2006 All-Rookie Team
The 2006 rookie class delivered one of the deepest, most talented groups this league has seen — from a receiver who put together a signature 300-yard explosion to a middle linebacker who was the definition of consistency. Before diving into the full All-Rookie Team, let's look at the two players who stood above the rest.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Greg Jennings (Jaguars)
Jennings didn't just lead all rookie receivers in yards and touchdowns — he did it with a signature moment that defined his season. In Week 9 against the Saints, Jennings caught fire for 7 catches, 300 yards, and 3 touchdowns, a 42.86-yard average per catch that included a staggering 120 yards after the catch. It's the kind of explosive outlier game that separates a good rookie season from a legendary one.
That wasn't a one-off, either. Jennings put together a stretch from Weeks 9–14 where he topped 90+ receiving yards in five of six games, including a 93-yard connection in Week 12 against Buffalo and multi-touchdown production against Carolina in Week 14. He finished the year with 58 catches for 1,364 yards and 9 touchdowns — tops among all rookie pass-catchers — while doing it as a true field-stretcher (23.52 yards per catch, with a long of 93).
Defensive Rookie of the Year: DeMeco Ryans (Panthers)
Ryans' calling card was consistency at a position where consistency wins championships. He topped 5 tackles in 15 of his 16 games, including three separate 10+ tackle performances (16 in Week 3 vs. Atlanta, 11 in Week 15 vs. Seattle, and 10 twice more). By season's end, he'd racked up a class-leading 125 tackles to go with 16 tackles for loss.
Beyond the volume, Ryans showed a well-rounded game: he forced 2 fumbles, picked off a pass in Week 12 against New Orleans, and broke up 10 passes as an every-down linebacker — production more typical of a seasoned veteran than a first-year player. It's the profile of a defensive anchor, not just a tackling machine.
2006 Rookie of the Year: Greg Jennings
When you stack the two award-winners side by side, it's Jennings who takes home the top overall honor. Ryans was the steadier, more complete player game-to-game, but Jennings' ceiling — highlighted by one of the most explosive single-game performances by any rookie, offense or defense, in franchise history — combined with a full season of WR1 production, makes him the story of this rookie class.
Greg Jennings is your 2006 Rookie of the Year.
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The All-Rookie Team
Offense
QB
• Starter: Jay Cutler (Jaguars) — 3,256 yds, 23 TD, 23 INT, 69.7 rating — Draft: 1.7
• HM: Vince Young (Vikings) — 2,276 yds, 17 TD, 14 INT, 75.1 rating — Draft: 1.5
RB
• Starter: Michael Robinson (Rams) — 839 rush yds, 9 TD / 34 rec yds (873 total, 9 TD) — Draft: 2.14
• HM: Joseph Addai (Cardinals) — 927 rush yds, 1 TD / 177 rec yds, 4 TD (1,104 total, 5 TD) — Draft: 2.28
WR
• Starter: Greg Jennings (Jaguars) — 58 rec, 1,364 yds, 9 TD, 23.52 avg — Draft: 1.13
• Starter: Brandon Marshall (Vikings) — 78 rec, 1,328 yds, 8 TD — Draft: 1.3
• HM: Marques Colston (Cowboys) — 53 rec, 935 yds, 6 TD, only 4 drops — Draft: 2.2
TE
• Starter: Marcedes Lewis (Falcons) — 47 rec, 712 yds, 7 TD (8 drops) — Draft: 2.11
• HM: Vernon Davis (Redskins) — 46 rec, 678 yds, 6 TD (only 4 drops) — Draft: 1.14
OT
• Starter: DBrickashaw Ferguson (Jets) — 87 pancakes, 9 sacks allowed, 9.67 ratio — Draft: 1.6
• Starter: Tony Moll (Chargers) — 62 pancakes, 3 sacks allowed, 20.67 ratio — Draft: 3.14
• HM: Winston Justice (Ravens) — 55 pancakes, 8 sacks allowed — Draft: 1.25
OG
• Starter: Eddie Keele (Jaguars) — 37 pancakes, 8 sacks allowed, 4.63 ratio — Draft: 2.29
• Starter: Rob Sims (Packers) — 32 pancakes, 5 sacks allowed, 6.40 ratio — Draft: 1.29
• HM: Jason Palermo (Packers) — 26 pancakes, 6 sacks allowed — Draft: NA
C
• Starter: Chris Chester (Cowboys) — 38 pancakes, 1 sack allowed, 38.00 ratio — Draft: NA
• HM: Will Montgomery (Texans) — 24 pancakes, 3 sacks allowed — Draft: NA
FB
• Starter: J.D. Runnels (Buccaneers) — 34 pancakes, 1 sack allowed, 34.00 ratio (blocking) — Draft: NA
• HM: David Thomas (Chiefs) — 19 pancakes, 19.00 ratio, plus 44 rush yds and 1 TD (blocking + carries) — Draft: NA
Defense
DE
• Starter: Jeremy Mincey (Redskins) — 48 tkl, 10 TFL, 10 sacks — Draft: 2.7
• Starter: Mario Williams (Chargers) — 40 tkl, 7 TFL, 8 sacks — Draft: 1.11
• HM: Rob Ninkovich (49ers) — 34 tkl, 11 sacks (class-leading sack total) — Draft: NA
DT
• Starter: Jesse Mahelona (Patriots) — 21 tkl, 4 TFL, 9 sacks — Draft: 2.30
• Starter: Johnny Jolly (Chiefs) — 29 tkl, 6 TFL, 7 sacks, 1 INT — Draft: 1.27
• HM: Haloti Ngata (Jets) — 35 tkl, 6 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 FF, 2 FR — Draft: 1.10
MLB
• Starter: DeMeco Ryans (Panthers) — 125 tkl, 16 TFL, 1 INT, 10 CTHA — Draft: 1.1
• HM: A.J. Hawk (Colts) — 104 tkl, 3 INT, 2 FF, 1 TD — Draft: 1.24
OLB
• Starter: Clint Ingram (Chiefs) — 80 tkl, 11 TFL, 8 sacks, 2 INT, 14 CTHA — Draft: 1.32
• Starter: Anthony Schlegel (Saints) — 52 tkl, 6 TFL, 9 sacks, 2 FF — Draft: 2.27
• HM: Chad Greenway (Giants) — 73 tkl, 10 TFL, 2 INT, 10 CTHA — Draft: 1.4
CB (Tackles / Interceptions / Deflections / Catches Allowed)
• Starter: Will Blackmon (Rams) — 51 tkl, 4 INT, 21 DFL, 39 CTHA — Draft: 2.21
• Starter: Jimmy Williams (Chiefs) — 50 tkl, 3 INT, 15 DFL, 30 CTHA — Draft: 1.19
• HM: Antonio Cromartie (Cardinals) — 53 tkl, 1 INT, 18 DFL, 29 CTHA — Draft: 1.2
FS
• Starter: Jason Allen (Cardinals) — 67 tkl, 3 INT, 24 yds — Draft: NA
• HM: Danieal Manning (Rams) — 44 tkl, 1 INT, 1 FR — Draft: 2.15
SS
• Starter: Dawan Landry (Seahawks) — 64 tkl, 6 INT, 40 yds, 1 FF — Draft: 2.18
• HM: Roman Harper (Jaguars) — 71 tkl (class-high), 1 INT — Draft: 3.7
Special Teams
K
• Starter: Stephen Gostkowski (Cardinals) — 32/34 FG (94.12%), 36/36 XP — Draft: 2.24
P
• Starter: Stephen Gostkowski (Cardinals) — wins by default (only rookie punter with a logged punt) — Draft: 2.24
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