NFL 2014: Picking the Best Rookie at Every Position
The 2014 NFL season featured a lot of great rookies throughout the season. Some got off to a hot start, while others made a late surge. A couple of positions were stacked with talent, while there were very few young, bright-eyed stars at other spots.
Whether they were first-round picks or went undrafted, plenty of rookies shined and made a name for themselves while helping their team.
In this slideshow, we will list every position and mention the top rookie at that spot along with a runner-up. Feel free to chime in below if you agree or think any players deserved to be mentioned instead of the ones who are on this list.
Quarterback: Teddy Bridgewater, Minnesota Vikings
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Draft selection: First round, 32nd overall
Derek Carr got a lot of attention during his rookie season with the Oakland Raiders, but Teddy Bridgewater went under the radar and gave Minnesota Vikings fans something to feel good about going into 2015.
In 12 starts for the Vikings, Bridgewater completed 89 fewer passes than Carr, finishing with 2,919 yards. However, Bridgewater had an average of 7.3 yards per pass, higher than Carr's 5.5. Bridgewater concluded his rookie campaign with 14 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a quarterback passer rating of 85.2. But that was not all.
He made plenty of plays with his feet, scrambling 47 times for 209 yards and one touchdown score. Bridgewater finished with a 6-6 record as a starter, but he was a valuable asset to the Vikings with his performance on the field.
Honorable mention: Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders (second round, 36th overall)
Running Back: Jeremy Hill, Cincinnati Bengals
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Draft selection: Second round, 55th overall
Only a couple of players are worth discussing when you talk about the best rookie running back. Jeremy Hill was the only 1,000-yard rusher among rookies and had the most rushing touchdowns with nine.
His performance helped the Bengals finish sixth in rushing yards and second in touchdowns on the ground.
The strong rushing attack elevated the Bengals to 10 wins and a wild-card spot in the playoffs.
Honorable mention: Andre Williams, New York Giants (fourth round, 113th overall)
Fullback: Ryan Hewitt, Cincinnati Bengals
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Draft selection: Undrafted
Ryan Hewitt was originally drafted as a tight end coming out of Stanford, but the Cincinnati Bengals made the right move by converting him to fullback.
Hewitt finished as one of the top fullbacks in the league, coming through in the blocking department to help fellow rookie teammate Hill finish eighth in rushing.
Hewitt also starred in the passing game a bit, pulling in 10 receptions for 86 yards and helping Cincinnati move the chains on three of those catches.
Honorable mention: Jay Prosch, Houston Texans (sixth round, 211th overall)
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Tight End: Jace Amaro, New York Jets
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Draft selection: Second round, 49th overall
There were few notable tight ends from the 2014 draft class. Though dropped passes were a glaring flaw, Jace Amaro tops the list as the best rookie tight end.
He finished with 38 catches for 345 yards and a pair of touchdowns while also performing well in run blocking.
The Jets hope Amaro can make a big step forward in his second season under a new regime.
Honorable mention: Crockett Gillmore, Baltimore Ravens (third round, 99th overall)
Wide Receiver: Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants
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Draft selection: First round, 12th overall
Odell Beckham Jr.'s first game came in Week 5. From the beginning, he made a lot of noise and quickly got better as the season went on.
The projected 2014 NFL Rookie of the Year caught 91 passes for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns, coming through when the Giants lost Victor Cruz. His one-handed touchdown grab against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football was arguably the play of the year, which gave him more hype.
With Beckham's first season in the books, the potential for him through a 16-game span is fun to imagine for Giants fans. For a player who missed the first four games and barely finished in the top 10 in touchdowns, catches and yards in the receiving department, Beckham has the ability to become the next best wide receiver in the NFL.
Among all positions, this one featured many great players who deserve consideration, but given Beckham's late start and how quickly he elevated his level of play, he gets the honor as best rookie wideout.
Honorable mention: Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (first round, seventh overall)
Center: Corey Linsley, Green Bay Packers
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Draft selection: Fifth round, 161st overall
The Green Bay Packers found a special player in the fifth round in Corey Linsley, who started all 16 games and excelled.
Linsley earned the starting center role while surrendering just one sack and committing four penalties throughout his first year. While serving as a viable blocker for Aaron Rodgers, Linsley also dominated as a run-blocker, helping him get on this list.
