The National Football League today announced the five finalists for the 2017 PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR award.
2017 PEPSI NEXT NFL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
| Player | Position | Team |
| Alvin Kamara | Running Back | New Orleans Saints |
| Christian McCaffrey | Running Back | Carolina Panthers |
| Kareem Hunt | Running Back | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Leonard Fournette | Running Back | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Marshon Lattimore | Cornerback | New Orleans Saints |
Starting today, fans can vote for one of these five players on NFL.com/Rookies through Thursday, January 25 to determine the 2017 PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR.
The 2017 PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR award will be recognized in Minneapolis during Super Bowl LII festivities and online at NFL.com/Rookies.
The five finalists were selected for their outstanding performances throughout the 2017 NFL season. Each week, five nominees were chosen for the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week and NFL fans voted for the winner on
A closer look at the finalists:
- New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara
Kamara, a 2018 Pro Bowl selection, led all rookies with 14 total touchdowns and ranked second with 1,554 scrimmage yards. He joined Pro Football Hall of Famer Gale Sayers (1965) as the only rookies in NFL history to have at least five rushing touchdowns, five receiving touchdowns and a kickoff-return touchdown. Kamara led all rookies with 81 receptions, the third-most by a rookie running back in NFL history.
- Carolina Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey
McCaffrey set the Carolina Panthers franchise rookie record and ranked second among NFL rookies with 80 receptions, the fourth-most by a rookie running back in NFL history. He also set the franchise rookie record with 1,086 scrimmage yards and was one of four rookies with at least 1,000 scrimmage yards this season.
- Kansas City Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt
Hunt, a 2018 Pro Bowl selection, led the league with 1,327 rushing yards and is the second rookie not selected in the first round to lead his league in rushing yards in the common draft era (since 1967). He became the second rookie in NFL history to record at least 1,000 scrimmage yards through his team’s first seven games and began his career with seven consecutive games of at least 100 scrimmage yards, an NFL rookie record. Hunt, who had six games with at least 100 rushing yards, finished with eight rushing touchdowns and 1,782 scrimmage yards, the most among NFL rookies.
- Jacksonville Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette
Fournette led all rookies and tied for third in the NFL with nine rushing touchdowns. He ranked second among rookie running backs with 1,040 rushing yards and was one of nine running backs to rush for at least 1,000 yards during the 2017 season. Fournette rushed for more than 100 yards on five occasions and helped the Jaguars win their division for the first time since 1999 (AFC Central).
- New Orleans Saints CB Marshon Lattimore
Lattimore, a 2018 Pro Bowl selection, led all rookies and tied for fifth in the NFL with five interceptions. He finished the season with 52 tackles, five interceptions, one forced fumble and 18 passes defensed, tied for the most by a rookie during the 2017 season.
This is Pepsi’s 16th year as the official soft drink sponsor of the NFL and the 15th year that Pepsi will present the NFL Rookie of the Week and NFL Rookie of the Year awards.
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