NFL Week One All Rookie Team
By Ben Natan
The best part about the draft evaluation process is finally getting to see the prospects make plays during a game. Some of guys have been better than expected, some worse and some are doing exactly what we thought. Here are the best rookies from week one of the NFL season.
Quarterback
Derek Carr
Oakland Raiders
14th Overall Prospect, 2nd Quarterback, 1st Round Grade
Despite being at the mercy of the Jets defensive line for much of the game, Carr still flashed his supreme talent. He had to get rid of the ball quickly due to constant pressure, but he did a great job of limiting turnovers and moving down the field. This is a shaky Raiders team, but Carr is doing a lot with a little.
Sep 7, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) takes the snap from center Stefen Wisniewski (61) during the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Running Back
Terrance West
Cleveland Browns
159th Overal Prospect, 8th Running Back, 5th Round Grade
Despite lacking in physical gifts, West’s vision, quick feet and leg drive were a huge part of going over 100 yards for the Browns. His vision is incredibly important in the Browns Offense and he should continue to produce.
Sep 7, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Terrance West (28) runs the ball past Pittsburgh Steelers defenders during the second half at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh won the game, 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
Isaiah Crowell
Cleveland Browns
26th Overall Prospect, 1st Running Back, 1st Round Grade
Despite getting limited carries, Crowell showed off his vision, decisiveness and explosiveness, taking two of his few carries to the house. He should be getting more snaps being the more talented back, as he looks very good in his limited role.
Wide Receiver
Brandin Cooks
New Orleans Saints
42nd Overall Prospect, 6th Wide Receiver, Early 2nd Round Grade
The Saints do a great job of moving Cooks around as a mismatch and getting the ball to him in space. He looks like the speed freak he was at Oregon State and should develop as a tremendous deep threat.
Allen Hurns
Jacksonville Jaguars
205th Overall Prospect, 33rd Wide Receiver, 6th Round Grade
Hurns success so far should shed a light into how deep and talented this wide receiver class really was. Hurns was able to use great foot work to fool the Eagles defense into 3 huge plays by him, including 2 touchdowns. The Jaguars seems to have found a gem.
Jordan Matthews
Philadelphia Eagles
20th Overall Prospect, 1st Wide Receiver, 1st Round Grade
Matthews did not put up the gaudy numbers Hurns and Cooks did, but he still did a damn good job. Matthews spent the entire game open and if his quarterback was more accurate, he could have had the best day of all the rookies. He still finished with a spectacular catch over the middle in traffic. Things are looking up for the receiver out of Vanderbilt.
Sep 7, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jordan Matthews (81) spins away from Jacksonville Jaguars strong safety Johnathan Cyprien (37) and cornerback Dwayne Gratz (27) at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles defeated the Jaguars, 34-17. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Tight End
CJ Fiedorowicz
Houston Texans
104th Overall Prospect, 8th Tight End, 3rd Round Grade
The rookie tight ends did not have a big week, but Fiedorowicz stood out with fantastic blocking. He did not make any impact as a receiver, but made his presence as an in line blocker.
Offensive Tackle
Ju’Wuan James
Miami Dolphins
105th Overall Prospect, 14th Tackle, 3rd Round Grade
James looks closer and closer to putting together his physical tools. He still does not have great quickness, but his length and strength allowed him to play well as a blocker on running and passing downs. He still has room to improve, but his start is encouraging.
Jake Matthews
Atlanta Falcons
6th Overall Player, 1st Tackle, 1st Round Grade
Despite getting injured, Matthews still showed quick feet and competence in the running and passing game. He is still adjusting to the speed of the game, but flashed the things that made him so good at Texas A&M.
Offensive Guard
Joel Bitonio
Clevelan Browns
12th Overall Player, 3rd Offensive Lineman, 1st Round Grade
Bitonio was graded as a tackle during the draft process but it was always clear he would be a very good guard and he showed that on Sunday. He was downright nasty in the running game and showed quick feet and strong hands in the passing game. He is an integral part of a fantastic Browns line and running game.
Zach Martin
Dallas Cowboys
31st Overall Player, 6th Offensive Lineman, 1st Round Grade
Another tackle turned guard, Martin played very well in his first showing despite the performance of his team. He was decent in the running game, but was most impacting during the passing game. His movement to guard has been smooth and he looks to be a very good player on that line.
Center
Corey Linsley
Cincinnati Bengals
Unranked
Despite never getting a full scouting report by me, Linsley certainly has my attention now with a very good outing against a stingy Seahawks defense. He looked decent as a pass blocker, but really made his money in the run game which is tough to do against such an athletic unit. Linsley barely looked like a rookie and I am sure the Packers are pleased.
