NFL1000: Rookie Review Heading into 2016 Regular Season

The draft is the lifeblood of the NFL, and rookies comprise many of the league’s most exciting stories in any NFL season. For every high-picked “draft bust,” there’s a low-picked or undrafted player who will far exceed his preseason projections and become an indispensable part of his team.

There’s a lot to sort out when it comes to rookie performances. How will these young players adapt to the speed, power and complexity of the NFL game? Will they switch positions at the next level? Are they stuck in a loaded depth chart, or is there real opportunity to shine from the start?

This is why the NFL1000 team will be evaluating first-year players separately in our Rookie Review. There’s this article, in which we premiere our grades and evaluative criteria for rookies, and there will be a Rookie Review for every week of the 2016 NFL season, in which you’ll be able to see which rookies are ascending and descending based solely on their performances.

For the initial Rookie Review, we made our assessments on a player’s college tape and as much preseason performance as we could review. Of course, preseason tape can be skewed based on strength of competition, as can college tape, so we’ve taken that into consideration.

Our team of scouts were given a series of important attributes to grade for every player in their positional review. Using a grading scale starting at zero and going up to anywhere from 10 to 40 based on the position and the attribute, our scouts have graded each player based on their own expertise, and countless hours of tape review over the years.

• Doug Farrar — Lead Scout/Centers
• Cian Fahey — Quarterbacks
• John Middlekauff — Running Backs/Fullbacks
• Alex Kirby — Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
• Mark Schofield — Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
• Duke Manyweather — Offensive Tackles
• Ethan Young — Offensive Guards
• Joe Goodberry — Defensive Ends
• Charles McDonald — Defensive Tackles
• Zach Kruse — 3-4 Outside Linebackers
• Derrik Klassen — 4-3 Outside Linebackers
• Jerod Brown — Inside Linebackers
• Kyle Posey — Cornerbacks
• Ian Wharton — Cornerbacks
• Mark Bullock — Safeties
• Chuck Zodda — Special Teams

Both at the collegiate level and at the NFL level, rookies are graded with an adjustment to opponent, an adjustment for positional responsibilities and no adjustments for injuries. In the case where a rookie was unable to play in most or any of his preseason games, our evaluations are based on his college tape and a specific series of estimates based on his position, his team and the relative talents of those around him—from his teammates to his coaching staff.

So here, without further ado, is the opener in our Rookie Review series. Remember these names, and follow them here throughout the 2016 season!

Advanced stats courtesy of Pro Football Focus

Biggest Movers Heading into the Season

Stephen Brashear/Associated Press

How do you quantify the effect of the low-drafted or undrafted star? How do you chart the progress of those rookies who are struggling to make their way? With the weekly NFL1000 Rookie Review, we’ll look to do both of those things, and part of that process is to align players with their draft position relative to their on-field performance. It’s what NFL teams do, and it’s what we’ll do.

Our initial player rankings are based as much as possible on preseason performance, with college tape mixed in as much as is required. Our list of movers, whether up or down, is based entirely on NFL performance, and here are five players with as much movement up and down our rookie rankings as anyone.

1. Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys

2016 Draft Position: 135 (fourth round, 37th pick)

Rank This Week: 2

What Happened: With Jared Goff and Carson Wentz as the big rookie quarterback stories of the 2015 preseason, Prescott came out of nowhere in a relative sense to make the biggest impact by far of any rookie at his position. With Tony Romo going through yet another injury drama, Prescott looks to have saved Dallas from another year like 2015, in which a series of marginal backups were unable to move the offense to any great effect.

Yes, it was preseason, but set that aside and watch him play, and you see a full-field reader with a good arm, impressive accuracy under pressure and a feel for the play-action game. He completed 39 of 50 passes for 454 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions in his first preseason.

Dallas’ starter going into the 2016 regular season, Prescott has a few things on his side: Dez Bryant as his No. 1 receiver, the efforts of fellow rookie Ezekiel Elliott at running back and the best offensive line in the league. Prescott may make his share of rookie mistakes, but take the upside here. This is no flash in the pan.

2. Jared Goff, QB, Los Angeles Rams

2016 Draft Position: 1 (first round, first pick)

Rank This Week: 137

What Happened: Yes, you read that right—the top-drafted player in 2016, the man the Rams traded a king’s ransom in draft picks to select, didn’t make our inaugural Rookie Review Top 100. More ignominiously, he’s been busted down to third on Los Angeles’ depth chart after an uneven preseason in which he showed little ability to read the field and make quick decisions.

Goff completed just 44.9 percent of his passes in the preseason, with two interceptions and a series of non-picks that were just as bad. It’s no sin to sit a quarterback until he’s ready, but it very much sounds like the Rams expected more from Goff than they actually got right off the bat.

There will be adjustments to be made as Goff transitions from the “Bear-Raid” offense he ran at Cal to the Rams’ ground-based attack, and it doesn’t help that he’s got a subpar series of targets and an offensive line that struggles to pass block for anyone.

3. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

2016 Draft Position: 45 (second round, 15th pick)

Rank This Week: 3

What Happened: Henry came into the perfect position for the skill set he showed so impressively at Alabama. The 6’3”, 247-pound earth-mover was by far the league’s most productive preseason back with 216 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 34 carries.

Titans head coach Mike Mularkey has famously said that he wants to run an “exotic smashmouth” offense, and while Tennessee is still struggling with the “exotic” part of the equation, Henry seems poised to provide the “smashmouth” element all season long. Add in his surprising agility for his size, and you have a potential franchise back in the making.

4. Evan Boehm, C, Arizona Cardinals

2016 Draft Position: 128 (fourth round, 30th pick)

Rank This Week: 34

What Happened: It’s Boehm’s goal to become the third young starting NFL center from Missouri in the past few years, joining Kansas City’s Mitch Morse and Seattle’s Justin Britt in that category. He’ll begin his NFL career third on the Cardinals’ depth chart based on his transition to line calls and adjusting protections, but based on his Missouri tape and his 2016 preseason, Boehm is well in line to make his goal a reality sooner than later.

The former wrestling champion shows impressive power at the point of attack, but he’s not a “phone-booth” guy—he can also wall off his man in zone schemes and hit the linebacker level with authority.

5. Tajae Sharpe, WR, Tennessee Titans

2016 Draft Position: 140 (fifth round, first pick)

Rank This Week: 15

What Happened: New Titans general manager Jon Robinson has made it his goal to remake Tennessee’s roster based on the players he prefers, and he may have a relative steal in Sharpe, the Massachusetts product who really showed something this preseason. He caught nine passes for 163 yards and has already gained the trust of quarterback Marcus Mariota.

With Tennessee’s receiver corps in flux, look for Sharpe to get every opportunity to lead the team in targets this year and to make a real difference with his savvy and versatility.

Top 100 Rookies Overall Heading into the Season

Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Beyond the player grades and ranking in Bleacher Report’s NFL1000, we want to zero in on NFL rookies and spotlight the best and worst in their transition from the college game to the pro game. Our first Top 100 Rookie Rankings are based as much as possible on preseason performance, with a healthy dose of college tape mixed in as needed. As these young men head into the next phase of their careers, here’s how things shook out based on our grades for the new NFL class.

