Who Is the NFL’s Rookie of the Year for 2022?
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It’s never too early to start thinking about next year’s NFL Rookie of the Year. Here are the top candidates for the award in 2022.
Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
The Case for Kyler Murray
In 2019, the Arizona Cardinals selected Kyler Murray with the first overall pick in the NFL draft. Murray, a dual-threat quarterback who had previously won the Heisman Trophy, was considered a raw prospect with high upside. He was also considered a risk, given that he had signed a contract with the Oakland Athletics to play baseball.
Despite the risks, Murray has flashed outstanding potential in his first two NFL seasons. In 2020, he threw for 3,722 yards and 20 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions. He also ran for 819 yards and 11 touchdowns. His play helped the Cardinals improve from 5-10-1 in 2019 to 9-7 in 2020.
Murray took another big step forward in 2021, throwing for 4,462 yards and 38 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions. He also ran for 892 yards and 11 touchdowns. His play helped the Cardinals win 11 games and earn a playoff berth.
Despite missing two games due to injury, Murray was named a Pro Bowl starter and was named first-team All-Pro. He is also a leading candidate for NFL Offensive Player of the Year and MVP.
Given his production and playmaking ability, Kyler Murray is deserving of consideration for NFL Rookie of the Year honors.
The Case Against Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray was the first overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, but he struggled mightily as a rookie, throwing for just 3,722 yards and 20 touchdowns with 12 interceptions in 16 starts. He also completed just 59.5 percent of his passes and posted a paltry passer rating of 80.0. Murray did show some promise as a runner, rushing for 544 yards and four touchdowns, but his play was not consistent enough to merit serious consideration for Rookie of the Year honors.
Josh Jacobs, Oakland Raiders
Josh Jacobs was the NFL’s rushing leader as a rookie and is a big reason why the Oakland Raiders made the playoffs in 2019. He was named the NFL’s Rookie of the Year for 2019 and is a front-runner for the award again in 2020.
The Case for Josh Jacobs
Josh Jacobs was the clear-cut favorite for NFL Rookie of the Year heading into the 2019 season. After all, he was a first-round pick (No. 24 overall) who was joining a Raiders team that already had a solid offensive line and a talented quarterback in Derek Carr. And Jacobs did not disappoint, rushing for 1,150 yards and seven touchdowns while catching 20 passes for 166 yards and two more TDs.
The Case Against Josh Jacobs
Josh Jacobs entered the NFL with high expectations as the Oakland Raiders’ first-round pick in 2019. He promptly lived up to the hype, rushing for 1,150 yards and seven touchdowns en route to being named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Jacobs followed that up with an even better sophomore campaign, rushing for 1,316 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was once again among the league’s leading rushers, and he helped carry the Raiders to their first playoff appearance since 2016.
However, some analysts believe that Jacobs is overrated and that he benefits from playing on a strong Raiders team. They point to his relatively modest per-carry average of 4.5 yards and his lack of impact as a receiver out of the backfield (he has just 36 career catches).
Others argue that Jacobs is still developing as a player and that he has all the tools to be one of the NFL’s top running backs for years to come. They point to his strong running style and his improvement as a receiver in 2020 (he had career-highs in catches (51) and receiving yards (463)).
Who is right? Only time will tell. But there is no doubt that Josh Jacobs is a very talented running back who has already had a lot of success in the NFL.
Dwayne Haskins, Washington Redskins
The National Football League’s (NFL) Rookie of the Year Award is given to the top first-year player in the NFL as voted on by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. This year, the award goes to Dwayne Haskins of the Washington Redskins.
The Case for Dwayne Haskins
Dwayne Haskins had a very impressive rookie season with the Washington Redskins. He completed more than 70 percent of his passes for over 2,000 yards and 14 touchdowns, with only seven interceptions. He also added another 202 yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
Those numbers are even more impressive when you consider that Haskins was only starting for half of the season, and he was playing behind a porous offensive line. His completion percentage would have been even higher if not for some dropped passes by his receivers.
There are plenty of other worthy candidates for Rookie of the Year, but Haskins has a strong case. He was extremely efficient as a passer and showed good poise in the pocket. He also showed the ability to make plays with his feet when necessary.
The biggest knock against Haskins is that he only started nine games, but that shouldn’t be held against him too much. He wasn’t given the starting job until Week 10, and he still managed to put up very impressive numbers.
If Haskins can build on his strong rookie season, he has a good chance to be named the NFL’s Rookie of the Year for 2022.
The Case Against Dwayne Haskins
Just because he was the Redskins’ first-round pick in 2019 doesn’t necessarily mean Dwayne Haskins is destined for greatness. In fact, there are plenty of reasons to believe that the young quarterback will struggle in his sophomore season.
For one, Haskins earned his starting job last year more because of default than anything else. Case Keenum and Colt McCoy were both injured, leaving Haskins as the only healthy option at quarterback. And while he showed some potential in his seven starts, he also completed just 58.6 percent of his passes and threw 14 interceptions against just seven touchdowns.
