The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/347495
on April 13, 2011 (31-10-10). He aver- aged 12.8 points and 5.7 assists per game and was named Western Con- ference NBA Rookie of the Month three times, becoming the first Jazz Rookie of the Month honoree for the franchise since Karl Malone in De- cember 1985. He finished third in the NBA Rookie of the Year balloting and was a first-team NBA All-Rookie selection. 6. Charles Woodson, S, Oakland Raid- ers (NFL) Yes, there's still room for the for- mer Heisman Trophy winner, even if he is past his prime. Woodson played nearly every snap last year for the Silver and Black and racked up 97 total tackles, the most in his career. His 75 solo stops were second only to his 76 in 2010, and he forced three fumbles. Woodson made the transition to free safety last season and played a full 16- game season for the first time since 2010, when he was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year for the Green Bay Packers. He notched one interception, two sacks, three forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries, includ- ing a 25-yard return for a touchdown against San Diego — his 13th career defensive score, which tied him with Rod Woodson and Darren Sharper for most in NFL history. He signed a one-year deal to return to the franchise for his 17th season. 7. Mike Cammalleri, LW, New Jersey Devils (NHL) Cammalleri just signed a five-year, $25 million contract with the New Jersey Devils, his fourth NHL team since he started his career with the Los Angeles Kings in 2002-03. The former 39-goal scorer (Calgary, 2008- 09) continues to find the back of the net, scoring 26 times last year in only 63 games after missing 19 with inju- ries. A smaller, speedier forward, Cam- malleri was considered a very good possession player on a Calgary team that struggled in that area. He's a five-time 20-goal scorer and has topped 45 points in seven seasons, twice reaching 80 (2006-07 with Los Angeles, 2008-09 with Calgary). He has put up 236 goals and 266 assists in 669 career games. 8. Jake Long, OT, St. Louis Rams (NFL) Long tore both his ACL and MCL last season and didn't have knee sur- gery until mid-January, with doctors waiting for the MCL to heal on its own. It was the third straight year in which Long finished the season banged up, and the latest has some questioning whether the former NFL overall No. 1 pick (Miami Dolphins, 2008) will ever return to the form that made him one of the league's top tackles. Rams head coach Jeff Fisher said recently that Long should be cleared for contact halfway through train- ing camp and hopefully ready for the Sept. 7 season opener against the Minnesota Vikings. NFL.com voted him the No. 10 NFL left tackle of all time in Nov. 2012. Long has been voted to four Pro Bowls, was a first- team All-Pro in 2010 and a second- teamer in 2009.