Page 18 - aruba-today-20170107

A18 SPORTS
Saturday 7 January 2017
3 rookies, Ryan, highlight revamped AP All-Pro Team

BARRY WILNER
AP Pro Football Writer
Three rookies among 17
first-time selections high-
light The Associated Press
2016 NFL All-Pro Team, led
by Dallas running back Eze-
kiel Elliott and Kansas City’s
Tyreek Hill, a unanimous
choice as punt returner.
One star not on the team
announced Friday: Tom
Brady, who was stellar after
a four-game suspension,
but was edged by Atlanta
quarterback Matt Ryan.
For the first time, the nation-
wide panel of 50 sports writ-
ers and broadcasters who
regularly cover the NFL
voted for specific posi-
tions on the offensive line,
a flex player on offense, a
fifth defensive back, and a
punt returner and special
teamer.
Tennessee right tackle Jack
Conklin is the other rookie.
Other newcomers include
Arizona running back Da-
vid Johnson (flex); Denver
cornerback Chris Harris Jr.
(DB); and New England’s
Matthew Slater (special
teamer).
One other unanimous pick
is Baltimore placekicker
Justin Tucker.
It’s the first time since 1981
that so many first-year play-
ers made the team. Back
then, it was future Hall of
Famers Lawrence Taylor
and Ronnie Lott, and 1980
Heisman-winning running
back George Rogers.
With only seven repeaters
from last season’s squad,
the All-Pro Team has a de-
cidedly new flavor not only
in alignment, but makeup.
Not surprisingly, the Cow-
boys have the most play-
ers selected with five: Elliott,
the league’s leading rush- Dallas Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott (21) leaps into the end zone after getting past Detroit Lions’ Tahir Whitehead, rear, for a touchdown in
er; linebacker Sean Lee; the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 26, 2016, in Arlington, Texas.
and offensive linemen Ty- Associated Press
ron Smith (left tackle), Tra- Ohio State. That’s the one er Vic Beasley Jr., the NFL’s Antonio Brown are repeat- First-timers along with the
vis Frederick (center) and thing that I regret the most. sacks leader with 15 1/2, ers from 2015, along with three rookies are Ryan,
Zack Martin (right guard). “Kind of seeing it come into and wide receiver Julio Berry, edge rusher Khalil Johnson, Kelce, Beasley,
“It’s special,” Elliott said. the league and making All- Jones. Mack of Oakland, interior Lee, Slater, Harris, Peters,
“Just to be able to come Pro this rookie year, it defi- “There are so many things lineman Aaron Donald of Martin, Frederick, Oakland
into this league my first year nitely means a lot.” that don’t show up on the Los Angeles, linebacker left guard Kelechi Osemele,
and dominate and just Kansas City is next with four: stat sheet,” Falcons coach Von Miller of Denver, and Denver cornerback Aqib
play at the level I’m play- Hill, tight end Travis Kelce, Dan Quinn said of Ryan. punter Johnny Hekker of Talib, and Giants safety
ing, and just kind of get safety Eric Berry and cor- “How many people he’s af- the Rams. Also having pre- Landon Collins and interior
these honors already as a nerback Marcus Peters. fected on our team. He’s a viously made an All-Pro lineman Damon Harrison.
rookie, it means a lot. I was Ryan, the league’s top fantastic teammate. That’s team: Seattle linebacker Three players make the first
never even All-American in passer (117.1 rating, 38 one of the highest praises Bobby Wagner (2014) and team for the third time: Mill-
college. I was never a first- touchdowns, 7 intercep- you can give to a ballplay- Minnesota kick return- er, Brown and Berry.
team All-American. I’ll nev- tions), is one of three Fal- er.” er Cordarrelle Patterson In all, 14 teams are repre-
er get a Buckeye tree at cons, joined by edge rush- Jones and Steelers wideout (2013). sented.