10 NFL Rookies Guaranteed to Disappoint in Their 1st Season
The NFL draft is in the distance and rookies continue to sign their professional contracts as minicamps progress through the summer, but some first-year players will struggle to prove their true worth in their first season.
The debut of new players brings hope to franchises across the league, and the success of rookies in the recent past raises the expectations placed on players right from the start. Naturally, some rookies will hit the ground running and others will require a longer adjustment period.
For every Odell Beckham Jr. there is a Tavon Austin. Some players will make a breath-taking grab in their first season, while others will struggle to find their place in their team’s scheme.
Although a player may not perform in his first year, the prospect could still develop into a star within a few years. The pressure on players selected in the first few rounds in the draft means contributing at an average level could even be a disappointment for some rookies.
Let’s take a look at the players the 10 rookies who could fall short of expectations in the 2015 season.
Players listed in order of draft selection.
Todd Gurley
1 of 10
The St. Louis Rams selected Todd Gurley with the 10th overall pick in this year’s draft, making him and Melvin Gordon the first running backs to get their names called in the first round in the last couple of years.
Unlike Gordon, the University of Georgia tailback comes into the league on the back of an injury-plagued season. Gurley tore his ACL back in November on a six-yard run against Auburn University.
According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, the current timeline for Gurley's return is set for the second week of training camp, but the player could begin camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
The Rams may delay Gurley’s return to make sure their franchise tailback recovers properly. The team can rely on Tre Mason in the meantime. In addition, if Gurley starts the season on the PUP list, then the player’s debut would not come until Week 7.
The running back, who may be the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson, will also have to compete against some of the best run defenses in the NFL. The Seahawks and 49ers both ranked in the top 10 in terms of rush defense, while injury-riddled Arizona ranked 13th, according to ESPN.com.
Due to injury and the tough defenses in the NFC West, Gurley may need a year to get his legs back underneath him.
Danny Shelton
2 of 10
The Cleveland Browns selected Danny Shelton with the 12th overall pick in the draft. He possesses the potential to be the next Vince Wilfork or Haloti Ngata.
The nose tackle from the University of Washington measures in at 6’2” and 339 pounds, according to NFL.com. The main concern surrounding Shelton comes from his poor 40-yard dash time.
For a nose tackle comparison, Dontari Poe of the Kansas City Chiefs measures an inch taller and seven pounds heavier, according to ESPN.com. The difference, however, comes from their performances in the 40-yard dash. Poe completed the drill in 4.9 seconds, but Shelton posted a significantly slower time of 5.6 seconds.
Shelton’s first season may be surrounded by concerns over his weight management. The nose tackle possesses the lateral agility and size to be a premier run-stuffer, but he may lack the downhill explosion to contribute in the pass rush.
Arik Armstead
3 of 10
Arik Armstead's unique physical stature and abilities convinced the San Francisco 49ers to draft the Oregon defensive linemen with the 17th overall pick in this year's draft.
Armstead measures at 6’7” and 292 pounds and is an ideal fit for a 3-4 defensive end. The player contains the potential to be a dominant physical force in the future, but he failed to show consistency during his time at Oregon.
In his junior season, he recorded 46 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss. This season ended up being his last in the college ranks. Armstead finished the year ranking just 10th on the team in tackles and eight in tackles for a loss.
The player needs to show he has the skill to convert his raw potential into consistent production, according to Bleacher Report's Dan Hope.
"And while he could physically overwhelm many of his opponents at the collegiate level, he needs to become more skilled with his hands to win with regularity in the NFL," Hope wrote.
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D.J. Humphries
4 of 10
The Arizona Cardinals bolstered their offensive line this offseason by signing Mike Iupati in free agency and selecting D.J. Humphries in the first round of the draft.
Humphries possesses the physical skill set at 6'5" and 307 pounds to be a staple on the Cardinals offensive line, but he may be a longer-term project.
The University of Florida product racked up only 19 starts in his collegiate career and appeared in 29 total games. Humphries struggled to protect the quarterback last season with a pass-blocking efficiency rating of 96.7, which ranked 45th among the tackles in this year's draft class, according to Gordon McGuinness of Pro Football Focus (via ESPN.com).
Humphries possesses all the physical attributes to be a great offensive tackle, but he may take some time to develop into a dominant presence for Arizona.
Breshad Perriman
5 of 10
The Baltimore Ravens desperately need help at the wide receiver position following the departure of Torrey Smith. The team drafted Breshad Perriman in the first round to help fill that void.
