The NFL has a complicated Rookie of the Year system as the Pro Football Writers of America, the NFL.com fan vote and the Associated Press all choose winners. The AP vote is considered the NFL’s official Rookie of the Year vote, and that is divided, with the award given to one offensive and one defensive player.

With all that said, the SEC should have plenty of former stars in the mix to win the awards this season.

In rankings released this week, Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski included three SEC players among the favorites to win the ROY honors:

  • No. 2 — Josh Jacobs, RB, Oakland Raiders
  • No. 9 — Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers
  • No. 10 — Mecole Hardman, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

Interestingly, in a conference known for defense, these are three offensive players. They’re all in good situations though, so it’ll be fun to see how they fare this fall.