Disappointing NFL Rookies Ready to Take Big Leaps Forward in Year 2

Every NFL draft class has players who disappoint in their first season as a pro, and the rookie class of 2014 was no different.

While some players who disappoint in Year 1 go on to remain major busts (JaMarcus Russell, anyone?), others find ways to turn things around as early as their second season. 

Quarterback Peyton Manning (28 interceptions, passer rating of 71.2 as a rookie) will forever represent hope that guys can land in the latter category.

Last year's draft class might not produce a future Hall of Famer, but it does feature a number of players who struggled as rookies but can still have promising NFL careers.

Of the players from the 2014 draft class who disappointed last year because of injuries, an inability to adapt to the pro game or just poor play, we are going to examine 10 who are potentially positioned for a big turnaround in 2015.

Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Buffalo Bills

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The Buffalo Bills drafted former Alabama offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio in the second round of last year's draft, hoping that he could lock down things on the right side of the line.

However, he struggled to adapt to the nuances of the pro game as a rookie and lost the starting right tackle job to seventh-round draft pick Seantrel Henderson. Kouandjio appeared in just one game as a rookie as a special teams player—clearly not the role the Bills envisioned for him when they filled out his draft card.

Things appear to be looking up for Kouandjio, though, after some strong showings at organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamps. 

According to Jay Skurski of BuffaloNews.com, Kouandjio has made a tremendous first impression on new head coach Rex Ryan.

"I can’t tell you what happened last year, but what I can tell you is I see the work ethic and enthusiasm that he hits the practice field with and that has been impressive,” Ryan said.

According to Nick Filipowski of WKBW Buffalo, Kouandjio was working with the first-team offense in June minicamp. This is a good sign that the second-year tackle may be ready to overtake Henderson for the starting job.

It would be a boon to Buffalo if Kouandjio could start, as Henderson wasn't all that efficient last season. Of the 142 tackles rated by Pro Football Focus last season, Henderson was ranked 140th. 

"I think the work that Cyrus has done overall in the offseason probably puts him ahead right now," coach Ryan said recently, per the team's official website. "But again, the race isn’t over by a long shot, so we’ll see."

Bishop Sankey, RB, Tennessee Titans

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Last year, the Tennessee Titans used their second-round draft pick (54th overall) on Washington running back Bishop Sankey. The belief was that he represented the best chance for the Titans to replace longtime back Chris Johnson as the centerpiece of their offense.

He was, after all, the first running back selected in last year's draft.

Unfortunately, Sankey struggled to live up to expectations in a big way. He averaged just 3.7 yards per carry, caught just 18 passes and finished the season with a mere 702 combined rushing and receiving yards.

Running back Jeremy Hill, selected by the Cincinnati Bengals one pick after Sankey, produced 1,124 yards on the ground alone.

Fortunately, there are a couple of reasons to believe that Sankey can turn things around in his sophomore season.

For starters, he will have a full offseason with the team. He only attended one OTA session last year because of his class commitment at Washington.

"I've been able to kind of start from scratch, kind of take it one day at a time and go with a slower pace," Sankey told John Glennon of the Tennessean. "I definitely feel more comfortable with pass protection, initial reads with running plays and everything."

The other reason is that Tennessee added Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota and Missouri wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham in this year's draft. If the two show any amount of promise as rookies, it is going to force defenses to focus less on defending the run. 

The Titans were ranked 29th in passing by Pro Football Focus last season. To say that teams were not threatened by the Titans' passing attack would be an understatement. 

Sankey will likely be part of a backfield rotation again this season (Dexter McCluster returns and the team drafted David Cobb), but he should be a much more productive runner in 2015.

Kyle Van Noy, LB, Detroit Lions

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Last season was a frustrating one for 2014 second-round pick Kyle Van Noy of the Detroit Lions. The former BYU standout was limited to just eight games because of a sports hernia and other nagging injuries.

He finished the season with just six tackles—a far cry from the type of production he had at Brigham Young (67 tackles, 17.0 tackles for a loss, 4.0 sacks and two interceptions in 2013).

Aside from switching jersey numbers from No. 95 to No. 53, the big difference for Van Noy this offseason is his health.

"I'm 100 percent different," Van Noy said, per Jeff Seidel of the Detroit Free Press. "I'm a different human being. It's cray. I'm not waking up in pain anymore. It's good."

He is in a good position to turn things around in 2015. With defensive stalwarts Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley no longer leading the charge up front, there is going to be room for players like Van Noy to step up and take on the role of game-changer.

