Who Gets More This Season: Alex Smith TD's or Aldon Smith Sacks? (UPDATED FOR 2012)

Aldon Smith was a great pick, in fact given the team needs, he maybe the best first round pick we could have made last year.


But, I am pretty sure he is not a better rookie than Patrick Willis was.

edit: By the way, I can not figure who to vote for. Guess my age is catching up with me.

Originally posted by Super5:

Originally posted by okdkid:
The rookie record is 14.5, held by Javon Kearse. He only needs 2 sacks to set the record.

Aldon Smith...gulp...is a better rookie than Patrick Willis was.

Have to disagree,Willis went to the pro bowl his rookie year and continues to do so
they are two different types of players,one is a tackling machine and the other is a sack master but
the diff between the two is Willis can do it all: tackle/pas defend/force fumbles/int/sack the qb
Aldon is piece the 49ers have been missing since C.Haley-a bonafide pass rusher
He's a beast and should go to the pro bowl in his rookie year as well
love them both

gO niners

Yes, Willis has been a complete ILB the past few years but that wasn't exactly the case during his rookie season. As a rookie, he was absolutely dominant stopping the run...but his cover skills weren't great yet (0 ints, 5 pass deflections as a rookie compared to 1 int, 12 pass deflections this season). I'm not knocking Willis at all. He's the best ILB in the game today (and has been for several seasons now). I'm just saying that although he was dominant as a rookie, he wasn't a do-it-all player YET.

Both players are/were amazing rookies. Willis had one of the greatest seasons for a rookie MLB and Aldon is having one of the greatest seasons for a rookie pass rusher. I personally can't say who was the better rookie...but IMO, its arguable because both have had an amazing impact on the Niners during their respective seasons. I don't think its a hands-down choice because an argument can be made for both.

2007 - Rookie Willis:
-Led team in tackles
-Pro Bowler
-All Pro
-0 ints, 5 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles
-"Wow! He's amazing now...imagine when he improves his cover/pass rush skills!"

2011 - Rookie Smith:
-Led team in sacks
-Possible Pro Bowler (may miss it due to a technicality keeping him out the fan ballot)
-Set franchise record for rookie sacks (and may set an NFL record for rookie sacks)
-0 ints, 4 pass deflections, 2 forced fumbles
-"Wow! He's amazing now...imagine when he improves his cover/run stopping skills!"

Originally posted by MadDog49er:

Originally posted by okdkid:
The rookie record is 14.5, held by Javon Kearse. He only needs 2 sacks to set the record.

Aldon Smith...gulp...is a better rookie than Patrick Willis was.

Please stop! Please. Smith is still a reserve. Willis was a Pro-Bowl starter, a first team All-Pro. It is not close.

P.S. Honestly, members..... only one response to the post that Smith was a better rookie than Willis? Rally people. Are you honestly going to let that comment ride along free and clear? I expected a full dog pile. Put down the egg nog!!

All-time rookie sack records don't come along very often. Sacks are important in the game of football.

a willis vs aldon smith rookie season thread

Originally posted by 49ersalldaway126:

^^ that

im sorry but aldon smith wouldnt have nearly as much sacks as he does now if he didt lineup next to justin smith

And Willis wouldn't make nearly as many plays as he has if it weren't for good nose tackle play (first Franklin, now Sopoaga). What's your point? That is what D-Linemen are supposed to do in a 3-4 defense - allow the LBs the chance to make plays.

I'll tell you this: MOST people would take a dominant pass-rusher over a middle linebacker any day of the week.

I think they're both great, but an argument can be made for Aldon's rookie year compared to Willis'.

Alex will get more.

Aldon might win, lol

Originally posted by MadDog49er:

Originally posted by okdkid:
The rookie record is 14.5, held by Javon Kearse. He only needs 2 sacks to set the record.

Aldon Smith...gulp...is a better rookie than Patrick Willis was.

Please stop! Please. Smith is still a reserve. Willis was a Pro-Bowl starter, a first team All-Pro. It is not close.

P.S. Honestly, members..... only one response to the post that Smith was a better rookie than Willis? Rally people. Are you honestly going to let that comment ride along free and clear? I expected a full dog pile. Put down the egg nog!!

It's a lot closer than you're making it out to be. Smith brings the most important stat to the table, and Willis, for all his greatness, doesn't have the same level of competition with his peers. Aldon is playing well enough to go to Hawaii, but JPP, Jared Allen, and Ware are playing out of their minds. Who is that dominant at MLB? Ray Lewis has been for years, but otherwise? Willis is the only one. Therefore using the fact that Willis was a Pro-Bowl starter and Aldon won't be is not fair. Aldon also had 0 offseason, and while not a starter, plays a major percentage of the time. Again, it's a different position, and not fair to compare. MLBs are situational a lot less than pass rushers. He's having a phenomenal season. But arguing aside, this group has the talent to be one of the great LB units of all time. Now don't take that as me saying they are, or are going to be, simply that the talent is there, and as of now, they are all living up to it. I mean come on, our back-up ILB is even changing games!

Isn't it great that we can even have this debate?

There are points to be made for both sides.

A.Smith wins!

Looks like A.Smith will win again this season!

i really hope aldon breaks sack record and set a new ones with huge gap between other players. ALDON SMITH FOR 2012 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF YEAR.

oh

Man, if only Haralson hadn't gone down.

The sacks would be coming left and right.