Following the culmination of the 2024 regular season, it is award season.
The 32 HuddleUK writers and fans – one from each franchise – have cast their vote to put forward who they believe are at the pinnacle of the NFL within each category.
So far we have announced the following winners:
- Offensive Player of the Year – Saquon Barkley
- Defensive Player of the Year – Patrick Surtain
- Comeback Player of the Year – Sam Darnold
- Defensive Rookie of the Year – Jared Verse
So, let’s reveal some winners and crown this years HuddleUK Offensive Rookie of the Year!
Winner – Jayden Daniels [18 Votes]
Claiming over half the votes, Jayden Daniels’ remarkable rise with the Washington Commanders has captured the hearts of many NFL ‘neutrals’ and clearly that has stretched to our voters too.
What was so special about this season from Jayden Daniels?
Washington was on the ‘long rebuild’ model with Josh Harris spearheading the new ownership.
It was widely expected that general manager Adam Peters needed time before this team challenged.
Enter Jayden Daniels and his historic Rookie quarterback season.
Since 1970, no quarterback has posted a completion percentage as high as Daniels – 69%.
His Passer Rating is the fourth highest for a rookie quarterback in history – so too is his meagre nine interceptions, ranked as the fourth lowest.
He led four game-winning drives this season – we all remember the Hail Mary against Chicago, right?
It is easy to see why Daniels has earned the plaudits across the league and rightfully claims HuddleUK Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Runner-Up: Brock Bowers [8 Votes]
“Tight Ends are never good in their rookie season.”
That was certainly the rhetoric.
Kyle Pitts was the first rookie tight end to break 1000 yards (1,026) in 2021 and that was a major outlier.
What Brock Bowers did is nothing short of remarkable then. 112 receptions on 153 targets – a 73.2% catch rate – for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns.
If the Las Vegas Raiders were not so poor at quarterback, we might have seen Bowers reach the end zone more.
No other rookie tight end has ever had more than 81 receptions, Bowers has obliterated that record.
Oh wait, no other rookie receiver of any position – has had 112 receptions before. He leads them all.
61 of those 112 receptions (50%) went for first downs – when the Raiders needed him most, he was there. What more can you ask?
Third Place: Bo Nix [3 Votes]
In many ways, Bo Nix could feel hard done by.
His rookie season has been almost as spectacular as Jayden Daniels. He quietly went about his business all season, orchestrating Denver’s first playoff appearance since they won it all in 2015.
Throwing more touchdowns and passing yards than Jayden Daniels – it was every bit the season that could have won him this title if it was not for such staunch competition.
Scampering for 430 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, Nix showed he is no slouch.
Denver have found their quarterback of the future, someone capable of commanding a Sean Payton offence and going toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert in the AFC West.