Top-100 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	NFL1000 Score	LW	Moving
1	Ronnie Stanley	OT	BAL	6	84	-	↑
2	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	DAL	4	83	-	↑
3	Derrick Henry	RB	TEN	45	75	-	↑
4	Taylor Decker	OT	DET	16	75	-	↑
5	Chris Jones	DT	KC	37	75	-	↑
6	Karl Joseph	SS	OAK	14	75	-	↑
7	Devontae Booker	RB	DEN	136	74	-	↑
8	Will Fuller	WR	HOU	21	74	-	↑
9	Halapoulivaati Vaitai	OT	PHI	164	74	-	↑
10	Darian Thompson	FS	NYG	71	74	-	↑
11	Dak Prescott	QB	DAL	135	73	-	↑
12	DeAndre Washington	RB	OAK	143	73	-	↑
13	Sterling Shepard	WR	NYG	40	73	-	↑
14	Braxton Miller	WR	HOU	85	73	-	↑
15	Tajae Sharpe	WR	TEN	140	73	-	↑
16	Jordan Payton	WR	CLE	154	73	-	↑
17	Charone Peake	WR	NYJ	241	73	-	↑
18	Laquon Treadwell	WR	MIN	23	72	-	↑
19	Spencer Drango	OT	CLE	168	72	-	↑
20	Jack Conklin	OT	TEN	8	72	-	↓
21	Ryan Kelly	C	IND	18	72	-	↓
22	Sheldon Rankins	DT	NO	12	72	-	↓
23	Vonn Bell	FS	NO	61	72	-	↑
24	Jordan Howard	RB	CHI	150	71	-	↑
25	Michael Thomas	WR	NO	47	71	-	↑
26	Malcolm Mitchell	WR	NE	112	71	-	↑
27	Demarcus Robinson	WR	KC	126	71	-	↑
28	Shon Coleman	OT	CLE	76	71	-	↑
29	Joe Thuney	OG	NE	78	71	-	↑
30	Robert Nkemdiche	DT	ARI	29	71	-	-
31	Myles Jack	OLB	JAX	36	71	-	↑
32	Jonathan Williams	RB	BUF	156	70	-	↑
33	Tyler Boyd	WR	CIN	55	70	-	↑
34	Evan Boehm	C	ARI	128	70	-	↑
35	Joey Bosa	DE	SD	3	70	-	↓
36	Keanu Neal	SS	ATL	17	70	-	↓
37	Miles Killebrew	SS	DET	111	70	-	↑
38	KJ Dillon	SS	HOU	159	70	-	↑
39	Deon Bush	SS	CHI	124	70	-	↑
40	Kenneth Dixon	RB	BAL	134	69	-	↑
41	Chris Moore	WR	BAL	107	69	-	↑
42	Jakeem Grant	WR	MIA	186	69	-	↑
43	Hunter Henry	TE	SD	35	69	-	↓
44	Austin Hooper	TE	ATL	81	69	-	↑
45	Joshua Garnett	OG	SF	28	69	-	↓
46	Laremy Tunsil	OG	MIA	13	69	-	↓
47	Kenny Clark	DT	GB	27	69	-	↓
48	*Jaylon Smith	OLB	DAL	34	69	-	↓
49	B.J. Goodson	ILB	NYG	109	69	-	↑
50	C.J. Prosise	RB	SEA	90	68	-	↑
51	Tyler Ervin	RB	HOU	119	68	-	↑
52	Darius Jackson	RB	DAL	216	68	-	↑
53	Rashard Higgins	WR	CLE	172	68	-	↑
54	Jason Sprigs	OT	GB	48	68	-	-
55	Le'Raven Clark	OT	IND	82	68	-	↑
56	Nick Vigil	ILB	CIN	87	68	-	↑
57	Antonio Morrison	ILB	IND	125	68	-	↑
58	Blake Martinez	ILB	GB	131	68	-	↑
59	Su'a Cravens	ILB	WAS	53	68	-	↓
60	Derrick Kindred	SS	CLE	129	68	-	↑
61	Jayron Kearse	SS	MIN	244	68	-	↑
62	Drew Kaser	P	SD	179	68	-	↑
63	Paxton Lynch	QB	DEN	26	67	-	↓
64	Tyler Higbee	TE	STL	110	67	-	↑
65	Kyle Murphy	OT	GB	200	67	-	↑
66	Jarran Reed	DT	SEA	49	67	-	↓
67	Vernon Butler	DT	CAR	30	67	-	↓
68	Leonard Floyd	OLB	CHI	9	67	-	↓
69	Kamalei Correa	OLB	BAL	42	67	-	↓
70	Dadi Lhomme Nicolas	OLB	KC	203	67	-	↑
71	Kentrell Brothers	ILB	MIN	160	67	-	↑
72	Vernon Hargreaves	CB	TB	11	67	-	↓
73	Marqui Christian	SS	ARI	167	67	-	↑
74	Dwayne Washington	RB	DET	236	66	-	↑
75	Leonte Carroo	WR	MIA	86	66	-	↑
76	Devin Lucien	WR	NE	225	66	-	↑
77	Connor McGovern	OG	DEN	144	66	-	↑
78	Christian Westerman	OG	CIN	161	66	-	↑
79	Cody Whitehair	OG	CHI	56	66	-	↓
80	Germain Ifedi	OG	SEA	31	66	-	↓
81	Max Tuerk	C	SD	66	66	-	↓
82	Joe Schobert	OLB	CLE	99	66	-	↑
83	Elandon Roberts	ILB	NE	214	66	-	↑
84	Jalen Ramsey	CB	JAX	5	66	-	↓
85	Kevin Byard	FS	TEN	64	66	-	↓
86	Keith Marshall	RB	WAS	242	65	-	↑
87	Andy Janovich	FB	DEN	176	65	-	↑
88	Nick Vannett	TE	SEA	94	65	-	-
89	David Morgan	TE	MIN	188	65	-	↑
90	Ted Karras	OG	NE	221	65	-	↑
91	Alex Lewis	OG	BAL	130	65	-	↑
92	DeForest Buckner	DE	SF	7	65	-	↓
93	Noah Spence	DE	TB	39	65	-	↓
94	A'Shawn Robinson	DT	DET	46	65	-	↓
95	Maliek Collins	DT	DAL	67	65	-	↓
96	Kyler Fackrell	OLB	GB	88	65	-	-
97	Tyler Matakevich	ILB	PIT	246	65	-	↑
98	Darron Lee	ILB	NYJ	20	65	-	↓
99	DeAndre Houston-Carson	FS	CHI	185	65	-	↑
100	Will Parks	SS	DEN	219	65	-	↑

*Out for 2016 season

Quarterbacks

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Jared Goff entered Rams training camp in position to compete for the starting spot. He needed to beat out Case Keenum. Not only did he fail to beat out Keenum, he was outplayed by Sean Mannion and is now the Rams' third-string quarterback. Goff has looked nowhere near ready to start for the Rams, and even though it's still early, that's a major red flag for someone who went first overall after a blockbuster trade. Goff played in all four preseason games but left two with minor injuries.

Second overall pick Carson Wentz only played in one preseason game after taking a heavy hit during his debut. It was a relatively impressive debut for Wentz, who showed off good timing and an understanding of where to go with the ball before it was snapped. Wentz had injury issues in college, though, so this injury can't be brushed off easily either.

The New York Jets refused to play Christian Hackenberg for the first two preseason games and then it became clear why they didn't. Hackenberg had one strong drive before looking like the player who was widely criticized for his performances at Penn State.

With the top picks tumbling, it was left to a quarterback with a star on his helmet to be the star of this class. Dak Prescott will open the season as the Dallas Cowboys starter. That is only because of injuries to Tony Romo and Kellen Moore ahead of him, but it's also a reflection on how well Prescott performed.

Had he not played as well as he did during the preseason, the Cowboys would have been more aggressive in adding a veteran backup after Romo's injury. Prescott won't run an expansive offense. The Cowboys will use his athleticism and strong arm while relying on him to sustain the poise he showed off against pressure once the regular season begins.

Grading Scale

Acc. — Accuracy (Graded out of 25)

Arm — Arm Strength (Graded out of 25)

Press — Pressure/Run Threat (Graded Out of 20)

Dec. — Decision-Making (Graded Out of 20)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie QB Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Acc.	Arm	Press.	Dec.	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Dak Prescott	DAL	19	19	13	12	10	73	-	-
2	Paxton Lynch	DEN	17	18	10	10	10	65	-	-
3	Carson Wentz	PHI	15	19	8	7	10	59	-	-
4	Jared Goff	LA	15	15	7	8	10	55	-	-
5	Trevone Boykin	SEA	14	16	7	5	10	52	-	-
6	Connor Cook	OAK	14	19	4	4	10	51	-	-
7	Jacoby Brissett	NE	13	16	4	6	10	49	-	-
8	Cardale Jones	BUF	11	17	5	5	10	48	-	-
9	Cody Kessler	CLE	13	13	4	6	10	46	-	-
10	C. Hackenberg	NYJ	9	16	4	4	10	43	-	-

 

Notable Performances

Dak Prescott

Preseason Stats: 39-for-50, 454 yards, 5 Touchdowns, 0 Interceptions

Dak Prescott has been the biggest storyline of the preseason, and he will be one of the biggest storylines in Week 1 of the regular season. Prescott has given the Cowboys hope that wouldn't have existed otherwise in the wake of Tony Romo's back injury. He played in a simplified passing game, mostly throwing off play action, but Prescott showed off poise against pressure, good enough accuracy and a willingness to be aggressive with the ball.

 

Paxton Lynch

Preseason Stats: 40-for-68, 456 yards, 4 Touchdowns, 2 Interceptions

Paxton Lynch hasn't won the starting job in Denver, and he was never really in the competition between Trevor Siemian and Mark Sanchez. Despite that, Lynch has impressed the Broncos with his arm talent and accuracy against a lesser caliber of opposition. Lynch should be the Broncos starter by midseason.

 

Carson Wentz

Preseason Stats: 12-for-24, 89 yard, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception

Carson Wentz's position here is more reflective of how poor this class has been than how impressive he was in his lone display during the preseason. Wentz showed off good timing and made pre-snap reads consistently. His accuracy and decision-making from the pocket after the snap remain concerning.

 

Jared Goff

Preseason Stats: 22-for-49, 232 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions

Jared Goff deserves to be the third-choice quarterback in Los Angeles. Goff has been hesitant in the pocket while missing reads downfield and showing off inconsistent accuracy.

He entered training camp expecting to compete for the starting spot but was ultimately overtaken by Sean Mannion because Mannion outplayed him. For a first-round pick this would be a disaster. For the first overall pick it's a complete travesty. For the first overall pick who was acquired in a trade, it's...it's everything the Rams quarterback position has been since head coach Jeff Fisher took over.

Running Backs

Ron Jenkins/Associated Press

The 2016 rookie running back class was clearly led by a headliner in Ezekiel Elliott, but there are several players who should contribute and even become starters as the 2016 season progresses. The trend continued in the 2016 NFL draft in terms of the exclusion of running backs in early rounds, but the few who went high should have a major impact.

The Cowboys selected Elliott with the fourth pick in the draft, and after an explosive performance against the Seattle starters, the rookie is poised to live up to the hype. Elliot showed it all: vision, speed, wiggle, explosive burst and jaw-dropping power colliding with Kam Chancellor. With Tony Romo’s health in peril and the Cowboys starting a rookie for the foreseeable future, leading the NFL in rushing might not be out of the question with Elliot.

