves it all out on the field every week. We can see his progress as an NFL quarterback in both of his most recent games. Early on Wilson was playing by instinct as he was adjusting to the speed of the game. In the last 2 weeks, versus Carolina and New England, the game is slowing down and Wilson is getting more comfortable in offensive coordinator Tom Cable’s offense. Russell leads all rookies in team wins with 4. There is no doubt that of all the rookies, Wilson has the best defense, but recently Russell has lead his team to victory from late game deficits. This shows his growth into a leadership role on the team.

There some stats and a little information about the candidates for offensive ROY. I decided to keep this competition strictly to quarterbacks because of how significant their impact on a team can be. The ROY right now would go to RGIII based on the  numbers he has put up to this point in the season.  Russell Wilson would be a close 2nd based on his numbers plus the 4 wins he has with the Seahawks. Tannehill would come in 3rd and Luck would be at the back of the pack in 4th place.

The defensive ROY will come later this week in the follow up to this article.

God Bless.
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