FORMER DRAGON KAMARA NAMED PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

Former Hutchinson Community College football All-American Alvin Kamara was named the 2017 Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year after the results of a nationwide vote was announced on Friday by the NFL.

This award has been given out since 2002. The NFL considers the rookie of the year award by the Associated Press, first handed out in 1957, to be its official honor. Those awards will be announced on Saturday in Minneapolis.

Kamara, a 2018 Pro Bowl selection, led all rookies with 14 total touchdowns and ranked second with 1,554 scrimmage yards. Kamara led all rookies with 81 receptions, the third-most by a rookie running back in NFL history.

Selected in the third round with the 67th overall pick by the Saints, Kamara 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.

In the Pro Bowl last week, Kamara had four carries for 13 yards and four receptions for 36 yards for the NFC team.

In 2014, Kamara became the 17th Hutchinson running back to reach 1,000 yards in a season. Kamara finished 10th on the Blue Dragon single-season rushing list with 1,211 yards on 172 carries. He's averaged 7.0 yards per carry, which ranks second in team history. With 21 total touchdowns, Kamara tied for second place on Hutch's single-season list. His 126 points are also tied for second place with Mack Herron.

Kamara was named the 2014 Jayhawk Conference Offensive Player of the Year and NJCAA First-Team All-American.

Coming to Hutch from Alabama, Kamara returned to the SEC with the Tennessee Volunteers where he played for two seasons in an impressive running-back rotation.