The wide receiver may be one of the riskier first-round draft picks, as his pro day performance resulted in most of the University of Central Florida product’s hype. Perriman turned heads when he ran the 40-yard dash in just 4.24 seconds. That comes in significantly faster than Kevin White’s 4.35 40-yard dash time at the NFL Scouting Combine.
However, the concern for Perriman revolves around his seven drops last season. The 6’2” wide receiver possesses the ability to make the spectacular catch but lacks concentration on some of the routine grabs.
Dorial Green-Beckham
6 of 10
Dorial Green-Beckham possesses the body of the top wide receivers in the NFL at 6'5", 237 pounds. The Tennessee Titans took the chance on the receiver with enormous potential with a second-round pick.
Ignoring off-the-field issues, the biggest concern surrounding the wide receiver is that he has not featured in a competitive game in over a year. Green-Beckham left Missouri following his sophomore season and had to sit out his first season at Oklahoma following the transfer. After sitting out a full season, his learning curve could be longer than other rookies.
"We had him in for a visit and put him on the board, and he was completely lost. Whoever takes him better have a plan for him because it could be rough early on," said one AFC offensive coordinator, according to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein.
The combination of Green-Beckham's unpolished ability and a rookie quarterback, Marcus Mariota, lends itself to the making of a long-term project for the Tennessee Titans.
Devin Funchess
7 of 10
Is Devin Funchess a wide receiver or a tight end? The Carolina Panthers selected the receiving threat from the University of Michigan in the second round.
Funchess played wide receiver during his last collegiate season, but he featured as a tight end as a sophomore in 2013.
At 6'5" and 230 pounds, Funchess provided mismatches down the center of the field as a pass-catching tight end. He earned the award for the best tight end in the Big Ten his sophomore season with 748 yards on the season.
Compared to other wide receivers, Funchess performed poorly when he completed the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds at his pro day and 4.70 at the combine. However, the Michigan product doesn't consider himself either a wide receiver or a tight end, according to the Detroit Free Press.
"I consider myself as a ball player," Fuchess said, according to the Detroit Free Press' Dave Birkett.
Although Funchess may not be concerned about his position, he will need to choose a spot at some point. With his positional uncertainty, the pass-catcher may take longer than others to make an impact on the field.
Jalen Collins
8 of 10
Jalen Collins possesses the size most NFL teams look at in cornerbacks, and the Atlanta Falcons decided to choose the defensive back with the 42nd pick in the draft.
The Louisiana State cornerback measures in at 6'1" and 203 pounds. On top of the size, Collins also showcased his speed at the combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds.
However, this player lacks experience at the collegiate level. Collins only started 10 games during his time in Baton Rouge, including seven starts last season. Collins appeared in 39 total games for the Tigers.
Louisiana State produced other successful cornerbacks, such as Patrick Peterson, but Collins may require more time to show his true skills.
Jordan Phillips
9 of 10
The Miami Dolphins clearly placed an emphasis on improving their defensive line this offseason. Miami signed the top player in free agency, Ndamukong Suh, and drafted Jordan Phillips in the second round.
The defensive tackle possesses the size and athleticism to be a physical force in the NFL, but concerns surround his ability to maintain his weight. At 6'5" and 329 pounds, Phillips possessed the "highest level of body fat at the scouting combine at 30.9 percent," according to the Sun Sentinel.
"I have to learn how to work hard," said Phillips, according to Omar Kelly of the Sun Sentinel.
The defensive tackle recorded 50 tackles and 3.5 sacks through 28 games at Oklahoma. Phillips' lack of conditioning may make it hard for the rookie to find time on the field in his first season.
Randy Gregory
10 of 10
The Dallas Cowboys landed three players with first-round talent in Byron Jones, Randy Gregory and La'el Collins. However, there are several question marks surrounding the three prospects.
Gregory's draft stock obviously fell due to off-the-field issues, but the pass-rusher also lacks some of the physical aspects of a premier sack artist.
At 6'5" and 235 pounds, Gregory may lack the strength necessary to be an every-down payer. With a similar body build, Dion Jordan found almost identical issues in his first few years in the NFL.
The Nebraska product also receives comparisons to San Francisco's Aldon Smith, but the 49ers' pass-rusher weighed over 25 pounds more than Gregory.
The Dallas Cowboys may need to allow Gregory more time bulk up if the pass-rusher will fit into their 4-3 system as a true defensive end.
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