Broncos' Noah Fant & Dalton Risner Named to PFWA's All-Rookie Team

The Broncos' rookie class continues to bring home the end-of-season accolades.

On the heels of their excellent 2018 draft haul, the Denver Broncos entered last spring intent on stacking another quality rookie class on top of it. One year later, names like Noah Fant, Dalton Risner, and Drew Lock have rendered the Broncos' 2019 draft haul a near sensational success. 

And that's to say nothing of Dre'Mont Jones, who also made major contributions as a rookie this past year. The new formula GM John Elway has employed post-2017 — an almost completely wasted draft haul — has served the Broncos well, positioning the team for sustained success down the road. 

We learned on Tuesday that two Broncos were named to the Pro Football Writers of America's All-Rookie Team. The PFWA named Fant at tight end and Risner at offensive guard

The 2019 PFWA All-Rookie Team and rookie honors: pic.twitter.com/mmHVHWWQFx

— Pro Football Writers (@PFWAwriters) January 14, 2020

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Fant's rookie season wasn't just good — it was historic. Fant posted the most catches (40) and receiving yards (562) by a rookie tight end in Broncos history. 

Meanwhile, Risner started all 16 games at left guard for Denver, helping to elevate the Broncos' O-line to a No. 12 ranking by Pro Football Focus. PFF also named Risner (their only Broncos selection) to their site's All-Rookie Team. 

Surprisingly, Fant was snubbed by PFF in favor of... wait for it... Oakland's Foster Moreau. Fant had nearly double the number of receptions that Moreau did, triple the targets and early three times as many receiving yards. 

Some fans might wonder why Lock was left off of all the end-of-season All-Rookie lists. To those, I say this; it's important to remember that Lock started only five games as a rookie and while he went 4-1 as a starter and did some historic things himself, All-Rookie lists are usually reserved for those players who made season-long contributions. 

Kudos to Fant and Risner for making it onto the PFWA's All-Rookie Team. It's a much-deserved accolade and combined with the promise Lock and Jones showed as rookies, along with the 2018 rookie class, the future in Denver is bright. 

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.