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Sports Info Solutions, a leader in the football analytics space, is pleased to announce its 4th annual NFL All-Rookie Teams. 

The teams were selected using a combination of advanced stats and voting among members of our football operations staff, with emphasis placed upon SIS’ player value stat, Total Points. 

As we do every year, we adjust the positional structure of this team to make sure to honor as many top performers as possible from this season.

Here are the 2023 Sports Info Solutions award winners and All-Rookie Teams:

Rookies of the Year

After breaking multiple rookie passing records and putting together one of the best rookie seasons of all time by a quarterback, C.J. Stroud of the Texans takes home our Offensive Rookie of the Year.

There were a lot of ways Defensive Rookie of the Year could have gone. There likely would have been a different winner at each quarter of the season. Ultimately, we went with arguably the biggest steal in the 2023 NFL Draft and the rookie defensive Total Points leader, Brian Branch of the Lions.

Jake Moody of the 49ers takes home Special Teams Rookie of the Year. Moody lived up to his Draft slot as a 3rd-Round pick, helping lead a stacked roster back into the playoffs.

For the first time, we also are announcing a Rookie Class of the Year. That award goes to the Los Angeles Rams. This was another close call, but with Puka Nacua leading the way, five Rams made our two teams, including four 1st Teamers.

Quarterback: C.J. Stroud, Texans

The Texans winning their final game in 2022 actually pushed them from picking No. 1 to No. 2. However, it doesn’t look like it’s going to haunt them. C.J. Stroud was 1 of only 10 passers to go over 4,000 yards in 2023. His 103 Total Points led all rookies and ranked 10th among QBs, helping lead the Texans back to the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

Running Back: De’Von Achane, Dolphins

In just 11 games, De’Von Achane ran for 800 yards on nearly eight yards per carry. His speed and playmaking ability fit in perfectly with the Dolphins offense. Being limited due to injury, he made his snaps count, creating the 2nd-most rushing Total Points per snap among RBs and making defenders miss 18.4% of the time, which was good for 7th.

Running Back: Bijan Robinson, Falcons

While we can all speculate if he was used properly the entirety of the season in Atlanta, Bijan Robinson didn’t disappoint when he was called upon. He led all rookie RBs with 976 rushing yards and added 487 yards through the air, which was 4th-most among all RBs. Additionally, he ranked 5th with a 19.2% Broken + Missed Tackle rate as a rusher among all RBs who had at least 100 carries.

Wide Receiver: Puka Nacua, Rams

No question the biggest steal of the Draft on the offensive side of the ball was 5th-round pick Puka Nacua. If not for a great year by Stroud, Nacua is by far the runaway Offensive Rookie of the Year. Nacua only managed to break the rookie records for receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) in a season. His 2.7 Yards per Route Run also ranked him 9th among all WRs with at least 75 targets.

Wide Receiver: Zay Flowers, Ravens

Another big-play receiver, Zay Flowers improved the Ravens receiving corps exponentially in 2023. While he caught for over 850 yards and 6 TDs, his most impressive stat is a 37.7% Broken + Missed Tackle rate, which ranked just behind Deebo Samuel among all WRs with at least 50 targets. 

Tight End: Sam LaPorta, Lions

The Lions’ 2023 2nd-round picks proved to be huge hits, and Sam LaPorta was one of them. LaPorta broke the rookie TE record for receptions in a season with 86. He also caught 10 TDs, which were four more than the 2nd-most by a tight end.. He and Jahmyr Gibbs teamed up to be the only pair of rookie teammates to each produce at least 10 TDs in the same season. Elsewhere, his 12 Total Points as a run blocker ranked 3rd among all TEs and his 2.0 Yards per Route Run tied-5th among TEs with at least 30 targets.

Tackle: Darnell Wright, Bears

Darnell Wright started every game and logged over 1,000 snaps for the Bears this season. While he did have 31 Blown Blocks in the pass game, which comes with the territory of a young NFL tackle, he notched a miniscule 0.9% Blown Block rate on run plays, tied for 5th-best among all tackles with at least 500 snaps.

Tackle: Anton Harrison, Jaguars

Anton Harrison took his lumps as an NFL rookie tackle, committing 40 Blown Blocks, but he made huge strides as the season went on. He started every game for Jacksonville and played over 1,000 snaps, gaining valuable experience. Plus, his 22 Total Points were just behind Wright for most among all rookie tackles.

