Four rookies named to NFL Pro Bowl roster on Wednesday
There is sure to be plenty of young talent at the Pro Bowl in February. Four NFL rookies received Pro Bowl nods on Wednesday.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Rashawn Slater, Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons and Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts all received the call. Although he’s not a rookie, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow also is heading to Vegas in his first full NFL season.
Chase and Burrow built quite a connection while playing at LSU together. That continued to Cincinnati, where the duo hooked up for 1,038 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Bengals.
Slater, the former Northwestern Wildcat, has a 79.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus for the Chargers and has only allowed four sacks this year. In fact, Los Angeles’ offensive line came in at No. 10 in PFF’s Week 15 rankings.
Parsons burst onto the scene as a rookie this year for Dallas and put himself in conversation for Defensive Player of the Year honors. He has 12 sacks — which ranks seventh in the league — and has 57 solo tackles.
Pitts ranks 25th in the NFL with 847 receiving yards and 19th in the league with 14.6 yards per reception. The Falcons took him with the No. 4 overall pick in this year’s draft.
The Pro Bowl is scheduled for Feb. 6 in Las Vegas.
NFL announces Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl selections
The Dallas Cowboys will be well-represented at February’s Pro Bowl. The NFL announced the Pro Bowl selections Wednesday night.
Five Cowboys, including three first-time selections, received the call. Cornerback Trevon Diggs, linebacker Micah Parsons, tackle Tyron Smith, guard Zack Martin and punter Bryan Anger are all headed to Las Vegas. Smith is the only player who wasn’t chosen to be a starter.
Diggs and Parsons had monster years for the Cowboys defense. Diggs leads the NFL with 10 touchdowns, including two pick-sixes on the season. Parsons, meanwhile, ranks seventh in the NFL with 12 sacks. He also has 57 solo tackles to his name.
Smith is one of the top tackles in the game, coming in with a 91.7 overall grade by Pro Football Focus. He’s been beat up as of late, though, and is dealing with a high ankle sprain and a bone spur.
Martin checks in as a 93.7 grade by Pro Football Focus — the highest on the site for an offensive lineman — and is a huge reason why Dallas’ offensive line has been so good this season. The Cowboys’ o-line is the highest-graded by Pro Football Focus.
Anger ranks seventh in the NFL with 48 yards per punt and has 2,456 total yards on the year. He was voted in as a starter.