Most impactful Colts' rookie over the past 20 years

[shakedownstreet]

Who do you think was most impactful as a rookie for the Colts over the past 20 years? This goes back to the off-season when we drafted Manning... Remember, specifically as a rookie.

 

I got Edgerrin James. 2nd place I think goes to Luck

[aaron11]

pretty close for me between luck and james.  id put luck first 

 

both teams exceeded expectations, especially 2012 

 

there was a lot of talent on that team edge joined, but he made the offense almost unstoppable 

[Myles]

I'll go with Edge.

[Mel Kiper's Hair]

Luck. Colts go from 2-14 to 11-5 the next season. 

[aaron11]

8 minutes ago, Mel Kiper's Hair said:

Luck. Colts go from 2-14 to 11-5 the next season. 

i had luck too, but they went from 3-13 to 13-3 with james as he lead the league in rushing 

[ReMeDy]

If Hooker didn't get injured, he would have been on pace for an insane amount of league-leading INT's. I would have given it to him.

[Gigc]

For all of those who are dead-set against the idea of drafting Saquan Barkley, it should be noted that two rookies over the past 20 years who had the most positive impact were running backs --- Edge and Marshal Faulk.

 

by the way, Saquan is a little like Faulk.

[ColtsFanMikeC]

If we're just talking the past 20 years.. the top 3 (only considering rookie seasons) are hands down Edge, Freeney and Luck.

 

Edge had one of the best seasons ever for a rookie RB.  Coupled with Peyton maturing and finding his rhythm with Marv, Edge made our offense nearly unstoppable. Helped with one of greatest  (I think it is still the biggest turn-around in NFL) seasons in sports history from 3-13 to 13-3.  Edge had a bit of talent around him on this team.

 

Freeney had 13 sacks as a rookie and really got our D started on the track to being a fast D which could hit the opposing QB.  We did go from 6-10 to 10-6 that year and Freeney's pass rush was a big part of it.

 

Luck had one of the best seasons ever for a rookie QB.  Took our team from 2-14 to 11-5 and almost seemed like he was doing it single-handed at times.

 

I'd have to rank them Luck, Edge, Freeney... in large part because I think Luck did the most with the least.

 

The only other guys in the past 20 years who had a season worth talking (positively) about as a rookie was Joseph Addai who had >1,000 rushing yards, Malik Hooker who was having a great year before injury and Ryan Kelly who was very good aside from injury (Costanzo on the other hand kinda stunk it up as a rookie).  Even guys like Dallas Clark, Reggie Wayne, Bob Sanders, etc. weren't very good as rookies.

 

Jeez, I hope Ballard improves our trends and success rates on first round picks... while many of them didn't play great as a rookie guys like Wayne, D. Clark, B. Sanders, Costanzo went on to have solid careers for us... but jeez we had Addai, Marlin Jackson and Donnie Brown who were both pretty much average/below average for us... and then guys like Hughes, Werner, Dorsett, A. Gonzalez who were complete busts.  Rob Morris was OK for a year or 2 later in his career but awful at the beginning and Mike Pollak was never more than just average for us either.  I am not counting Kelly or Hooker yet because they're too young... but about 50% of our first round draft picks in the past 20 years have been busts, below-average or teetering on average players for us.  We have about 20% who have been studs (Edge, Freeney, Wayne, Luck), and then about 30% who were good players for us but not great (with exception of Sanders who got his career/seasons within career cut short by injury).

[BOTT]

Luck and it's not even close. 

[AZColt11]

I'd go Luck simply because of the position, but give a nod to James since he led the league in rushing his first two seasons and their fortunes improved just as much as with Luck.

[Four2itus]

What would really be interesting...is this same question....but second year. Tarik Glenn?

 

First year I have to go Luck...because Peyton added to Edge in a big way. 

[csmopar]

Dorset 

[2006Coltsbestever]

Andrew Luck and it's not even close. We were 2-14 in 2011 and nobody picked us to win more than 5 games in 2012. He had to follow in Peyton's footsteps as well with a Roster that was Bad with new Coaching other than Wayne, Mathis, Pat and Vinny. All we did was go 11-5 and he set the Rookie record for most Passing Yards in NFL History breaking Cam's record.

