The Kansas City Chiefs' third-round pick from last year, running back Kareem Hunt, who led the NFL in rushing after a standout rookie campaign, was selected as the 2017 Rookie of the Year and 2017 Co-Offensive Rookie of the Year, chosen in voting conducted by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).
The entire team, which also included Chiefs' kicker Harrison Butker, was announced by the PFWA on Tuesday.
The New Orleans Saints' Alvin Kamara, who led all rookies with 14 total touchdowns, tied with Hunt for 2017 Co-Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. It is the first tie for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors since 1988.
Here's what the PFWA had to say about Hunt, who is the first Chiefs' player to ever win either award:
"Hunt, a third-round pick (No. 98 overall) out of Toledo, rushed 272 times for a league-leading 1,327 yards and eight touchdowns in the regular season as he was the second Chiefs rookie to rush for over 1,000 yards (Joe Delaney, 1981). He was second in 10-plus-yard carries by running backs with 35 and was third in the NFL in scrimmage yards with 1,782 yards, an average of 111.4 yards per game. He also caught 53 passes for 455 yards and three TDs.
"Hunt scored 11 overall touchdowns and set a NFL rookie record with 100 or more scrimmage yards in seven consecutive games to begin his career. Hunt rushed for a season-high 172 yards at the Chargers on Sept. 24, and he had six 100-yard rushing games. He was the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Month for September and December."
Butker, who was initially drafted in the seventh round by the Carolina Panthers last year out of Georgia Tech, joined the Chiefs after their Week 3 game against the Los Angeles Chargers. He was signed off the Panthers' practice squad by Chiefs' general manager Brett Veach.
In his NFL debut against the Washington Redskins in Week 4, Butker hit a game-winning 43-yard field goal with less than a minute left in a tie game. He would go on to hit a franchise-best 23 consecutive field goals during the year, and his 34 overall made field goals on the year was also the best in Chiefs' history.
Here's a complete look at the 2017 PFWA All-Rookie Team, per their release.
2017 PFWA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Offense
QB – Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans
RB – Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs; Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
WR – Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams; Juju Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh Steelers
TE – Evan Engram, New York Giants
C – Pat Elflein, Minnesota Vikings
G – Dan Feeney, Los Angeles Chargers; Jermaine Eluemunor, Baltimore Ravens, and Ethan Pocic, Seattle Seahawks (tie)
T – Garett Bolles, Denver Broncos; Ryan Ramczyk, New Orleans Saints
Defense
DL – Derek Barnett, Philadelphia Eagles; Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns; Carl Lawson, Cincinnati Bengals; Dalvin Tomlinson, New York Giants
LB – Jarrad Davis, Detroit Lions; Reuben Foster, San Francisco 49ers; T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
CB – Marshon Lattimore, New Orleans Saints; Tre'Davious White, Buffalo Bills
S – Jamal Adams, New York Jets; Marcus Williams, New Orleans Saints
Special Teams
PK – Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs
P – Rigoberto Sanchez, Indianapolis Colts
KR – Ryan Switzer, Dallas Cowboys
PR – Jamal Agnew, Detroit Lions
ST – Budda Baker, Arizona Cardinals
PFWA NFL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: 1966 – MLB Tommy Nobis, Atlanta Falcons; 1967-75 – no selections; 1976 – WR Sammy White, Minnesota Vikings; 1977 – RB Tony Dorsett, Dallas Cowboys; 1978 – Earl Campbell, Houston Oilers; 1979 – RB Ottis Anderson, St. Louis Cardinals; 1980 – Billy Sims, Detroit Lions; 1981 – RB George Rogers, New Orleans Saints; 1982 – RB Marcus Allen, Los Angeles Raiders; 1983 – RB Eric Dickerson, Los Angeles Rams; 1984 – WR/KR Louis Lipps, Pittsburgh Steelers; 1985 – WR Eddie Brown, Cincinnati Bengals; 1986 – RB Rueben Mayes, New Orleans Saints; 1987 – ILB Shane Conlan, Buffalo Bills; 1988 – RB John Stephens, New England Patriots; 1990 – S Mark Carrier, Chicago Bears; 1991 – OLB Mike Croel, Denver Broncos; 1992-2012 – no selections; 2013 – RB Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers; 2014 – WR Odell Beckham, Jr., New York Giants; 2015 – RB Todd Gurley, St. Louis Rams; 2016 – RB Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys; 2017 – RB Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs.
