Who Will Win the 2018 NFL Rookie of the Year ?

Ranker NFL
Updated August 20, 2024 33.9K views 35 items
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UPDATE: Head over and make your 2019 NFL Rookie of the Year predictions.

With every NFL season, you have plenty of new faces competing to not just win games with their team, but to take home the NFL Rookie of the Year Award. While each of these star rookies may not be outright competing for the award per se, they're certainly giving the game their all to prove themselves as mainstays in the league for seasons to come. For the upcoming 2018 NFL season, there's a long list of potential Rookie of the Year candidates and now's the perfect time to start making your predictions for who will take the title. 

From players looking to become top quarterbacks in the league to the best wide receivers out of college, the 2018 NFL rookies are a talented bunch to say the least. Of all the top rookies entering the NFL this year, who do you think has the most potential to be the 2018 Rookie of the Year? For starters, you have Giants running back Saquon Barkley, Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore, and Ravens QB Lamar Jackson—just to name a few. Other rookies in the race for the season's best include Sony Michel, Ronald Jones, Nick Chubb, and Kerryon Johnson, among others. Who's your pick?

Check out the list of rookies below and get voting for the guys you think could win the Rookie of the Year Award in 2018. While you're at it, you can go ahead and make your Superbowl LIII predictions.

  • Saquon Barkley
    1

    Saquon Barkley

    New York Giants
    2,783 Total Votes

    Named the NFL's 2018 Rookie of the Year.

    Saquon Rasul Quevis Barkley (born February 9, 1997) is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). Prior to entering the NFL in 2018, Barkley played college football at Penn State, where he set several school records for his offensive production over three seasons, before forgoing his senior year to enter the NFL.
    • Position: Running back
    • Birthplace: The Bronx, New York
  • Baker Mayfield
    2

    Baker Mayfield

    Carolina Panthers
    2,729 Total Votes
    Baker Reagan Mayfield (born April 14, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). Mayfield began his college football career as a walk-on player for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. He is notable for being the first walk-on true freshman quarterback to start a season opener at a BCS school. Mayfield transferred from Texas Tech to Oklahoma following supposed scholarship issues and a lack of communication with coaches. After sitting out the 2014 season due to NCAA transfer rules, Mayfield won the starting quarterback job in 2015. He won several awards for his performance as a senior in 2017, including the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, and unanimous All-America recognition.
    • Position: Quarterback
    • Birthplace: Austin, Texas
    • Age: 29
  • Denzel Ward
    3
    Cleveland Browns
    1,366 Total Votes
    Denzel N. Ward (born April 28, 1997) is an American football cornerback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Ohio State.
    • Position: Cornerback
    • Birthplace: Southampton, NY
    • Age: 31
  • Nick Chubb
    4
    Cleveland Browns
    1,559 Total Votes
    Nicholas Jamaal Chubb (born December 27, 1995) is an American football running back for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia and was drafted by the Browns in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Chubb attended Cedartown High School in Cedartown, Georgia, where he was a two-sport star for the Bulldogs; football and track teams. In football, he led the state of Georgia in rushing yards with 2,721 with 38 touchdowns as a junior. As a senior, he had 2,690 yards and 41 touchdowns. He finished his high school career with 6,983 rushing yards and 102 rushing touchdowns.
    • Position: Running back
    • Birthplace: Cedartown, Georgia
    • Age: 29
  • Phillip Lindsay
    5
    Indianapolis Colts
    1,172 Total Votes
    Phillip Lindsay (born July 24, 1994) is an American football running back for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). Lindsay was born in Denver, Colorado, grew up in Aurora, Colorado, and attended South High School in Denver where he became the school's all-time leading rusher with 4,587 yards. He played college football at the University of Colorado Boulder and set the school record in all-purpose yards (5,760) and yards from scrimmage (4,683). He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Denver Broncos in 2018. Lindsay became the first undrafted offensive rookie to ever make the Pro Bowl.
    • Position: Running back
    • Birthplace: Denver, Colorado
    • Age: 30
  • Bradley Chubb
    6
    Denver Broncos
    884 Total Votes
    Bradley Austin Chubb (born June 24, 1996) is an American football outside linebacker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at NC State, and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
    • Position: Outside Linebacker
    • Birthplace: Marietta, GA
  • Darius Leonard
    7
    Indianapolis Colts
    457 Total Votes
    Darius Shaquille Leonard (born July 27, 1995) is an American football Outside linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the South Carolina State Bulldogs and was drafted in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Colts. In his rookie season, Leonard led the league in tackles and was named a First-Team All-Pro and Defensive Rookie of the Year; he was also voted into the NFL Top 100 the following offseason. Leonard has been informally nicknamed "Maniac" due to his energetic and productive on-field play.
    • Position: Outside linebacker
    • Birthplace: Nichols, South Carolina
  • Derwin James
    8
    Los Angeles Chargers
    492 Total Votes
    Derwin Alonzo James Jr. is an American football safety for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State. He was drafted by the Chargers in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. James entered his true freshman season at Florida State in 2015 as a backup, but eventually became a starter. As a freshman in 2015, James played in 12 games with 91 tackles, 4.5 sacks, four passes defended, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.
    • Position: Strong safety
    • Birthplace: Haines City, Florida
  • Lamar Jackson
    9

