NFL Week Five 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 three of the NFL season.
Quarterback
Blake Bortles
Jacksonville Jaguars
82nd Overall Prospect, 6th Quarterback, 2nd Round Grade
Well, considering the only other rookie QB to see the field was Logan Thomas, who only completed one pass (albeit it was a touchdown), Blake Bortles gets the nod this week! Bortles had a very up and down game where his mechanics and decision making got him into trouble a few times. However, he flashed the talent as a pass and showed the poise that made the Jaguars take him 3rd overall. He has shown a lot over the course of his starting time, but it is just a matter of being more consistent. He is an exciting player and Jaguars fans and the team should be encouraged by his flashes.
Oct 5, 2014; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) runs past Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Jason Worilds (93) for a first down in the first quarter of their game at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports
Running Back
Branden Oliver
San Diego Chargers
Unranked
Branden Oliver dismantled the Jets defense in the passing and running game on Sunday. His agility, hard running and long speed were too much for the Jets to handle. He looked fantastic running outside and inside while making a splash with a long receiving touchdown. Hopefully the Chargers feed Oliver more over the coming weeks. He is electric.
Oct 5, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers running back Branden Oliver (43) runs for a touchdown while defended by New York Jets free safety Calvin Pryor (25) during the second quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Carlos Hyde
San Francisco 49ers
49th Overall Prospect, 2nd Running Back, 2nd Round Grade
Hyde did a very good job in a complimentary role on Sunday. He showed off good vision and a strong running style. He is a huge back and that helped him gain most of his yards after contact. In limited carries, he looks like an absolute bull and the 49ers would be smart to let him tote the rock some more.
Wide Receiver
Sammy Watkins
Buffalo Bills
24th Overall Prospect, 3rd Wide Receiver, 1st Round Grade
Oh my goodness Sammy Watkins. After an underwhelming first month in the league, he put up a ridiculous performance against the Detroit Lions. He made insane catches and bailed out his quarterback more often than not and was able to find the endzone. His hands were absolutely incredible on Sunday. If this is an indicator of where he is headed for the rest of the season, the league should be terrified.
Oct 5, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins (14) celebrates with teammate tight end Scott Chandler (84) after making a catch during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Bills beat the Lions 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Odell Beckham Jr.
New York Giants
21st Overall Prospect, 2nd Wide Receiver, 1st Round Grade
After spending the beginning of the season on the stationary bike, Beckham finally got healthy, onto the field, and showed us how good he can be. His quickness was impossible to defend for the Falcons to defend as he ran routes with great quickness. His ability to show off his ability to play bigger than his size showed up several times, including a great touchdown grab in traffic. Beckham needs to stay healthy, but he must be licking his chops at the prospect of going up against the Philadelphia corners next week.
Oct 5, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) makes a touchdown catch in front of Atlanta Falcons cornerback Robert Alford (23) during the second half at MetLife Stadium. The New York Giants defeated the Atlanta Falcons 30-20.Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Tight End
Eric Ebron
Detroit Lions
8th Overall Prospect, 1st Tight End, 1st Round Grade
Ebron was a criminally underrated run blocker coming out of UNC and he is showing how good he is at it this season. Sunday did not display a dominant game in the passing game, as he was barely involved, but he stood out as a blocker. In given opportunities, Ebron pushed around a very talented Bills defense. In a season that lacks a true standout rookie tight end, Ebron gets the nod this week with his day as a blocker.
Offensive Tackle
Justin Britt
Seattle Seahawks
Unranked
One of my biggest head scratchers of the 2014 draft, Britt is showing that the Seahawks are probably smarter than me. He had a good performance on Sunday, showing off his power and agility as a pass blocker. Monday was definitely an encouraging performance and I am sure the Seahawks hope it is a sign of things to come.
Seantrel Henderson
Buffalo Bills 57th Overall Player, 9th Tackle, 2nd Round Grade
Overall this was a bad week for offensive tackles and Henderson is not exempt from this either. He got pushed around quite a bit in the passing game and did not impact as a run blocker. However, he had moments where he still looked like the dominant player people thought he would be. No doubt he is talented, but he needs to clean of his technique and needs to show a higher motor. This was a rough week, but he can definitely rebound .
Offensive Guard
Joel Bitonio
Cleveland Browns
12th Overall Player, 3rd Offensive Lineman, 1st Round Grade
Joel Bitonio is awesome. Really no way around that. He has been the best and most consistent offensive rookie this year and the Browns could not be happier. He was an absolute beast on Sunday, not like that should be a shock to anyone. He dominated in every facet of the game and helped pave the way for a huge comeback win for the Browns. There is no reason to think Bitonio slows down at this point. Fantastic player.
Brandon Linder
Jacksonville Jaguars
199th Overall Player, 16th Interior Offensive Lineman, 6th Round Grade
The Jaguars interior offensive line has been a mess for well over a year, but slowly it is getting better. Linder has gotten better every week and had a good game against Pittsburgh on Sunday. His anchor was evident as a pass blocker and he had good moments in the running game. He is still a work in progress, but definitely an encouraging one.
