AP All-Pro team announced, and Patrick Mahomes looks like an MVP lock

The Associated Press released its All-Pro team on Friday. Since it’s the same 50 voters who pick NFL MVP, we can probably assume that Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will win that award.

Mahomes was the quarterback on the AP’s All-Pro team, which is no surprise. Mahomes became the second member of the 5,000-yard, 50-touchdown club, joining Peyton Manning. Still, there was some notion that Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints actually deserved the award. It would be strange if the voters put Mahomes as the quarterback on the All-Pro team and voted for another quarterback as MVP. And as we know, you practically have to play quarterback anymore to win MVP. Mahomes got 45 of 50 votes, which indicates the MVP vote won’t be close either.

The other most notable part of the All-Pro team is that it included four rookies (Indianapolis Colts teammates Quenton Nelson and Darius Leonard, Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James and Seattle Seahawks punter Michael Dickson) for the first time ever. Nelson and Leonard are the first rookies from the same team to be named All-Pro since Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers for the 1965 Chicago Bears.

Here’s a look at the best of the best in the NFL, here is the 2018 All-Pro team:

Four Chiefs on the All-Pro offensive team

Here’s the first-team offense:

Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Running back: Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams
Wide receivers: Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints; DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans
Tight end: Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
Flex: Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
Left tackle: David Bakhtiari, Green Bay Packers
Left guard: Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts
Center: Jason Kelce, Philadelphia Eagles
Right guard: Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys
Right tackle: Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City Chiefs

The most controversial choice might be Kelce over Zach Ertz or George Kittle. Ertz set a single-season record for receptions by a tight end, and Kittle broke the single-season yardage mark for a tight end about an hour after Kelce set it. Still, it’s not like Kelce was unworthy, after having a big season on a team that was the AFC’s best.

The other omission was Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Antonio Brown, who led the NFL with 15 receiving touchdowns. Brown being benched for Week 17 after reportedly missing practices and meetings might have played a part.

Aaron Donald, only unanimous pick, leads All-Pro defensive team

Here’s the first-team defense:

Edge rushers: J.J. Watt, Houston Texans; Khalil Mack, Chicago Bears
Interior linemen: Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams; Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia Eagles
Linebackers: Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers; Bobby Wagner, Seattle Seahawks; Darius Leonard, Indianapolis Colts
Cornerbacks: Kyle Fuller, Chicago Bears; Stephon Gilmore, New England Patriots
Safeties: Eddie Jackson, Chicago Bears; Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers
Defensive back: Desmond King, Los Angeles Chargers

The only player to get votes on all 50 ballots was Donald, who set a record for a defensive tackle with 20.5 sacks.

It’s hard to argue with the rest of the picks, though perhaps Chiefs tackle Chris Jones over Cox would have been justified. Leonard and James had fantastic rookie seasons, helping their respective teams to AFC wild-card spots. The Bears had the best defense in the NFL this season and had three All-Pros including Fuller, who they retained after the Packers signed him to an offer sheet as a restricted free agent last offseason.

Michael Dickson highlights the specialists

Here are the All-Pro specialists:

Kicker: Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens
Punter: Michael Dickson, Seattle Seahawks
Kick returner: Andre Roberts, New York Jets
Punt returner: Tarik Cohen, Chicago Bears
Special teamer: Adrian Phillips, Los Angeles Chargers

The Seahawks traded up for Dickson in the fifth round of last year’s draft, and that paid off. He has been a big part of the team’s wild-card playoff team. The Australian punter might end up being an All-Pro many times before his career is done.

It was Tucker’s third All-Pro nod, as he continues as one of the best kickers in recent NFL history.

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Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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