Marcus Peters quickly made that whole "throw it at the rookie corner" strategy ... uh ... FAIL. He finished
at the top of the charts in interceptions (eight), return yards (280 ...
280!!), and pick-sixes (two). He also logged 60 tackles for the
Chiefs, something a lot of corners won't do.
Peters did NOT play like a rookie. A cornerback has to have a lot of confidence, and he's not short of that -- it shows in his play.
Jets D-lineman
Leonard Williams played a key role in
the NFL's second-best run defense.
Marcus Peters had some good stats, but he did give up seven touchdowns in the regular season.
There's no question about this one:
Marcus Peters. He tied for first in the league in interceptions and led in pass breakups. I thought he had the physical capabilities to be one of the better corners in the league coming out of the draft, and he was just that. He's aggressive, plays the ball like a receiver and has a great skill set.
Peters was instrumental in the
Chiefs' 11-game winning streak. He played corner on an island in a man-to-man scheme, which is very difficult for anyone -- yet, as a rookie, he did a great job.
By the end of the September,
Marcus Peters had the jump on this award, with multiple picks and a palpable embrace of the pressure that comes with living on an island against top-tier WRs.
Peters cemented himself as one of the top two or three corners in the game --
as a rookie.
While the numbers might indicate
Marcus Peters,
Ronald Darby gets the nod from me. He had a messy preseason, but none of that carried over into the regular season. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed just four touchdowns all season, all in a two-game span against the
Chiefs and
Texans. He's easily the
Bills' best cover corner, maybe even top five in the league. Good job, Doug Whaley.
Marcus Peters tied for the league lead with eight interceptions. Last year, as a team, the
Chiefs only had six interceptions. Peters ranked fifth among defensive backs in lowest burn percentage, getting beat on just 62 of 134 throws (46 percent). For a comparison, the
Carolina Panthers'
Josh Norman was burned 49 percent of the time. Peters also ranked second in the NFL with 26 passes defensed. His 280 return yards on interceptions were more than double the next-best total -- 136 yards by the
St. Louis Rams'
Trumaine Johnson, who had seven interceptions.
There were a lot of impressive rookies on defense, but Peters was clearly the best.
I'll go with
Marcus Peters, who looked like a star from the moment he entered the league. In fact, it was a telling sign that Peters
intercepted the first pass ever thrown in his direction (in a season-opening win over Houston). He eventually finished the year with eight interceptions (tied for the league lead), 280 return yards and two touchdowns. Not bad for a kid who dropped to the
Chiefs with the 18th overall pick because of character questions.
This is an easy choice. Peters was a stud. He became K.C.'s shutdown corner in Year 1.
Marcus Peters made plays, created turnovers and put a blanket on big-time receivers. I voted the
Chiefs DB Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Not to say he didn't get beat or give up plays, but
Marcus Peters tied for the league lead in interceptions. To get your hands on that many passes and to turn over downs as a rookie, you have to give him credit.
Didn't
Marcus Peters
tie for the league lead with eight interceptions? Yes, he did. He made a slew of big plays this season, scored two touchdowns and had 26 passes defensed. He was so good from start to finish you could very easily forget he was a rookie.
Peters was tested week in and week out, guarding No. 1 wide receivers early in the year. People threw at him a ton -- and yes, he did give up some touchdowns. But he had a lot of picks. He deserves this.
Having eight interceptions speak for itself. He had a great season.
