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Factoid

Bills rookie Alonso in select company

Joins Willis and Kuechly as top rookie tacklers this century

Buffalo rookie middle linebacker Kiko Alonso didn't earn the Defensive Rookie of the Year award; that went to Jets lineman Sheldon Richardson. But Alonso was a close second, and his 159 total tackles in 2013 put him into elite territory.

Since 2001, 33 different rookies have posted at least 100 tackles, an average of 2.5 per season. Only two of those rookies posted more tackles than Alonso did last season: Patrick Willis back in 2007, and Luke Kuechly in 2012. Willis is a five-time All-Pro, while Kuechly just won the Defensive Player of the Year award. Virtually all of the players in that range (Jon Beason, DeMeco Ryans, Vontaze Burflict, Jerod Mayo) have turned out to be very good or elite players, a good sign for Alonso's future.

Rookies with 100 total tackles over the last 13 seasons, sorted by total tackles, are presented below. Alonso was joined by three other productive first-year players, St. Louis linebacker Alec Ogletree, Atlanta linebacker Paul Worrilow, and Jaguars' safety Johnathan Cyprien.

100-TACKLE ROOKIES, 2001-
YearPlayer Pos Tot Tckl Ast
2007Patrick Willis, S.F. ILB 17413539
2012Luke Kuechly, Car.MLB 16410361
2013Kiko Alonso, Buf.MLB 1598772
2006DeMeco Ryans, Hou.MLB 15512530
2012Bobby Wagner, Sea.MLB 1408753
2007Jon Beason, Car.MLB 14010634
2012Lavonte David, T.B.OLB 13911227
2009Brian Cushing, Hou.OLB 1338647
2008Jerod Mayo, N.E.ILB 12810028
2013Paul Worrilow, Atl. OLB 1277948
2012Vontaze Burfict, Cin.OLB 1277354
2007David Harris, NYJILB 1279037
2006Ernie Sims, Det.OLB 1248143
2010T.J. Ward, Clev.SS 1239528
2009James Laurinaitis, St.L.MLB 12010713
2006A.J. Hawk, G.B.OLB 1198237
2013Alec Ogletree, St.L.OLB 1179423
2005Kirk Morrison, Oak.LB 1169125
2004D.J. Williams, Den.OLB 1148133
2003Nick Barnett, G.B.MLB 1128626
2006Thomas Howard, Oak.OLB 1108822
2004Jonathan Vilma, NYJMLB 1077730
2005Kerry Rhodes, NYJSS 1058520
2013John Cyprien, Jac. SS 1048717
2012Harrison Smith, Minn.FS 1047430
2006Donte Whitner, Buff.SS 1046737
2005Lofa Tatupu, Sea.MLB 1048519
2004Madieu Williams, Cin. FS 1038617
2004Teddy Lehman, Det.OLB 1027527
2003Mike Doss, Ind.SS 1027329
2010Alterraun Verner, Tenn.CB 1018516
2004Erik Coleman, NYJFS 1007327
2002Chris Cash, Det.CB 1008713

--Andy Richardson

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