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DeMarco Murray gets recognized as one of the top rookies of 2011.
Cowboys rookies Tyron Smith, DeMarco Murray and Dan Bailey were each named to the Pro Football Weekly / Professional Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team, PFW announced yesterday. With three selections, the Cowboys are tied with the Falcons for the most players on the 2011 All-Rookie Team. Cleveland, Denver and Washington all have two selections each.
All three Cowboys rookies are obvious choices for any rookie team.
Ninth overall pick Tyron Smith was an immediate and significant upgrade for the Cowboys at right tackle and will likely move to left tackle next year on the strength of his showing in 2011.
DeMarco Murray eclipsed an Emmitt Smith franchise rushing record with his 253 rushing yards against St. Louis. He rushed for 897 total yards and caught 26 passes for another 183 yards before his season was cut short by a fractured ankle.
Dan Bailey’s 133 points through 16 games are fifth in the NFL, tops among all rookies and the second most of any Dallas Cowboys player since Emmitt Smith scored 150 in 1995. Bailey connected on all 39 of his extra point attempts and made 32 of 37 field goals. His 26 straight successful field goal attempts obliterated the previous NFL rookie record of 14.
Congratulations to all the Cowboys rookies. Here's to many more seasons of outstanding performances.
The entire All-Rookie Team after the break:
The team was voted on by Pro Football Weekly editors and PFWA members.
Quarterback: Cam Newton (Panthers)
Running Backs: DeMarco Murray (Cowboys), Roy Helu (Redskins)
Wide Receivers: A.J. Green (Bengals), Julio Jones (Falcons)
Tight End: Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
Center: Mike Pouncey (Dolphins)
Offensive Guards: Stefen Wisniewski (Raiders), Danny Watkins (Eagles)
Offensive Tackles: Tyron Smith (Cowboys), Nate Solder (Patriots)
Defensive Ends: J.J. Watt (Texans), Jabaal Sheard (Browns)
Defensive Tackles: Marcell Dareus (Bills), Phil Taylor (Browns)
Linebackers: Aldon Smith (49ers), Von Miller (Broncos), Ryan Kerrigan (Redskins)
Cornerbacks: Patrick Peterson (Cardinals), Richard Sherman (Seahawks)
Safeties: Chris Conte (Bears), Chris Harris (Broncos)
Kicker: Dan Bailey (Cowboys)
Punter: Matt Bosher (Falcons)
Punt Returner: Patrick Peterson (Cardinals)
Kickoff Returner: Randall Cobb (Packers)
Special-Teamer: Akeem Dent (Falcons)
0 recs | 78 comments
Let's hope Murray doesn't go the way of Felix and become iherently injury prone.
football mensa - January 17, 2012
To be fair...
the way Murray was injured had more to do with the way he was tackled then an actual flaw in his body. Any RB tackled in a similar fashion as Murray would have had a same outcome.
mtibus - January 17, 2012
Mt I don't know if you are old enough to remember Mike Sherrard.
football mensa - January 17, 2012
I do remember...point well taken.
mtibus - January 17, 2012
Sherrard had brittle bones.
DIRE WOLF - January 17, 2012
but he was really talented.
Every time he wasn’t hurt he made plays. After he left the Cowboys he always made plays (but then he would get hurt right after)
I remember when he was the Giants he had this brilliant 63 yard catch and run and the end of which he dislocated his hip.
Jonathan Stern - January 17, 2012
He was part of the 10 year run of #1 picks that didn't work out, with the exception of Jeffcoat.
DIRE WOLF - January 17, 2012
Robert Shaw , stud lost to an injury. Billy Cannon Jr, stud lost to an injury.
Jesse Penn lost to an undersized spine. An all world talent with speed. They had some hellacious bad luck in that run.
football mensa - January 17, 2012
Looking at the list,
That looks like a hell of a team rookie or not. Last years draft was nuts. Lets hope this year holds some of the same.
thablackwizard - January 17, 2012 via mobile
that is what I was saying
see post below
I am Ironman!!! - January 17, 2012
Congrats to our Cowboys
Looking forward to this years draft class producing as well :-)
BigBad Joe - January 17, 2012
you know
that is a pretty fearsome front 7 for a bunch of Rookies…..Sack totals:
Miller: 11.5 sacks
Sheard: 8.5 sacks
A. Smith: 14.0 sacks
Watt: 5.5 sacks
Kerrigan: 7.5 sacks
Dareus: 5.5
Taylor: 4.0
Total-56.0…..
to put that in perspective…that would have ranked #1 in the league in sacks by a fair margin…..
I am Ironman!!! - January 17, 2012
That is a bad ass defense
Antonio S - January 17, 2012
I am glad we didn’t trade down.
