According to team spokesman Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12 on Twitter) rookie linebacker Von Miller has been named the AP defensive rookie of the year. Miller is the first Bronco named defensive rookie of the year since linebacker Mike Croel in 1991.
For the second straight year, the first two players selected in the draft have been named AP offensive and defensive rookies of the year (Sam Bradford, Ndamukong Suh, Cam Newton, Miller).
Miller had an excellent start to his NFL career with 64 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles. Miller was a force all year long and one of the best players in the entire NFL regardless of rookie or veteran status, and he earned a trip to the 2012 Pro Bowl where he sacked Cam Newton twice.
He is primed to be a superstar in this league. He is as complete a player as I've seen and the scary thing is, he basically did what he did this season purely because of talent with virtually no offseason training with the team that drafted him.
He finished behind only DeMarcus Ware and Jason Pierre-Paul in tackles for loss this season, and according to Pro Football Focus, he didn't miss a single tackle.
Wrap your mind around that.
Despite finishing the season with an injured thumb, Von was able to make an impact on the Broncos' defense that helped them win six straight games. Congratulations to him on a fantastic season on and off the field, Miller is a true class act who will be an impact defender for years to come.