Though he did not earn any Pro Bowl or All-Pro honors as a rookie, expect him to take home several in his career.
Honorable mention: Travis Swanson, Detroit Lions (third round, 76th overall)
Left Guard: Joel Bitonio, Cleveland Browns
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Draft selection: Second round, 35th overall
The Cleveland Browns used plenty of players this season in the backfield in the running game, and Joel Bitonio managed to do well, paving the way for Terrance West, Isaiah Crowell and Ben Tate.
Bitonio provides good balance as a guard, serving as a reliable pass-blocker. He allowed just one sack in 2014.
Honorable mention: Andrew Norwell, Carolina Panthers (undrafted)
Right Guard: Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys
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Draft selection: First round, 16th overall
The Dallas Cowboys have to feel good about the production they received from their first-round draft pick. Zack Martin is the only offensive lineman among all rookies to not allow a single sack while starting all 16 games in 2014.
As a powerful run-blocker, Martin had a hand in DeMarco Murray having a breakout season and finishing with a league-leading 1,845 rushing yards.
Honorable mention: Brandon Linder, Jacksonville Jaguars (third round, 93rd overall)
Left Tackle: Taylor Lewan, Tennessee Titans
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Draft selection: First round, 11th overall
There were not many quality left tackles from the 2014 draft class this season. With that said, Taylor Lewan had the best rookie campaign out of all the left tackles. He allowed four sacks and committed five penalties but was a valuable asset in the rushing attack as a run-blocker.
If he limits his penalties and keeps pass-rushers away when he gets more snaps, he will become a better lineman.
Honorable mention: Kevin Pamphile, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (fifth round, 149th overall)
Right Tackle: Cornelius Lucas, Detroit Lions
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Draft selection: Undrafted
Like the left tackle spot, the right tackle position did not showcase many good rookie linemen.
Cornelius Lucas saw some time at left tackle, but the Lions mostly used him as a right tackle. He surrendered five sacks but managed to limit his penalties to just three.
Honorable mention: Justin Britt, Seattle Seahawks (second round, 64th overall)
3-4 Defensive End: Timmy Jernigan, Baltimore Ravens
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Draft selection: Second round, 48th overall
Moving on to the defensive side, starting with 3-4 defensive ends, Timmy Jernigan earns a spot on this list after a solid defensive performance.
He led all rookie 3-4 defensive ends in sacks with four and total tackles with 13. While providing a strong balance as a pass-rusher and run-stopper, Jernigan went the entire season without being penalized.
Honorable mention: Zach Kerr, Indianapolis Colts (undrafted)
4-3 Defensive End: Kony Ealy, Carolina Panthers
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Draft selection: Second round, 60th overall
The Carolina Panthers managed to get a lot of activity from Kony Ealy, who led all rookie 4-3 defensive ends in total snaps played. Alongside playing the most, Ealy led all rookies at his position in sacks with five and run stops with nine.
Though he was good on the stats page, consistency was an issue during his first year in the NFL. If he can consistently play well against both the pass and run, he will be a more valuable defensive end to the Panthers.
Honorable mention: Chris Smith, Jacksonville Jaguars (fifth round, 159th overall)
3-4 Outside Linebacker: Aaron Lynch, San Francisco 49ers
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Draft selection: Fifth round, 150th overall
Aaron Lynch played a big hand in helping San Francisco finish seventh in the NFL in stopping the run. He came up with 15 stops, limiting running backs when they attempted to attack the outside.
Lynch also made some noise as a pass-rusher, coming away with six sacks and hurrying opposing quarterbacks 27 times.
Overall, he was a strong asset as a linebacker, giving San Francisco fans a lot to feel good about moving forward.
Honorable mention: Jonathan Newsome, Indianapolis Colts (fifth round, 166th overall)
4-3 Outside Linebacker: Khalil Mack, Oakland Raiders
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Draft selection: First round, fifth overall
Khalil Mack was not only the best rookie outside linebacker in a 4-3 defensive scheme, but he is already one of the top players at this position. Von Miller may be considered the best 4-3 outside linebacker, but Mack is also deserving of that title.
Penalized just once, Mack finished with four sacks, 10 hits and 40 quarterback pressures. He also helped the Raiders in the run-stopping department when he limited plenty of running backs, especially when attempting to attack the outside.
