Offensive Rookie of the Year was much closer than the race on the defensive side of the ball and for good measure -- the NFL got an influx of exciting new talent in this past year's draft.
However, it was Rams tailback Todd Gurley that seemed to stick in everyone's mind the most. Gurley won the award with 27 votes, edging out Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston, who had 17. Amari Cooper (4), Tyler Lockett (1) and David Johnson (1) rounded out voting.
While early this season the smart money was on Marcus Mariota, Gurley burst onto the scene in Week 4, logging 19 carries for 146 yards. It began a torrid stretch which saw 766 yards and eight touchdowns in seven games. He finished his rookie season with 1,106 yards.
"Missing three games and then putting up the performances he did ... There are other good players, but Gurley was a dominant player," NFL Media's Maurice Jones-Drew said.
St. Louis took an incredible risk on the talented back, selecting him No. 10 in this past year's draft. Gurley was coming off a brutal ACL tear during his final year at Georgia and was eased into the rotation after missing training camp.
All he needed was a little momentum, though. Gurley started delivering the high-flying, the acrobatic and the powerful, everything that Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead dreamed of. Gurley was the No. 1 player on their draft board and it was easy to see why.
Still, this should not overshadow what has been an incredible season for Winston. The No. 1 overall pick earned himself a Pro Bowl nod and threw for more than 4,000 yards this season.
