Best 1st or 2nd Year NFL Players in 2018

Aiden Kuhle & Dajour Rucker, Staff Writers - Class of 2019|January 6, 2019

  1. Patrick Mahomes (Quarterback-Kansas City Chiefs)
    • Most TD in a season, Most passing yards and TDs through 10 games, First team to score 50 points and lose, First quarterback to throw for 6 touchdowns on Monday Night Football, Most Fantasy points scored by a quarterback in a season, Favored to win MVP and leading team to AFC Championship, Made 1st team All-Pro and the Pro Bowl this year
  2. Saquon Barkley (Running Back-New York Giants)
    • Finished 4th in Heisman voting at Penn State in college, Selected 2nd in the 2018 draft, 1300 rush yards and 2000 all-purpose yards on the season, One of the favorites for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Made the Pro Bowl this year
  3. Baker Mayfield (Quarterback-Cleveland Browns)
    • Won the Heisman at Oklahoma in college, Selected 1st overall in the 2018 draft, Broke the rookie passing touchdowns record, Only started in 13 of 14 games, Led a team that was 0-16 last year to be 7-8-1 and 7-7 under Baker Mayfield, Favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year
  4. Alvin Kamara (Running Back-New Orleans Saints)
    • 1500 all-purpose yards over the past 2 years, Helped the Saints make the divisional round of the playoffs in both years, Made the Pro Bowl this year
  5. Juju Smith-Schuster (Wide Receiver-Pittsburgh Steelers)
    • 7th in the league in receptions with 111 and over 1400 receiving yards, 4th player with multiple 97 yard touchdowns in a career, 1st player in NFL history to score four touchdowns before his 21st birthday, Youngest player in league history to record at least 150 receiving yards in a single game, Longest touchdown reception in franchise history, Won Steelers team MVP over the 2018-2019 season, Made the Pro Bowl this year
  6. Christian McCaffrey (Running Back-Carolina Panthers)
    • In 2015 finished Runner-Up for the Heisman, Totalled over 5000 yards at Stanford in college, 8th overall in 2018 draft, Total 3000 yards from scrimmage in the past 2 years combined
  7. Deshaun Watson (Quarterback-Houston Texans)
    • A finalist for the Heisman for 2 years at Clemson, Selected 12th overall in the draft, Tore ACL rookie year then came back 2nd year and threw for over 4000 yards passing and over 380 yards rushing, Led the Texans to the playoffs as the #3 seed
  8. Darius Leonard (Linebacker-Indianapolis Colts)
    1. Selected 4th in the 2nd round, Leads the league with 163 tackles, 4 forced fumbles, 1st team All-Pro, one of the favorites for Defensive Rookie of the Year
  9. Derwin James (Safety-Los Angeles Chargers)
    1. Had 73 tackles and 3 interceptions, Made the Pro Bowl as a rookie, Helped the Chargers make the playoffs as the #5 seed, Favorite for the Defensive Rookie of the Year
  10. Marshon Lattimore (Cornerback-New Orleans Saints)
    1. 30 passes defensed and 12 turnovers forced over the past 2 years, Helped the Saints make the playoffs over the past 2 years, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2018

People asked: Mason Beers (‘21), Aedan Somers (‘19), Cole Downs (‘21), Aaron Torres (‘18), Jacob Colbus (‘18), Dane Hoggard (‘20), Trent Jones (‘20), Cameron Ciolfi (‘19), Paul Sawyer (‘19), Grant Shepherd (‘19)