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ESPN's Mel Kiper has published his NFL All Rookie team for 2012 and the Eagles top pick, Fletcher Cox, was named his top defensive tackle.
Fletcher Cox, Eagles: As he got more comfortable, the first-rounder out of Mississippi State became a lot more disruptive. He finished the season with 4.5 sacks over the final seven games and should be a fixture for the Eagles going forward. Cox has a chance to become a Pro Bowl-level interior lineman.
As PE.com points out, Cox led all Eagles defensive linesman with 85 combined tackles and tied for the team lead in sacks with 5.5.
Most of the other all rookie slots pretty much pick themselves. He went with Alfred Morris and Doug Martin over Trent Richardson, which isn't a surprise but it's notable considering he was the 4th overall pick.
He also went with Andrew Luck over RG3 and Russell Wilson as his QB.
This could have gone to either Robert Griffin III or Russell Wilson, and it wouldn't offend most close observers. But if it offends you, before you leap to the comments to have your say, let me make my case for Luck. The rookie record for passing yardage (4,374 yards) is nice, as is that he ran for five touchdowns to go with 23 touchdown passes. But he gets the most juice here because no team in history has had this kind of a turnaround after drafting at No. 1, and Luck was the greatest reason the Colts turned it around. Folks around the NFL will tell you the same thing.
Props to Cox. It's a well deserved honor for one of the real bright spots in what was otherwise a fairly dismal 2012 season.