Guard: O’Cyrus Torrence, Bills

O’Cyrus Torrence’s 37 Total Points were tops among all rookie offensive linemen and 6th-best among all NFL guards. Additionally, his 19.3 Total Points as a run blocker ranked 3rd among guards with at least 500 snaps and his 5.6 Points Above Average in the run game ranked 4th.

Guard: Steve Avila, Rams

While Steve Avila did commit 33 Blown Blocks in 2023, he didn’t commit a hold in 448 run snaps and only one in 640 pass snaps. Also, his 28 Total Points ranked just behind Torrence among rookie guards and was 3rd among all rookie linemen.

Center: Joe Tippmann, Jets

Joe Tippmann proved his worth across multiple positions this season. After starting off playing some guard, Tippmann switched to center when injuries became an issue across the Jets OL. Across 14 starts in 16 games, he posted just a 2.5% Blown Block rate and only 1.9% in the run game, good for top 10 among centers with at least 500 snaps.

Interior Defensive Lineman: Jalen Carter, Eagles

If the Defensive Rookie of the Year was crowned at the midpoint of the season, there’s a great chance Jalen Carter wins the award. Carter was dominant as an interior pass rusher. He compiled 6 sacks and 39 pressures in 2023 with an 11% Pressure rate that was good for top 15 among all defensive tackles.

Interior Defensive Lineman: Kobie Turner, Rams

Kobie Turner blew up in the second half of the season and made a case of his own for DROY. Since Week 9, Turner’s 8 sacks led all NFL defensive tackles and his 32 pressures ranked 5th. Additionally, his 3.4% Sack rate was Top 5 and his 13.1% Pressure rate ranked 8th.

Edge: Will Anderson Jr., Texans

Will Anderson Jr., the top player on the SIS 101 Big Board ahead of the NFL Draft, led all rookie front-seven defenders with 29 Total Points. Anderson’s 56 pressures were good for Top 20 among all DE/LBs and went along with a 16.1% Pressure rate.

Edge: Byron Young, Rams

An underrated Edge going into the Draft, Byron Young’s athleticism popped off the tape and translated incredibly well to the NFL with a strong 2023 season. Young led all DE/LB rookies with 8 sacks and was 2nd behind Anderson with 47 pressures. His 24 Total Points also ranked just behind Anderson among all rookie front-seven defenders.

Linebacker: Jack Campbell, Lions

A heavily criticized pick during the Draft, Campbell has been a large part of the Lions LB corps, especially over the last half of the season. With 17 Total Points overall, he’s been able to contribute against both the run and pass, gaining nearly 8 Total Points against the pass and 9.5 versus the run. Campbell played nearly 60% of the defensive snaps his rookie season, and also contributed on over one-third of special teams snaps.

Linebacker: Ivan Pace Jr., Vikings

Arguably the top undrafted rookie of 2023, Ivan Pace Jr. played a vital role for Minnesota’s defense the entire season. The top-ranked MLB by SIS heading into the Draft, Pace played over half of the defensive snaps and special teams snaps his rookie season. Eight of his 16 Total Points came in coverage. A rookie season with 100 tackles, 2.5 sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble is a great season to build off of, especially for someone who wasn’t even drafted.

Cornerback: Devon Witherspoon, Seahawks

Devon Witherspoon teamed up with sophomore CB Riq Woolen to provide a strong 1-2 tandem in Seattle in 2023. Witherspoon’s 48 Total Points led all rookie CBs and was 2nd-most among all rookie defenders. His 0.6 Yards per Cover Snap tied him for 9th-best among all CBs with at least 25 targets, as did his 12 passes defensed. However, his presence wasn’t just felt in the pass game. His 13 Total Points in run defense was 14th-best at the position.

Cornerback: Joey Porter Jr., Steelers

The son of a former Steeler-great, Joey Porter Jr. picked up right where his dad left off in Pittsburgh. Targeted 52 times in 17 games, Porter had 6 pass break ups, an interception, and didn’t allow a touchdown all season. His 38.8 Passer Rating Against and 0.5 Yards per Cover Snap rank 6th and tied-6th, respectively, among all CBs with at least 25 targets. If he can cut down on the penalties, he’ll be a top-end CB in the league at this pace.

Defensive Back: Deonte Banks, Giants

Deonte Banks was tested during his rookie season in 2023. He was targeted 78 times, which was 11th-most in the league. However, teams only completed half their passes thrown his way. His 39 Total Points was 3rd-best among rookie CBs and his 14 Total Points against the run was best among rookie CBs and 11th-best among all CBs.