Interior Defensive Line
Aaron Donald
St. Louis Rams
46th Overall Prospect, 5th IDL, Early 2nd Round Grade
Donald’s superb quickness and awareness was evident all game as he was darting past lineman to make plays against the run and pass. He still can get completely washed out of plays if a team gets their hands on him, but his quickness will be his greatest asset in the NFL. As long as offenses do not key on him, he could continue to impact this year.
Beau Allen
Philadelphia Eagles
189th Overall Prospect, 20th IDL, 6th Round Grade
Allen looks so much quicker than he did at Wisconsin and his game is better because of it. Instead of just anchoring against the run, he is able to disrupt plays on passing and running downs instead of just occupying space. He could be an impact player at nose tackle and should see more snaps as the season wears on.
Edge Defender
Khalil Mack
Oakland Raiders
5th Overall Player, 2nd Linebacker, 1st Round Grade
Mack gets moved around a lot but where he is most impacting is off the edge. He looked good against the run and was able to generate some pressure in the passing game. As a plus, he looked very natural in coverage. Dennis Allen is going to love Mack’s versatility.
Aug 15, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders outside linebacker Khalil Mack (52) is congratulated by outside linebacker Sio Moore (55) after recording a sack against the Detroit Lions in the third quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Lions 27-26. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Aaron Lynch
San Francisco 49ers
75th Overall Player, 6th Edge Defender, 2nd Round Grade
Lynch’s talent was never a question, but his fluctuation of weight in college never gave a clear picture on what he would be in the NFL. In his first game, Lynch looked good coming off the edge, generating pressure and causing problems in the run game. If he can put it all together in San Fran, watch out.
Linebacker
Anthony Barr
Minnesota Vikings
94th Overall Player, 10th Linebacker, Early 3rd Round Grade
I always thought Barr would be better off working in space rather than as a pure edge rusher and so far that notion seems correct. Barr looked fluid in coverage and did a good job of limiting yards after the catch and his speed made him dangerous chasing down run plays. He still has issues taking on blocks and his awareness is not where it needs to be, but Mike Zimmer has done a great job of putting Barr in a position to succeed.
Ryan Shazier
Pittsburgh Steelers
51st Overall Player, 5th Linebacker, Early 2nd Round Grade
Shazier looked tremendous on Sunday, using his speed to attack in the run game and move in coverage. His awareness in coverage needs to improve and he still does not have great strength, but it is so much fun to see him fly around.
Sep 7, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier (50) tackles Cleveland Browns running back Terrance West (28) during the second half at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh won the game, 30-27. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
CJ Mosley
Baltimore Ravens
3rd Overal Prospect, 1st Linebacker, 1st Round Grade
Mosley looks like the smart, instinctive player he was at Alabama. He moved well in coverage and attacked the line of scrimmage, coming up with various stops. He is a smart, talented player and as the game slows down for him he will get even better.
Cornerback
Jason Verrett
San Diego Chargers
10th Overall Prospect, 1st Corner, 1st Round Grade
I went on record saying Jason Verrett was the best corner I ever scouted and so far he is making me look smart. He had a fantastic outing against the Cardinals, being targeted several times and allowing few completions and no yards after the catch. He was incredibly physical, played the ball well and showed off those quick feet. If this week was any indicator, Verrett is going to be quite the player.
Sep 8, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver John Brown (12) dodges tackles by San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Dwight Freeney (93) and cornerback Jason Verrett (22) to score a 13 yard touchdown during the second half at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Bradley Roby
Denver Broncos
16th Overall Prospect, 3rd Corner, 1st Round Grade
Roby was picked on quite a bit, but he usually had good positioning, just a matter of finding the ball. He has fantastic speed and physicality and looked very good when manned up. Icing on the cake, Roby had 2 passes defended, one of which decided the game.
Safety
Calvin Pryor
183rd Overall Player, 20th Overall Safety, 6th Round Grade
Well, so far Calvin Pryor is making me look a bit silly. I was worried about his mental grasp on the safety position coming out of Louisville, but by putting him closer to the line of scrimmage and simplifying his role, Rex Ryan has helped Calvin Pryor look very good to this point. Pryor looks good in underneath coverage and made impact plays in the running game and ended the game with no missed tackles. If the first week is any indication, the Jets have a very good player on their hands.
Sep 7, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets safety Calvin Pryor (25) reacts after dropping a would-be interception against the Oakland Raiders during the second quarter of a game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Ha Ha Clinton Dix
Green Bay Packers
9th Overall Player, 1st Safety, 1st Round Grade
Clinton Dix did not have a good night tackling missing too big tackles, but he had impact plays against the run regardless. In coverage, he took very good angles to the ball and showed off his awesome closing speed. He needs to finish better as a tackler, but he had a decent game to start his career.
Rookie Of the Week: Jason Verrett
Probably my favorite player to watch during the draft process, Verrett had a fantastic outing in his first week and looks to not only be the best rookies so far, but looks like one of the best corners in the league.