The Titans' new “exotic smashmouth” approach looks to be perfect match for second-round pick Derrick Henry. He’s had a good preseason and should be ready for a productive rookie season.

Broncos fourth-rounder Devontae Booker fell in the draft with medical concerns but should split and even steal carries from C.J. Anderson, especially if Paxton Lynch becomes the starter.

Raiders fifth-round RB DeAndre Washington could be a late-round steal, playing a big role in the passing game for the Raiders offense.

The Bears are high on their rookie Jordan Howard, who should contribute on early downs and get some red-zone carries.

Grading Scale

In — Inside Running (Graded out of 25)

Out — Outside Running (Graded out of 25)

Rec. — Receiving (Graded Out of 20)

Blk. — Blocking (Graded Out of 20)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie RB Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	In.	Out	Rec	Blk	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Ezekiel Elliott	DAL	22	22	16	17	6	83	-	-
2	Derrick Henry	TEN	19	19	15	16	6	75	-
3	Devontae Booker	DEN	18	18	17	15	6	74	-	-
4	DeAndre Washington	OAK	17	18	18	14	6	73	-
5	Jordan Howard	CHI	18	18	15	14	6	71	-	-
6	Jonathan Williams	BUF	17	17	16	14	6	70	-
7	Kenneth Dixon	BAL	17	16	14	16	6	69	-	-
8	C.J. Prosise	SEA	17	17	15	13	6	68	-
9	Tyler Ervin	HOU	15	17	16	14	6	68	-	-
10	Darius Jackson	DAL	17	16	15	14	6	68	-
11	Dwayne Washington	DET	15	16	14	15	6	66	-	-
12	Keith Marshall	WAS	16	15	14	14	6	65	-
13	Paul Perkins	NYJ	14	15	16	13	6	64	-	-
14	Alex Collins	SEA	15	15	14	13	6	63	-
15	Daniel Lasco	NO	16	14	13	14	6	63	-	-
16	Kelvin Taylor	SF	14	14	14	13	6	61	-

 

Notable Omissions

Kenyan Drake  Has not played (Hamstring)

Wendell Smallwood — Has not played (Concussion)

 

Notable Performances

Ezekiel Elliott

Preseason Stats: 7 carries, 48 yards, 0 touchdowns

The No. 4 overall pick has the chance to become an NFL star. The most complete RB prospect we have seen since Adrian Peterson, there is nothing Zeke can't do. Behind the NFL's top offensive line this rookie looks poised for a Pro Bowl-level year. Against Seattle he showed it all and turned heads when he ran through Kam Chancellor. The sky is the limit.

 

Derrick Henry

Preseason Stats: 27 carries, 154 yards, 2 touchdowns

Henry has looked excellent in the preseason. He has answered questions about his upright running style, working his way through NFL defenders and even making them miss in space. His play speed has translated, and he has been a solid goal-line option for the Titans. Expect a productive rookie season.

 

DeAndre Washington

Preseason Stats: 21 carries, 106 yards, 0 touchdowns. 5 Receptions, 29 yards, 1 touchdown

Washington has shown a lot of versatility this preseason. His ability as a receiver has been on full display playing with the first string in Week 3. Linebackers will struggle to cover him. For a small back, he has proved he can run between the tackles and can play physical.

Fullbacks

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

The fullback is a dying position in the NFL—you hear that all the time. And with offenses running formations with three or more receivers 60 percent of the time in 2015, there’s some truth to that.

Still, there’s room for the more versatile fullback in today’s NFL, and there were three fullbacks selected in the 2016 draft. All three were selected in the sixth round, and all with the possibility to see a good number of reps at the NFL level—whether in two-back sets or on special teams. However, as all three players have played limited snaps in the preseason and struggled a bit with the speed and complexity of the NFL, there is a chance that none of these guys see significant playing time early.

Grading Scale

Blk. — Blocking (Graded out of 25)

Run — Running (Graded out of 25)

Rec. — Receiving (Graded Out of 20)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie RB Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Blk	Run	Rec	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Andy Janovich	DEN	40	12	9	4	65	-	-
2	Dan Vitale	FA	36	12	9	4	61	-	-
3	Derek Watt	SD	36	12	9	4	61	-	-

 

 

Notable Performances

Andy Janovich, Denver Broncos

Preseason Stats: 46 preseason snaps, no QB pressures allowed

Now that Peyton Manning is retired and seemingly doing more television commercials than ever, there's no question that head coach Gary Kubiak can run his own offense, which can rely heavily on a move fullback in the play-action and power-running games. Janovich has looked strong as a run-blocker in the preseason.

 

Derek Watt, San Diego Chargers

Preseason Stats: 44 preseason snaps, no QB pressures allowed

He's known primarily as J.J. Watt's younger brother, and as with any of the Baby Gronks, Derek Watt will have to rise through limited starting time and a heavy load of special teams work.

 

Wide Receivers

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Will Fuller is settling into the role many expected him to serve in with the Houston Texans: that of a vertical threat to make plays in the downfield passing game. Sterling Shepard is stepping into a slot role with the Giants and has made some impressive catches out of the slot this preseason.

Down in New Orleans, Michael Thomas seems to be fitting in with head coach Sean Payton's attack and has made some impressive catches, including one twisting grab along the sideline that displayed both hand strength and body control. Malcolm Mitchell was impressive in his first preseason action with the Patriots but suffered an elbow injury that will cause him to miss some time early this season.

The story from this crop of rookies is Tajae Sharpe. The fifth-round selection out of the University of Massachusetts has shined this preseason and is expected to see significant time for the Titans this season.

Grading Scale

Rte. — Route Running (Graded out of 25)

Hds. — Hands (Graded out of 25)

YAC — Run-after-catch ability (Graded Out of 20)

Blk. — Blocking (Graded Out of 20)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie WR Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Rte	Hds	YAC	Blk	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Will Fuller	HOU	18	20	16	12	8	74	-	-
2	Sterling Shepard	NYG	19	19	14	13	8	73	-	-
3	Braxton Miller	HOU	17	19	15	14	8	73	-	-
4	Tajae Sharpe	TEN	19	19	13	14	8	73	-	-
5	Jordan Payton	CLE	18	19	13	15	8	73	-	-
6	Charone Peake	NYJ	17	19	16	13	8	73	-	-
7	Laquon Treadwell	MIN	19	18	16	11	8	72	-	-
8	Michael Thomas	NO	19	20	13	11	8	71	-	-
9	Malcolm Mitchell	NE	17	18	14	14	8	71	-	-
10	Demarcus Robinson	KC	16	19	15	13	8	71	-	-
11	Tyler Boyd	CIN	18	20	13	11	8	70	-	-
12	Chris Moore	BAL	16	17	15	13	8	69	-	-
13	Jakeem Grant	MIA	18	16	15	12	8	69	-	-
14	Rashard Higgins	CLE	17	18	13	12	8	68	-	-
15	Leonte Carroo	MIA	17	18	11	12	8	66	-	-
16	Devin Lucien	NE	16	15	14	13	8	66	-	-
17	Corey Coleman	CLE	20	14	9	13	8	64	-	-
18	Pharoh Cooper	LA	16	16	15	9	8	64	-	-
19	Tyreek Hill	KC	17	17	12	10	8	64	-	-
20	Kenny Lawler	SEA	16	16	13	10	8	63	-	-
21	Demarcus Ayers	PIT	15	15	12	12	8	62	-	-
22	Devin Fuller	ATL	16	16	11	11	8	62	-	-
23	Ricardo Louis	CLE	15	15	12	10	8	60	-	-
24	Trevor Davis	GB	17	15	11	9	8	60	-	-
25	Mike Thomas	LA	16	14	13	9	8	60	-	-
26	Daniel Braverman	CHI	15	16	11	10	8	60	-	-
27	Aaron Burbridge	SF	15	14	13	9	8	59	-	-
28	Cody Core	CIN	12	13	14	11	8	58	-	-
29	Moritz Boehringer	MIN	15	14	11	9	8	57	-	-

 

Notable Omissions:

Josh Doctson — Has not played (Achilles injury)

Kolby Listenbee — Has not played (Hernia surgery)

 

Notable Performances

Will Fuller

Preseason Stats: 8 receptions, 144 yards, 2 touchdowns

Everyone knew Fuller had speed (he ran a 4.32 at the 2016 NFL combine), but what people didn't know was how refined he'd be as a rookie. He's been a solid route-runner and has solidified himself as Brock Osweiler's No. 2 target in the Texans offense. Osweiler even went as so far to call Fuller on Texans radio (h/t the team's official website) "a very special football player."

 

Tajae Sharpe

Preseason Stats: 9 receptions, 163 yards, 0 touchdowns

Not many people knew about the UMass product heading into the year, but Sharpe has looked sharp ever since being slotted into the Titans starting offense in training camp. He's a phenomenal route-runner (as seen by his high score there: 19 out of 25), and Marcus Mariota seems to trust him. The group of receivers in Tennessee is pretty abysmal, which has allowed Sharpe to jump to the top of the depth chart where he should see a productive rookie season for being a fifth-round pick.

 

Laquon Treadwell

Preseason Stats: 6 receptions, 61 yards, 0 touchdowns

On the opposite end of the spectrum we have Treadwell, who has disappointed mightily in his first training camp. The highly touted first-round rookie mustered only 61 yards all preseason and looks like he'll be behind Stefon Diggs and Charles Johnson in a weak Vikings passing offense. However, the tools are there; he's a strong route-runner with dependable hands. Give him time.