Safety: Brian Branch, Lions

Our DROY, Brian Branch played a huge part in the defensive turnaround in Detroit. Starting his career off with a pick-six to help beat the reigning Super Bowl champs in Kansas City on opening night, Branch’s 58 Total Points led all rookie defenders. He also led all qualifying safeties in Total Points Per Play.. Due to his role that is mainly in the slot, Branch saw the most targets among all listed safeties with 50 and had the most pass breakups with 10.

Safety: Christian Izien, Buccaneers

Christian Izien is a small, but feisty safety out of Rutgers that reminded us of the defensive version of Isiah Pacheco. Izien secured the 2nd-most Total Points among rookie safeties with 33. Additionally, his 12.3 Total Points Above Average in coverage ranked 11th among all safeties with at least 10 targets, and he ranked 16th in Total Points Per Play.

Kicker: Jake Moody, 49ers

Jake Moody had a strong season for San Francisco. While a 3rd-round pick is quite high for a special teamer, he proved it was a worthy selection. He finished the season 21-of-25 on field goals, hitting twice from beyond 50 yards and went 60-of-61 on extra points, making the most extra points of any kicker in the league.

Punter: Bryce Baringer, Patriots

While Bryce Baringer doesn’t have the elite leg of some of the other punters in the league, his finesse is right up there with the best. Across 98 punts, 2nd-most in the league, he pinned opposing teams inside the 20-yard-line 37 times (tops in the NFL)  and inside the 10-yard-line 7 times.

Returner: Marvin Mims Jr., Broncos

Although Marvin Mims Jr. didn’t make the big-time contribution on offense most were expecting in Denver, he did contribute admirably in the return game. His 400 kick return yards were 7th-most in the NFL, including taking one back 99 yards for a touchdown. Additionally, he returned 21 punts with a 15.1 average, ranking 2nd among those with at least 10 punt returns.

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In all, three offensive 1st Teamers and five defensive 1st Teamers received a 6.7 final grade or higher from us, as seen on our NFL Draft site, suggesting those players will at least be high-end three-down starters beginning their second season. Additionally, all eleven offensive players and nine defenders received a grade of at least 6.4. We’ll see if they begin 2024 the way they played this season to warrant those final grades, but we like their chances.

Below, you can find our All-Rookie 2nd Teams which include big names like Jahmyr Gibbs, Rashee Rice, Tuli Tuipulotu, and Tyrique Stevenson.

We want to highlight some of the close calls and honorable mentions who didn’t quite make the cut.

Some players on offense who just missed out include Tyjae Spears (RB), Tank Dell (WR), Jordan Addison (WR), Tucker Kraft (TE), Dawand Jones (OT), Peter Skoronski (OG), and Sidy Sow (OG). Dell had a good chance to make it onto one of the teams had he not gotten injured in early December. While Addison did score 10 touchdowns, he didn’t gain much value with his receptions.

Some players on defense who just missed the cut include Karl Brooks (IDL), Keion White (EDGE), and Ji’Ayir Brown (S). It’s also worth mentioning Christian Gonzalez (CB) accumulated 15 Total Points in just four games before going on season-ending IR.

On special teams, Xavier Gipson just missed out on the 2nd Team Returner selection. While he’s not eligible by NFL’s standards to be a rookie, Brandon Aubrey deserves a shout out here. A former college soccer player turned USFL kicker, Aubrey went 36-of-38 in his first NFL season with his only two misses coming in Week 18.

While there was some clear delineation between both teams, there were a couple close calls between the two. There was a heavy conversation for the second 1st-Team Edge spot between Byron Young and Tuli Tuipulotu. Also, Bryce Baringer and Ethan Evans were neck-and-neck, but Baringer won out for the top Punter spot.

As mentioned earlier, each year we change some of the positions to account for the depth at certain areas specific to this draft class. This year, there was a fair amount of talent across the board, so we didn’t have to adjust much. We were able to go back to two DTs, which we veered away from last year. Additionally, with the secondary as packed as it was, we went with the 5th DB position again instead of a normal hybrid position.

You can check out last year’s article here to see how the positional structure changed. Again, the entire idea of these teams is to highlight the best players across the league, and we feel we did that.

With all but just six teams represented among these selections, this once again signifies that plenty of talent is being dispersed throughout the league. Over our four years of selecting these teams, the Detroit Lions have the most selections with 13, one more than the Pittsburgh Steelers. On the flipside, the Tennessee Titans have only had 2, while the Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, and Washington Commanders have just 3.

Go check out the SIS NFL Draft site to see what we said about these players coming into their NFL careers, and stay tuned to see what we’ll have to say about the next generation of NFL stars as they head into the 2024 NFL Draft.