Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Seahawks 2019 Awards: Rookie of the Year
Following a season-ending loss in the NFC Divisional Round, the Seahawk Maven writing staff will be selecting award winners for the Seahawks successful 2019 campaign. Continuing our end-of-the-season awards, rookie DK Metcalf broke several records and exceeded all expectations as our Rookie of the Year selection.
Entering his NFL regular season debut against the Bengals and coming back quickly after a minor knee procedure, few knew what to expect from Seahawks rookie receiver DK Metcalf.
Sure, the second-round pick out of Ole Miss had been the talk of the town in Renton throughout offseason workouts. Built like a defensive end, his ability to sprint past much smaller cornerbacks and rise over them to make downfield catches drew ooh’s and ah’s from the crowd at the VMAC during open training camp practices.
Metcalf also lit up the NFL scouting combine as few players ever have, posting a ridiculous 4.33 40-yard dash time at 6-foot-3, 228 pounds. He also nearly jumped out of Lucas Oil Stadium with a 40 ½-inch vertical jump.
But despite his freakish combination of size and athleticism, Metcalf had only shown flashes of brilliance at the college level. Concerns about lateral quickness, route running savvy, and durability loomed over the polarizing prospect heading into the draft, leading to his fall out of the first round.
Seattle finally traded back into the second round and picked him with the No. 64 overall selection, a match that proved to be an excellent fit for both sides.
“It was a perfect situation for me. At the moment, I was mad,” Metcalf told reporters on January 8. “After everything is said and done, looking back at it, just happy that I landed here. Great quarterback. Great offense. Great team.”
Wasting little time discrediting his critics, Metcalf set a franchise rookie record with 89 receiving yards in Seattle’s 21-20 season-opening win over Cincinnati. The stellar debut proved to be anything but an aberration, as he quickly emerged as one of the best young receivers in the NFL.
There were bumps along the way, including three lost fumbles, but Metcalf played in all 16 games for the Seahawks and ranked among rookie leaders in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns throughout the season. He finished with 900 receiving yards, second behind only Joey Galloway in Seattle’s record books, and tied for second among rookies with seven touchdown receptions.
His meteoric rise continued in the playoffs, as Metcalf caught seven passes for an NFL rookie record 160 yards in Seattle’s 17-9 wild card victory over Philadelphia. Averaging nearly 23 yards per reception, he torched the Eagles on a 53-yard post route as Wilson connected with him for six points.
Referencing his work with Metcalf during the summer as well as his attention to detail dissecting weekly game plans, Wilson saw the rookie put in the time on and off the field to achieve greatness during his first season.
“His mind is what’s helping him accelerate,” Wilson said following the playoff win in Philadelphia. “Obviously his physical nature and his ability to catch the football and do all those things, but the separations and the mental part of it, and him just believing that and knowing all of the things he needs to know.”
It's been that way since day one for Metcalf, who immediately dove into the playbook and never looked like a rookie upon his arrival. He was always the last player on the field catching passes on the JUGS machine and always knew Wilson's 10-15 page game plans inside and out. The results speak for themselves.
Just turning 22 in December, the sky is truly the limit for Metcalf, who will continue to grind this offseason looking to make a name for himself as one of the elite receivers in the NFL. Teaming up with Wilson for the foreseeable future, the quarterback/receiver duo should be major problem for opposing defenses in 2020 and beyond.
Previous Seahawk Maven award winners:
Comeback Player of the Year: K.J. Wright
Most Improved Player: Rasheem Green
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Germain Ifedi
