Robert Griffin and 5 Rookies Already Turning Heads in Their NFL Careers

Though experts have been dissecting the NFL's latest crop of rookies since draft day, their careers are still too young to effectively chart their course.

Right now, we can only base opinions on what they've done so far in minicamps. These camps are without pads and are not full speed, making them a bit overvalued in terms of judging players' progress.

Some players, though, stick out in a way that appears to forecast either lasting success or lasting failure.

These six rookies have managed to turn heads early in their careers and have gained the league's attention.

Russell Wilson

One young passer has been turning heads in Seattle. Even though he wasn't a top selection, Russell Wilson has impressed at the Seattle Seahawks' OTAs. 

In fact, Wilson could even challenge for the starting job. He's definitely inserted himself into the battle between Matt Flynn and Tarvaris Jackson, and his upside could just win him the job.

With solid arm strength, leadership skills and accuracy, the third-rounder has all the requisite tools, and despite his diminutive stature, he could be the Seahawks' quarterback of the future.

Courtney Upshaw

Using Terrence Cody's impression of Courtney Upshaw might be a little unfair, seeing as they were college teammates at Alabama before becoming Baltimore Ravens teammates, but his take on Upshaw is brilliant.

In an interview with CSNBaltimore, among other things, the giant nose tackle calls Upshaw a "mean dude," and "a bad-a**" who likes to hit the quarterback.

If the rest of the Baltimore veterans agree, Upshaw could find his way onto that first-team defense quickly, and he could even help the Ravens survive the temporary loss of Terrell Suggs.

Juron Criner

The Oakland Raiders are known for drafting speed receivers, but in stepping outside their comfort zone with a possession receiver in Juron Criner, the Raiders may have struck gold.

Criner has been catching everything at Raiders minicamp, excelling at making big catches downfield. 

According to Jerry McDonald and the Mercury News, Criner has impressed head coach Dennis Allen, and could vie for a starting job in 2012 straight out of Arizona.

Brian Quick

The St. Louis Rams are thrilled with second-round pick Brian Quick, whose combination of size and athleticism has them excited for his development.

Quarterback Sam Bradford and Quick are similar in stature, and they seem to be getting on the same page quickly.

Though Quick was considered a raw prospect coming out of the FCS Appalachian State, with rapid development, he could turn into one of the steals of the draft.

Justin Blackmon

Not every rookie has been turning heads for the right reasons. The Jacksonville Jaguars' first-round pick Justin Blackmon was arrested for aggravated DUI on Sunday morning.

The Jaguars are a franchise already at the bottom of the barrel, so this arrest can't bode well for them. They needed Blackmon to help develop embattled quarterback Blaine Gabbert, the No. 10 overall pick last year.

But any jail time or distraction from their rookie wideout could seriously hurt the Jaguars offense.

If Blackmon avoids serious jail time and learns from his mistake, this could be a minor issue. Or, it could develop into a major story. Time will tell what this means for the Jaguars.

Robert Griffin III

Fortunately for the Washington Redskins, their top draft pick has been making news for all the right reasons.

The Heisman winner is becoming more and more comfortable in the offense, and estimates that he already knows "60-70 percent" of the playbook—a remarkable feat considering the difficulty of coach Mike Shanahan's scheme.

If Griffin continues to learn and grow in the Redskins scheme, they can feel confident that he will have a rookie season to remember.