The best part about the draft evaluation process is finally getting to see the prospects make plays during a game. Some of the guys have been better than expected, some worse and some are doing exactly what we thought. Here are the best rookies from week 14 of the NFL season.
Quarterback
Derek Carr
Oakland Raiders
14th Overall Prospect, 2nd Quarterback, 1st Round Pick
After a rough outing the week before, Carr bounced back with arguably his best performance of the season against a talented 49ers defense. He was poised throughout the day and made good decisions on a consistent basis. He threw for three touchdown passes in order to upset the 49ers and looked like a veteran player in the process. Carr has had his rough games this season, but it is encouraging the way he can bounce back.
Dec 7, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) prepares to throw a pass against the San Francisco 49ers in the second quarter at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Running Back
Andre Williams
New York Giants
232nd Overall Prospect, 22nd Running Back, 6th Round Grade
The Giants needed their bell cow last weekend and Williams was able to answer the call. Williams ran hard the entire day, picking up a ton of yards after contact, forcing missed tackles and keeping the defense on its toes. He is not the fastest back, but he had a big run where he ran hard to pick up a chunk of yards. Williams has been up and down this season, but this is an encouraging sign going forward.
Wide Receiver
Sammy Watkins
Buffalo Bills
24th Overall Prospect, 3rd Wide Receiver, 1st Round Grade
Despite atrocious quarterback play during the course of this game, Watkins was still able to put up solid numbers. He showed off good hands and his world class speed that made him such a special prospect. He did a good job picking up yards after the catch where he could, but he was limited by how bad the quarterback play was. Once they get a real quarterback in Buffalo, Watkins will be a star.
Odell Beckham Jr.
New York Giants
21st Overall Prospect, 2nd Wide Receiver, 1st Round Grade
Another outstanding game from Odell Beckham as he is playing like one of the best receivers in the league. He was quick as ever, ran beautiful routes and had incredible catches in traffic (like usual) that made his quarterback look good. Beckham is already and absolute star and it will be exciting to watch him get better.
Dec 7, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr (13) carries the ball against Tennessee Titans cornerback Jason McCourty (30) during the second half at LP Field. The Giants beat the Titans 36-7. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports
Tight End
Eric Ebron
Detroit Lions
9th Overall Prospect, 1st Tight End, 1st Round Grade
Sigh. Another week of mediocre play from this crop of tight ends. Ebron had a solid day though, picking up yards in the passing game and doing a good job of getting open on the field. Where he shined most is as a run blocker and that is why he finds himself on here. Hopefully, the Lions can get him more involved in the passing game and utilize the mismatch he is.
Offensive Tackle
Jake Matthews
Atlanta Falcons
5th Overall Prospect, 1st Tackle, 1st Round Grade
Matthews has had a rough bunch of weeks over the season, but now that he is playing healthier, his play has improved as well (Who woulda thunk?). He had his best game of the season against the Packers as he looked very good in pass protection all day. His performance was a huge part of the massive passing day the Falcons had. He still needs to improve his run blocking, but it looks better than it has, which is very encouraging.
Seantrel Henderson
Buffalo Bills
57th Overall Player, 9th Offensive Tackle, Second Round Grade
Against what is a big time Broncos front, Henderson had a very good performance. He had a solid day protecting his quarterback, looking strong on the edge, but his best work came in the running game. It is very impressive how well he moves for such a big person and the Broncos were really affected by that. Henderson has had a bumpy season, but his flashes have been very encouraging and he could be a mainstay on that line for a while.
Offensive Guard
Zack Martin
Dallas Cowboys
31st Overall Player, 5th Offensive Lineman , 1st Round Grade
Coming off a rough game where Martin was handled by the Philadelphia Eagles, he bounced back with an incredibly strong performance against the Bears defense. He kept Tony Romo clean throughout the day in pass protection and he was fantastic run blocking. He paved the way for another huge performance by the Cowboys running game. Martin has a been a huge part of this line and has been incredibly steady this year.
Brandon Linder
Jacksonville Jaguars
199th Overall Player, 16th Interior Offensive Lineman, 6th Round Grade
Linder put on another fantastic game. He held his own in the passing game against JJ Watt, which very few players can claim to have done. If that was not good enough, Linder had another fantastic game run blocking, opening up the Jacksonville running game a bit. Linder has been a huge surprise this year and arguably the best player on the Jaguars offense and the team should be psyched for his strong play.
Center
Luke Bowanko
Jacksonville Jaguars
Unranked
The Jaguars interior offensive line has been one of the biggest surprises of the season and rookie center, Luke Bowanko has played a big part in that to go along with Brandon Linder. Bowanko had a strong outing against the Texans, looking good keeping his Quarterback clean for most of the day, and he also look solid in the running game. This Jacksonville offense is young, but they should see a huge leap in quality of play next year with the young talent they have up front.
Interior Defensive Line
Aaron Donald
St. Louis Rams
46th Overall Prospect, 7th IDL, Early 2nd Round Grade
Another fantastic game from the rookie sensation, Donald was a monster all day in the passing game. He did a fantastic job getting push from inside and disrupting the passing game and he was able to notch another sack. He played the run well, but his best play came against the pass. Donald has been something else this season.
