Alvin Kamara won't be leaving Super Bowl weekend empty-handed.

The former Tennessee star and current Saints phenom has been voted the NFL's Rookie of the Year after an outstanding debut season in New Orleans.

A smiling Kamara, who earned selection to the Pro Bowl and was named co-offensive rookie of the year with Chiefs star Kareem Hunt by the Pro Football Writers of America, posted a photo of himself posing with the trophy while wearing a letterman-style jacket from primary sponsor Pepsi on his Twitter account on Friday morning.

(Want the latest scoop on Tennessee football and basketball? Make sure you're in the loop — take five seconds to sign up for our FREE Vols newsletter now!)

What y’all think!!! Thanks to @pepsi and the fans for voting me as the 2017 Rookie Of The Year!!! pic.twitter.com/upJOITBhtC — Alvin Kamara (@A_kamara6) February 2, 2018

After signing with Alabama out of high school and spending one season with the Crimson Tide, Kamara wound up at Tennessee after a stop in junior college and played two seasons with the Vols in 2015 and 2016.

He left Tennessee after his junior season in 2016 and was stolen in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft by the Saints, who traded up to pick him despite already having Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson in its backfield.

Kamara's emergence ultimately prompted New Orleans to trade Peterson to the Cardinals, and he and Ingram formed a dynamic tandem to revitalize the Saints' offense and both players wound up as Pro Bowlers.

Though he didn't score his first touchdown until Week 3, Kamara would go on to lead all rookies with 14 touchdowns. In the regular season he rushed 120 times for 728 yards and eight touchdowns, caught 81 passes for 826 yards and five touchdowns and returned a kickoff a franchise-record 106 yards for a touchdown in December.

He caught a go-ahead touchdown late in the NFL divisional round game at Minnesota, but the Saints were eliminated on the Vikings' miracle last-play touchdown.

Kamara officially will be presented with the award on Saturday during the NFL's annual awards show (9 p.m. ET on NBC).

(ENJOY VIP ACCESS TO GOVOLS247 WITH A FREE SEVEN-DAY TRIAL)

———————————————

Contact Patrick Brown at patrick.brown@cbsinteractive.com or on Twitter, and follow GoVols247 on Facebook.