NFL Rookies Looking Most Comfortable in the Pros

The 2014 NFL draft class was widely regarded as one of the deepest to come along in a while. Part of that reason was a record number of underclassman decided to declare for the draft.

Forgoing the rest of their collegiate eligibility, 98 of these underclassmen were available for teams to select. By all accounts the league wasn't thrilled by the recent trend of these younger players jumping to the pros and has since taken steps to rectify that.

Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout.com (h/t CBSSports.com) wrote about this scenario in detail. "The league is in the process of initiating new protocols to improve the information provided to college prospects so they can make informed decisions," Brugler mentioned.

Whether that new flow of information turns out to be effective, of course, remains to be seen.

Looking at all of the underclassmen and senior players who were selected in 2014, we are now able to see which ones look the most comfortable. With a glut of names to choose from, we've carved out 10 players who fit that billing the best. Here are 10 rookies who have transitioned beautifully to the NFL.

Branden Oliver

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Who said undrafted free agents can't amount to anything? Disarray in the San Diego Chargers backfield has led to the emergence of Buffalo running back Branden Oliver.

Oliver has drawn comparisons to another ex-Chargers running back, Darren Sproles, because of the number he wears and the fact that both guys are listed at 5'7" and 5'6", respectively.

Stylistically, they aren't as similar as you may think. Oliver is about 20 pounds heavier than Sproles, which allows him to power through tackles and seek out an inordinate amount of contact. He's an engaging runner to watch, and for a 5-1 Chargers team that has to be a relief.

Even when Ryan Mathews returns to the lineup, Oliver's presence within this offense shouldn't go away. Over the last two weeks, he's run for 215 yards and two touchdowns. Showing off his versatility, he's also tacked on eight receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown.

There's been a lot of solid play amongst rookie tailbacks. Jeremy Hill, Carlos Hyde, Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West have all had their moments. However, none of those guys have looked as good as Oliver. For that reason, he's earned his place on this list.

Kyle Fuller

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The Chicago Bears may have found the next shutdown cornerback in rookie Kyle Fuller. That term is thrown around loosely nowadays, but all that we've seen from Fuller on tape is encouraging.

He's tied for the lead in interceptions with three and since being thrust into a starting role thanks to Charles Tillman's injury, Fuller has lined up against some pretty excellent wide receivers. Over the last two weeks, he's had to deal with fellow rookie Kelvin Benjamin and the always-dangerous Julio Jones.

Pro Football Focus (subscription required) measured his performance. In that two-week span he surrendered eight receptions on 17 targets for 109 yards and zero touchdowns. He may have struggled at times in coverage, but those numbers are impactful no matter how you cut them up.

Fuller has been excellent and the more comfortable he gets with the Bears' defensive scheme, the better off he'll be.

Kelvin Benjamin

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He's big, he can separate down the field and if you throw the football up to him, odds are he'll come down with it. That's the best way to describe Carolina Panthers first-year wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin.

Benjamin has become Cam Newton's go-to weapon. Through six weeks, he leads the team in targets with 55 and receiving yards piling up 416 of those. Part of that reason has to be besides tight Greg Olsen, he's the most talented pass-catcher on the roster.

Secondly, when the Panthers let Steve Smith Sr. walk during the offseason, Benjamin was thrust into that No. 1 receiving role.

I've talked about it before when writing about Newton and Benjamin's connection, but the more you watch this young pass-catcher, the more you can tell he has earned his quarterback's trust. That's a great sign for the trajectory of Benjamin's career.

C.J. Mosley

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C.J. Mosley was drafted with the weight of the world thrust onto his shoulders. Just two seasons removed from Ray Lewis' retirement, Mosley was chosen to be his successor.

It's not fair to compare Mosley to Lewis because a player like Lewis comes along once in a generation. Still, the hyperbole of him morphing into Lewis version 2.0 is going to get louder each time this young man makes a big play.

The further we jump into his debut season, the better Mosley seems to get. Right now, he's currently slugged in as PFF's fifth-ranked inside linebacker and although it's not always a great barometer to judge a player's on-field performance, he's also tied for fifth in the league for tackles.

All rookies will falter at times, but for the most part Mosley has been stellar. He's taken command of the Ravens defense and has already developed into a great run-stuffing linebacker.

Ravens fans have a reason to celebrate, and it's not because of Steve Smith. It's because the city of Baltimore finally got itself another anchor to dominate in middle of its defense.

Ja'Wuan James

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Can we give the offensive linemen a little love? The Miami Dolphins' decision to draft Ja'Wuan James is turning out to be a solid one.

James may not have had the namesake of Jake Matthews or the sheer power of Taylor Lewan, but since he's come to Miami, he's turned into a plug-and-play starter at right tackle.

Analyzing PFF's advanced metrics, James has been sound all season minus his Week 6 performance against the Green Bay Packers. Again, as we discussed earlier, rookies will of course endure their fair share of struggles.

Overall, James' play has been encouraging for the Dolphins. With Branden Albert lining up at left tackle, the team now seems to have two solid options to fend off edge-rushers.

