Ravens have two players nominated for NFL Rookie of the Week
The first week of the 2020 NFL season featured impressive debut performance from several rookies across the league which was a bit surprising considering that this was the first time that any of them have stepped foot on an NFL field at the professional level since the preseason was canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Among the first-year standouts that shined the brightest in Week One was the Baltimore Ravens’ first two draft pick from this year’s class. Inside linebacker Patrick Queen and running back J.K. Dobbins impressed so much in the team’s 38-6 win over the Cleveland Browns that they both were nominated for Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Week of Week One.
Queen was selected in the first round out of LSU and was a dominant force in the middle of the Ravens’ defense as the starting MIKE linebacker. He played extremely fast and physical and wound up not only leading the team in total tackles with eight, but he also recorded his first career sack on a blitz of Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and forced the first fumble of his career as well by stripping the ball out of the grasp of Browns Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb.
Dobbins was selected in the second round out of Ohio State where he rushed for over 2,000 yards and scored 21 touchdowns in his junior season. While he isn’t quite on pace to rush for nearly as many yards in his rookie season with just 22 on seven carries in his debut, he did run hard, showed great burst and acceleration, and maximized his touches in the red zone by scoring his first two rushing touchdowns of his career from three yards and two yards out respectively.
Another rookie that plays for the other NFL franchise based in Maryland shined brightly and stood out enough to make the list of nominees was second overall pick Chase Young of the Washington Football Team. The first-year defensive end and former teammate of Dobbins with the Buckeyes made a huge splash of his own in his impressive debut.
Young led the charge on defense for a Washington pass rush that sacked Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz a staggering eight times in their 27-17 come from behind victory in the season opener. He finished with four total tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.
You can vote for either Queen, Dobbins, Young, or the other two rookies at the link below:
https://www.nfl.com/voting/rookies/
