10 NFL Rookies Already Looking Like Draft Day Steals Ahead of 2024 Season
The 2024 NFL preseason is in full swing, and while these exhibition games don't count, they can provide valuable glimpses of what to expect in the coming season.
Specifically, preseason games give fans their first real look at incoming rookies who might make an immediate impact. Things will be more difficult in the regular season, of course, but seeing how a first-year player handles the speed, rhythm, nuances and spotlight of NFL football can be telling.
When a rookie quarterback like Caleb Williams or Bo Nix operates the offense efficiently, it's reasonable to assume that they'll soon do the same in games that matter. When a first-year pass-rusher like Laiatu Latu commands an extra blocker on his first snap, there's a real chance that he's going to be a problem as a pro.
High draft picks are expected to ascend quickly, though. The great thing about the NFL is that draft status doesn't matter on the field. Players selected in the later rounds can, and often do, go on to stardom.
Here, we'll look at 10 rookies selected in Round 3 or later who already look like draft-day steals based on offseason buzz, preseason performances and projected roles.
Braelon Allen, RB, New York Jets
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Selected: Round 4 (No. 134 Overall)
The New York Jets already had a serviceable starting running back in Breece Hall when they entered April's draft. However, rookie fourth-round pick Braelon Allen may still have a surprisingly big impact on New York's immediate future.
The Jets are trying to chase a championship with quarterback Aaron Rodgers over the next couple of seasons. Their draft strategy—which involved taking offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu in Round 1 and receiver Malachi Corley in Round 3—falls directly in line with that plan.
Because of Hall's presence, the selection of Allen hasn't generated as much attention—but it could prove to be one of New York's best decisions of this offseason.
Allen might not offer a lot on passing downs as a rookie, but the 6'1, 235-pound Wisconsin product has the physical tools to be an immediate-impact runner at the next level. He flashed his burst, vision and physicality in New York's preseason opener, finishing with 54 yards on just six carries.
As a power runner and breakaway threat, Allen is a potentially dangerous complement to the versatile Hall.
"Braelon didn't disappoint," head coach Robert Saleh said, per Ben Kenney of Badgers Wire. "...He is a very heavy runner."
The Jets got a solid value when drafting Allen, who was the 84th-ranked prospect on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's final draft board. His value in New York over the next two seasons may make him an outright steal.
Austin Booker, Edge, Chicago Bears
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Selected: Round 5 (No. 144 Overall)
Most of the offseason buzz surrounding the Chicago Bears has involved Williams, and to a lesser extent, fellow first-round pick Rome Odunze. However, rookie fifth-round pick Austin Booker has entered the conversation.
The Bears entered the offseason needing a high-end pass-rushing complement opposite Montez Sweat. They may still target one of the remaining free-agent edge-rushers, but it's beginning to look like Booker might be able to fill the void outright.
It's only Game 1 of the preseason, but Booker certainly impressed in his debut. The Kansas product regularly pushed into the Buffalo Bills backfield and finished with 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss and four solo stops. The rookie has certainly caught the attention of defensive coordinator Eric Washington.
"He's getting better," Washington said, per Chris Emma of 670 The Score. "And he's doing some good things. He had some production on the quarterback. He was physical with his rushes. He never gave up on his rushes."
Physical attributes are great, and the 6'5", 240-pound rookie has those. However, it takes a strong work ethic and a high motor to become a great NFL pass-rusher. Booker may very well be on his way.
Jermaine Burton, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
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Selected: Round 3 (No. 80 Overall)
The Cincinnati Bengals are expected to have a healthy Joe Burrow under center this season, and they're also expected to have Burrow's top two targets. Ja'Marr Chase remains Cincinnati's No. 1 receiver, while Tee Higgins is back for another run under the franchise tag.
However, the Bengals did lose No. 3 receiver Tyler Boyd in free agency. In what is shaping up to be another loaded receiver class, Cincinnati waited until Round 3 before flipping the switch on Boyd's likely replacement.
Jermaine Burton may not be a complete receiver, but he's enough of a vertical threat to contribute early in Cincinnati.
"The offense should not run through him, but his ability to win vertically, find the ball in the air and run a full route tree will make him a valuable piece for any offense," Derrik Klassen of the Bleacher Report Scouting Department wrote.
Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher said he was "very encouraged" by Burton's development in early training camp, according to Geoff Hobson of the team's official website. The rookie showed why during Cincinnati's preseason opener, finishing with three catches for 82 yards and a touchdown.
Burton was the 13th wide receiver selected in April, and as a rookie, he may wind up out-performing many of those selected ahead of him.
Tyler Davis, DL, Los Angeles Rams
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Selected: Round 6 (No. 196 Overall)
The Los Angeles Rams face the unenviable task of replacing first-ballot Hall of Famer Aaron Donald this season. While the Rams aren't going to replace him on a player-for-player basis, they may have the pieces to do it via a committee approach.
Second-year defensive tackle Kobie Turner, who had nine sacks in his first season, will be a big piece of the puzzle. It's looking like rookie sixth-round pick Tyler Davis can provide a helping hand as well.
The Clemson product flashed in a big way during L.A.'s preseason opener, consistently pressuring the Dallas Cowboys and sparking a strong reaction from head coach Sean McVay:
It was a surprise to see Davis go as late as he did in the draft—he was the 117th-ranked prospect on the B/R Scouting Department's final draft board—and the Rams got a huge endorsement from Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney when he was finally selected.
"I got a text from Dabo Swinney after we drafted him. He said, 'There's a lot of great players out of Clemson.' He said, 'If I had an all-time team in terms of who I would want of all these great players we've had, he would be on that team,'" McVay said during the NFL Network broadcast (h/t On3's Wade Peery.
The Rams should feel fortunate that Davis fell to them because he's already looking like a player who will regularly show up on Sundays.
Marist Liufau, LB, Dallas Cowboys
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Selected: Round 3 (No. 87 Overall)
After ranking a middling 16th in run defense last season and then losing Leighton Vander Esch to retirement in the spring, the Dallas Cowboys needed to add linebacker help this offseason.
Dallas did that by adding free agent Erick Kendricks in free agency—and stealing him away from the San Francisco 49ers in the process. It may have also uncovered an early starter by taking Notre Dame's Marist Liufau in the third round.
The rookie has been gaining momentum since the early offseason.
"He's brilliant," defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer told The Doomsday Podcast in May (h/t Todd Brock of Cowboys Wire). "He catches on really quick. He wants to be so good and so intense that he's almost too much at it right now."
Liufau has impressed enough that he was listed as a starter alongside Kendricks on Dallas' first unofficial depth chart of the preseason.
While Liufau didn't generate any splash plays in the preseason opener (one assist), it's worth noting that he only played 16 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. That was four fewer than 2023 first-round pick Mazi Smith and suggests that Dallas didn't need to extensively evaluate the rookie.
Off-ball linebackers went late in the 2024 draft, and Liufau was the fifth selected. If the Cowboys got themselves a regular rookie contributor in Round 3, though, that's still a steal.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB, Philadelphia Eagles
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Selected: Round 5 (No. 155 Overall)
As previously mentioned, there was a wait on off-ball linebackers in this year's draft, which allowed several teams to find value at the position in the middle and late rounds. Even with linebackers being pushed down the board, however, seeing Clemson's Jeremiah Trotter Jr. fall to Round 5 was a bit surprising.
Though a bit undersized at 6'0" and 228 pounds, Trotter is a skilled player with NFL bloodlines and was the 77th-ranked prospect on the B/R board.
Trotter landed with the Philadelphia Eagles, the same franchise that drafted his father back in 1998. The Eagles should already feel like they made the right decision.
The rookie was all over the field in Philly's preseason opener, recording three tackles, two assists and a sack while also showcasing special teams value. Trotter has impressed teammate and fellow linebacker Nakobe Dean, who recently praised the rookie's skill set and work ethic.
"He's got it in his blood. True linebacker. And he's only going to continue to get better," Dean said, per Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "He kind of reminded me almost of myself when I first came in, as far as taking notes, doing the little extra things, watching extra film, and taking every bit of advice from anybody."
It's already looking like Trotter can be a long-term contributor in Philadelphia.
Dominick Puni, G, San Francisco 49ers
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Selected: Round 3 (No. 86 Overall)
If there was a weak link on the San Francisco 49ers' offense last season, it was the right side of the offensive line. Neither Spencer Burford nor Colton McKivitz were particularly reliable.
