Is there a stat out there that tells you what football player has won more hardware between their senior season of college and their rookie year in the NFL?
I suppose there is. But I don't have to look to know that Ndamukong Suh has to be close to the top of the list. He's not just the most decorated defensive tackle in college football history. He's now the most decorated defensive tackle in the NFL. Yes, many of the awards are for rookies, but Suh happens to lead ALL DTs in the league with a whopping 10.5 sacks this year. But let's go down what he's won this year:
First, here's a few set of tables we are blatantly using from the official site of the Detroit Lions. It outlines just what Suh has done in respect to other defensive tackles in the league's history as well as the franchises' own illustrious past.
Since the AP Rookie of the Year Award was first established in 1967,
Suh is only the sixth defensive tackle to win the honor and the first
since Dolphins DT Tim Bowens in 1994.
| Most AP Rookie of the Year Awards |
| Rk |
Team |
No |
| 1 |
Detroit |
7 |
| 2 |
Pittsburgh |
6 |
| 3t |
Minnesota |
5 |
| 3t |
New England |
5 |
| 3t |
Tennessee |
5 |
| Detroit Lions AP Rookie of the Year |
| Player |
Year |
Pos |
Award |
| Lem Barney |
1967 |
CB |
Defense |
| Mel Farr |
1967 |
RB |
Offense |
| Earl McCullouch |
1968 |
WR |
Offense |
| Al Baker |
1978 |
DE |
Defense |
| Billy Sims |
1980 |
RB |
Offense |
| Barry Sanders |
1989 |
RB |
Offense |
| Ndamukong Suh |
2010 |
DT |
Defense |
| All-Time AP Defensive Rookie of the Year – Defensive Tackles |
| Player |
Pos |
Year |
| Joe Greene |
Pit |
1969 |
| Wally Chambers |
Chi |
1973 |
| Bill Maas |
KC |
1984 |
| Dana Stubblefield |
SF |
1993 |
| Tim Bowens |
Mia |
1994 |
| Ndamukong Suh |
Det |
2010 |
Suh's accolades as well as the tabulation of the awards he's won thus far, continues:
Pepsi Rookie of the Year
- Suh became the
first defensive player to be named Pepsi Rookie of the Year in the
nine-year history of the award. He is also the first Lions' player to
win Pepsi Rookie of the Year.
Associated Press All-Pro Rookie Defensive Tackle
- As
a rookie, Suh was named to Associated Press All-Pro Team. He is the
first rookie defensive tackle to be named to the AP All-Pro Team since
the recognition was designated by offense and defense in 1951, and he is
the first rookie defensive linemen to be named AP All-Pro since Titans
DE Jevon Kearse in 1999.
- He joined RB Doak Walker (1950), DE Al
"Bubba" Baker (1978), K Eddie Murray (1980) and RB Barry Sanders (1989)
as the only Lions' rookies named to AP All-Pro Team, with Suh and Baker
as the only Lions' defensive players.
Sporting News Honors Suh
- The
Sporting News named Suh the Rookie of the Year and placed him on the
All-Pro Team and All-Rookie Team. He was one of two rookies named to
Sporting News' All-Pro Team.
Named Rookie of the Year and All-Pro by Pro Football Weekly and Pro Football Writers Association
- Suh
was honored with the Pro Football Weekly/PFWA Rookie of the Year and
was placed on the All-Pro Team. He was the only rookie named All-Pro by
Pro Football Weekly/PFWA. Suh was also named to the All-Rookie Team.
Suh Named to 2011 Pro Bowl
- Suh,
voted as a starter for the NFC squad, became the first Lions' rookie to
be named to the Pro Bowl since RB Barry Sanders in 1990. He is also the
first Lions' rookie defensive player to be named to the Pro Bowl since
DE Al "Bubba" Baker in 1979.
- Suh is the sixth player amongst Lions' defensive tackles named to the Pro Bowl and the first ever to do so as a rookie.
- Suh is also the 10th rookie in team history named to the Pro Bowl and fourth Lions' rookie defensive player.
And a stroll down memory lane, oh, just a year ago or so, let's look at the hardware he took home from his final season with the Huskers:
- 2009 Associated Press College Player of the Year
- 2009 Heisman Trophy Finalist
- 2009 Unanimous First-Team All-American (1 of 12)
- 2009 Rotary Lombardi Award Winner
- 2009 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Winner
- 2009 Chuck Bednarik Award Winner
- 2009 Bill Willis Award Winner
- 2009 Walter Camp National Player of the Year Award Finalist (one of five)
- 2009 Outland Trophy Winner
- 2009 Lott Trophy Finalist (one of four)
- 2009 CBSSports.com National Defensive Player of the Year
- 2009 Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year
- 2009 Big 12 Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year
- 2009 Guy Chamberlin Award Winner
So, let's count them up, shall we?
Not including those where he was "just" a finalist, like the Heisman, which is well known for having defensive tackles as members of the final four. Yeah, I'm kidding on that. You should have known that. Either way, given some shaky math, between his senior year of college and this last season in the NFL, that comes up to 16. 16 Awards. Not ones he was named for, but those he won, whether it was an award as an all-pro, a member of the Pro Bowl or the winner of countless defensive awards, I would
be interested to see if anyone can find another defensive player who finished their last year of college and first year of the pros with so much hardware on the table. Maybe it's happened. I'm kind of skeptical.
Are there any more SUH-perlatives we can throw on this guy that haven't already beeen used? Yeah, I know, I couldn't help myself.
Greatness is defined in many ways by many people. But ask Husker fans and I would imagine Detroit Lions fans, as well.
They might just say "Suh."