| Now that the season is almost finished it is time to evaluate the
latest crop of rookies to determine which ones had the biggest impacts for their
respective teams. I will also select my All Rookie Team, and throw out a few name on who
might be the Rookie of the Year. The report is done position by position starting with the
Quarterback position. |
|
Rookie
QB's |
Running Backs |
| This was not a banner year for rookie QB's. Unlike last year when two
rookies started the season as the starter and finished the season with very good numbers,
no QB has been able to do that this season. Not until week 7 did a Rookie QB even start a
game. Ryan Leaf has had the best season thus far of any of the Rookie QB's. Pressed into
action in week 9 because of an injury to Stan Humphries, he led Pony Farm to an impressive
28 -10 win over Atlantic City. On the season he has completed 59.4% of his passes for 451
yds and 1 TD. he has the the highest QB rating of any of the Rookies at 85.8. |
Wide Receivers |
 |
Kevin Dyson |
Several Rookies have contributed to their teams at this position, but none really stand
out.
Kevin Dyson of Atlantic
City has scored the most of any rookie wideout with 2 TD's. He has 158 yds on 15
catches, but his greatest contribution has been as a kick returner. He leads the the
league with a 26.5 yd kick return average.
Randy Moss was first receiver selected in the draft (3rd overall by Pony Farm), but
has not been the impact player many thought he would be. Moss has 18 receptions for 196
yds.
 |
E.G.
Taking it
Up Field |
Joe Jurevicius of Putneyville, and E.G. Green of Wick City have
had pretty nice rookie seasons. Jurevicius has 14 catches for 197 yds, and Green has 16
catches for 195 yds and 1TD. |
|
Scott Frost, of Putneyville, is the only other Rookie QB to see extensive
action. He has thrown for 390 yds and leads all Rookie QB's with 3TD passes. He has also
been picked off twice.
 |
Can
Batch fill
Aikman's Shoes? |
Charlie Batch was the first QB taken in the draft (Tulsa, 9th selection overall)
but has seen little action. Thus far he has attempted on 24 passes for 115 yds.
LA's Jonathan Quinn has been impressive in spot duty. Quinn has completed 7 of 9
passes for 44 yds and 2 TD's. |
Tight Ends |
There are only two Rookie tight ends to talk about and both of them
belong to Walk
Chalk. Cameron Cleeland was the first pick of the entire draft, but thus far he has
been overshadowed by Stephen Alexander. Alexander may be the surprise of the draft. Taken
late in the 5th round he has had an outstanding season. Alexander has caught 32 passes for
451 yds and 2TDs. Cleeland has not been a total bust. He has managed to catch 12 passes
for 187 yds and 1 TD.
 |
The Cam Man |
|
|
Curtis Enis was the first running back
selected in the draft this season . Unfortunately for him he was selected by Pittsburgh
which meant he would be backing up Terry Allen. He thus has had little opportunity to
contribute. So far he has carried the ball just twice for minus 2 yds. He has managed
catch 8 passes for 77 yds.
 |
The Hot
Rookie Avery |
Only one rookie running back has had a real impact to his team and that
would be Miami's John Avery. Avery has run for 224 yds on a very healthy 7.4yd/att. He
also has 237 receiving yards, and leads all rookies in scoring with 4TD's. After Avery,
the only other Rookie running back noteworthy is Atlantic City's Robert Edwards. Edwards
has 76 yds on 13 carries, but has seen little action since week 5.
Offensive Line
Most Rookie Offensive Linemen never see the field. The following players have
seen extensive time as starters for their respective teams: Kyle Turley (Putneyville T-1),
Todd Weiner (Woodward T-2), Tra Thomas (Pine Hill T-1),
|
The Big
6' '7"
Tra Thomas |
Victor Riley (Walk Chalk T-1), Chris Conrad (Tulsa T-2), and Bob
Hallen (Woodward C-1).
This season's crop of Tackles seems to be much better than the guards and centers that
were available in the draft. Five Tackles were taken in the first two rounds of the draft. |
| The
Other Side of the Ball |
|
Defensive Line
This position sports the best crop of rookies of any of the positions. Several of these
Rookie DL's may make the pro bowl.
Lets start with the highest Defensive Linemen picked in the draft, Andre Wadsworth
(2nd selection overall) of Atlantic City. Wadsworth has lived up to the hype by compiling
20 tackles and 10 sacks. Another rookie DL having a stellar season is Grant Winstrom of
Miami. He leads all rookie DL's with 25 tackles and also has recorded 8 sacks.
|
Never heard
of
Michael Myers?
Drafted by the
Cowboys in the
4th round in 1998. |
Walk Chalk's Michael Myers may have been the biggest sleeper taken in the entire
draft. Taken in the 8th round, he has impressed everyone by picking up 19 tackles and 10
sacks. LA's Vonnie Holliday is also having a pretty fair season. He has 17 tackles and 8
sacks for the top rated defense in the WCCL. |
|
Line Backers
Walk Chalk's amazing turn around this season has been led by the outstanding play of their
rookie Line Backers Sam Cowert and Jeremiah Trotter. The pair has combined for 95 tackles
and 15 sacks. Cowert has 51 tackles (tied for most by a rookie) and 8 sacks. Trotter has
44 tackles and 7 sacks.
Other impact rookie Line Backers include: Brian Simmons (Tulsa ; 28 tackles), Keith
Brooking (Atlantic City ; 20 tackles and 3 sacks), Takeo Spikes (Putneyville ; 22 tackles
and 1 Int.), and Anthony Simmons (Tulsa ; 22 tackles and 1 sack). |
|
|
Woodson
part of Wick City's
defensive resurgence in the
future. |
Charles Woodson was the first DB taken in the draft with the 6th
Selection overall. He has not been a disappointment, in fact he has been one of the few
bright spots for Wick City. Woodson is tied with LB Sam Cowert for the most tackles by a
rookie with 51. He also has 1 INT. He has definitely earned the CB1 position for the Wick
City defense. After Woodson, Safety Duane Starks of Miami has had the next biggest impact
of any rookie DB. He has contributed 30 tackles and 1 INT for Miami's defensive cause.
Safety R.W McQuarters of Putneyville has had a fine rookie with 24 tackles, as has LA's CB
Tebucky Jones with 16 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 INT.
| Top 5 Candidates for
Rookie of the Year |
| 1. Sam Cowert - LB - Walk Chalk |
| 2. Charles Woodson - CB - Wick City |
| 3. Andre Wadsworth - DE - Atlantic City |
| 4. John Avery - HB - Miami |
| 5. Stephen Alexander - TE - Walk Chalk |
|
|
1999 All Rookie Team
| QB - Ryan Leaf ( P.F), Scott Frost (Put) |
| OL - Kyle Turley (Put), Victor Riley (Walk), Todd Weiner (Wood), Tra Thomas (P.H), Bob
Hallen (Wood) |
| RB - John Avery (Mia) |
| WR - Kevin Dyson ( A.C), Randy Moss (P.F), Joe Jurevicius (Put), E.G. Green (W.C) |
| TE - Stephen Alexander (Walk), Cameron Cleeland (Walk) |
DL - Andre Wadsworth (A.C), Grant Winstrom (Mia), Michael Myers
(Walk), Vonnie Holliday (LA) |
| LB - Sam Cowert (Walk), Jeremiah Trotter (Walk), Brian Simmons (Tul), Keith Brooking
(A.C), Takeo Spikes (Put) |
| DB - Charles Woodson (W.C), Duane Starks (Mia), R.W. McQuarters (Put), Tebucky Jones
(LA) |
| K - Phil Dawson (Mia) |
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