DeMeco Ryans is the 2006 Defensive Rookie of the Year

Tiger · Jan 3, 2007

Texans' Ryans named Defensive Rookie of Year

NFL.com wire reports

NEW YORK (Jan. 3, 2007) -- DeMeco Ryans came into the NFL as Houston's second choice to bolster its defense. He leaves his first pro year as The Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The linebacker, chosen at the top of the second round of last April's draft -- 32 spots after the Texans made defensive end Mario Williams the first overall selection -- was a runaway winner of the award. Ryans led the league in solo tackles with 126, and his 156 total tackles were 33 more than the next-best rookie, Detroit linebacker Ernie Sims.

In fact, no rookie in the last 20 years had more tackles than Ryans, who was an All-American at Alabama in 2005. And Ryans had more tackles than any of the other five linebackers who won the award this decade, including Brian Urlacher and Shawne Merriman.

"It's always nice to be touted as one of the best and have a big-time stat, but I credit that to the other 10 guys that are around me on defense," Ryans said. "We wouldn't be talking about me without those other 10 guys out there."

Well, we might be, because Ryans came into training camp, was moved to the middle and almost immediately established himself as the premier rookie defender on the roster. Better -- by far -- than Williams.

And Ryans never let up.

"It wasn't a big 'Wow' moment to me and there wasn't any nervousness or anything like that. I was comfortable from the time I began," he said. "Nothing really just shocked me going through the year. I played in a big game atmosphere in college, so I was used to that. I knew what the competition level would be like. Nothing really surprised me."

The ease with which Ryans won the award might have been surprising. He received 36 of the 50 votes by a nationwide panel of sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL.

Second was Chicago end Mark Anderson, who was Ryans' teammate at Alabama, with five votes. Green Bay linebacker A. J. Hawk was next with four, while Cleveland LB Kamerion Wimbley got two votes.

Williams, Cincinnati DB Johnathan Joseph and Baltimore DB Dawan Landry each received one.

Gary Kubiak, in his first head coaching job, was concerned about moving Ryans to the leadership role in the middle of a revamped unit. He shouldn't have worried.

"I knew he was a special kid when he was here through OTAs and stuff," Kubiak said of offseason workouts. "Just how smart he was, and the coaches were coming back saying we hit it big on this kid, he's going to be something.

"I think when you really knew he was fixing to be a great player was about midway through training camp when we were in meetings and having a problem at (middle) linebacker and started having a conversation. We said: 'Let's just put the kid in there and go.' You say, 'Well it's a lot to handle, it's the whole defense. We may set him back. We don't want to do that.'

"We made that decision and within about a two-week period you knew that he was going to be fine with it."

More than fine -- the best of all defensive rookies.

He is the first Texan to win an individual award since Houston entered the league in 2002.

Merriman won the award last year.

Thoroughly deserved, Ryans has been awesome this year, i really thought AJ would win this early in the season but Ryans has never slowed down at all!

PackerLegend · Jan 3, 2007

He had so many tackles because the Texans suck they would get behind and then teams would run the ball a lot so his tackles added up a lot.

GakkofNorway · Jan 3, 2007

also the texans are always playing defense

Zero2Cool · Jan 3, 2007

I find it funny.

They draft 1st overall, Mario Williams and well here read this snipit. "The linebacker, chosen at the top of the second round of last April's draft -- 32 spots after the Texans made defensive end Mario Williams the first overall selection -- was a runaway winner of the award. Ryans led the league in solo tackles with 126, and his 156 total tackles were 33 more than the next-best rookie, Detroit linebacker Ernie Sims."

Philtration · Jan 4, 2007

He had so many tackles because the Texans suck they would get behind and then teams would run the ball a lot so his tackles added up a lot.

So, I guess that you are saying that Ryan’s numbers are inflated compared to A.J. Hawk’s because when your defense gives up a lot of points you can have a LB that racks up a bunch of meaningless tackles.

That is what you are trying to say right?

Points allowed in the 2006 NFL season
Houston Texans - 366
Green Bay Packers - 366 :roll:

tromadz · Jan 4, 2007

im gonna miss phil after next week.

Soak it up, guys. He will be gone after the Bears choke as scheduled.

Zero2Cool · Jan 4, 2007

PackerLegend said:

He had so many tackles because the Texans suck they would get behind and then teams would run the ball a lot so his tackles added up a lot.

So, I guess that you are saying that Ryan’s numbers are inflated compared to A.J. Hawk’s because when your defense gives up a lot of points you can have a LB that racks up a bunch of meaningless tackles.

That is what you are trying to say right?

Points allowed in the 2006 NFL season
Houston Texans - 366
Green Bay Packers - 366 :roll:

Did the Texans beat the Bears too?

What was the Texans record?

longtimefan · Jan 4, 2007

PackerLegend said:

He had so many tackles because the Texans suck they would get behind and then teams would run the ball a lot so his tackles added up a lot.

So, I guess that you are saying that Ryan’s numbers are inflated compared to A.J. Hawk’s because when your defense gives up a lot of points you can have a LB that racks up a bunch of meaningless tackles.

That is what you are trying to say right?

Points allowed in the 2006 NFL season
Houston Texans - 366
Green Bay Packers - 366 :roll:

Or maybe he meant..

Gb had 14 more turn overs, which took away time for the GB defense to be on the field...Which in reality did not allow AJ to get more tackles..

Or Gb had 18 more sacks which results in less plays for AJ to make..

Philtration · Jan 4, 2007

No, I am sure that he meant just what he said.
It just exposed that fact that he really doesn’t not know what he is talking about and he lets anything with the word Packer in front of it totally control his thought process.
To hell with reality!

Not a big surprise actually.
That is not the first time that I have seen that here.

arrowgargantuan · Jan 4, 2007

No, I am sure that he meant just what he said.
It just exposed that fact that he really doesn’t not know what he is talking about and he lets anything with the word Packer in front of it totally control his thought process.
To hell with reality!

Not a big surprise actually.
That is not the first time that I have seen that here.

i think you're reaching a bit here (not the first time that I have seen that either). he doesn't mention AJ, or the Pack anywhere in his original statement. he is simply knocking the Texans offense. you attached Green Bay and Hawk to his post.

all the petty bickering aside...if you look at how slanted the voting was, i'm sure Ryans earned every bit of this award.

rabidgopher04 · Jan 4, 2007

I've never even heard of the guy. ESPN and the major media outlets have been pretty silent about him all season.

DeMeco Ryans is the 2006 Defensive Rookie of the Year

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