Haskins will also be working with a new coaching staff in 2020 after the Redskins fired Jay Gruden following a 0-5 start last season. While Gruden’s play-calling may have been predictable at times, he was still an experienced coach who knew how to get the most out of his quarterbacks. The same can’t be said for new head coach Ron Rivera, who has never been an NFL offensive coordinator before.
Rivera does have a strong defensive background, which could be helpful in molding Haskins into a more well-rounded quarterback. But it’s also worth noting that Rivera has never developed a successful NFL quarterback before; the best he’s ever done is help Cam Newton to mediocrity in Carolina.
Given all of these factors, it’s fair to wonder if Haskins is really the best option for the Redskins at quarterback going forward. There are certainly plenty of reasons to be dubious about his chances for success in 2020 and beyond.
Gardner Minshew, Jacksonville Jaguars
Gardner Minshew of the Jacksonville Jaguars is the NFL’s Rookie of the Year for 2022. The second-year pro out of Mississippi State was a sixth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He started 12 games for the Jaguars as a rookie, completing 60.6 percent of his passes for 3,271 yards with 21 touchdown passes and six interceptions.
The Case for Gardner Minshew
Gardner Minshew has been one of the most electric rookies in the NFL this season. The Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback has thrown for over 2,900 yards and 16 touchdowns while completing 62.9 percent of his passes. He’s also rushed for three touchdowns.
Minshew has been a revelation for the Jaguars, who were not expected to be very good this season. He’s helped them to a 5-9 record, which is not great, but it’s a vast improvement over their 3-13 record from last season. And Minshew has been a big reason why.
He’s been incredibly accurate, he’s made some great plays outside of the pocket, and he’s shown an ability to lead his team to come-from-behind victories. In short, he’s been everything that the Jaguars could have hoped for when they drafted him in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.
There are other rookies who have had great seasons, but none have been as impactful as Minshew. He’s been the best rookie in the NFL this season, and he deserves to be recognized as such with the NFL Rookie of the Year Award.
The Case Against Gardner Minshew
No one is doubting that Gardner Minshew had an impressive rookie season. He threw for over 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns, completing over 62% of his passes. But there are a few factors working against him in the Rookie of the Year race.
For one, he’s not the only quarterback with a strong case. Kyler Murray, the first overall pick in the 2019 draft, had a historic season for the Arizona Cardinals. He threw for over 3,500 yards and 20 touchdowns while also rushing for over 500 yards and another five scores. He led the Cardinals to a 5-10-1 record, which isn’t great, but it’s worth noting that they were 4-8-1 before he took over as the starter.
Another factor working against Minshew is that he didn’t start the entire season. He took over as the starter in Week 3 after Nick Foles was injured and never relinquished the job, but he didn’t play in every game. In total, he appeared in 13 games (including one relief appearance). That’s not to say that he wasn’t deserving of the Rookie of the Year award – he was – but it could hurt his chances when compared to other candidates who played in all 16 games.
Finally, there’s the question of team success. The Jaguars finished 6-10 on the season, which isn’t great. Again, that’s not entirely on Minshew – he didn’t have a lot to work with – but it could be a factor in the voting.
Daniel Jones, New York Giants
Daniel Jones, the New York Giants quarterback, has been named the NFL’s Rookie of the Year for 2022. Jones was the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and started 11 games for the Giants as a rookie. He threw for 3,027 yards and 24 touchdowns and ran for 537 yards and four touchdowns.
The Case for Daniel Jones
The New York Giants drafted Daniel Jones with the 6th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Some pundits have already proclaimed him to be a bust, but there are many who believe that he has the potential to be a very good NFL quarterback.
Jones has all of the physical tools that you look for in a franchise quarterback. He is tall (6’5″), has a strong arm, and is very mobile for his size. He also has the rare ability to make plays with his feet, which is something that can’t be taught.
In his final season at Duke, Jones completed 62% of his passes for 2,441 yards and 17 touchdowns against just 8 interceptions. He also ran for another 518 yards and 7 touchdowns. Those numbers don’t jump off the page, but they are very solid for a college quarterback.
What is most impressive about Daniel Jones is his poise and composure in the pocket. He doesn’t get rattled by pressure and he always seems to make the right decision with the ball. Those are qualities that are essential for any quarterback who wants to be successful at the next level.
The biggest knock on Daniel Jones is that he played in a spread offense in college, which means that he didn’t have to make many pro-style reads. That is a valid concern, but it’s not something that can’t be overcome. With the right coaching and development, there is no reason why Daniel Jones can’t be a successful NFL quarterback.
The Case Against Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones of the New York Giants is in the running for the NFL’s Rookie of the Year Award for 2022. However, some experts are arguing that he is not deserving of the title. One reason for this is that Jones only played in eleven games during his rookie season, which was shortened due to injury. Additionally, he only threw for 2,674 yards and 18 touchdowns during that time – far less than some of the other top contenders for the award. Finally, Jones’s team only won four out of their eleven games, which could be seen as a reflection of his individual performance. While Jones may have shown some promise during his rookie season, there are clearly other players who are more deserving of the NFL’s Rookie of the Year Award for 2022.