Jonathan Stern - January 17, 2012
sorry to be the rain on your parade..
http://www.foxsportssouthwest.com/01/16/12/Report-Dez-Bryant-detained-by-police-in-/msn_landing.html?blockID=647306&feedID=4680
old man strahan - January 17, 2012
Youre kinda late there buddy..
BrickTop - January 17, 2012 via mobile
That rain storm passed through yesterday
TARHEEL PAUL - January 17, 2012
Yeah, that's so 24 hours ago.
DIRE WOLF - January 17, 2012
hahahhaaaaaa paul good one hahahaaaaa
IRONRAVEN - January 17, 2012
Was he arrested? Nope. If he was arrested, it would be a story?
Detentions are just for a brief period of time so the police can gather information. They haven’t charged him or arrested him. Come back with something better than this.
Nice try a$$ jack.
Rohpuri - January 17, 2012 via mobile
this is nothing compared to Plaxico shooting himself in a night club
Rohpuri - January 17, 2012 via mobile
Yeah, how is it that.....
Vick kills dogs and only gets 21 months in jail. Donte Stallworth runs over and kills someone while drunk and he only gets a year. Plax shoots himself in the a$$ and he gets 2 years.
mikerz7777 - January 17, 2012
That's not funny
but I still laughed.
birdness - January 17, 2012
oh ok
murray deserves the honors, he played like a man possessed until he got hurt.. well making the trip to san fran. later guys
old man strahan - January 17, 2012
go Niners!!
McLovin9 - January 17, 2012
That is absolute worst possible NFC championship
Im defaulting to AFC team to win the superbowl
Antonio S - January 17, 2012
mah - i can think of worse....
the 49ers dont turn my stomach like NYG, Philly, Washington, GB, Chicago…
McLovin9 - January 17, 2012
Philly and Skins would be worse
TARHEEL PAUL - January 17, 2012
Go Ravens!
pfloyd1 - January 17, 2012
I doubt we will see the Skins in a championship game anytime soon
Antonio S - January 17, 2012
What if the sign Flynn and draft Jeffrey with their first pick?
They already have a great D.
pfloyd1 - January 17, 2012
Flynn has one good game and now he's elite???
Terry - January 17, 2012
Bet some team pays dearly for him.
DIRE WOLF - January 17, 2012
Actually he has had 2 good games.....
He might not be elite right now but he has shown signs of being really good. Far better than McGee.
Alex Smith is a free agent this year. I think the Niner’s will make a play for Flynn.
football mensa - January 17, 2012
yup go ravens lol
IRONRAVEN - January 17, 2012
Proof rookies can provide a HUGE lift and change a team. Let’s hope the boys do their homework and make the right picks this April and get more than 3 on this list next year!
BRANDtheSKY - January 17, 2012 via mobile
Danny Watkins made it really ?
wasn’t he benched for most of the year ?
Trueblue122 - January 17, 2012
He was benched early on
but he came on pretty strong the last half of the season.
TARHEEL PAUL - January 17, 2012
He probably made it by default. According to OCC's post, his grade was terrible.
Was there another rookie guard beside him that started that could have made it?
TheCowboyFan - January 17, 2012
Think all of the 1st round OT's except for Tron and 1 other ended up on IR.
Not sure about the G’s.
Rena - January 17, 2012
Yet Mel Kiper, Jr. still gives our draft a C+
What a joke
FreshPrinceofEC - January 17, 2012
Mel Kiper is a joke.
BRANDtheSKY - January 17, 2012 via mobile
Mike Mayock is years ahead of Kiper
Antonio S - January 17, 2012
Mike Mayock is the guy I trust most
You can’t go wrong with a guy that refuses to do a mock draft until 24 hours before the draft, and he is pretty spot on with every pick for the most part. He was also the only person to predict the Packers would take Aaron Rodgers in the first round.
ProBowlFactory - January 17, 2012
He's an Idiot! A talking SUIT!
pfloyd1 - January 17, 2012
The reason we got a C+ from Mel Kiper
1) We started Tyron at RT in 2011, he said the grade goes up once he starts at LT.
2) Bruce Carter hasn’t played yet.
3) Murray got hurt
4) Dan Bailey being an UDFA doesn’t count towards the grading.
Rohpuri - January 17, 2012 via mobile
Patrick Peterson at cornerback....
A bit of a joke really.
Peterson was awful at cornerback, he made a name for himself returning punts. He was bad at cornerback, but that is to be expected from a rookie.
bitterlyhonest - January 17, 2012
Did you see Peterson vs Dez ? Peterson came on strong towards the end of the season.
football mensa - January 17, 2012
You didn't se the Cowboy game then!
pfloyd1 - January 17, 2012
Peterson was mic-up that game....
He said Dez only had 2 routes, covering him was no problem.
DIRE WOLF - January 17, 2012
I really hope Dez realizes that has to become a better route runner. If this is true…it’s really depressing.