[Mike Tahoe]

12 hours ago, ColtsFanMikeC said:

 

 

Freeney had 13 sacks as a rookie and really got our D started on the track to being a fast D which could hit the opposing QB.  We did go from 6-10 to 10-6 that year and Freeney's pass rush was a big part of it.

 

 

Didn't Freeney also have like 9 forced fumbles his rookie season?  He had an insane amount of strip/sacks to start his career.  He is one of my favorite draft picks by Polian ever.  Especially for a guy who was considered undersized for the DE position and coming out of a school like Syracuse.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

Edge. Didn't bother doing any research just what I remember.

In Peyton's rookie year he showed flashes of course and threw a bunch of TD's but also led league in interceptions and we only won like 3 games.

 

Edge led league in rushing and we won like 13 games.

James's had a more impactful rookie campaign.

 

Luck over Peyton's.

[Coffeedrinker]

Edge is my favorite all time Colt.  But the most impactful rookie season has to go to Manning and it's not even close (see I can use that phrase too).  Manning's rookie season changed the franchise, even though they only won 3 games his rookie year, he made the Colts relevant in the NFL.

 

[ColtsFanMikeC]

3 hours ago, Mike Tahoe said:

Didn't Freeney also have like 9 forced fumbles his rookie season?  He had an insane amount of strip/sacks to start his career.  He is one of my favorite draft picks by Polian ever.  Especially for a guy who was considered undersized for the DE position and coming out of a school like Syracuse.

 

Yes, 9 FFs and 1 fumble recovered... he was a complete monster and wound up changing the game (paving the way for undersized edge rushers like Mathis, etc.).

 

 

[Believe blue1306]

Dont forget about Austin collie! He wasnt the most impactful player but he was GREAT his rookie year! 

 

I say edge though

[shakedownstreet]

I can't believe no one mentioned Kenton Keith 

[TdungyW/12]

On 4/9/2018 at 11:15 AM, shakedownstreet said:

Who do you think was most impactful as a rookie for the Colts over the past 20 years? This goes back to the off-season when we drafted Manning... Remember, specifically as a rookie.

 

I got Edgerrin James. 2nd place I think goes to Luck

Luck

james 

freeney 

[Buck Showalter]

Honorable mention for Bethea. While he may not have had the most impact on the franchise overall, he had an extremely solid rookie season, especially considering he was drafted in the 6th round. I also mention him because if it weren't for his knack of TD saving int's in the endzone, the Colts would've likely lost that playoff game against the Ravens en route to the SB run.

 

Sooo, like I said I feel like he is worth the dark-horse mention... 

[HarryTheCat]

5 hours ago, Coffeedrinker said:

Edge is my favorite all time Colt.  But the most impactful rookie season has to go to Manning and it's not even close (see I can use that phrase too).  Manning's rookie season changed the franchise, even though they only won 3 games his rookie year, he made the Colts relevant in the NFL.

 

Edge had an insane rookie contract (before the implementation of the rookie pay scales). It was loaded up with incentives, and he blew the top off of most, if not all, of them. I don't recall the numbers, but he wound up as one of the highest paid guys on the team that year. And worth every penny that Mr. Irsay paid him. 

[That Guy]

22 minutes ago, HarryTheCat said:

Edge had an insane rookie contract (before the implementation of the rookie pay scales). It was loaded up with incentives, and he blew the top off of most, if not all, of them. I don't recall the numbers, but he wound up as one of the highest paid guys on the team that year. And worth every penny that Mr. Irsay paid him. 

He would also take the whole offensive line out for a steak dinner after every 100 yard game!

[BOTT]

19 hours ago, AZColt11 said:

I'd go Luck simply because of the position, but give a nod to James since he led the league in rushing his first two seasons and their fortunes improved just as much as with Luck.

The improvement had far more to do with Manning being in his second yr than James.

[TheRustonRifle#7]

Luck.  That team was supposed to be a bottom feeder and they made the playoffs.

[horseshoecrabs]

Without the balance on offense it doesn't matter in the long run. To be a serious contender Manning had to learn ball control was a key in helping your defense stay off the field. The run with Rhoads & Addai showed that. Before all of the quick TD's just put your Defense on the field quicker.