Hello, rookie lovers! We have reached the quarter mark of SFL 2005 season. And last week, we just got our first non-QB rookie of the week with the winning of Jacksonville Jaguars #53 MLB Jordan Beck in the voting. He beat Seattle Seahawks FS O.J. Atogwe by only 1 vote. That shows how competitive the voting can be when it comes to non-QB only nominees. Who is excited for this week's rookie of the week selection? There were some notable rookie performers in game week 4. And just to get you all more excited, this will be the second week in a row in which all of the nominees are non-QB. So, without further ado, here are the five nominees for SFL 2005 Week 4 Rookie of the Week!
WR Braylon Edwards (DET) 5 REC 128 YDS 1 TD 0 DROP Lost 17-37 at Buccaneers Beck was drafted as the 4th overall pick of the 2005 SFL Draft. The Michigan University graduate has got an ideal size and stature for a wide receiver at 6'3" 209 lbs. He is also quite athletic and fast. No wonder the Lions did not let him slip past them in the draft. After subpar performances in the first 3 weeks, he got the attention he deserves in week 4 unfortunately in Kurt Warner debut in Tampa. Even though he and Michael Vick aired it all out most of the game, Lions could not avoid losing from previously winless Bucs due to Warner's almost flawless performance. However, I personally think Edwards performance still deserves some recognition.
MLB Odell Thurman (STL) 7 TKL 1 TFL 1 SCK 2 INT 2 DFL 0 CTHA Won 36-23 at Giants Thurman was drafted as the 10th overall pick in 2005 SFL Draft. The University of Georgia graduate is actually a little bit undersized for an inside linebacker. But with a good performance in the scouting combine, he ended up making the top ten pick. This is his second time being nominated for rookie of the week award. He previously made the top 5 nominees in week 2. Since day 1 in Saint Louis, he has been being a disruptive force for opposing teams in the middle field of the Rams defense. The NFC West is just getting more and more competitive with a player like him.
MLB Alfred Fincher (ARZ) 15 TKL 1 TFL 1 SCK 2 CTHA Won 30-20 vs. 49ers Fincher was drafted as the 3rd overall pick in 2005 SFL Draft. The UConn graduate has a good size and stature as an inside linebacker at 6'1" 238 lbs. It is also complimented with amazing speed and athleticism. After average performances in the first 3 weeks, he burst into the scene with his furious performance this week in a divisional battle against the 49ers. A rookie making 15 tackles in a game is no joke by any means. With his help on defense, the Cardinals could hold the 49ers and their week 2 rookie of the week QB Kyle Orton to just 20 points.
WR Chase Lyman (CIN) 3 REC 67 YDS 2 TD 0 DROP 1 PANCAKE Won 45-0 vs. Texans Lyman was drafted with the third pick in the second round of 2005 SFL Draft. At 6'4" 210 lbs., he is an ideal wide receiver to lineup outside or even in the slot. The California graduate also has more than enough speed to become a mismatch nightmare for opposing cornerback. Even though he only caught 3 balls in a 45-0 slaughter of the Texans, 2 of those 3 receptions were converted to 2 touchdowns, after recording no touchdown in the first 3 weeks. Scoring one first career touchdown in a game is already a special thing, let alone two. Lyman for sure will continue becoming Kitna's favorite redzone target with that height and speed.
CB Mike Hawkins (ATL) 3 TKL 1 INT 2 DFL 1 CTHA Won 62-13 vs. Vikings Hawkins was drafted as the 20th overall pick in 2005 SFL Draft. He has an ideal size and stature as a cornerback at 6'1" 190 lbs. The Oklahoma product also has good speed and quickness as a rookie even though not very athletic. He played really well in a blowout win against the Vikings. Matching up against one of the best wide receivers in the league in Randy Moss, he managed to contain Moss from making impactful plays. Moss finished the day making only 4 catches for 105 total yards and no touchdown. Only one of those 4 catches was made when Hawkins covered him.
Those are the five nominees for SFL 2005 Week 4 Rookie of the Week. As usual, the voting will be open for 1x24 hours. So, please participate here by submitting your vote before 9:00 AM EST tomorrow. If you have any thoughts, comments, or suggestions, please don't hesitate to leave those below. Thanks in advance for your participation. GO ROOKIE...GO!!!
AWARDEE: MLB Odell Thurman (STL)
St. Louis Rams middle linebacker Odell Thurman has won the SFL 2005 Rookie of the Week Award for his Week 4 performance against the New York Giants. The MLB got 68% of the votes from the league members. This is the second week in a row a MLB won the award. By helping the Rams to win with his 2-interception performance against the Giants, he deserves to be well recognized. Currently at 2-2, it looks like the Rams not yet ready to give up in NFC West race for the division title especially with Thurman anchoring their defense. Congrats, Justin!