Khalil Mack

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Khalil Mack was a player that NFL Media draft expert Mike Mayock was drooling over throughout the draft process. "I’m going to tell you right now, I’d take him with the first pick," he said during an interview with KFAN 100.3, via Vikings.com.

Playing on an 0-5 Oakland Raiders team, it's easy to forget about him in the grand scheme of things. But regardless of the organization's woes, Mack's talent is undeniable.

Throwing our bucket back down the advanced metrics well, PFF notes that Mack has played 88.4 percent of the team's defensive snaps. That durability has also turned into a swath of production. Mack's positive-14.3 grade makes him the No. 3 ranked 3-4 outside linebacker by PFF's count. He's been excellent defending the run and has rarely made mistakes.

The Raiders may have parted ways with their head coach Dennis Allen, but general manager Reggie McKenzie looks like he made the right decision going with Mack in the first round of the draft. His abundance of talent has made him a serious candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Joel Bitonio

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Joe Thomas, Alex Mack and now Joel Bitonio. The Cleveland Browns have done an excellent job over the years assembling premier talent on their offensive line.

Bitonio represents just another bright spot for this young Browns roster. As a second-round pick, he's quickly made the transition over to the NFL. Already one of the league's top offensive guards, Bitonio has been vital to the Browns' success.

Bleacher Report's Dan Hope pieced together an article discussing just how good he's been. In it, he wrote "You won’t see Bitonio’s name in the box score, and you might not notice him if you’re casually watching a Browns game. Take a closer look, however, and you’ll see that Cleveland appears to have come away with one of the steals of the 2014 draft class."

Bitonio has found this tremendous balance between opening up rushing lanes and creating a clean pocket for his quarterback to relax in. He's been one of the best rookies regardless of position. A genuine Pro Bowler in the making.

Anthony Barr

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We've already seen two talented rookie linebackers pop up on this list. Minnesota Vikings first-round pick Anthony Barr is another guy who's played well six weeks into the regular season.

Of all the linebackers taken in the first couple of rounds, you could argue that Barr was the biggest "project" of them all. His time at UCLA started off by playing wide receiver and running back before he migrated over to the defensive side of the ball.

Barr made his name rushing the quarterback. His 23.5 sacks over the two seasons he spent playing linebacker was all he needed to cement himself as a first-round draft pick.

With a new defensive-oriented head coach in Mike Zimmer taking over the Minnesota Vikings, the administration went out and made sure it got him a playmaker early. Physically speaking, Barr is an atypical talent.

He ran a 4.66-second 40-yard dash at the combine and turned heads with a crazy 6.82-second three-cone drill.

Those natural gifts have already helped him become a quality 4-3 outside linebacker who can rush the passer. To date, Barr has 38 combined tackles, two sacks and by PFF's tally, he's played 97.5 percent of the team's defensive snaps.

That's what you want out of a young linebacker. Not only is he producing, but he's also been a workhorse for Coach Zimmer's defense.

Jason Verrett

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How are the San Diego Chargers 5-1? Besides Philip Rivers making a legitimate case to win the league's MVP award this season, the play they've gotten out of their defensive backs has been extraordinary thus far.

Veteran Brandon Flowers has turned back the clock and become a dominant cornerback once again while rookie Jason Verrett has quickly turned into a tour de force in his own right.

Verrett is a complete defensive back. He's shown over the weeks that he can tackle, play coverage and make a play on the ball. He may be listed at 5'9" on the stat sheet, but so far he's made up for that lack of size with his aggression and physicality.

Cornerbacks need to become playmakers if they want to be considered elite. Based on the film we have to date, this former TCU standout definitely fits that mold.

His 18 combined tackles and one interception may not jump off the paper and that's OK. The Chargers know they found themselves a gem whose coverage skills could become a big reason why they finish atop the AFC West this season.

Zack Martin

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Joel Bitonio isn't the only guard who deserves a dump truck full of credit. Unless you've been in football's version of the witness protection program, you probably know the Dallas Cowboys are 5-1.

They've achieved that record by turning a random group of players into a capable defense and letting DeMarco Murray run the football for 785 yards and six touchdowns behind a diesel offensive line.

One name who's become a big part of that offensive formula is rookie guard Zack Martin. A player who may forever be remembered as the "guy Jerry Jones picked over Johnny Manziel," Martin has slid right into that right guard spot and thrived.

We rag on Jones for his moves as general manager, but one thing he's done well is craft a powerful offensive line. Beat writers and fans alike could have told you last year the Cowboys should have ran the ball. Finally, that message has been yanked from the atmosphere and embedded in the mind of head coach Jason Garrett.

PFF's grading chart indicates that Martin's play is trending upward. After a tough showing against the St. Louis Rams back in Week 3, he's been wonderful.

That's a good sign for a Dallas team on the hunt to take back the NFC East crown.

Unless noted otherwise, all game scores and information come courtesy of ESPN.com. All college football stats via Sports-Reference.com. All advanced stats and metrics via Pro Football Focus (subscription required).