According to Seidel, Van Noy has learned all three linebacker positions in coordinator Teryl Austin's base 4-3 defense. This means he should have plenty of opportunities to get on the field and to make plays.

Expect a lot more than six tackles from Van Noy in Year 2. 

Blake Bortles, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars

John Raoux/Associated Press

As a rookie, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles showed glimpses of the athleticism and arm talent that caused the team to grab him with the third overall pick in the 2014 draft.

Overall, though, Bortles' debut campaign was bad. It was really bad.

The former Central Florida star completed less than 60 percent of his passes, tossed more interceptions (17) than touchdowns (11) and finished with a passer rating of just 69.5.

Of the 75 quarterbacks rated by Pro Football Focus in 2014, Bortles came in dead last.

The good news is that he can't get much worse, and he should realistically get quite a bit better in his second season.

Though the Jaguars have not done an outstanding job of surrounding him with top-tier talent, the team did acquire a reliable target in free-agent tight end Julius Thomas.

The team also drafted a potential starter in running back T.J. Yeldon. An improved running game should help take some pressure off Bortles' shoulders.

What should also help is the fact that he will be another year older and wiser in NFL terms. Conor Orr of NFL.com recently listed Bortles at No. 14 on his "Making the Leap" list and cited the quarterback's arm strength, accuracy and athleticism as reasons why he has a solid foundation for success in 2015.

Eric Ebron, TE, Detroit Lions

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

The Detroit Lions selected tight end Eric Ebron with the 10th overall pick in the 2014 draft. He "rewarded" the Lions with 25 receptions, 248 yards and just one touchdown.

The word "disappointment" probably doesn't feel quite strong enough for Lions fans.

Ebron struggled with consistency, his ability to catch the ball and with pro-style route running as a rookie. Of course, rookie pass-catchers often struggle in the NFL, especially when their collegiate production (Ebron had 62 receptions for 973 yards in 2013) was predicated on athleticism more than polish.

With another offseason under his belt, Ebron should be a better route-runner and a more consistent player in 2015. According to teammate Golden Tate, the tight end has also been making strides in the pass-catching department.

Tate recently said the following, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press:

"

I think Eric's hungry, and this week, specifically, he's been phenomenal catching the ball and after the catch. Linebackers are having a tough time covering him, and even safeties. Hopefully, he's not letting [negative talk] get into his head, but hopefully, he is trying to fix the problem. He's been working hard, he's improved a whole lot; we're excited for him this year.

"

Because he plays on a team with Tate and Calvin Johnson, Ebron is unlikely to be more than a No. 3 target in 2015. However, he should be a much more complete player than he was a season ago and may have a chance to overtake Brandon Pettigrew—who was actually ranked behind Ebron by Pro Football Focus last season—as the primary tight end.

Jadeveon Clowney, LB, Houston Texans

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The Houston Texans made former South Carolina pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft. It was a risky move that brought along high expectations, but he was touted as a once-in-a-generation, can't-miss defensive talent.

What he ended up being was a colossal disappointment.

Knee issues limited Clowney to just four game appearances as a rookie. He was eventually placed on injured reserve in order to undergo knee surgery.

The real concern, however, is that he didn't look much like a stud defender even when he was healthy. He followed up his three-tackle, one-sack preseason with just seven tackles in his four regular-season games.

Overall, Clowney lived up to the 2014 hype about as well as the Annie remake. 

However, there is reason to believe that a healthy and focused Clowney can be a real difference-maker in Year 2. 

"I think he's gonna be there for the opening game [of the regular season] against Kansas City," head coach Bill O'Brien said of Clowney, per NFL Media's Michael Silver. "I think he's going to make it back, and I'm really looking forward to that. He's working very hard to get back."

Fellow pass-rusher and reigning defensive MVP J.J. Watt has also seen hard work from Clowney this offseason.

"He's been growing as a person and I think that we're excited to get him back on the field, whenever that may be," Watt said, via the Texans' official website. "I think he's going to be a good addition to our team when he comes back."

Watt has produced 51.5 sacks over the past three seasons. If he can teach Clowney a thing or two about getting to the quarterback and the second-year linebacker can live up to his physical potential, this defense could become truly scary for opposing passers.  

Justin Gilbert, CB, Cleveland Browns

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Everyone knows that Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel disappointed as a rookie in 2014, but fellow first-round pick Justin Gilbert underwhelmed as well.

Cleveland drafted the cornerback out of Oklahoma State eighth overall to be a starter opposite Joe Haden. However, he struggled with both his on-field play and maturity in Year 1.

