One never quite knows how a player is going to turn out and teams put endless amounts of research into projecting how good each draft prospect will be. Two teams that seem to have gotten it right in the 2008 draft were the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was named Offensive Rookie of the Year and Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year. It was a big year for rookies on offense. Running backs like Chris Johnson, Matt Forte and Steve Slaton had huge rookie seasons. Quarterback JoeFlacco and offensive tackle Jake Long also had phenomenal rookie campaigns, but Ryan was the cream of the crop. The former Boston College standout looked like a veteran from day one. Ryan showed the poise, leadership and physical ability to be a star in this league, and was a major part of the Falcons’ turnaround this season.
Mayo was almost a unanimous vote for this honor, and deservedly so. Mayo had come in right away and been extremely effective for the Patriots. He helped inject some youth into an aging linebacking core and led the team in tackles with 128. Bill Belichick once again has proved to be a fantastic evaluator of talent.
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