    Lamar Jackson

    Baltimore Ravens
    626 Total Votes
    Lamar Demeatrice Jackson Jr. (born January 7, 1997) is an American football quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Louisville and was selected 32nd overall by the Ravens in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. At Louisville, Jackson won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, and Walter Camp Award and was a unanimous All-American as a sophomore in 2016. On January 5, 2018, Jackson officially announced that he would be entering the 2018 NFL Draft. Jackson was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round with the 32nd overall pick in the draft, who traded up for the selection with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was the fifth quarterback selected that year.
    • Position: Quarterback
    • Birthplace: Pompano Beach, Florida
  • Roquan Smith
    10
    Chicago Bears
    576 Total Votes
    Roquan Daevon Smith (born April 8, 1997) is an American football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Georgia. Smith became the first Georgia Bulldog to win the Butkus Award.
    • Position: Inside Linebacker
    • Birthplace: Mount Vernon, Georgia
  • Calvin Ridley
    11
    Atlanta Falcons
    733 Total Votes
    Calvin Orin Ridley (born December 20, 1994) is an American football wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Alabama, where he was a part of the national championship-winning teams in 2015 and 2017. Drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft, he was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team and earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2020.
    • Position: Wide receiver
    • Birthplace: Coconut Creek, Florida
  • Quenton Nelson
    12

    Quenton Nelson

    605 Total Votes
    • Birthplace: Holmdel, NJ
  • Sony Michel
    13
    Los Angeles Chargers
    533 Total Votes
    Sony Michel (born February 17, 1995) is an American football running back for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted 31st overall by the New England Patriots of the 2018 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia. Michel's parents emigrated from Haiti a year after his older sister Lamise was born. Michel attended American Heritage School in Plantation, Florida. Michel was the starting running back for the American Heritage Patriots, beginning in his eighth grade year there. As a senior, he rushed for 1,833 yards and 24 touchdowns. Over three years playing on varsity, he rushed for 4,758 yards and 63 touchdowns. He was rated by Rivals.com as a five-star recruit and was ranked as the third best running back and 13th best player overall.
    • Position: Running back
    • Birthplace: Orlando, Florida
    • Age: 29
  • Courtland Sutton
    14
    Denver Broncos
    490 Total Votes
    Courtland Sutton is an American football wide receiver for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at SMU. Sutton played in two games as a true freshman at SMU in 2014, before suffering an injury and taking a medical redshirt. As a redshirt freshman in 2015, he started all 12 games, recording 49 receptions for 862 yards and nine touchdowns. After the season he played in three games for SMU's basketball team. As a sophomore in 2016, Sutton started all 12 games and had 76 receptions for 1,246 yards and 12 touchdowns. Sutton considered entering the 2017 NFL Draft, but instead, he decided to return to college for his redshirt junior year. On December 22, 2017, Sutton officially declared that he would enter the 2018 NFL Draft after completing his junior year.
    • Position: Wide receiver
    • Birthplace: Brenham, Texas
  • Kerryon Johnson
    15
    Philadelphia Eagles
    500 Total Votes
    Kerryon Johnson (born June 30, 1997) is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Auburn, and was drafted by the Lions in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Johnson attended Madison Academy in Madison, Alabama. While there, he played on the Mustangs high school football team. As a senior, he rushed 1,659 yards with 25 touchdowns. He committed to Auburn University to play college football. Johnson had offers from Auburn, Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, LSU, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, South Carolina, and USC. He ultimately chose to attend Auburn.
    • Position: Running back
    • Birthplace: Huntsville, Alabama
  • Josh Allen
    16
    Buffalo Bills
    368 Total Votes
    Joshua Patrick Allen (born May 21, 1996) is an American football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Wyoming. Despite receiving few offers out of high school and having to play one year at a junior college, Allen was eventually recruited to Wyoming, where he led the Cowboys to a Mountain West Conference division title and two bowl games. He was drafted by the Bills in the first round (7th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft, becoming the highest drafted quarterback in franchise history.
    • Position: Quarterback
    • Birthplace: Firebaugh, California
    • Age: 28
  • D.J. Moore
    17
    Carolina Panthers
    361 Total Votes
    Denniston Oliver "D. J." Moore Jr. (born April 14, 1997) is an American football wide receiver for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Maryland, and was selected by the Carolina Panthers in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. Moore was traded to the Bears in March 2023.
    • Position: Wide receiver
    • Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Royce Freeman
    18