BRANDtheSKY - January 17, 2012 via mobile
and Dez still ran a slant on him for a TD
Archie Barberio - January 17, 2012
Peterson probably played his best game of the season against us…he looked like a legitimate CB
BRANDtheSKY - January 17, 2012 via mobile
IMO he'll be an all pro CB very soon.
DIRE WOLF - January 17, 2012
unfortunately that can be said about almost any body
fill in the blanks:
probably played his best game of the season against us…he looked like a legitimate ________could be: Rex, QB; Kolb, QB, Jacobs, RB; Sanchez, QB; Moore, QB etc etc
beWARE94 - January 17, 2012
lol true…our boys do have an uncanny ability to bring out the best in their opponents and make average players look like all-pros
BRANDtheSKY - January 17, 2012 via mobile
True but "dislike"!
DavidH22 - January 17, 2012
have you seen the rookie CB depth? not much out there
unless you want Prince, Jimmy Smith, or Demarcus Van Dyke instead
starbury_to_s-jaxci2000 - January 17, 2012
Random
No inside LBs; they’re all OLBs in a 3-4 defense.
MicThaRock - January 17, 2012
This just proves our scouting department is very good
when Garrett is calling the shots in the war room like last season.
Looking at that team, it would have been great if we would have traded down and got both Watt and Solder, but oh well, Tyron probably is a better long term answer at LT.
Terry - January 17, 2012
2011 draft
Not making a single trade was probably killing Jerry
Antonio S - January 17, 2012
Garrett and Stephen's influence more than likely
Terry - January 17, 2012
We'll have a guaranteed electee net year if we are lucky enough to draft DeCastro.
pfloyd1 - January 17, 2012
3 players on the all rookie team
Most in the NFL. Nice job Jerry and JG. Good start. Now lets hope they keep it up.
TARHEEL PAUL - January 17, 2012
Decastro!!
BRANDtheSKY - January 17, 2012 via mobile
Sign Nicks, draft Konzie
Oline would be solid.
birdness - January 17, 2012
I really feel strongly about D, but
for our D to become elite we’ll need 2 drafts at least. We can make the O elite by shoring up the OL. We can protect Tony, our most valuable ASSET, and score the points many of us expected this year, but which sadly didn’t materialize due mainly to OL youth and deficiencies. Our D statistically wasn’t that bad, in the top 15. A few additions in FA and in rounds 2-7 (BPA) should improve us potentially to top 10 status and with an elite O, we should be able to compete with anyone. Next years draft can potentially put the final touches on the D.
pfloyd1 - January 17, 2012
Two decent safeties and a CB that can cover will go a long way in shoring up this D.
DIRE WOLF - January 17, 2012
Exactly, we go from Top 15 to top 10.
We try to improve the pas rush as best as we can this year and if we need someone better tha Spencer, get him in round one next year.
Short of Ingram and Upshaw, this draft isn’t the strongest for pass rushers and those 2 are not can’t miss prospects.
pfloyd1 - January 17, 2012
Adding a DT that can push the qb back into the waiting arms of D. Ware will go a long way towards making the defense really good.
Not letting the opposing qb have time for tea and crumpets before he has to throw will aid in the play of our secondary.
GunsUp - January 17, 2012
Try to ge a DT in FA. IF not DT in the first is suspect except for Still and maybe Poe.
Later on though there may be som hidden gems, Forsten, etc..
pfloyd1 - January 17, 2012
I doubt that anything out side of drafting or signing a cb/safety or two is done to help the D.
DT’s aren’t flashy enough for JJ. If he doesn’t have a centerpiece, in the secondary, he will draft/sign FA’s until he finds one. He is still looking for his Deion Sanders.
GunsUp - January 17, 2012
I think its funny
I think you mean butler, he was the one who would be in the backfield and the QB would step up in the pocket and butler would miss him lol.
Final Frame - January 17, 2012
feels good when you can build from within
reduces the risk of having all that dead money on the cap. for any team that missed in the first two rounds: I share your pain
in all sports consistently missing on draft picks is the best way to run your franchise in the ground
starbury_to_s-jaxci2000 - January 17, 2012
The last time the Cowboys had so many impact rookies was 2002
Roy Williams, Andre Gurode, Antonio Bryant and Derek Ross…and we all know how that turned out!
DavidH22 - January 17, 2012
Ross was outstanding he just liked drugs more than football.
football mensa - January 17, 2012
so did some of the players on those 90's teams lol
DarkKnight88 - January 17, 2012
Good rookie class
both draft picks and UDFAs. At least one of the lineman should really come along perhaps two of them and when we get Carter on the field it will help tremendously as well. Get Harris some reps as well and have him returning kicks and we will be pleased with the 2011 rookie class.
sexililkitti - January 17, 2012 via mobile
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