Boise State Football: Which Former Player Will Have the Best Rookie NFL Season

Ah, college football…the glory days, days of being BMOC, worrying about rankings and bowl games—oh, and school work. Well, kiss them goodbye, because it is now the real world and that means working for a paycheck week in and week out. In the case of a select few, that paycheck may come from an NFL team.

Six Boise State Broncos were drafted by NFL teams, and another three were given tryouts as free agents. But just being asked to camp is a career landmark, but it's also no guarantee of making the roster or even seeing much time on the field during the rookie season if they make the team. 

If they make the roster, what about playing time? Will they get quality reps or be relegated to backup roles, collecting a check while watching games from the best seat in the house—the team sideline.

So nine Broncos, including first-round picks Shea McClellin and Doug Martin, as well as Tyrone Crawford, Billy Winn, George Iloka, Nate Potter and free agents Kellen Moore, Kyle Efaw and Tyler Shoemaker went to rookie camp for a variety of teams; the question is who has the biggest chance to make a splash as an NFL rookie.

So here we go…

1. Doug Martin: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Doug Martin did whatever he could to help Boise State, and that attitude can be expected to roll over to the NFL and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As a sophomore, Martin played in the defensive secondary. When he got the chance to run with the offense, he capitalized by not only being a premiere back, but with pass-receiving and blocking skills. 

Want to put him on special teams? No problem

In the Las Vegas Maaco Bowl against Arizona State, Martin opened the game with a 100-yard kickoff return for the TD.

The "Muscle Hamster" (and you can check out the story on Bleacher Report for more on that moniker) has a solid work ethic and the desire to prove what he can do.

2. Shea McClellin: Chicago Bears

You are not selected at 19 in the NFL draft unless the team that picks you up expects some mighty good things from you. Shea McClellin will likely have his knuckles to the ground—at least that is what the Chicago Bears are planning, and there are reasons for it. 

According to Bears scout Marty Barrett, as reported on the Chicago Bears' Web site: "The first thing I think you notice about Shea is his timing and his get-off, his pad level. He’s extremely quick off the ball. He’s got good pad level…his upper body flexibility is good, and he just has a real finished close to the quarterback or the ball-carrier.” 

McClellin may be a situational sub to start, but once he starts getting reps and gets used to the tempo of the NFL game and the physicality, he could be a solid member of the Bears' defense.

3. Billy Winn: Cleveland Browns

When the Browns defensive tackle Phil Taylor was injured in a preseason weight training program, the door opened up for both Billy Winn and John Hughes to compete for the starting spot. 

At Boise State, Winn was listed at 6'4" and 300 lbs, which means he has the size to play in the NFL. His senior year was not as productive as some would have liked, with only eight tackles for loss and three sacks, but Winn knows that he will have to work hard to win a spot in the Browns on-field lineup. 

Winn was quoted on the Web site of the Cleveland Browns, as saying: "I feel like I bring a lot of speed, athleticism and am physical at the point of attack." 

If he gets a chance to start, or rotate in, his physical playstyle could be a boon to the Browns.

4. George Iloka: Cincinnati Bengals

At 6'4" and 225 lbs, George Iloka has the size to be a formidable force in the defensive secondary of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Marvin Lewis, in a story posted on the website of the Bengals, stated that Iloka had a "great camp" during the rookie minicamp. And in another story, Lewis expressed his enthusiasm about Iloka's size and speed. 

"He's been a very, very good hitter," Lewis was quoted as saying. "He's going to have to learn to play the game and break down and make some tackles. Once in a while he gets out of control because he's going so fast. But I really love everything about him.”