    Royce Freeman

    Denver Broncos
    444 Total Votes
    Royce Deion Freeman (born February 24, 1996) is an American football running back for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oregon. Freeman came to Oregon as the highest rated recruit of the 2014 class. He immediately impressed coaches in practice and camp, and competed for the starting role with Byron Marshall and Thomas Tyner. All three were listed as co-starters at the running back position to start the 2014 season. Freeman, the heaviest of the three, established himself as a "power back," an element missing in the Oregon offense since the 2008 season. He finished the season with 252 carries for 1,365 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, while having 16 receptions for 158 yards and one receiving touchdown. He even had a 26-yard passing touchdown to quarterback Marcus Mariota in a 31-24 loss to the Arizona Wildcats. At the end of the season, he was awarded Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year.
    • Position: Running back
    • Birthplace: Imperial, California
    • Age: 28
  • Jaire Alexander
    19
    Green Bay Packers
    318 Total Votes
    Jaire Zakar Alexander (born February 9, 1997) is an American football cornerback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Louisville, and was drafted by the Packers in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
    • Position: Cornerback
    • Birthplace: Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Michael Gallup
    20
    Dallas Cowboys
    331 Total Votes
    Michael Gallup (born March 4, 1996) is an American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Colorado State University. Gallup attended Monroe Area High School in Monroe, Georgia, where he played football, baseball, basketball, and ran track. He started focusing on football as a junior, playing quarterback in a triple option offense. As a senior, he played wide receiver and running back, registering 28 receptions for 637 yards (22.8-yard average) and 10 receiving touchdowns, 37 carries for 484 yards (13.1-yard average) and 7 rushing touchdowns. He helped his team advance to the second round of the Class 4A playoffs.
    • Position: Wide receiver
    • Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia
  • Rashaad Penny
    21
    Seattle Seahawks
    274 Total Votes
    Rashaad Armein Penny is an American football running back for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at San Diego State, where, in 2017, he led the nation with 2,248 rushing yards and scored 23 touchdowns on 289 carries, finishing fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting and garnering first-team All-American and All-Mountain West honors. Penny also caught 19 passes for 135 yards and two scores and scored twice on kickoff returns, averaging 30.6 yards on 17 attempts (ranked fifth in the FBS). He also scored a 70-yard touchdown on one of his two punt returns for the year.
    • Position: Running Back
    • Birthplace: Norwalk, California
  • Sam Darnold
    22
    Carolina Panthers
    405 Total Votes

    Drafted 3rd Overall

    Samuel Richard Darnold (born June 5, 1997) is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at USC, and was selected third overall by the Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft. Darnold was a two-sport athlete at San Clemente High School, playing football and basketball. Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, he was recruited to USC and joined the football team. After redshirting his freshman year, he served as the second-string quarterback in 2016 before being named the starter after three games. As a redshirt freshman starter, he set multiple USC freshman records and led the Trojans to nine consecutive wins that culminated with a victory at the 2017 Rose Bowl. Darnold declared for the 2018 NFL Draft at the conclusion of his redshirt sophomore season.
    • Position: Quarterback
  • Christian Kirk
    23
    Jacksonville Jaguars
    282 Total Votes
    Christian Davon Kirk (born November 18, 1996) is an American football wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas A&M. Kirk attended Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, where he played high school football. He played both wide receiver and running back for the Sabercats. He gained over 3,000 all-purpose yards as a senior and 2,000 as a junior. Kirk was rated by Rivals.com as a five-star recruit and was ranked among the top overall prospects in his class. He committed to Texas A&M University to play college football. Kirk attended and played college football at Texas A&M under head coach Kevin Sumlin. Kirk earned a starting job at receiver as a true freshman in 2015
    • Position: Wide receiver
    • Birthplace: Scottsdale, Arizona
  • Anthony Miller
    24
    Houston Texans
    284 Total Votes
    Anthony Miller (born October 9, 1994) is an American football wide receiver for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Memphis.
    • Position: Wide receiver
    • Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee
    • Age: 30
  • Gus Edwards
    25