Buster Skrine and undrafted rookie K'Waun Williams overtook him on the depth chart early in the season. The team benched him for the season finale against the Baltimore Ravens after he arrived late to a meeting. Head coach Mike Pettine later indicated that Gilbert was dealing with a "personal" issue as a rookie.

Gilbert now faces the task of showing his teammates and coaching staff that he can be dependable in addition to improving his play on the field.

There is hope, though. The corner did show flashes of his talent, like when he returned an Andrew Luck interception for a touchdown in Week 14. He has also been working out with Haden privately in the offseason, which seems to be paying off.

"He is growing up," Haden said, via the Browns' official website. "Justin’s a very, very talented player. It’s just going to take a little bit of time."

It will take some time for Gilbert to earn another shot at a starting job. The Browns signed former Green Bay Packers starter Tramon Williams in the offseason.

However, this doesn't mean that Gilbert cannot see playing time and use it to make a big improvement in 2015. 

Marcus Smith, LB, Philadelphia Eagles

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There may not have been a more underwhelming first-round pick last season than Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Marcus Smith.

The pass-rusher from Louisville was selected 26th overall in last year's draft to help bring pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Unfortunately, the only person he put pressure on was himself. 

Though he made it onto the field for eight games in 2014, Smith failed to record a single sack, fumble or tackle. He mostly saw time at inside linebacker, which is not his natural position. This likely made it even more difficult for Smith to develop as a pro.

This season, however, he should be back at outside linebacker, at least in a rotational role. The Eagles traded for inside linebacker Kiko Alonso during the offseason and let pass-rusher Trent Cole leave as a free agent.

Philadelphia should be willing to give Smith every opportunity to become a replacement for Cole on passing downs.

The challenge will be moving past the psychological impact of a wasted season and showing he can produce on the field. Teammate Brandon Graham seems to believe this is a challenge that Smith can overcome.

"Some people—you can get in their heads and that was one of his weaknesses last year that I told him he needed to get better with, Graham said of Smith," per Jeff McLane of Philly.com. "And I'm already seeing he's getting there. I think this year his focus is just on working hard because he knows he can play."

Smith racked up 42 tackles and 14.5 sacks with Louisville in 2013, so he has ability. Hopefully, that ability will translate to production on the NFL field in 2015.

Ryan Shazier, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Linebacker Ryan Shazier, a first-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2014, began his rookie season with a spark.

The former Ohio State star flashed his explosiveness and football IQ early, racking up 20 tackles and one defended pass in the first three weeks of the season. Unfortunately, a knee injury caused him to miss the next four games, and an ankle injury caused him to miss three more games later in the year.

Shazier, who finished the season with just 36 tackles, never really appeared to be 100 percent after the initial injury. This was a disappointment for Steelers fans, who have also watched 2013 first-round pick Jarvis Jones struggle at the linebacker position. 

Unlike Jones, however, Shazier has looked every bit like a first-round talent when healthy. If he can remain healthy in 2015, he could be in store for a Pro Bowl-type season.

The trick, of course, will be for him to remain healthy and not allow a poor debut season to get to his head.

"This is definitely a chance to wipe the slate, start off healthy and do everything I need to do to get back on point,” Shazier said in June, per ESPN.com's Jeremy Fowler. "Last year was kind of a disappointment for me because I felt I could have brought more to the team."

DeMarcus Lawrence, DE, Dallas Cowboys

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The Dallas Cowboys drafted Boise State defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence early in the second round (34th overall), hoping to get a pass-rushing machine.

As (bad) luck would have it, however, he suffered a broken foot in training camp and missed the first eight weeks of the regular season. In all, he appeared in seven regular-season games as a rookie with no starts and produced just nine total tackles. 

However, Lawrence did flash his quarterback-attacking potential in the postseason, notching two sacks and a forced fumble in two playoff appearances. 

The Lawrence who showed up in the postseason is likely to be the player the Cowboys see a lot more of in 2015, if he can remain healthy and continue to develop.

According to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News, Lawrence has been working with the first-team defense at left end. He has also added 10 pounds of muscle to his frame during the offseason.

"I feel a lot better. I feel like I got faster, stronger, bigger," Lawrence said, per George. "It’s always about taking the next step. Everybody on this team wants to be great. We ain’t settling for mediocre this year."

The Cowboys drafted pass-rusher Randy Gregory in the second round of this year's draft and signed Greg Hardy in free agency. However, Hardy is facing a 10-game suspension for violation of the personal conduct policy.

Hardy has appealed his suspension but is still likely to miss playing time because of it. This means that Lawrence should still be a big part of Dallas' pass-rushing plans.