NFL Preseason 2012: Reviewing Rookie QB Performances from Week 1

Andrew Luck's top-notch performance stole headlines from the first week of football's action, but multiple rookie quarterbacks put forth solid performances of their own.

Here are the top five performances from rookie quarterbacks thus far in the preseason.

Russell Wilson

The Seattle Seahawks' bright, young quarterback clearly demonstrated why he has been given a chance to earn the starting role. 

Wilson completed a stellar 75 percent of his passes for 124 yards and a touchdown. He looked firmly in control of the offense, spreading the ball around and scrambling effectively.

The only blemishes on his performance were an interception and a tendency toward running too soon.

Really, the only thing to worry about with Wilson is how he will develop as a pocket passer. His lack of size will hurt him, and he will need to learn how to compensate for that while remaining in the pocket.

One of his passes was batted down, and that looks to be a trend in Wilson's career. Once he develops an NFL-caliber pocket presence, though, look out. Wilson has every other tool already in place to be a top-notch starter.

Robert Griffin III

What Robert Griffin III did in his Washington Redskins debut was nothing short of incredible.

Griffin was in complete control, throwing perfect passes to multiple receivers. The Redskins helped Griffin with some screens and short passes, but Griffin constantly delivered superb throws that set up a run after the catch.

His touch and accuracy were superb in his short showing. We'll need a longer look at Griffin to really determine where he is at in his development, but early indications look very good.

Nick Foles

Nick Foles was without question the most effective quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles in their first preseason game.

While Foles was helped by some great plays from his receivers, no one can deny that he displayed moxie and toughness in his NFL debut.

He displayed a willingness to push the ball downfield that he didn't always show in college. More impressively, though, Foles displayed excellent pocket presence, which is something Eagles quarterbacks have lacked recently.

If Foles' accuracy and decision-making continues to develop, he could end up being the steal of this draft.

Ryan Tannehill

Ryan Tannehill displayed all the traits an NFL quarterback needs in his Miami Dolphins debut. He showed surprising touch on the ball while still having the ability to thread the ball into tight places with his arm strength.

In the pocket or on the run, Tannehill was mostly accurate and displayed good decision-making.

Tannehill could look even better if given some more deep chances. He surprisingly did most of his work in the short and intermediate game, which is not really his strength.

All in all, Tannehill looked good enough to challenge for the starting job. He will need to prove that he can perform against an opponent's top defenders, but his future looks bright.

Andrew Luck

The highlight of the preseason so far has to be the performance of Andrew Luck.

While his stats are boosted a bit by a long touchdown screen pass, his performance was still superb.

Luck looked like an old pro running an offense he's been running for years. He was able to manipulate the Rams' secondary to find passing lanes in a way that many veterans are unable to do.

At this point, the expectations for Luck couldn't be higher, but he seems ready to surpass them all. If he maintains this level of play throughout the preseason, the Colts could become postseason contenders very quickly.