Factoid

December 07, 2018

Rookie tacklers

Leonard, Vander Esch breakout stars

The rookie quarterbacks have everyone excited, with some confidence that Mayfield, Allen et al will be NFL and fantasy stars in the years to come. But the 2018 NFL Draft produced a couple of elite rookie defenders, too, and those players could also be franchise guys going forward.

Colts linebacker Darius Leonard leads the NFL in tackles, with 12 more than 2nd-place Telvin Smith (who's now played one additional game). Leonard missed a game earlier in the year, just highlighting how impressive his 123 total tackles (and 6 sacks) are.

But Leonard isn't a lock to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, because Cowboys' first-round pick Leighton Vander Esch has been similarly impressive. Vander Esch ranks 5th in the league in total tackles (102) while intercepting 2 passes; he was huge in the upset win over the Saints last Thursday. And he wasn't even a starter the first month of the season.

Going over 100 tackles as a rookie is impressive. Since 2000, only 41 other players have done it; slightly more than 2 per season. Nobody made it there last year. In 2018, though, two have already done it, and there are five more guys who, with four games left in the season, will probably make it to that total. They're included at the bottom of the below table.

100-TACKLE ROOKIES, 2000-PRESENT
Year	Player	Pos	Solo	Ast	Tot
2007	Patrick Willis, S.F.	ILB	135	39	174
2012	Luke Kuechly, Car.	MLB	103	61	164
2013	Kiko Alonso, Buff.	MLB	87	72	159
2006	DeMeco Ryans, Hou.	MLB	125	30	155
2012	Bobby Wagner, Sea.	MLB	87	53	140
2007	Jon Beason, Car.	MLB	106	34	140
2012	Lavonte David, T.B.	OLB	112	27	139
2014	C.J. Mosley, Balt.	ILB	89	44	133
2009	Brian Cushing, Hou.	OLB	86	47	133
2008	Jerod Mayo, N.E.	ILB	100	28	128
2013	Paul Worrilow, Atl.	OLB	79	48	127
2012	Vontaze Burfict, Cin.	OLB	73	54	127
2007	David Harris, NYJ	ILB	90	37	127
2006	Ernie Sims, Det.	OLB	81	43	124
2018	Darius Leonard, Ind.	OLB	81	42	123
2010	T.J. Ward, Clev.	SS	95	28	123
2009	James Laurinaitis, St.L.	MLB	107	13	120
2006	A.J. Hawk, G.B.	OLB	82	37	119
2013	Alec Ogletree, St.L.	OLB	94	23	117
2005	Kirk Morrison, Oak.	LB	91	25	116
2004	D.J. Williams, Den.	OLB	81	33	114
2015	Stephone Anthony, N.O.	MLB	70	42	112
2015	Landon Collins, NYG	FS	84	28	112
2003	Nick Barnett, G.B.	MLB	86	26	112
2006	Thomas Howard, Oak.	OLB	88	22	110
2014	Preston Brown, Buff.	OLB	66	43	109
2016	Deion Jones, Atl.	MLB	75	33	108
2014	Chris Borland, S.F.	ILB	84	24	108
2004	Jonathan Vilma, NYJ	MLB	77	30	107
2016	Keanu Neal, Atl.	SS	72	34	106
2005	Kerry Rhodes, NYJ	SS	85	20	105
2014	Telvin Smith, Jac.	ILB	72	32	104
2013	Johnathan Cyprien, Jac.	SS	87	17	104
2012	Harrison Smith, Minn.	FS	74	30	104
2006	Donte Whitner, Buff.	SS	67	37	104
2005	Lofa Tatupu, Sea.	MLB	85	19	104
2004	Madieu Williams, Cin.	FS	86	17	103
2018	Leighton Vander Esch, Dall	OLB	77	25	102
2004	Teddy Lehman, Det.	OLB	75	27	102
2003	Mike Doss, Ind.	SS	73	29	102
2010	Alterraun Verner, Tenn.	CB	85	16	101
2004	Erik Coleman, NYJ	FS	73	27	100
2002	Chris Cash, Det.	CB	87	13	100
2018	Fred Warner, S.F.	MLB	66	26	92
2018	Roquan Smith, Chi.	ILB	68	23	91
2018	Jessie Bates, Cin.	FS	59	28	87
2018	Tremaine Edmunds, Buff.	MLB	56	26	82
2018	Derwin James, LAC	FS	56	25	81

Can Leonard catch Patrick Willis (174) for the top total this century? Probably not; he'd need to average 13 tackles in his final four games to do it. But he'll almost certainly finish in the top 5.

--Andy Richardson

Darius Leonard rookie linebackers

5 Reader Comments:

jim toon

2018-12-07T16:43:44Z

What about Derek Henry going forward? Nothing on his record fantasy night?

Andy Richardson

Port Chester, NY

2018-12-07T16:50:41Z

He had a great game, begging the question of where anything close to that kind of performance has been for the last 12 games. I think he'll be very good in Week 15, at the Giants, who have a terrible run defense.

MATT SHEDOR

Algonquin, IL

2018-12-07T17:07:20Z

I remember going into this year's draft, most of the buzz around the Bears centered on 3 players.. Roquan Smith, Trumaine Edwards and Derwin James. It looks like any of those picks would have been solid. In defense of Smith's production, he started late. His own damned fault, as he held out, but he really didn't see too many snaps the first few games.

jim toon

2018-12-07T17:50:53Z

I almost dropped him right before the game. Just to add Ridley. I lost Hunt and Conner. I still have Lindsey, White and Lamar Miller

jim toon

2018-12-07T17:50:53Z

I almost dropped him right before the game. Just to add Ridley. I lost Hunt and Conner. I still have Lindsey, White and Lamar Miller

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5 Reader Comments:

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Andy Richardson

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