What will be the first big surprise in tonight's NFL Draft? Whoever it is can only hope things go as well for him in his rookie season as they did for the first real surprise last season, pass rusher Joey Bosa. The Chargers selected him at No. 3 overall, and he went on to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
Bosa's 10.5 sacks as a rookie led a better-than-expected Chargers pass rush (14th), also helping them finish 4th in takeaways. Although it didn't translate into a playoff team, it did give the team a lot of reason for optimism going forward. His season was one of the best rookie defensive performances in the last quarter of a century.
Since 1991, only a dozen rookies have had more sacks than Bosa in their first seasons. Not all of those players went on to have great careers, but most of them did. Some are among the very best pass rushers the NFL has seen in that time period.
Top rookie sack numbers over the last 25 years are shown below. Rookies from 2016 are in bold.
ROOKIE SACK TOTALS, 1991-PRESENT | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Sacks | Player | Pos |
1999 | 14.5 | Jevon Kearse, Tenn. | DE |
2011 | 14.0 | Aldon Smith, S.F. | OLB |
2002 | 13.0 | Dwight Freeney, Ind. | DE |
1996 | 12.5 | Simeon Rice, Ariz. | DE |
2006 | 12.0 | Mark Anderson, Chi. | DE |
2003 | 12.0 | Terrell Suggs, Balt. | OLB |
2002 | 12.0 | Julius Peppers, Car. | DE |
1997 | 11.5 | Peter Boulware, Balt. | OLB |
2011 | 11.5 | Von Miller, Den. | OLB |
2009 | 11.0 | Brian Orakpo, Wash. | OLB |
2006 | 11.0 | Kamerion Wimbley, Clev. | OLB |
2000 | 11.0 | Darren Howard, N.O. | DE |
2016 | 10.5 | Joey Bosa, S.D. | DE |
2003 | 10.5 | Kevin Williams, Minn. | DE |
1993 | 10.5 | Dana Stubblefield, S.F. | DT |
2010 | 10.0 | Ndamukong Suh, Det. | DT |
2009 | 10.0 | Clay Matthews, G.B. | OLB |
2005 | 10.0 | Shawne Merriman, S.D. | OLB |
1995 | 10.0 | Hugh Douglas, NYJ | DE |
1992 | 10.0 | Santana Dotson, T.B. | DT |
1992 | 10.0 | Chris Mims, S.D. | DE |
1991 | 10.0 | Mike Croel, Den. | OLB |
2010 | 9.5 | Carlos Dunlap, Cin. | DE |
2000 | 9.5 | Corey Simon, Phil. | DT |
2004 | 9.0 | Jared Allen, K.C. | DE |
2001 | 9.0 | Kendrell Bell, Pitt. | ILB |
1993 | 9.0 | Chris Slade, N.E. | OLB |
2014 | 9.0 | Aaron Donald, St.L. | DT |
2006 | 8.5 | Elvis Dumervil, Den. | DE |
2001 | 8.5 | Justin Smith, Cin. | DE |
2000 | 8.5 | Shaun Ellis, NYJ | DE |
2011 | 8.5 | Jabaal Sheard, Clev. | DE |
2013 | 8.0 | Ziggy Ansah, Det. | DE |
2012 | 8.0 | Bruce Irvin, Sea. | DE |
2006 | 8.0 | Tamba Hali, K.C. | DE |
2005 | 8.0 | DeMarcus Ware, Dall. | OLB |
2002 | 8.0 | Carlos Hall, Tenn. | DE |
2000 | 8.0 | Brian Urlacher, Chi. | MLB |
1998 | 8.0 | Lorenzo Bromell, Mia. | DE |
1998 | 8.0 | Vonnie Holliday, G.B. | DE |
2016 | 8.0 | Yannick Ngakoue, Jac. | DE |
2015 | 8.0 | Preston Smith, Wash. | DE |
2005 | 7.5 | Leroy Hill, Sea. | OLB |
2004 | 7.5 | Will Smith, N.O. | DE |
1992 | 7.5 | Tracy Scroggins, Det. | OLB |
2011 | 7.5 | Adrian Clayborn, T.B. | DE |
2011 | 7.5 | Ryan Kerrigan, Wash. | OLB |
2002 | 7.0 | Charles Grant, N.O. | DE |
1997 | 7.0 | Kenny Holmes, Tenn. | DE |
1996 | 7.0 | Tony Brackens, Jac. | DE |
2011 | 7.0 | Sam Acho, Ariz. | OLB |
2011 | 7.0 | Karl Klug, Tenn. | DT |
2016 | 7.0 | Leonard Floyd, Chi. | OLB |
--Andy Richardson