Tight Ends

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Hunter Henry was the top tight end selected in the draft, and it's looking like the right pick as he's our top-rated rookie tight end headed into the season. He's an extremely skilled blocker with reliable hands. With Antonio Gates aging and Ladarius Green headed off to Pittsburgh, Henry could find a big role this season.

Tyler Higbee has been a nice surprise for the Los Angeles Rams as a fourth-round steal. The athletic tight end prospect out of Western Kentucky has drawn rave reviews with Todd Gurley even labeling him "Little Baby Gronk."

However, the class as a whole is fairly weak, with only a couple of starting-caliber talents.

Grading Scale

Rte. — Route Running (Graded out of 25)

Hds. — Hands (Graded out of 25)

YAC — Run-after-catch ability (Graded Out of 20)

Blk. — Blocking (Graded Out of 20)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie TE Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Rte	Hds	YAC	Blk	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Hunter Henry	SD	15	18	10	20	6	69	-	-
2	Austin Hooper	ATL	14	19	10	20	6	69	-	-
3	Tyler Higbee	STL	14	18	10	19	6	67	-	-
4	Nick Vannett	SEA	13	18	9	19	6	65	-	-
5	David Morgan	MIN	14	17	12	16	6	65	-	-
6	T. Hemingway	STL	13	17	9	18	6	63	-	-
7	Jerell Adams	NYG	13	15	11	16	6	61	-	-
8	Beau Sandland	CAR	14	14	10	16	6	60	-	-
9	Thomas Duarte	MIA	13	12	15	12	6	58	-	-
10	Rico Gathers	DAL	13	15	10	13	6	57	-	-

 

Notable Performances

Hunter Henry

Preseason Stats: 5 receptions, 57 yards, 0 touchdowns

With Antonio Gates sitting out the preseason, Henry had plenty of chances to show what he could do with the first-team offense, and he really took advantage of the opportunity. A statistical performance doesn't tell the whole story, as he has a keen awareness of where he is on the field and how to get himself open. Still a bit bulky and raw, his lack of acceleration after the catch is his biggest weakness, but he more than makes up for it with his capable hands and ability to get himself open.

 

Austin Hooper

Preseason Stats: 5 receptions, 50 yards, 0 touchdowns

Austin Hooper caught all five of his targets in Atlanta's third preseason game against the Miami Dolphins, gaining 50 yards. He also saw significant time with the first team and showed some ability as a blocker as well.

Offensive Tackles

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

The five offensive line slots are some of the most scrutinized yet misunderstood positions in all of football, and with the popularity of the evaluation process/NFL draft, rookie offensive linemen are placed under the microscope, given labels and judged before they even take a live professional snap.

The moment a prospect's name is called on draft night, their accomplishments in college become irrelevant as it relates to the NFL. On the offensive line especially, there is no such thing as being completely "pro-ready," which is often a buzzword thrown around during the evaluation process.

In fact, many rookies struggle to initially transition into the pro game, whether it be physically or mentally. Preseason often signifies the harsh reality of just how far many rookies have to go before they are truly "pro ready." There will come a point for every rookie offensive tackle, where things are going to get tough, and when it hits the fan, there better be a "tool box" of fundamentals that they can instantly pull from and lean on to get them through.

Stay tuned as we evaluate the rookie left offensive tackles and track exactly which are making a strong transition and which are getting overwhelmed.

So far, Ronnie Stanley has stood out as the story of rookie offensive tackle play as he looks like a future Pro Bowler and the franchise left tackle the Ravens have been missing. 

Grading Scale

OT — Left or Right Tackle designation

Pass — Pass Protection (Graded out of 25)

Run — Run Blocking (Graded out of 25)

Pwr. — Power (Graded Out of 20)

Agl. — Agility (Graded Out of 20)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie OT Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	OT	Pass	Run	Pwr	Agl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Ronnie Stanley	BAL	LT	23	20	16	17	8	84	-	-
2	Taylor Decker	DET	LT	20	16	16	15	8	75	-	-
3	H. Vaitai	PHI	RT	18	19	16	14	7	74	-	-
4	Jack Conklin	TEN	RT	17	20	14	13	8	72	-	-
5	Spencer Drango	CLE	LT	17	16	17	14	8	72	-	-
6	Shon Coleman	CLE	RT	16	16	19	13	7	71	-	-
7	Le'Raven Clark	IND	RT	15	15	14	16	8	68	-	-
8	Jason Spriggs	GB	LT	14	15	15	16	8	68	-	-
9	Kyle Murphy	GB	RT	16	16	15	13	7	67	-	-
10	Brandon Shell	NYJ	LT	16	13	13	14	8	64	-	-
11	John Theus	SF	RT	14	15	13	13	7	62	-	-

  

Notable Performances

Ronnie Stanley

Preseason Stats: 81 snaps, 2 pressures, 0 sacks

The Ravens took Ronnie Stanley sixth overall, and if the rookie out of Notre Dame's performance this preseason is any indication of things to come, Baltimore has to feel great about potentially finding another franchise bookend at left tackle. Stanley came into the NFL acclaimed for his large technical skill set as a pass-blocker, which has been as advertised, but to the surprise of many, Stanley has been a better run-blocker than expected. 

 

Spencer Drango

Preseason Stats: 97 snaps , 1 sack , 2 pressures

I will be the first to admit if I am wrong when evaluating offensive linemen, and I was underwhelmed by Spencer Drango's Baylor film. There was nothing bad, but not much stood out, and Drango ended up being selected in the fifth round, 168th overall.

Fast forward to the Drango's preseason performance, which saw him take snaps at right tackle, offensive guard and left tackle. Drango has looked comfortable in pass protection, efficiently kicking to his spot and showing the ability to consistently anchor.

Drango has looked stout in the run game, showing the ability to releverage his hips and generate force through the ground to power through stalemates. Drango has seen quite a bit of action as a reserve LT behind Joe Thomas, and it is safe to say Drango's best chance at cracking the starting lineup would be at RT. 

 

Jason Spriggs

Preseason Stats: 235 snaps 1 sack, 1 hit, 6 pressures

Green Bay drafted Jason Spriggs in the second round and 48th overall. Spriggs' draft value was not based upon what he was at Indiana or even what he is now. Spriggs was drafted based upon what he can be in the future and based upon the freaky athletic traits he possesses.

Spriggs was inefficient in pass protection in college, often over-setting, but he had enough athleticism to recover if moved off his spot. Those same issues have been magnified this preseason. Spriggs has consistently over-set edge-rushers and has repeatedly been beaten to the inside.

Spriggs is intriguing because you see the flashes, but he still has a long ways to go. The positive side of all of this is there is not a better organization than Green Bay at developing offensive linemen. Bryan Bulaga is the lone first-round draft pick starting on the Packers offensive line.

Offensive Guards

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

This year features a strong group of rookie guards, especially when you consider Laremy Tunsil is being kicked into guard down in Miami. And to no surprise, the Patriots found themselves a gem by snagging Joe Thuney in the third round, who looks like a future staple on their offensive line. Thuney graded as our top rookie guard with his standout movement skills.

Interior linemen often take awhile to find their stride, so don't be surprised if some of these guys struggle early this year. 

Grading Scale

Pass — Pass Protection (Graded out of 25)

Run — Run Blocking (Graded out of 25)

Pwr. — Power (Graded Out of 20)

Agl. — Agility (Graded Out of 20)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie OG Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Pass	Run	Pwr	Agl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Cole Toner	ARI	18	17	15	15	7	72	-	-
2	Joe Thuney	NE	17	16	13	18	7	71	-	-
3	Joshua Garnett	SF	14	16	17	15	7	69	-	-
4	Laremy Tunsil	MIA	16	13	16	17	7	69	-	-
5	Connor McGovern	DEN	13	15	13	18	7	66	-	-
6	Christian Westerman	CIN	13	14	17	15	7	66	-	-
7	Cody Whitehair	CHI	16	13	14	16	7	66	-	-
8	Germain Ifedi	SEA	12	17	17	13	7	66	-	-
9	Ted Karras	NE	15	15	15	13	7	65	-	-
10	Alex Lewis	BAL	15	14	15	14	7	65	-	-
11	Parker Ehinger	KC	14	15	14	13	7	63	-	-
12	Joe Haeg	IND	14	12	14	15	7	62	-	-
13	Joe Dahl	DET	13	13	12	16	7	61	-	-
14	Wes Schweitzer	ATL	12	15	14	13	7	61	-	-
15	Isaac Seumalo	PHI	11	13	15	14	7	60	-	-
16	Spencer Drango	CLE	13	12	15	13	7	60	-	-
17	Sebastian Tretola	TEN	12	14	16	10	7	59	-	-
18	Vadal Alexander	OAK	12	14	15	10	7	58	-	-
19	Rees Odhiambo	SEA	12	13	13	12	7	57	-	-
20	Donavon Clark	SD	11	13	15	10	7	56	-	-

 

Notable Performances

Ted Karras

Preseason Stats: 161 Snaps, 7 pressures, 1 sack

Karras was a prospect I really started to like late in the draft process. He's not flashy, but he consistently wins his assignments and has shown impressive anchor this preseason. It may be tough to see the field with all of New England's interior depth, but he is a perfect plug-and-play depth option.