Dec 7, 2014; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris (46) carries the ball as St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (99) attempts the tackle in the third quarter at FedEx Field. The Rams won 24-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Timmy Jernigan
Baltimore Ravens
92nd Overall Prospect, 10th IDL, 3rd Round Grade
Despite not seeing the field a ton, Jernigan still did a fantastic job making his presence felt when given the opportunity. He made his impact felt in the passing game especially, generating an impressive amount of pressure and getting hits on the quarterback. Jernigan will need to step up in the absence of Haloti Ngata, and it looks like that is what Jernigan is doing.
Edge Defender
Khalil Mack
Oakland Raiders
5th Overall Player, 2nd Linebacker, 1st Round Grade
The big (stupid) knock on Mack’s rookie season has been lack of numbers, so hopefully people take notice to his 2 sack game against a lauded 49ers offensive line. Mack was just too quick for the linemen and was able to create pressure from all over the formation, making life for Colin Kaepernick very difficult. Mack played a big part in the Raiders upsetting San Francisco. Not only was he good rushing the passer, but he also had another strong game against the run. Mack has been an all around stud this year and watching him get better is exciting.
Dec 7, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders outside linebacker Khalil Mack (52) celebrates behind San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore (21) after a Raiders sack against the 49ers during the second quarter at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Jeremiah Attoachu
San Diego Chargers
17th Overall Player, 2nd Edge defender, 1st Round Grade
Attoachu gets a frustratingly small amount of snaps on a weekly basis, but he still makes an impact when he is on the field. Like usual, he was able to generate pressure on the Patriots passing game on Sunday night despite only seeing the field for 20 snaps. Hopefully the Chargers can increase his role to get more from their front seven.
Linebacker
Devon Kennard
New York Giants
214th Overall prospect, 23rd Edge Player, 6th Round Grade
Kennard continues a string of solid play for the Giants. Despite not playing every down, Kennard makes a good impact in the running game and as a pass rusher. He plays very smart and has a fantastic motor to help him make plays on the ball carrier. On Sunday, Kennard notched another two sacks and continued his solid play in the running game. He has been a nice piece for the Giants this year and his role should increase as the year goes on.
Chris Borland
San Fransisco 49ers
76th Overall Player, 7th Linebacker, 2nd Round Pick.
Borland did not have the great game he has been prone to having this season, but he still had a good one. He was incredibly strong in the run game all day, playing smart and very aggressive, attacking the line of scrimmage consistently. He had his issues in the passing game, but his fantastic run defense lands him on this list.
CJ Mosley
Baltimore Ravens
3rd Overall Prospect, 1st Linebacker, 1st Round Grade.
Mosley has been overshadowed by the play of other rookie linebackers as of late, but Mosley put on a strong performance against the Dolphins to earn himself a spot here. He looked good playing the run over the course of the game, playing with good instincts and an aggressive mentality. Where he was best was in coverage, looking very fluid and holding his own in zone and man coverage. They tried to go after him quite a bit, but he looked a lot better than the numbers suggest.
Dec 7, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker C.J. Mosley (left) and inside linebacker Daryl Smith (right) on the bench during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium. Ravens won 28-13. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Cornerback
Bené Benwikere
Carolina Panthers
240th Overall Player, 21st Corner, 7th Round Grade
Benwikere has been a steady contributor for the Panthers the entire season, but this was his breakout game. He looked fantastic in coverage. He gave up a few receptions, but he was able to limit his man to the best of his ability and he had a fantastic interception and a big pass defended. It is great to get late round value and it looks like the Panthers found themselves a good corner.
Aaron Colvin
Jacksonville Jaguars
Unranked
Colvin is really playing well despite just coming back from injury. He did a fantastic job in coverage on Sunday, not allowing anything when the ball was thrown near him. Not only did he look good in coverage, he had another game with strong run defense. He has really become a big part of this Jaguars defense.
Safety
Deone Bucannon
Arizona Cardinals
96th Overall Player, 8th Safety, 3rd Round Grade
Bucannon had another very good game in coverage, which is encouraging in his new role. He still needs to improve his run defense, but it difficult for him to play the run considering he is basically playing linebacker for the Cardinals. He was an important part of the Cardinals win last week and he earns himself a spot on this list.
Dec 7, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals safety Deone Bucannon (36) forces a fumble on Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) in the fourth quarter at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Cardinals defeated the Chiefs 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Tre Boston
Carolina Panthers
180th Overall Player, 19th Safety, 6th Round Grade
A big part of Carolina trouncing the Saints was the play in the secondary and Boston was key in that aspect. He looked very good playing per the top and allowed very little to be done in his coverage. He is another contributor that the Panthers found in the later rounds, which they must be thrilled as he has had a solid season.
Rookie Of the Week: Derek Carr
Bouncing back from a rough game, Carr had the best game of career and it came against a very good defense. The Raiders have to be excited about the resilience he has shown this season. Carr is going to be a long term player for the Raiders and a very good one.
Dec 7, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) celebrates after the touchdown by fullback Marcel Reece (45) during the third quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Oakland Raiders defeated the San Francisco 49ers 24-13. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports