Peppers gets top defensive rookie despite suspension

Not even a four-game suspension could stop Julius Peppers from winning The Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award Monday.

The Carolina Panthers' defensive end, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, missed the last four games of the season for violating the league's drug policy. He took a dietary supplement that contained a banned substance.

Before that, he had 12 sacks, second among rookies to Colts end Dwight Freeney, who played the entire season to get 13.

Peppers, a former basketball star at North Carolina who gave up roundball to play football full time, received 25 votes from a nationwide panel of sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. Freeney was next with 14.

How could they miss him? Peppers helped the Panthers leap from 1-15 in 2001 to 7-9. The defense went from an open-door policy to a stingy unit that ranked second in the NFL. Under new coach John Fox, Carolina had 52 sacks, behind only Philadelphia.

Peppers was also enough of a presence against the run to help his team rank eighth.

"I had a couple of three-sack games, which were big accomplishments also," he said, "but the thing that I am most proud of is continuing to get better every week as a player."

Peppers' skills also sparked strong years by fellow end Mike Rucker and tackle Kris Jenkins, who made the All-Pro team. Fox and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio can't wait to get started with that unit next season.

"I think all of them had big years, and you have to give some credit to Mike Trgovac, the defensive line coach," Del Rio said. "To be able to take Julius under a lot of pressure for him to perform and have him perform even above the high expectations the way he did is sensational.

"That also took Kris Jenkins and Mike Rucker to career highs in production. We leaned heavily on the D-line."

Peppers joined such NFL greats as Joe Greene, Lawrence Taylor, Jack Lambert and Derrick Thomas in winning top defensive rookie honors. He's the Panthers' first player to earn the award.

Dallas safety Roy Williams got seven votes, followed by Baltimore safety Ed Reed and Tennessee safety Tank Williams with one each.

Last year's winner was Pittsburgh LB Kendrell Bell.