Honorable mention: Anthony Barr, Minnesota Vikings (first round, ninth overall)
Defensive Tackle: Aaron Donald, St. Louis Rams
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Draft selection: First round, 13th overall
Aaron Donald was the most balanced rookie defensive lineman this year, helping St. Louis against the run and the pass.
Through more than 700 snaps, Donald picked up just two penalties and made the most of his activity on the field. He recorded nine sacks and was big against the run. Going into his second season, expect Donald to do better and help the Rams a lot defensively.
Honorable mention: Justin Ellis, Oakland Raiders (fourth round, 107th overall)
Inside Linebacker: C.J. Mosley, Baltimore Ravens
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Draft selection: First round, 17th overall
The Baltimore Ravens have to feel happy with their first-round selection. C.J. Mosley added a lot of strength to Baltimore's tough defense.
He was a big factor for Baltimore's defense against the run, as the Ravens were the fourth best team in stopping the rush. He finished with 133 tackles, the most among any rookie.
Since the departure of Ray Lewis, Mosley has stepped in and filled that spot. He still has a long way to go, but a little bit of work this offseason will propel him into being one of the best linebackers in the game.
Honorable mention: Chris Borland, San Francisco 49ers (third round, 77th overall)
Cornerback: K'Waun Williams, Cleveland Browns
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Draft selection: Undrafted
The cornerback position is the most challenging position for a rookie to play, as the difference between wide receivers in college and the pros is eye-opening.
Although K'Waun Williams went undrafted out of Pittsburgh, the former Panthers cornerback was one of the best players in the league at his position. Though he had no interceptions, receivers had to deal with Williams' tenacious coverage.
Cleveland has a strong one-two duo at cornerback with him and Joe Haden.
Honorable mention: Jason Verrett, San Diego Chargers (first round, 25th overall)
Safety: Tre Boston, Carolina Panthers
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Draft selection: Fourth round, 128th overall
Among all rookie safeties, Tre Boston was the most impressive in coverage and against the running game. Four of his five starts came in the final four weeks of the regular season, as he helped the Panthers build a four-game winning streak going into the playoffs. He played a hand in Carolina's defense, which held opponents to 17 points or less in each of the four games.
Receivers had a hard time finding the ball with Boston in the area for coverage. He finally earned his first interception in the final game of the season, taking it 84 yards for a touchdown.
If given a chance to start an entire season, Boston could prove even more valuable to the Panthers.
Honorable mention: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Green Bay Packers (first round, 21st overall)
Kicker: Chandler Catanzaro, Arizona Cardinals
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Draft selection: Undrafted
Chandler Catanzaro was one of the top field-goal kickers in 2014, splitting the uprights in his first 16 tries. The former Clemson kicker set the league rookie record for most consecutive field goals after making his 16th, which extended to 17 prior to his first miss.
Catanzaro went on to make 29 of 33 field goals, finishing as one of the top kickers in the league.
Honorable mention: Cody Parkey, Cincinnati Bengals (undrafted)
Punter: Pat O'Donnell, Chicago Bears
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Draft selection: Sixth round, 191st overall
The demand for punters from NFL teams was low, as Pat O'Donnell was the only rookie punter this past season. Despite having one get blocked, O'Donnell had 71 punts; 22 of them went inside the 20-yard line, and only three resulted in touchbacks.
O'Donnell was not a top-tier punter this past year, but he was above-average and came through for the Bears when they were unable to score offensively.
Honorable mention: N/A — Pat O'Donnell was the only rookie punter.
Return Specialist: De'Anthony Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs
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Draft selection: Fourth round, 124th overall
The Chiefs found the fastest player available in the fourth round of the NFL draft in De'Anthony Thomas, who saw some action on offense but mostly showcased his speed on special teams.
Thomas rarely called for a fair catch, doing so just once, and it paid off. He was second in the league in punt-return yards with 405 and had one of the longest touchdown returns of the season at 81 yards.
Thomas' overall performance as a rookie was similar to how Adam Jones, Devin Hester and Darren Sproles did in 2014. He is already one of the best returners in the game today and a player who may be a great returner for years to come.
Honorable mention: Jarvis Landry, Miami Dolphins (second round, 63rd overall)
All statistics courtesy of ESPN.com, STATS LLC and Pro Football Focus.
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