    Gus Edwards

    101 Total Votes
  • Josh Rosen
    26
    San Francisco 49ers
    312 Total Votes
    Joshua Ballinger Lippincott Rosen (born February 10, 1997), nicknamed "Chosen Rosen" or "the Chosen One", is an American football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). Rosen was a top-rated recruit coming out of high school, where he was named a 2014 USA Today High School All-American. The first true freshman to ever start at quarterback for the UCLA Bruins in a season opener, he was named a Freshman All-American and was honored as the Pac-12 Conference Freshman Offensive Player of the Year in 2015. As a junior, Rosen was named second-team all-conference in the Pac-12 and broke the UCLA record for single-season yards passing. He was then drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
    • Position: Quarterback
    • Birthplace: Manhattan Beach, California
  • Marquez Valdes-Scantling
    27
    Kansas City Chiefs
    226 Total Votes
    Marquez Valdes-Scantling (born October 10, 1994) is an American football wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at South Florida.
    • Position: Wide receiver
    • Birthplace: St. Petersburg, Florida
  • Dante Pettis
    28
    Chicago Bears
    219 Total Votes
    Dante Garrison Pettis (born October 23, 1995) is an American football wide receiver for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Washington.
    • Position: Wide receiver
    • Birthplace: San Clemente, California
  • Mike Gesicki
    29
    Miami Dolphins
    235 Total Votes
    Michael William Gesicki (born October 3, 1995) is an American football tight end for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He played college football at Penn State. He is the record holder for most receptions by a tight end in Penn State history. He was drafted in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. A resident of the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township, New Jersey, Gesicki was a 2014 graduate of Southern Regional High School, where he set school records in basketball scoring (1,866 points), football catches (103) and receiving yards (1,817) and volleyball blocks (519).
    • Position: Tight end
    • Birthplace: Lakewood Township, New Jersey
  • Marcus Davenport
    30
    205 Total Votes
    Marcus Davenport is an American football defensive end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at UTSA. He was drafted by the Saints in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Davenport attended John Paul Stevens High School in San Antonio, Texas. Barely recruited out of high school, he chose to play college football at University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) over UNLV.
  • James Washington
    31
    Dallas Cowboys
    223 Total Votes
    James Edward Washington Jr. (born April 2, 1996) is an American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma State, where he won the Fred Biletnikoff Award and named a unanimous All-American in 2017 before being drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
    • Position: Wide receiver
    • Birthplace: Stamford, Texas
  • Derrius Guice
    32
    Washington Redskins
    219 Total Votes
    Derrius Guice (pronounced /ɡaɪs/) (born June 21, 1997) is an American football running back for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU, and was drafted by the Redskins in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He is the only player in Southeastern Conference (SEC) history with three career games of 250 or more rushing yards. Guice was born in a poverty-stricken section in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, known as "the Bottom", to parents Derek and Beulah Guice on June 21, 1997. On May 3, 2003, Derek was killed after being involved in a fight at a Denny's restaurant that ended with him being shot, with Guice learning of it after seeing the scene on the news. As a way to deal with his emotions and not feeling safe at home, Guice focused his life around football, with his powerful running style being described as "running angry".
    • Position: Running back
    • Birthplace: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Bo Scarbrough
    33

    Bo Scarbrough

    Detroit Lions
    211 Total Votes
    Bo Scarbrough (born September 29, 1996) is an American football running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Alabama.
    • Position: Running back
    • Birthplace: Eutaw, Alabama
  • D.J. Chark
    34
    Detroit Lions
    197 Total Votes
    Darrell Demont "D. J." Chark Jr. (born September 23, 1996) is an American football wide receiver for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU.
    • Position: Wide receiver
    • Birthplace: Alexandria, Louisiana
  • Ronald Jones
    35
    Kansas City Chiefs
    209 Total Votes
    Ronald Jones II (born August 3, 1997) is an American football running back for the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. He played college football at USC. He started the 2020 season as the team's starter, only relinquishing the job to Leonard Fournette after a late season COVID-19 diagnosis kept him out of the last few games of the regular season. Returning for the playoffs, he split time with Fournette in the backfield, and won Super Bowl LV with the rest of the Buccaneers at season's end. In 2021, he relinquished his primary starting role to Fournette, and while he appeared in 16 regular-season games, he production was limited. A late-season injury kept him from participating in the 2021 playoffs.
    • Position: Running Back
    • Birthplace: Fort Stewart, Georgia