10 NFL Rookies Who Will Have Biggest Impact on Team's Success in 2014

Training camps have begun for all 32 teams in the National Football League, and players are already beginning to stand out from their peers.

When it's a veteran player who impresses or struggles, it probably doesn't mean as much. After all, that player has had his entire career to show what he can or can't do on a football field. But when a rookie shines during his first week with NFL-level competition, it's a terrific sign. 

The following 10 players will enter their 2014 rookie season with otherworldly expectations, largely based on where they were drafted, what position they are playing and how they have performed so far in camp.

They are ranked in order based on how important they are to their team's overall success in 2014.

1. Johnny Manziel, QB, Cleveland Browns

No player in the NFL is more important to his team in 2014 than former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel.

The ceiling for Manziel is about what Robert Griffin III did in 2012, when he turned in an Offensive Rookie of the Year season while leading the Washington Redskins to a surprising division title. The floor is, well, it could get pretty bad for Manziel if he plays on the field like he's acted off the field.

The Browns have a rookie head coach, a new offensive coordinator (the same coach who helped RGIII turn in his brilliant rookie season) and a relatively weak division. If Manziel becomes one of the league's most explosive, electrifying quarterbacks, he could actually lead Cleveland into the postseason for the first time since the 2002 season. 

2. Greg Robinson, OG, St. Louis Rams

The drop-off between Manziel and the next most important 2014 draft pick is enormous. St. Louis lineman Greg Robinson earns the nod with the second slot, which is ironic because he was picked second overall.

A fearsome run-blocker with the ability to play both tackle and guard, Robinson will be counted on to lead the Rams' power-running offense. After all, if this team can sneak into the postseason, it'll likely be by virtue of the duo of Zac Stacy and Tre Mason, not the arm of quarterback Sam Bradford.

Many first-round offensive linemen struggle for a year or two, but Robinson, a once-in-a-lifetime talent, needs to show immediate success. 

3. Calvin Pryor, FS, New York Jets

There are some combinations of players and team scheme fits that are absolutely perfect. Calvin Pryor and the New York Jets are one of them. Head coach Rex Ryan is a genius on the defensive side of the ball, and he will be able to effectively coax as many big plays (mostly hits) out of Pryor as possible.

Safeties play well early in their careers, so don't expect struggles from Pryor in 2014. He has a legitimate chance at earning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, and more importantly, he could be the player who helps take the Jets back into the postseason for the first time since 2010. 

4. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Minnesota Vikings

Teddy Bridgewater likely won't be a Week 1 starter in 2014. He may not even start for the first half of the season. But he's not going to sit on the bench all season for journeyman Matt Cassel.

Sooner or later, Bridgewater is going to play, and when he does, he's going to get his chance to show the other 31 NFL teams what they passed up in the draft. The Vikings could even sneak into the postseason if Bridgewater turns in a Rookie of the Year campaign.

5. Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Carolina Panthers

Who is going to be Cam Newton's go-to weapon on offense this season? It's not going to be Steve Smith; he's in Baltimore. Jerricho Cotchery? Jason Avant? Marvin McNutt?

Well, how about Kelvin Benjamin? After all, the Panthers did spend a first-round pick on the big, physical wideout, and they'd like to see some immediate results. Newton is poised for a breakout season as he heads into the fourth year of his career, but he's going to need Benjamin to play like a top wide receiver from day one.

6. Jadeveon Clowney, OLB, Houston Texans

Despite 14 straight losses to end the 2013 season, the Houston Texans are a legitimate sleeper team to reach the postseason in 2014. After all, they play in perhaps the weakest division in the National Football League, and they have new head coach Bill O'Brien.

Selected with the first overall pick in 2014, Jadeveon Clowney is more crucial to the team's success this season than perhaps any other player not named JJ Watt. The Texans are going to have an ugly quarterback situation and a weak offense. They need their defense, particularly their fearsome pass rush, to make the necessary plays to win games.

7. Brandin Cooks, WR, New Orleans Saints

The Saints need pass-catchers on offense to replace running back Darren Sproles and wide receiver Lance Moore, a pair of veterans who departed during the offseason.

Enter Brandin Cooks, the team's first-round draft pick and the Biletnikoff Award winner during the 2013 college football season. Cooks possesses elite speed and should be NFL-ready from day one. Pair him with a future Hall of Famer at quarterback, and it's easy to imagine Cooks topping 1,000 yards as a rookie. 

8. Blake Bortles, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars likely are still a year or two away from the postseason, and they're likely going to begin the season with veteran Chad Henne at quarterback instead of first-round pick Blake Bortles. But Bortles is going to be taking snaps soon, probably by midseason, and if he plays mistake-free football as a freshman, he could lead the Jaguars to some surprise wins…perhaps even a playoff berth.

9. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, FS, Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers have the necessary ingredient needed to compete for a Super Bowl title. They have Aaron Rodgers, one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. What they need is another playmaker on the defensive side of the ball, particularly in the secondary.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix fell into their lap with the 21st overall pick, and the former Alabama star is expected to start as a rookie, where he should have a solid chance at earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. 

10. Jordan Matthews, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

The only second-round pick on this list, the hype for Jordan Matthews has been through the roof since he was drafted by the Eagles back in May. Matthews is expected to start the season as the team's slot receiver, although it wouldn't be surprising at all to see him beat out Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper to end the season as the team's top receiving threat.

The Eagles are a sleeper Super Bowl team in 2014, and with another weapon on offense to replace the recently departed DeSean Jackson, they may just be able to take that next step.