8 NFL Rookies with the Most to Prove During OTAs

Organized team activities are the first opportunity for many rookies to showcase their talents on a personal basis to their coaches and the team's media.

For some rookies, OTAs are especially crucial.

For rookies who were widely panned as draft picks, they have a chance to prove the critics wrong.

Other rookies are looking to gain starting jobs or playing time in general, and for them, OTAs are also especially important.

These eight rookies all need excellent performances during OTAs to either gain playing time, boost their team or quiet critics.

Bruce Irvin

No one fills the category of panned draft picks more than Bruce Irvin. Projected as a third or fourth round pick, Irvin went 15th overall in the draft to the Seattle Seahawks, a move that was almost universally panned.

Irvin needs to prove two things at OTAs.

First, Irvin needs to prove that any character issues are behind him. He had a reputation of being difficult to coach at West Virginia, and if he is to succeed in the NFL, he will have to be receptive to learning the nuances of the game.

Second, Irvin must show that he can be both a successful pass rusher and a competent run defender. Irvin's draft position means that he must be able to eventually take hold of a full-time starting role, and that means defending both the run and the pass.

Going into the draft, Irvin was regarded as a pass rushing specialist with a quick first step, but not much in the way of technique. To beat NFL tackles, he will need to develop some pass rushing moves.

Further, he must show that he is strong enough to defend the run. At only 245 pounds, Irvin is small for a 4-3 defensive end, making run defense an uphill battle for him. Still, he needs to stop the run to be able to play full time down the road.

Irvin could still be a good player, but he needs to be committed to achieving excellence, and he can demonstrate that with a strong performance at OTAs.

Quinton Coples

Like Bruce Irvin, Quinton Coples is a pass rusher who had a propensity towards coasting on natural talent in college.

That won't cut it in the NFL, and Coples has to prove that he is committed to becoming a star NFL defensive end.

A major part of that commitment will be how Coples transitions to the 3-4 defense.

While he has the size and strength to be a 3-4 defensive end, he doesn't have experience in the defense, and he might struggle with the constant double teams that 3-4 defensive linemen face.

Fortunately for Coples, he has a master of the 3-4 defense to teach him in Rex Ryan.

Ryan will be able to get the most out of Coples, but Coples has to be willing to learn and accept a new role. If he does that during OTAs, it should be considered a success.

Brandon Weeden

Brandon Weeden really does have it all as a prospect, with a strong arm, decent accuracy and a good head on his shoulders.

Unfortunately, he won't be allowed to have a learning curve, as he will be 29 midway through the season. That means Weeden will have to be productive from day one.

Making that especially difficult is Weeden's lack of quality targets, as his number one receiver will be Greg Little, who was extremely prone to drops as a rookie.

Ultimately, OTAs for Weeden will come down to how well he can learn the offense. The arm strength and accuracy are already there, meaning that as soon as Weeden learns the offense, he'll be ready to go for Cleveland.

With one of the worst receiving corps in the league, Weeden will have a tough time making an impression, but if he shows that he has command of the offense, Browns fans can be confident that their not so young quarterback will make a positive impact in 2012.

Courtney Upshaw

Courtney Upshaw only has one mountain to climb in OTAs, but its a massive one. When Terrell Suggs' injured his Achilles tendon, the pressure on Upshaw skyrocketed, and he needs to prove that he can fill the void.

Upshaw was already considered a potential starter, but with Suggs on the sideline for at least the first part of the season, Upshaw will be expected to start early.

The Baltimore Ravens are accustomed to excellent play on defense, and a large part of that is the quality of their pass rush. When Suggs went down, the Ravens lost almost one-third of their sacks from last year, and Upshaw will need to be able to make up some of that production.

That journey starts in OTAs, and if Upshaw doesn't show the ability to fill the void, the Ravens' defense will struggle immensely to maintain their level of play in 2012.

Ravens' fans are willing to pounce on the team if the defense falters, and Upshaw could be the difference between a strong defense and a mediocre one.

Justin Blackmon

There is little doubt that Justin Blackmon was the pick the Jacksonville Jaguars needed to make. He immediately upgrades the receiving corps and gives Blaine Gabbert a receiver to grow with.

Blackmon definitely has a lot of pressure on him, though, as his development will be directly tied to Gabbert's.

Gabbert's rookie season was categorized by a lack of pocket presence and difficulty pushing the ball downfield. With a receiver like Blackmon to throw to, though, Gabbert will have a safety blanket to help make him look better.

Of course, all of this depends on Blackmon developing into a number one receiver. If Blackmon can't be a go-to target from the beginning, Gabbert will likely bust, which will set the Jaguars back for years.

LaMichael James

LaMichael James is going to have trouble finding playing time with Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter and Brandon Jacobs in front of him on the depth chart.

With a strong performance in OTAs, however, James could find his way onto the field, but he needs to be excellent from day one.

James has the ability to be a good player, but he'll need to show that he has breakaway speed and enough power to pick up tough yardage.

If he fails to do so, he'll be stuck at the bottom of a logjam on the San Francisco 49ers depth chart.

Mike Adams

Mike Adams has all the tools to succeed in the NFL, but his worth ethic was in question throughout the draft process, and he did little to answer those questions.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were the ideal team to select Adams, as their strong chemistry should help Adams grow into a solid NFL player, but he needs to prove that he will add to, and not subtract from that chemistry.

With the Steelers' hole at the tackle position, Adams should have the opportunity to play right away, but the Steelers will not play him if he is not ready or not willing to play at a high level.

OTAs will be an opportunity for Adams to show that he is willing to put the work in to being a star NFL player. If he does so, the Steelers' offense could really be dangerous.

Ryan Tannehill

No player has more to prove than Ryan Tannehill. A top-10 selection, Tannehill certainly has top-10 physical attributes, but in college he lacked the moxie and the experience to be a winner.

Though his stats were impressive, Tannehill was very prone to turnovers at Texas A&M, and he was unable to turn the Aggies into contenders in a tough Big 12.

Unlike Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck, Tannehill never dominated in college, so assuming he will be a dominant starter as a pro is a stretch.

The Miami Dolphins absolutely need him to be just that, though, to finally escape from the specter of Dan Marino and become a winning franchise.

To do that, Tannehill will first have to take the job from either David Garrard or, more likely, Matt Moore. That means that Tannehill will have to excel early to get playing time, and from there, he will still have a lot to prove.

The fate of the Dolphins' franchise rests on Tannehill's shoulders, and as one of the most unproven quarterbacks drafted this year, he has a lot to prove to make the Dolphins' faith well placed.