 

Joe Dahl

Preseason Stats: 185 snaps, 4 pressures, 0 sacks

A lot has changed for Dahl this preseason, as he went from a left tackle in an Air Raid offense to playing guard with his hand in the dirt. There have been a few really bad reps, but at this point he has handled the power of opposing defensive tackles much better than anticipated. Dahl is someone to remember if the Lions suffer injuries, as Geoff Schwartz is no longer in town. 

 

Christian Westerman

Preseason Stats: 151 snaps, 5 pressures, 0 sacks

Buried behind a great guard duo, we may not see Westerman in the starting lineup for a while. But he has continued to show off the impressive seal he had at Arizona State against NFL talent this preseason.

Centers

AJ Mast/Associated Press

Every year, it seems as though there is one standout center in the rookie class. This year, that center is Ryan Kelly. He was not only the top center drafted, but also graded out as our top-rated center. He should help bolster a Colts offensive line that desperately needs help protecting Andrew Luck.

What you’ll also see at the center position just about every season is a player who rises from anonymity to take over his position. This year, that player could be Arizona’s Evan Boehm, who displayed just about every important attribute needed in the preseason, and may only be held back from starting in Bruce Arians’ offense until he gets the advanced protection calls together.

There's another potential stud center from this year's class – Houston’s Nick Martin -- but we're not grading him in this version of the NFL1000.The brother of Pro Bowl guard Zach Martin and a similar standout at Notre Dame should be a solid pro, but unfortunately, he is out for the 2016 season with an ankle injury.

Grading Scale

Pass — Pass Protection (Graded out of 25)

Run — Run Blocking (Graded out of 25)

Pwr. — Power (Graded Out of 20)

Agl. — Agility (Graded Out of 20)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie C Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Pass	Run	Pwr	Agl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Ryan Kelly	IND	17	15	16	18	6	72	-	-
2	Evan Boehm	ARI	15	17	17	15	6	70	-	-
3	Max Tuerk	SD	16	14	15	15	6	66	-	-
4	Joey Hunt	SEA	14	15	14	13	6	62	-	-
5	Austin Blythe	IND	12	14	12	8	6	52	-	-

 

Notable Omissions: 

Nick Martin — Has Not Played (Ankle—Out for 2016 season)

 

Notable Performances

Ryan Kelly

Preseason Stats: 72 snaps, 2 pressures, 1 sack

The Colts selected the Alabama center in the first round of the 2016 draft to start the process of improving their poor offensive line, and for the most part, Kelly has played as advertised. He'll occasionally get beaten by more powerful tackles, and he's a work in progress at the second level, but he comes into the NFL looking like a multiyear starter.

 

Joey Hunt

Preseason Stats: 121 snaps, 0 pressures, 0 sacks

The sixth-round pick from TCU beat out 2015 starter Patrick Lewis for the 2016 backup job behind Justin Britt. He's a lighter player who can show power when facing up, as long as he gets under pads. Hunt is agile on the move, making him a natural zone blocker, but he needs to be more accurate with his targets in space, and he will lose defenders side to side too often.

 

Evan Boehm

Preseason Stats: 250 snaps, 3 pressures, 0 sacks

He's an undervalued fourth-round pick. Boehm is an extremely strong player at the point of attack; definitely brings an attitude to his run blocking and can fight defenders to a draw even when he's rocked off his base. He's not a tremendous athlete at the second level but gets the job done and rears back very effectively in pass pro. Boehm is one to watch as an early starter.

3-4 Defensive Ends

Dominic DiSaia/Associated Press

The story with this class of rookie 3-4 linemen has been the one about the guy who didn’t play. Third overall pick Joey Bosa held out through most of the preseason and will be behind the proverbial eight-ball as a result. Bosa, who was a special player at Ohio State, will have to ramp up to the NFL level over time, and there’s no telling how long it will take for him to make a serious impact as the multi-gap defender the Chargers want him to be.

There are those who believe that the 49ers got the better player in Oregon’s DeForest Buckner with the seventh overall pick, and Buckner showed well as a run defender in limited preseason action. Over time, he may well have the physical potential to do more.

Chicago’s Jonathan Bullard impressed with two sacks in his preseason, but the guy you may want to watch for as far as immediate NFL impact is Arizona’s Robert Nkemdiche. As soon as Nkemdiche was able to return to the field after suffering a high ankle sprain in July, he showed why the Cardinals took him with the 29th overall pick despite offseason concerns. In defensive coordinator James Bettcher’s high-pressure defense, and alongside great talents like Chandler Jones and Calais Campbell, Nkemdiche has Defensive Rookie of the Year potential with his strength and agility.

Grading Scale

Exp. — Snap Explosion (Graded out of 15)

Pass — Pass Rush (Graded out of 25)

Run — Run Defense (Graded out of 30)

Tkl. — Tackling (Graded out of 20)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie 3-4 DE Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Exp	Pass	Run	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	*Joey Bosa	SD	13	17	22	12	6	70	-	-
2	DeForest Buckner	SF	11	15	20	13	6	65	-	-
3	Jonathan Bullard	CHI	12	14	18	14	6	64	-	-
4	Robert Nkemdiche	ARI	12	16	19	11	6	64	-	-
5	Chris Jones	KC	11	15	17	12	6	61	-	-
6	Dean Lowry	GB	10	14	16	13	6	59	-	-
7	Bronson Kaufusi	BAL	10	15	15	12	6	58	-	-
8	Jihad Ward	OAK	9	12	15	11	6	55	-	-
9	Carl Nassib	CLE	10	12	13	12	6	53	-	-

*Grade based on college tape. Player did not play in preseason.

 

Notable Performances

Carl Nassib

Preseason Stats: 4 tackles, 2 sacks, forced fumble, pass defensed

Nassib has impressed and should continue to demand playing time as the Browns need to find ways to create a pass rush.

 

Joey Bosa

Preseason Stats: None

The big story among rookies is Bosa's lengthy holdout. How will it affect his development and when will he be ready to take a good chunk of snaps in a real game?

4-3 Defensive Ends

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

This group took a hit when Buffalo's Shaq Lawson was placed on the reserve/PUP list with a shoulder injury, but there's a ton of talent overall, and Lawson still has a chance to make a difference in the Ryan Brothers' defense if he can make a midseason return.

Tampa Bay's Noah Spence saw his draft position slide due to off-field issues, but his teammates have nothing but good things to say about him, and Spence may be the next in a formidable line of Bucs ends. Cleveland's Emmanuel Ogbah showed the ability to pressure the quarterback in the preseason, and that will be desperately needed on a thin defensive line. 

Among the relatively unheralded names on this list, keep an eye on Detroit's Anthony Zettel, who can play multiple positions on the line and amassed a sack and five quarterback hurries in the Lions' preseason finale against Buffalo.

Vanderbilt's Stephen Weatherly led all rookie ends with 12 quarterback hurries, according to Pro Football Focus' charting, and he's another one to watch if he can break into the Vikings' crowded line depth chart.

Grading Scale

Pass — Pass Rush (Graded out of 25)

Run — Run Defense (Graded out of 25)

Exp — Snap Explosion (Graded out of 20)

Tkl — Tackling (Graded out of 20)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie 4-3 DE Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Pass	Run	Exp	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Noah Spence	TB	16	13	17	12	7	65	-	-
2	Shaq Lawson	BUF	17	13	13	13	7	63	-	-
3	Emmanuel Ogbah	CLE	14	15	13	14	7	63	-	-
4	Shilique Calhoun	OAK	17	11	18	10	7	63	-	-
5	Matt Judon	BAL	13	13	15	14	7	62	-	-
6	Charles Tapper	DAL	12	13	14	14	7	60	-	-
7	Ronald Blair	SF	12	13	15	12	7	59	-	-
8	Kevin Dodd	TEN	13	13	12	13	7	58	-	-
9	Stephen Weatherly	MIN	12	12	15	12	7	58	-	-
10	Alex McCalister	PHI	14	10	17	10	7	58	-	-
11	Anthony Zettel	DET	10	16	11	13	7	57	-	-
12	Trevor Bates	IND	12	11	14	12	7	56	-	-

 

Notable Performances

Noah Spence

Preseason Stats: 7 tackles, 1 sack

Spence has shown the get-off and quickness of a potential elite pass-rusher. He may help in that capacity as a rookie.

 

Matt Judon

Preseason Stats: 14 Tackles, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble

Judon doesn't look like a rookie, and he especially doesn't look like a rookie from Division II. He's been equally good as a pass-rusher and run defender, showing strength agility and veteran awareness. 

Defensive Tackles

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Heading into the season, Chris Jones has easily been the best performer among rookie defensive tackles. His play has been lights out, including a dominant, unblockable performance against the Chicago Bears in Week 3. Expect him to heavily get into the rotation all across the Chiefs defensive line this season.

Cardinals rookie Robert Nkemdiche missed the first two preseason games with an ankle injury but had a strong performance in Week 4 against the Broncos' backups where he flashed his elite athletic ability.

The rest of the rookie defensive tackle group has been a bit shaky. Sheldon Rankins was off to a strong start in his Week 1 performance against the New England Patriots, but unfortunately, he fractured his fibula in practice a few days later.

Vernon Butler displayed solid penetration ability in Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans but has been quiet besides that. He won't see too many snaps this season behind Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei; he'll need to make his opportunities count this season.