Center
Luke Bowanko
Jacksonville Jaguars
Unranked
Another part of the slow resurgence of the Jacksonville line is their rookie center, Luke Bowanko. Bowanko had another solid day against the Pittsburgh defense. He looked solid in the running and passing game, showing off good strength and awareness. His progress has been a bit surprising, but definitely something the Jaguars should be excited about.
Interior Defensive Line
Aaron Donald
St. Louis Rams
46th Overall Prospect, 7th IDL, Early 2nd Round Grade
Donald finally had his big game as a pass rusher, taking advantage of weak interior play from Philadelphia to create severe issues for the passing game. His quickness was just too much and he was in the backfield more often than not. He got pushed around quite a bit in the running game save for one or two big plays, but Donald still walked away with a big performance.
Ego Ferguson
Chicago Bears
140th Overall Prospect, 14th IDL, 4th Round Grade
Ferguson had a solid all around day on Sunday. His quickness and use of leverage was huge for him as he was able to generate interior pressure on Sunday. His quickness also helped him make plays against the run, however his strength still needs work. I called this pick a reach when it was made, but Ferguson looks very solid so far.
Edge Defender
Ethan Westbrooks
St. Louis Rams
161st Overall Player, 18th Edge Defender, 5th Round Grade
Westbrooks did not get a lot of snaps, but made the most of the ones he did get. His athletic ability was on full display as he generated pressure on passing plays, having multiple hurries during his time on the field. The Rams have fantastic defensive line depth, but they should find a way to work Westbrooks onto the field even more.
Aaron Lynch
San Francisco 49ers
75th Overall Prospect, 6th Edge Defender, 2nd Round Grade
Lynch has gotten very consistent snaps the last few weeks and has rewarded the 49ers with a very good pass rushing presence. He had several snaps where he got very good pressure and even had a tipped pass. He has been disrupting plays on multiple occasions during his time on the field and the 49ers would be smart to get him out there more.
Linebacker
Anthony Hitchens
Dallas Cowboys
Unranked
Despite only seeing the field about 50% of the snaps, Hitchens made a decent impact both as a run defender and in the passing game. His size limits his ability a bit, but his intelligence on the field was evident as he flew around was able to make plays because of that. Hitchens is not a high upside guy for the Cowboys, but as a smart, high motor player, he will find himself in the right position more often than not.
Preston Brown
Buffalo Bills
Unranked
Brown had another solid game for the Bills. He looked good coming downhill against the run again, but what surprised me most was his good play in coverage. He still is not the best athlete, but he is playing incredibly smart, which is helping him be effective in coverage. The Bills have a solid player in Preston Brown and that linebacker core should be outstanding when Kiko Alonso gets back.
CJ Mosley
Baltimore Ravens
3rd Overall Prospect, 1st Linebacker, 1st Round Grade
Mosley continues his string of good games after being all over the field against the Colts. Again, he was aggressive and attacked in the running game. Against the pass, he showed off his superb intelligence and playing speed. He did give up a big play, but most of the game he was very good, even coming up with an interception. The Ravens should be ecstatic about their young linebacker.
Oct 5, 2014; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Ahmad Bradshaw (44) runs with the ball against the Baltimore Ravens at Lucas Oil Stadium. Indianapolis defeats Baltimore 28-13. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Cornerback
EJ Gaines
St. Louis Rams
81st Overall Prospect, 10th Corner, 2nd Round Grade
Gaines had an outstanding game against the Eagles and specifically Jeremy Maclin. He ahd great coverage most of the game including an outstanding play where he ran stride for stride down the field with the speedy Maclin and made a great play to pick off the ball. Gaines was fantastic all day and should continue to play at a high level.
Oct 5, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; St. Louis Rams cornerback E.J. Gaines (33) intercepts pass intended for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (18) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Ku’Waun Williams
Browns
Unranked
The undrafted free agent out of Pitt has been slowly making a bigger and bigger impact for the Browns over the last few weeks and finally had his breakout game against Tennesee. He was outstanding in coverage for most of the game, really making his presence felt in the slot. He is a smart, physical player with good quickness and toughness and the Browns should love him. His play will continue to intrigue over the rest of the season.
Safety
Terrence Brooks
Baltimore Ravens
66th Overall Player, 4th Safety, 2nd Round Grade
Brooks is finally getting playing time and rewarding the Ravens with good play in coverage. He showed off his range and instincts in coverage on Sunday, making it hard to throw over the top. His angles against the run need to improve, but this is an encouraging beginning to his rookie season.
Ha Ha Clinton Dix
Green Bay Packers
9th Overall Player, 1st Safety, 1st Round Grade
Dix is looking better and better in coverage as the season progresses and even impacted last Thursday as a blitzer. He still needs to clean up his run defense, but he is proving to be a versatile player for the Packers.
Rookie Of the Week: Joel Bitonio
Bitonio is paving the way for the Browns and is also paving his way to Offensive Rookie of the Year. I do not care that he is a lineman. He has been fantastic as a pass blocker and absolutely dominant as a run blocker. He had a fantastic week and I am looking forward to seeing many more.