Highlighting the Top 10 Candidates for NFL Rookie of the Year

The 2014 draft class was said by some experts to be one of the deepest in NFL history, as it featured both incredible talent at the top of the class and incredible depth in the middle rounds. 

Let's examine this draft class 12 weeks into the season. How accurate were those statements? So far, they look to be pretty legitimate. 

While there have still been a few first-round busts, the majority of the top draft picks have excelled as rookies. A handful of players will likely earn a Pro Bowl selection, and a few look like they have the potential to be the best in the game at their position in a few seasons. 

The NFL awards the best rookie both on offense and defense, but this article will group both sides of the ball together. Below is my attempt at ranking the 10 most impressive rookies so far this season. Where the player was drafted is not relevant, whether it's first or fourth round. How the player has performed is all that matters. 

1. Khalil Mack, OLB, Oakland Raiders

You could select up to five, six or seven players as the NFL's most impressive rookie throughout the 2014 season. My winner is Oakland Raiders outside 'backer Khalil Mack, the fifth overall selection. Mack has been a monster against the run, collecting 49 tackles, and he's also recorded 30 quarterback hurries as a pass-rusher. Pro Football Focus rates him as the third-best linebacker (subscription required) in the league this season. A rare Oakland Raiders first-round pick that has actually panned out, Mack looks poised to be one of the best defensive players in the league by the end of the 2014 season.

2. Joel Bitonio, LG, Cleveland Browns

The only player drafted in the second round to crack the top 10 of the Rookie of the Year voting, Joel Bitonio has been dominant in both run- and pass-blocking for the Cleveland Browns. He's opened up holes for running backs Isaiah Crowell, Terrance West and Ben Tate, while he's allowed no sacks and eight quarterback hurries in 11 games. In his past nine games, he's allowed just three hurries on quarterback Brian Hoyer. Bitonio rates as the second-best guard in the league, per Pro Football Focus, and he has played well enough to earn a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie. 

3. Zack Martin, RG, Dallas Cowboys

Versatile enough to play anywhere on the offensive line, the Cowboys have plugged Zack Martin in at right guard, where he's rated as Pro Football Focus' fourth-best guard this season. Martin has surrendered just five hurries, and he hasn't allowed a sack. As a run-blocker, he's helped open up massive holes for likely NFL rushing champion DeMarco Murray, who has averaged well over 100 yards per game this year. 

4. Aaron Donald, DT, St. Louis Rams

The most disruptive rookie defensive lineman since Ndamukong Suh, Donald averaged just 27 snaps per game through the first four games. He's played well enough over the past seven games to average 51 snaps per game. Donald's recorded five sacks and 15 quarterback hurries, per Pro Football Focus, and he's ranked second in run-stop productivity. 

5. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Watch Mike Evans play football. It's hard to believe this guy has played just four years of organized football. He's unstoppable, and he's going to be one of the best receivers in the league by the end of this season. Evans has caught 49 balls for 841 yards and five scores. Over the past month, he's had three 100-yard games, one 200-yard game and five touchdowns. He's recorded at least three catches and 37 yards in every game this season, and he's managed to play this well despite catching passes from Josh McCown and Mike Glennon. 

6. Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Carolina Panthers

No player saw his draft value drop as much over the final few weeks leading up to the draft as Kelvin Benjamin, yet he's proved his doubters wrong with a dominant first season. Benjamin is the only legitimate weapon on the Panthers, but he's still caught 52 passes for 768 yards and eight touchdowns. He's second among rookies in catches, second in yards and tied for first in touchdowns. 

7. C.J. Mosley, ILB, Baltimore Ravens

He's got a while to go before he replaces future Hall of Famer Ray Lewis, but rookie C.J. Mosley has been the most impressive rookie linebacker this season. He leads all rookies with 65 tackles, and he's also proven to be a solid pass-rusher. Pro Football Focus rates Mosley in the top seven among inside linebackers in both run-stop productivity and pass-rushing productivity. 

8. Anthony Barr, OLB, Minnesota Vikings

Third in tackles and second in sacks among all rookies, Anthony Barr has been everything the Vikings hoped for when they selected him ninth overall in the draft. Barr's walk-off overtime touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is the highlight of his season, but he's been an all-around big-play machine, recording three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles in 11 games. 

9. Sammy Watkins, WR, Buffalo Bills

The pressure was on Sammy Watkins the minute the Bills traded up from the ninth to the fourth pick to grab the Clemson playmaker. Watkins has been productive as a rookie, although he's been outplayed by a few other receivers in his draft class. Watkins has been extremely inconsistent, recording fewer than 35 yards in seven games but more than 115 in three others. 

10. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, New York Giants

No rookie receiver averages more yards per game than Odell Beckham Jr. He's missed four games with a hamstring injury, but he's still recorded 609 receiving yards. That's a 1,392-yards-per-season pace. Over his past four games, he's caught 31 passes for 503 yards and two touchdowns. That's a 124-catch, 2,012-yard pace. That's likely unsustainable, but if Beckham keeps making catches that are grouped among the greatest in history, anything is possible. If he had played in every game this season, he'd likely be leading the race for Offensive Rookie of the Year. 

Apologies to: John Brown, Kyle Fuller, Derek Carr, Chris Borland, Jordan Matthews, Brandin Cooks, Jerick McKinnon