Two under-the-radar names to keep an eye on are Houston's D.J. Reader and Pittsburgh's Javon Hargrave. D.J. Reader will be spelling Vince Wilfork in base sets at nose tackle, and he's looked stout this preseason. Hargrave has all the athleticism you look for in a defensive tackle and dominated the predraft process, playing well in the Shrine Game and performing well as a last-minute addition to the Senior Bowl.

With Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt playing next to him, he should see his fair share of one on one blocks where his leverage and athleticism will shine.

Grading Scale

Exp — Snap Explosion (Graded out of 15)

Pass — Pass Rush (Graded out of 25)

Run — Run Defense (Graded out of 30)

Tkl — Tackling (Graded out of 20)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie DT Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Exp	Pass	Run	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Chris Jones	KC	20	19	17	13	6	75	-	-
2	Sheldon Rankins	NO	19	19	16	12	6	72	-	-
3	Robert Nkemdiche	ARI	20	15	17	13	6	71	-	-
4	Kenny Clark	GB	18	15	17	13	6	69	-	-
5	Jarran Reed	SEA	16	15	17	13	6	67	-	-
6	Vernon Butler	CAR	19	13	18	11	6	67	-	-
7	A'Shawn Robinson	DET	15	14	18	12	6	65	-	-
8	Maliek Collins	DAL	17	15	14	13	6	65	-	-
9	Jihad Ward	OAK	16	16	14	11	6	63	-	-
10	A. Washington	BUF	14	15	16	12	6	63	-	-
11	Javon Hargrave	PIT	16	14	15	12	6	63	-	-
12	Adam Gotsis	DEN	14	16	15	12	6	63	-	-
13	Willie Henry	BAL	16	13	15	12	6	62	-	-
14	Sheldon Day	JAX	14	13	16	12	6	61	-	-
15	D.J. Reader	HOU	14	12	18	11	6	61	-	-
16	Austin Johnson	TEN	13	15	13	12	6	59	-	-
17	Vincent Valentine	NE	12	14	15	11	6	58	-	-
18	Hassan Ridgeway	IND	13	15	13	11	6	58	-	-
19	Quinton Jefferson	SEA	14	14	12	11	6	57	-	-
20	Darius Latham	OAK	13	12	14	12	6	57	-	-
21	Andrew Billings	CIN	14	11	13	12	6	56	-	-
22	David Onyemata	NO	13	11	12	11	6	53	-	-
23	Matt Ioannidis	WAS	12	13	12	10	6	53	-	-

 

Notable Performances

 

Chris Jones

Preseason Stats: 5 tackles, 8 QB hurries, 0 sacks

The Chiefs' second-round pick has hit the ground running this preseason. Jones was even more disruptive than his stat line may suggest. He lived in the Bears backfield and dominated his gaps and passing lanes, consistently causing mayhem for the offense.

 

Darius Latham

Preseason Stats: 6 tackles, 6 QB hurries, 0 sacks

Latham, an undrafted rookie out of Indiana, has had a strong preseason for the Raiders. He continued to play well in the Raiders' fourth preseason game against the Seahawks, stuffing the stat sheet and playing sound, disciplined football.

 

Vernon Butler

Preseason Stats: 5 tackles, 0 Sacks

Butler's stat line from his game against the Tennessee Titans may not be impressive (0 tackles), but the film tells a different story. He was constantly bursting through the line of scrimmage against the Titans' second-team offensive line and forced the running backs to be hesitant in their gaps or abandon them altogether. With Short and Lotulelei ahead of him, he's going to need more impressive showings like he had against the Titans if he wants his role to increase.

3-4 Outside Linebackers

David Richard/Associated Press

The rookie class at 3-4 linebacker is lacking major star power, especially with Leonard Floyd—the ninth overall pick of the Chicago Bears—missing part of the preseason to injury. Luckily, the class has a few potential standouts from the middle rounds. Joe Schobert appears to be an important piece for the Browns, while Kyler Fackrell and Dadi Nicolas both put together productive preseasons. 

The group may also add rookies such as Emmanuel Ogbah and Matt Judon, two hybrid players who saw time at linebacker and defensive end in the preseason.

Grading Scale

Pass — Pass Rush (Graded out of 25)

Run — Run Defense (Graded out of 25)

Cov — Coverage (Graded Out of 15)

Tkl — Tackling (Graded Out of 25)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie WR Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Pass	Run	Cov	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Leonard Floyd	CHI	17	17	9	17	7	67	-	-
2	Kamalei Correa	BAL	15	17	10	18	7	67	-	-
3	Dadi Lhomme Nicolas	KC	17	16	10	17	7	67	-	-
4	Joe Schobert	CLE	16	15	11	17	7	66	-	-
5	Kyler Fackrell	GB	15	16	9	18	7	65	-	-
6	Joshua Perry	SD	13	15	11	18	7	64	-	-
7	Jordan Jenkins	NYJ	16	14	9	17	7	63	-	-

 

Notable Performances

Leonard Floyd

Preseason Stats: 7 tackles, 0.5 sacks

The Bears' top pick played in three preseason games but missed Chicago's third contest with a hamstring issue. While Floyd registered half a sack against the Patriots, his massive pass-rush potential wasn't exactly obvious when he was on the field. However, he held up far better than expected against the run, especially at his current weight (220 lbs).

 

Kyler Fackrell

Preseason Stats: 17 tackles, 2 sacks

Fackrell started slow but ended with a bang, finishing Green Bay's preseason finale with 10 tackles, one sack and six tackles for loss. He's managed to be disruptive in games despite him lacking a full understanding of how to beat NFL-caliber offensive tackles. The Packers' third-round pick might be ready to contribute right away, but there's clearly some talent there to be molded.

 

Dadi Nicolas

Preseason Stats: 7 tackles, 3 sacks

A sixth-round pick, Nicolas has been unexpectedly dominant at times for the Chiefs. He appears to have the speed, motor and agility to be a situational pass-rusher in Kansas City, potentially even early on in his career. His lack of size (6'3", 235 lbs) might become an issue, but the Chiefs might have a late-round steal in Nicolas.

4-3 Outside Linebackers

Don Juan Moore/Getty Images

Unfortunately, we will not get to see the first drafted linebacker from this class this season.

Jaylon Smith, who is still recovering from a knee injury, will likely not be able to play this year. At Notre Dame, Smith proved to be an athletic freak who could make game-changing plays. Be it forcing fumbles, bringing down running backs behind the line of scrimmage or sacking quarterbacks, Smith has a knack for making plays. Hopefully he can return with great health in 2017 and be the player many believe him to be.

Do not fret, though, for Myles Jack will be the rookie linebacker to keep the masses entertained. While Jack doesn't quite have the same size and frame (6'1", 225 lbs) that Smith does (6'3" 229 lbs), Jack's football intelligence and versatility are off the charts.

Jack can be a coverage piece, play downhill against the run and rush the passer as a blitzer. His elite athletic ability allows him to make the most of his quick-twitch instincts. As soon as Jack sees a play developing, he pounces, and seldom is he wrong about the direction of the play. Jack is one of the best linebacker prospects in recent memory due to his blend of athleticism and intelligence. The Jaguars got a steal by selecting him in the second round.

Aside from Jack and Smith, Atlanta's De'Vondre Campbell stands out as the most intriguing young outside linebacker. His mental processing is a work in progress, but the athletic talent and flashes of playmaking ability are there. Campbell has the size (6'4", 232 lbs) and speed to come downhill and be a threat to make plays in the backfield. If the offensive line leaves a gap open, they may very well find Campbell flying through it.

Campbell has no reservations about taking on contact, though sometimes it appears he is not sure how to approach blockers. As the season and his career goes on, Campbell should make for a solid linebacker who can make, at the very least, a neutral impact.

Antwione Williams, Cory James Kamu Grugier-Hill and Jake Ganus all fall into the category of linebackers who do not possess great athletic ability but have some sort of other redeeming trait.

For Williams and Ganus, being able to always be around the ball in the run game is key to their success. That is not to say either of them are playmakers, but as the last men along the front seven and tacklers, they have value. Both of them do a fine job of getting into gaps and playing their assignments.

In similar fashion, James is a high-energy player who is almost magnetic to the ball. His athleticism holds him back from making eye-popping plays, but James is a reliable cleanup tackler.

Grugier-Hill, on the other hand, is a deceptively good coverage player. He may be clunky and sort of slow, but he does a great job of being aware in space and flowing toward his assignment. Rarely is Grugier-Hill caught out of position in coverage, at least for a player as young as he is.

Jatavis Brown and Devante Bond find themselves in a different category. The two are relatively fast and athletic, but their awareness and strength can be problematic. Every now and again, Brown and Bond will flash explosive talent, whether on an A-gap blitz or a run fill where they slip into the backfield.

However, they have yet to show they can do so consistently. In addition to a lack of consistency, neither of the young linebackers have proved they should stick on the field for coverage situations. They may have the athletic tools, but the functional ability in coverage is simply not there yet.

