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- | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Pos | Tot | Tckl | Ast |
2007 | Patrick Willis, S.F. | ILB | 174 | 135 | 39 |
2012 | Luke Kuechly, Car. | MLB | 164 | 103 | 61 |
2013 | Kiko Alonso, Buf. | MLB | 159 | 87 | 72 |
2006 | DeMeco Ryans, Hou. | MLB | 155 | 125 | 30 |
2012 | Bobby Wagner, Sea. | MLB | 140 | 87 | 53 |
2007 | Jon Beason, Car. | MLB | 140 | 106 | 34 |
2012 | Lavonte David, T.B. | OLB | 139 | 112 | 27 |
2009 | Brian Cushing, Hou. | OLB | 133 | 86 | 47 |
2008 | Jerod Mayo, N.E. | ILB | 128 | 100 | 28 |
2013 | Paul Worrilow, Atl. | OLB | 127 | 79 | 48 |
2012 | Vontaze Burfict, Cin. | OLB | 127 | 73 | 54 |
2007 | David Harris, NYJ | ILB | 127 | 90 | 37 |
2006 | Ernie Sims, Det. | OLB | 124 | 81 | 43 |
2010 | T.J. Ward, Clev. | SS | 123 | 95 | 28 |
2009 | James Laurinaitis, St.L. | MLB | 120 | 107 | 13 |
2006 | A.J. Hawk, G.B. | OLB | 119 | 82 | 37 |
2013 | Alec Ogletree, St.L. | OLB | 117 | 94 | 23 |
2005 | Kirk Morrison, Oak. | LB | 116 | 91 | 25 |
2004 | D.J. Williams, Den. | OLB | 114 | 81 | 33 |
2003 | Nick Barnett, G.B. | MLB | 112 | 86 | 26 |
2006 | Thomas Howard, Oak. | OLB | 110 | 88 | 22 |
2004 | Jonathan Vilma, NYJ | MLB | 107 | 77 | 30 |
2005 | Kerry Rhodes, NYJ | SS | 105 | 85 | 20 |
2013 | John Cyprien, Jac. | SS | 104 | 87 | 17 |
2012 | Harrison Smith, Minn. | FS | 104 | 74 | 30 |
2006 | Donte Whitner, Buff. | SS | 104 | 67 | 37 |
2005 | Lofa Tatupu, Sea. | MLB | 104 | 85 | 19 |
2004 | Madieu Williams, Cin. | FS | 103 | 86 | 17 |
2004 | Teddy Lehman, Det. | OLB | 102 | 75 | 27 |
2003 | Mike Doss, Ind. | SS | 102 | 73 | 29 |
2010 | Alterraun Verner, Tenn. | CB | 101 | 85 | 16 |
2004 | Erik Coleman, NYJ | FS | 100 | 73 | 27 |
2002 | Chris Cash, Det. | CB | 100 | 87 | 13 |
--Andy Richardson