Breaking Down the NFL's Most Likely Day 1 Rookie Starters

One week through the NFL preseason, rosters and depth charts are beginning to shape up. Coaching staffs across the league are trying to prop up available talent as the season nears. The 2015 rookie class is the group most affected by weekly performances.

Rookies have the steepest learning curve of any player across the NFL. Not only are they trying to catch up mentally, but the leap in physical talent is also as steep as it sounds. Not many rookies are ready to start from day one.

The best of the best are ready right now, which may greatly benefit teams needing a significant boost. Rookies who don’t start right away aren’t necessarily doomed to be a bust, but the immediate return on investment is a considerable positive. Even to this point it seems at least one dozen or more rookies are slated to earn early-season starts.

We’ve narrowed the list down to the 10 best and most likely day-one rookie starters. All of these names should be household names for their respective teams’ fanbase. After all, they’re in a position to start already.

Who do you think will perform the best? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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The No. 1 pick of the 2015 draft, Jameis Winston, had a roller-coaster debut for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He ended with an ugly stat line of nine-of-19 passing, with an interception and rushing touchdown. For most of his snaps, Winston looked out of control, throwing the ball into dangerous spots.

Some of Winston’s performance wasn’t surprising. While at Florida State, he that he is a risk-taker, and he’s unafraid to make tough throws. Those are positives, but that can also turn into recklessness if Winston’s mechanics aren’t solid.

Winston’s outlook is still bright, but his first showing was not as good as hoped. He’s locked in as the Buccaneers’ starter, so expect lots of learning opportunities to arise for the former Seminole quarterback.

Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans

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The second overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft, Marcus Mariota had an up-and-down debut for the Tennessee Titans. This should have been expected, as most rookie quarterbacks have moments that make you scratch your head. Mariota is hopefully getting those moments out of him now, rather than later.

The positive of Mariota’s first preseason game was his efficiency. He went seven-of-eight passing, with the lone incompletion an interception. The interception came on a screen play that Falcons’ linebacker Justin Durant read beautifully.

Mariota also fumbled the ball once. All-in-all, it was a good learning experience for Mariota. His passing was on point, but his turnovers give the team an area to work on before his next game.

Amari Cooper, Oakland Raiders

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Former Alabama star receiver Amari Cooper is looking to fulfill his star potential with second-year quarterback Derek Carr. His transition to the NFL has reportedly been as seamless as expected for the polished route-runner. Now it’s time to help build an explosive offense on Sunday’s.

It’s probably not fair to expect Cooper to have an Odell Beckham-type impact for the Oakland Raiders, but it is fair to expect Cooper to lead the team in receptions, yards and touchdowns. Oakland’s building something special with Cooper as Carr's No. 1 option.

The first preseason game wasn’t all positive for Cooper, who may have not ran the right route, leading to an interception. His four targets and three receptions do show that he will be targeted early and often. Expect big things from this rookie.

Vic Beasley, Atlanta Falcons

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An uber-talented and athletic pass-rusher, it was only a matter of time before Vic Beasley would earn significant playing time with the Atlanta Falcons. The eighth overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft earned 10 snaps in the Falcons’ first preseason game, per Pro Football Focus. His ability to play defensive end and outside linebacker will help him stay on the field.

Not only is Beasley ready to start just in terms of his polish, but the Falcons also desperately need a quality pass-rusher. Beasley’s track record really speaks for itself. He had 52.5 tackles for loss and 33 sacks over three seasons at Clemson.

It may take some time for Beasley to be as dominant as he was in college, but he still projects as a high-caliber player for Atlanta. His blend of speed, strength and intelligence will be too much for opposing tackles to keep him outside of the backfield for long.

Ereck Flowers, New York Giants

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The New York Giants didn’t plan to have a rookie left tackle entering a crucial 2015 season, but a major injury to William Beatty changed that quickly. Beatty may not miss the entire season since he’s on the PUP list, but Ereck Flowers will start the season at the most valuable position along the offensive line.