Grading Scale

Cov — Coverage (Graded out of  25)

Run — Run Defense (Graded out of 25)

Pass — Pass Rush (Graded Out of 15)

Tkl — Tackling (Graded Out of 25)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie 4-3 OLB Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Cov	Run	Pass	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Myles Jack	JAX	17	18	9	21	6	71	-	-
2	*Jaylon Smith	DAL	15	17	10	21	6	69	-	-
3	Su'a Cravens	WAS	18	16	7	16	6	63	-	-
4	D. Campbelll	ATL	13	15	6	15	6	55	-	-
5	Jatavis Brown	SD	10	14	7	14	6	51	-	-
6	Jake Ganus	MIN	12	13	5	13	6	49	-	-
7	Kamu Grugier-Hill	NE	14	10	5	12	6	47	-	-
8	Antwione Williams	DET	8	13	5	14	6	46	-	-
9	Cory James	OAK	10	12	5	13	6	46	-	-
10	Devante Bond	TB	8	11	7	12	6	44	-	-

 *Evaluation for Jaylon Smith based on college tape. Has not played this year.

 

Notable Performances

Antwione Williams

Preseason Stats: 20 Total tackles, 16 solo

Williams was able to produce this preseason. A mid-round pick, Williams has the awareness and tackling skills to be a good cleanup player in the run game. He's not going to make many plays in the backfield, but he can keep plays from getting out of hand and can corral dangerous ball-carriers. Williams is always around the ball.  

 

Myles Jack

Preseason Stats: 13 Total tackles, 9 solo

The Jaguars got a steal in Jack. He developed nicely throughout the preseason, proving that he will be able to be an immediate impact player for the team. Jack's ability to see a play through and close on the ball quickly is exciting.  

 

Cory James

Preseason Stats: 13 Total tackles, 8 solo

James is quietly one of the most energetic and involved linebackers from this rookie class. Now, he's not the type of player who makes things happen, but he can be a solid cleanup player. His tackling is good enough for a rotational rookie player. It's tough to imagine James turning himself into a legitimate starter, but there is potential there as a safe backup.

Inside Linebackers

Gary Landers/Associated Press

The play of linebackers in the NFL right now is underwhelming. Fortunately, the crop of rookies entering the league looks promising and offers hope that we might see improvement over the next few seasons. The linebackers who were recently drafted are as varied a group as you might expect given today’s defensive needs. Nonetheless, many rookies are already close to on par with their veteran teammates.

Sure, veterans have experience in the league, but if a young and healthy player can enter and be of roughly equal value, it’s hard not to anticipate growth beyond their counterparts. In 2016, expect at least four or five rookie linebackers to being starting on defense by the end of the year.

Certainly, none of this is with the hope or anticipation of injuries. Rookies are simply playing better than those in front of them. Against backups and third-stringers, it’s easy to understand why the highly touted linebackers might be standing out. Except that up and down the list, rookies of all rounds are making noise.

Few rookie linebackers find themselves low on the depth chart, and many should see the field as special teams contributors while waiting for an opportunity to start. Rosters change quite frequently during the season, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see a rookie starting at inside linebacker before Week 4.

Highly regarded draft choice Darron Lee stands out as an immediate upgrade for the New York Jets, but rookies behind him are made greater impressions throughout the preseason.

Green Bay’s Blake Martinez played with the first-string defense in the team’s third preseason game against San Francisco. Martinez is a traditional linebacker with an ability to hit hard and often, allowing the team to send Clay Matthews back out on the edge. Martinez has already carved himself a role in Green bay’s defense and could be a bona fide starter much faster than expected.

Aside from Martinez, keep an eye of New England’s Elandon Roberts. Roberts was respected for his leadership at the University of Houston, but he earned respect on the field this preseason. The Patriots have two athletic outside linebackers in Jamie Collins and Dont’a Hightower. If Roberts can crack a starting role in between those two, the Patriots would have an athletic, versatile and hard-hitting group of linebackers for the foreseeable future.

Roberts grades out firmly among the rest of the rookies and could rise with the group throughout the regular season.

Grading Scale

Cov — Coverage (Graded out of 25)

Run — Run Defense (Graded out of 35)

Pass —Pass Rush (Graded Out of 15)

Tkl — Tackling (Graded Out of 15)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie ILB Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Cov	Run	Pass	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	B.J. Goodson	NYG	16	26	10	11	6	69	-	-
2	Nick Vigil	CIN	17	25	9	11	6	68	-	-
3	Antonio Morrison	IND	18	24	8	12	6	68	-	-
4	Blake Martinez	GB	17	27	8	10	6	68	-	-
5	Su'a Cravens	WAS	19	25	9	9	6	68	-	-
6	Kentrell Brothers	MIN	16	26	9	10	6	67	-	-
7	Elandon Roberts	NE	17	26	9	8	6	66	-	-
8	Tyler Matakevich	PIT	16	25	7	11	6	65	-	-
9	Darren Lee	NYJ	18	24	8	9	6	65	-	-
10	Scooby Wright	CLE	16	23	11	8	6	64	-	-
11	Deion Jones	ATL	17	22	8	9	6	62	-	-
12	Josh Forrest	LA	15	22	9	7	6	59	-	-

 

Notable Omissions

Reggie Ragland - Has not played (ACL Tear)

Joe Walker - Eagles placed on IR on 8/28

 

Notable Performances

Blake Martinez

Preseason Stats: 7 Total tackles

Martinez has the inside track to a starting job in Green Bay. He played with the first-team unit in the third preseason game and looked comfortable in the middle of the Packers defense. Martinez is a stout run defender with the mindset of a traditional linebacker: He looks for contact and is willing to hit. Additionally, Martinez's play allows the Packers to line Matthews up on the edge and take advantage of his skill in rushing the passer.

 

Su'a Cravens

Preseason Stats: 13 Total tackles

Positional versatility will be Craven's calling card throughout his time in the NFL. As a rookie, the Redskins linebacker has showed the athleticism that made him a second-round draft choice. Cravens was routinely around the ball and, although he'll need to show more physicality taking on NFL-level offensive linemen, he's brought energy to the Washington linebacker corps.

Many teams are looking for the next Deone Bucannon, a player who is strong enough to take on linemen and agile enough to handle coverage duties on the boundary. Su'a Cravens may be the next hyper-athletic hitter to start at inside linebacker in the NFC.  

 

Elandon Roberts

Preseason Stats: 19 Total tackles

Elandon Roberts is a name NFL fans should begin to familiarize themselves with and a potential sleeper as a rookie linebacker who could make noise by the end of the season. Roberts was selected in the sixth round, and although the New England Patriots may not insert him into the lineup immediately, he's already pushing for more playing time.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is a defensive guru who's well-known for finding versatile athletes and turning them into valuable defenders. Roberts isn't the consistent tackling machine other high draft selections were, but he shows impressive power to stack blockers at the point of attack and redirect to the football.

Cornerbacks

Don Juan Moore/Getty Images

It didn’t take long for the 2016 class of rookie cornerbacks to quickly show off their talent in the preseason. The first two cornerbacks off the board, Jacksonville Jaguars corner Jalen Ramsey and Tampa Bay Buccaneers corner Vernon Hargreaves III, immediately made an impact for their respective defenses. Each will be starting come Week 1 because of their special talents.

The depth of this draft will ultimately determine the legacy of the cornerback class. Early on, the Day 2 picks showed more promise than some of the first-round selections in April.

Minnesota Vikings corner Mackensie Alexander and Carolina Panthers corner James Bradberry made effective plays all preseason. Bradberry’s especially one to watch as he looks to help replace Josh Norman for the defending NFC champions.

Late-round surprises include New York Jets corner Juston Burris, Philadelphia Eagles corner Jalen Mills and Tennessee Titans corner Kalan Reed. Each flashed enough talent to earn playing time with first- and second-team units this preseason, making them great values. Their futures are promising as their development continues into bigger roles down the road.

Grading Scale

Cov — Coverage (Graded out of 30)

Rec — Reaction/Recovery (Graded out of 30)

Slot — Slot performance (Graded Out of 20)

Tkl — Tackling (Graded Out of 10)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie CB Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Cov	Rec	Slot	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Vernon Hargreaves	TB	17	19	17	5	9	67	-	-
2	Jalen Ramsey	JAX	17	18	14	8	9	66	-	-
3	James Bradberry	CAR	17	14	15	8	9	63	-	-
4	Mackensie Alexander	MIN	16	16	16	5	9	62	-	-
5	Jalen Mills	PHI	14	15	16	6	9	60	-	-
6	Juston Burris	NYJ	16	17	12	5	9	59	-	-
7	Sean Davis	PIT	13	15	13	8	9	58	-	-
8	Eli Apple	NYG	16	13	14	5	9	57	-	-
9	Cyrus Jones	NE	14	15	14	5	9	57	-	-
10	KeiVarae Russell	KC	16	14	12	5	9	56	-	-
11	Kalan Reed	TEN	14	16	12	5	9	56	-	-
12	Will Redmond	SF	15	13	14	3	9	54	-	-
13	Rashard Robinson	SF	14	13	15	3	9	54	-	-
14	Xavien Howard	MIA	13	12	11	8	9	53	-	-
15	Daryl Worley	CAR	12	13	13	6	9	53	-	-
16	Zack Sanchez	CAR	11	14	15	4	9	53	-	-
17	William Jackson	CIN	15	14	10	4	9	52	-	-
18	Kendall Fuller	WAS	14	11	13	5	9	52	-	-
19	Tavon Young	BAL	12	13	11	7	9	52	-	-
20	Eric Murray	KC	12	13	12	6	9	52	-	-
21	Harlan Miller	ARI	12	13	12	6	9	52	-	-
22	Anthony Brown	DAL	11	14	12	4	9	50	-	-
23	Brandon Williams	ARI	13	11	12	4	9	49	-	-
24	Maurice Canady	BAL	13	12	10	5	9	49	-	-
25	Artie Burns	PIT	13	13	9	4	9	48	-	-
26	Kevon Seymour	BUF	11	11	12	4	9	47	-	-
27	Prince Charles Iworah	SF	12	9	10	5	9	45	-	-
28	D.J. White	KC	11	10	8	6	9	44	-	-
29	Jordan Lucas	MIA	10	10	8	5	9	42	-	-
30	Trey Caldwell	CLE	7	8	8	5	9	37	-	-
31	Leshaun Sims	TEN	8	7	7	5	9	36	-	-

 

 

Notable Performances (Stats from PFF)

James Bradberry

Preseason Stats: 9 targets, 6 receptions allowed, 0 INT, 1 PD 

The second-rounder out of Samford plays similarly to the Panthers CB who wore No. 24 last year in Josh Norman. He loves to get up in your face and is very physical. He doesn't mind mixing it up against the run and had a very impressive preseason considering what he was asked to do.