While the 49ers appear poised to again lean on McKivitz at right tackle, rookie third-round pick Dominick Puni may have already played his way into a starting role at guard. The Kansas product—and 51st-ranked prospect on the B/R board—appeared completely comfortable in his preseason debut against the Tennessee Titans.
That Puni's solid performance came on the heels of an impressive offseason is noteworthy.
"He's been good since his first snap," head coach Kyle Shanahan said, per Grant Cohn of SI.com. "So it hasn't seemed too big for him. He's gotten better each day in practice. And when you see that, you really want to see how it is in the game and see if anything changes. He looked the same in the game as practice. So we're excited."
Puni is getting more opportunities because Burford has missed time with a broken right hand. There's a very real chance that Puni takes the starting job and runs with it.
Jordan Whittington, WR, Los Angeles Rams
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Selected: Round 6 (No. 213 Overall)
It's far too early to say that Davis and fellow sixth-round pick Jordan Whittington are this year's version of Turner and Puka Nacua. However, it's looking like the Rams have uncovered a couple more Day 3 gems in this year's draft.
Whittington tallied just 505 receiving yards and a touchdown last season at Texas. However, he brought NFL size (6'1", 206 lbs) and five years of experience into training camp to make a strong early impression.
"What he's done, he's been so impressive," Cooper Kupp said on Inside Rams Camp (beginning at 7:28 the mark). "The learning curve is so fast for him. You see him getting reps with the ones out here, too. Pretty special dude. He's got some gas, also."
Fans got a firsthand look at just what Whittington can do during L.A.'s preseason opener against Dallas. The former Longhorn racked up six catches for 74 yards and had a seventh reception that was nullified by a penalty.
While it was against mostly backups, Whittington looked comfortable on an NFL field, was consistently open and frequently presented the quarterback with an easy target. While he's probably not going to replicate Nacua's 2023 success, the rookie has a chance to be one of the biggest surprises of this season.
Payton Wilson, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Selected: Round 3 (No. 98 Overall)
NC State's Payton Wilson was another linebacker who fell later in the draft than he might have in past years. However, his fall wasn't entirely position-based.
A significant shoulder injury and a pair of ACL tears in college left Wilson carrying some big medical concerns. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, multiple teams viewed the rookie as a short-term player.
"There are 22 teams who share medical reports," Rapoport said during the draft (h/t Alex Kozora of Steelers Depot). "My understanding is all 22 teams view him as a one-contract player."
Only time will tell if Wilson will be a long-term contributor in Pittsburgh. However, it already looks like he'll be an impact player in the immediate future. He kicked off his preseason debut with a tackle for loss and went on to record four solo stops and two assists against the Houston Texans.
"I think it's kind of reflective of the production that we've seen from him in Latrobe. I don't know that any of us are surprised by it," head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters of Wilson's debut.
The Steelers, who ranked 21st in yards per carry allowed last season, needed to upgrade their linebacker group. By signing Patrick Queen and then landing Wilson in Round 3, they appear to have done exactly that.
Jaylen Wright, RB, Miami Dolphins
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Round 4 (No. 120 Overall)
The Miami Dolphins, who already had Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane, didn't exactly need another explosive playmaker in their backfield. However, they appear to have found one in fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright.
The Tennessee product showed a ton of home run ability in his final collegiate season, topping 1,100 scrimmage and averaging a ridiculous 7.4 yards per carry. While things won't be as easy for him at the NFL level, the rookie is adapting at a rapid pace.
"I told him he's doing better than I was last year as far as camp-wise, picking up stuff pretty fast," Achane said, per Jonathan Williams of SI.com. "He's learning and he's a quick learner."
Wright showcased his burst and vision during Miami's preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons. He averaged an impressive 5.5 yards per rush over 10 carries and found the end zone with some smart inside running.
While the Dolphins backfield is likely too crowded for Wright to emerge as an every-down runner this season, it's looking like the rookie can be much more than just a fast and flashy change of pace.
Given his fit in Mike McDaniel's offense, Wright may look like one of the biggest steals in the draft a year or two from now.
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