New York’s first-round pick looked to be a better right tackle prospect because of his physical play style in the run game. His pass protection was at times suspect against top competition in 2014 at Miami, so this is something to watch moving forward. Eli Manning’s effectiveness could significantly drop if Flowers cannot hold the position down.

In his first preseason game, Flowers struggled. He was called for a holding penalty and earned a negative pass-protection grade in 12 snaps, per Pro Football Focus. It’s early, but the Giants need Flowers to be reliable this year.

Melvin Gordon, San Diego Chargers

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After leading the nation in rushing yards at Wisconsin in 2014, rookie Melvin Gordon is trying to accomplish similar feats with the San Diego Chargers. His natural talent as a runner should strike fear into would-be tacklers as he reaches the defense's second level. He’s able to make good players look foolish as they dive after his shadow.

The concern with Gordon is how consistent will he be. His film at Wisconsin showed hesitation behind the line of scrimmage when there wasn’t an obvious running lane. That again showed in the Chargers’ first preseason game.  

Gordon is very likely to start, but he must improve and trust his vision more often. San Diego’s offensive line is among the league's better run-blocking units. Gordon must take advantage.

Hau’oli Kikaha, New Orleans Saints

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Junior Galette's surprise release opened the door for rookie Hau’oli Kikaha to start in his rookie season. The second-round pick was an accomplished rusher at Washington, which gives reason to believe he can step in and be an impact player right away. He had 51.5 tackles for loss and 36 sacks total in four seasons in college.

Kikaha isn’t a great athlete, instead he relies on advanced technique. That may somewhat limit his ceiling as a top-tier pass-rusher. But that doesn’t mean he won’t be an effective player for the Saints.

New Orleans’ defense desperately needs Kikaha to be productive with his expected snap count. The unit floundered last season and looked lost on most occasions. Having a good pass rush is a strong start to fixing their issues.

Ty Sambrailo, Denver Broncos

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The Denver Broncos invested a second-round pick into left tackle Ty Sambrailo this past draft. The plan was likely to have Sambrailo add strength and improve his technique for a year and then have him compete for the right tackle job in 2016. Ryan Clady suffering one major injury, and now Sambrailo is starting.

This is a huge opportunity for Sambrailo to establish himself on a national stage. On the other hand, he is under a lot of pressure to protect quarterback Peyton Manning and keep him healthy. The early buzz is that he’s struggled mightily with Denver’s top pass-rushers in practice, according to Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post.

He wasn’t a train wreck in the Broncos’ first game against Seattle. Pro Football Focus graded him negatively, but he allowed just one hurry in 23 pass-protection snaps. The Broncos would be very happy to get that type of play all season long from the rookie left tackle.

John Miller, Buffalo Bills

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One year after suffering from a porous offensive line, the Buffalo Bills are hopeful that a rookie right guard from Louisville will be part of a punishing rushing attack. Third-round pick John Miller has basically cemented his role as a starter for the Bills if snaps can be trusted as an indicator. Miller logged 45 snaps in the Bills’ first preseason game against the Carolina Panthers, according to PFF.

As important as volume is the quality of Miller’s play. According to Pro Football Focus, Miller graded positively as a blocker and allowed just one hurry. That’s the type of impact the Bills needed for this offensive line to improve.

Rookies are often inconsistent, so it won’t be surprising if Miller struggles here and there. But he is setting the bar high for expectations thus far. He may end up being one of this class' best rookie linemen.

T.J. Clemmings, Minnesota Vikings

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Like several other rookies on this list, T.J. Clemmings will likely be a day-one starter due to some unfortunate-injury luck. The Minnesota Vikings lost right tackle Phil Loadholt to a torn Achilles in their second preseason game. Clemmings is the clear-cut starter, barring a shocking development.

The fourth-round pick has had some ups and downs in two games thus far. His athleticism is a major plus, especially in the run game. Minnesota will likely use him as the lead blocker on many run plays with Adrian Peterson.

Still, Clemmings’ pass-protection ability has yet to be determined. Expect the Vikings to give him tight end help whenever possible. As talented as he is, he has a major task ahead of him to fill Loadholt’s massive shoes.

All stats used are from Sports-Reference.com.

Ian Wharton is an NFL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. 

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