 

Vernon Hargreaves

Preseason Stats: 8 targets, 1 reception allowed, 2 INT, 1 PD

The highly touted CB out of Florida has lived up to his billing in the preseason. Some worried about him being able to run deep with receivers, but one of his interceptions came on just that—a deep pass. Hargreaves has allowed next to nothing and has made QBs pay for it throwing his way.

 

Jalen Ramsey

Preseason Stats: 3 targets, 1 reception allowed, 0 INT, 0 PD

The first cornerback off the board in the 2016 draft, Jalen Ramsey had a solid preseason showing for the Jacksonville Jaguars. His combination of elite size and speed will continue to be a difference-maker, but his technique at times led to him being out of position. Nevertheless, there's no reason to think Ramsey will be anything but a star for the Jaguars.

Free Safeties

Brad Penner/Associated Press

Both Darian Thompson and T.J. Green are projected to start in their rookie years. Both the Giants and the Colts desperately need help at free safety, so it makes sense that they'd not only spend draft picks on the position but start those rookies early on. Thompson was solid in the preseason and should be fine providing he can correct a tendency to bite on play-action.

However, Green hasn't looked particularly promising in preseason and took some poor angles when coming downhill to tackle the ball-carrier. As the free safety, Green is the last line of defense. He has to be able to tackle, and a big part of tackling is taking good angles. If he continues to struggle in this area, he may end up costing the Colts a few big plays.

No other rookie safeties are projected to start at this point in time. In New Orleans, second-round pick Vonn Bell might not necessarily start Week 1, but expect him to be heavily involved. Jairus Byrd and Kenny Vaccaro are solid but not irreplaceable. Bell can fill in at either strong or free safety spot and could spell reps for either starter. Byrd has struggled to stay healthy since signing with the Saints, and Bell will be ready to step in should Byrd go down again.

Chicago have some issues in the secondary and drafted a couple of safeties, Deon Bush and DeAndre Houston-Carson. One of those two could come into the mix sooner rather than later, and don't be surprised if Bush earns significant playing time.

Grading Scale

Cov — Coverage (Graded out of 30)

Rec — Reaction/Recovery (Graded out of 30)

Slot — Slot performance (Graded Out of 10)

Tkl — Tackling (Graded Out of 20)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie FS Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Cov	Rec	Slot	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Darian Thompson	NYG	22	20	7	17	8	74	-	-
2	Vonn Bell	NO	21	19	7	17	8	72	-	-
3	Kevin Byard	TEN	18	18	6	16	8	66	-	-
4	D. Houston-Carson	CHI	17	17	6	17	8	65	-	-
5	T.J. Green	IND	18	18	6	14	8	64	-	-
6	Justin Simmons	DEN	18	17	6	15	8	64	-	-
7	Kavon Frazier	DAL	16	16	5	16	8	61	-	-

 

Notable Performances

Vonn Bell, New Orleans Saints

Preseason Stats: 14 solo tackles, 1 sack, 3 tackles for loss, 1 pass defensed

New Orleans' 2015 secondary was a complete mess, especially at the deep safety position. Bell showed at Ohio State that he had the intelligence, aggression and full-field range to help change that, and he did so during the preseason.

 

Kevin Byard, Tennessee Titans

Preseason Stats: 6 solo tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 passes defensed

Byard didn't sign his rookie contract until mid-July, but the third-rounder from Middle Tennessee State didn't need much time to ramp up his game. Allowing an opponent passer rating of 72.6 on his seven targets, Byard has displayed a real eye for the ball that will serve him well as he climbs up the depth chart.

Strong Safeties

Ralph Freso/Associated Press

Both safeties drafted in the first round this year look set to play a big role at strong safety for their respective teams. Karl Joseph has managed to come back from his injury and see time on the field for Oakland. They'll be looking for him to set the tone on defense and fill the void left in the secondary from the retirement of Charles Woodson.

Meanwhile, Keanu Neal has struggled with injuries throughout training camp and preseason. He managed just 35 snaps in the preseason before going down with a non-contact injury. Reports suggest he could miss the first few weeks, but he may return to action around Week 3.

 

Grading Scale

Cov — Coverage (Graded out of 25)

Rec — Reaction/Recovery (Graded out of 25)

Slot — Slot performance (Graded Out of 20)

Tkl — Tackling (Graded Out of 20)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie SS Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Cov	Rec	Slot	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Karl Joseph	OAK	19	18	16	16	6	75	-	-
2	Keanu Neal	ATL	17	16	16	15	6	70	-	-
3	Miles Killebrew	DET	16	16	15	17	6	70	-	-
4	KJ Dillon	HOU	16	18	14	16	6	70	-	-
5	Deon Bush	CHI	17	17	14	16	6	70	-	-
6	Derrick Kindred	CLE	15	16	15	16	6	68	-	-
7	Jayron Kearse	MIN	17	15	16	14	6	68	-	-
8	Marqui Christian	ARI	17	15	14	15	6	67	-	-
9	Will Parks	DEN	15	15	16	13	6	65	-	-
10	C. Fejedelem	CIN	14	15	14	13	6	62	-	-

 

Notable Performances

Miles Killebrew, Detroit Lions

Preseason Stats: 7 solo tackles, 1 forced fumble

The word on Killebrew based on his college tape was that he was a big hitter but far too reckless to be trusted as an every-down defender at the next level. So far, he's reined in his more undisciplined characteristics and has performed well for a Lions secondary in need of as much secondary depth as possible—this team plays as much dime defense as any in the league.  

 

Jayron Kearse, Minnesota Vikings

Preseason Stats: 11 solo tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 tackle for loss

At 6'4" and 215 pounds, Kearse fits the profile of the modern strong safety in that he has the speed, power and agility to get things done. The cousin of former NFL cornerback Phillip Buchanon and the nephew of former pass-rushing star Javon "The Freak" Kearse, Jayron Kearse has the potential to put up some freaky stats of his own if he can learn to take better angles and close on the ball more consistently. So far, so good.

Special Teams

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

Perhaps the only thing worse than trading up to select a kicker in the second round of a draft is to then watch in horror as that kicker struggles mightily in his first preseason.

That’s what Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht has had to deal with as Florida State product Roberto Aguayo had major accuracy issues through practices and his first preseason. The wisdom of the move can’t be tallied just yet, but for the third-most accurate kicker in NCAA history to get a case of the yips early in his NFL career isn’t unusual—it’s just a matter of Aguayo being able to work his way out of it.

Now, he did finish his preseason with eight of 10 field goals made and missed just his first of eight extra-point attempts. But not since the Raiders took Sebastian Janikowski with the 17th overall pick in the 2000 draft has there been this much pressure on a kicker before he did anything relevant in a regular-season game. Janikowski was able to overcome that pressure; we’ll see how Aguayo fares in comparison.

Kicker Grading Scale

Pwr — Kick Power (Graded out of 40)

Acc — Kick Accuracy (Graded out of 40)

Tkl — Tackling (Graded Out of 10)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

Rookie Kicker Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Pwr	Acc	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Roberto Aguayo	TB	26	24	5	3	58	-	-

 

Punter Grading Scale

Dist — Kick Distance (Graded out of 20)

Hang — Kick Hang Time (Graded out of 20)

Acc — Kick Accuracy  (Graded Out of 45)

Tkl — Tackling  (Graded Out of 5)

Pos. — Positional Value (Graded out of 10)

Overall — Top Possible Score of 100

 

Rookie Punter Rankings Heading into the Season

Rank	Player	Team	Dist	Hang	Acc	Tkl	Pos.	OVR	LW	Trend
1	Drew Kaser	SD	15	15	32	3	3	68	-	-
2	Riley Dixon	DEN	13	15	29	3	3	63	-	-
3	Lachlan Edwards	NYJ	9	11	25	3	3	51	-	-

 

Notable Performances

Drew Kaser, San Diego Chargers

Preseason Statistics: 15 punts, 52.3 average, 4 touchbacks, 6 punts inside 20-yard line

Kaser was a first-team All-SEC punter at Texas A&M in 2015, and he looks to be taking that talent level to the NFL with little trouble. His preseason net average of 43.8 yards per punt leaves him tied with Pittsburgh's Jordan Berry for second-best in the league.