A former Ohio State player is the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year for the second year in a row.
Marshon Lattimore became the latest Buckeye to win the award when he was announced as the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year for the 2017 season at the NFL Honors on Saturday night.
.@Saints CB @shonrp2 is the 2017 Defensive Rookie of the Year! #NFLHonors pic.twitter.com/OkD5FlfYVq
— NFL (@NFL) February 4, 2018
According to David Ely of NFL.com, Lattimore received 90 percent of the 50 possible votes for the award.
Marshon Lattimore is the biggest vote getter so far with 45 of 50 for Defensive Rookie of Year
— David Ely (@David_Ely) February 4, 2018
Tre'Davious White -- 4
Reuben Foster -- 1
Former Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa won the award for the 2016 season after his rookie year with the then-San Diego Chargers.
Lattimore was previously also named Defensive Rookie of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America.
In his first season with the New Orleans Saints, Lattimore emerged as already one of the NFL's best cornerbacks, recording 52 total tackles, five interceptions (with one returned for a touchdown), one forced fumble and 18 passes defensed, while consistently shutting down nearly every opponent he faced in coverage. Pro Football Focus ranked Lattimore as the league's fifth-best cornerback for the 2017 season. Lattimore was also named as the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Month for both October and December.
As one of four former Buckeyes on the Saints this past season, along with Ted Ginn, Michael Thomas and Vonn Bell, Lattimore helped the Saints to a 11-5 record – for their first winning season since 2013 – and a first-round playoff game win over the Carolina Panthers before a heartbreaking, last-second loss in their second-round playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Lattimore, who played for Ohio State from 2014-16 and earned All-Big Ten honors in his final season as a Buckeye, was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft.
Lattimore wasn't the only Saints rookie to be recognized during Saturday night's awards show; Saints second-round pick and former Tennessee running back Alvin Kamara was named AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, marking the first time since 1967 (Mel Farr and Lem Barney, Detroit Lions) that two rookies from the same team swept the AP awards.
