With The First Pick
Fansided

Championship Sunday: Each remaining NFL team relying on key rookies

By Nicholas McGee

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 11: Nick Bosa #97 and Kwon Alexander #56 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrate after a sack during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings during the NFC Divisional Round Playoff game at Levi's Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 11: Nick Bosa #97 and Kwon Alexander #56 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrate after a sack during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings during the NFC Divisional Round Playoff game at Levi's Stadium on January 11, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 08: A.J. Brown #11 of the Tennessee Titans celebrates after he scored a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game at RingCentral Coliseum on December 08, 2019 in Oakland, California. He now plays on one of the final four teams left in the NFL Playoffs on this Championship Sunday. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 08: A.J. Brown #11 of the Tennessee Titans celebrates after he scored a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game at RingCentral Coliseum on December 08, 2019 in Oakland, California. He now plays on one of the final four teams left in the NFL Playoffs on this Championship Sunday. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Each of the NFL final four having received significant contributions from rookies leading up to Championship Sunday, set to determine their Super Bowl fates

The NFL is down to its final four, with the league’s other 28 teams watching from home to see who will face off in Super Bowl LIV. Which of the final four teams will rise to the occasion on this Championship Sunday?

Those left competing to play in Miami all have their differences, but they all have one thing in common: excellent rookie classes.

It is no coincidence that each of the teams playing on Championship Sunday nailed their respective drafts and here we look at the contributions those franchises have received from their rookies.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans’ gamble on Jeffery Simmons in the first round has already paid dividends. Simmons tore his ACL in the 2019 pre-draft process and did not play a snap until Week 7, but the former Mississippi State standout has proven a disruptive force in the middle of the defensive line and should be a mainstay of Tennessee’s defense for years to come.

Wide receiver A.J. Brown built an excellent case for Offensive Rookie of the Year, becoming a go-to target for Ryan Tannehill and finishing the regular season with 1,051 receiving yards and nine total touchdowns.

Third-round pick Nate Davis is a starter at guard and will have a pivotal role to play in slowing down Chris Jones and the Chiefs’ interior pass rush in the AFC title game.

Tennessee hit on each of its top-three picks and, despite the limited returns of the lower-round selections, the 2019 season has to be considered an extremely successful one for the Titans’ rookie class.

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