NFL Rookies Who Have Solidified Starting Roles After Preseason Week 3

The primary goal for every player who is entering the NFL is just to land a roster spot. The next goal is to earn a starting job as a rookie.

In recent years, players such as Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Khalil Mack and Odell Beckham Jr. have made it look relatively easy to start and excel as a first-year player. However, the reality is that transition from college ball to the pros is far from a cakewalk.

Locking down a starting job before a player's rookie season even begins is even more difficult. 

It certainly isn't impossible, though. With enough hard work and the right situation, Marcus Mariota, Danny Shelton and Vic Beasley can step succeed as rookies in 2015.

Today, we're going to look at the top rookies who have solidified their starting roles after three weeks of preseason action.

Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rookie quarterback Jameis Winston hasn't exactly lit it up this preseason, but he has shown enough promise for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to be willing to deal with the upcoming roller-coaster ride.

Winston took some positive steps between his preseason debut and his follow-up appearance against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2. He finished the latter contest 8-of-13 for 90 yards. He also led an impressive 80-yard scoring drive to open the game.

Pro Football Focus rated Winston 15th overall among all quarterbacks in Week 2. 

While he appeared poised and confident against the Bengals, he looked like an overwhelmed rookie for much of the next contest against the Cleveland Browns in Week 3. An abysmal offensive line didn't help, as Winston was sacked four times and pressured into an ill-advised interception.

As a rookie quarterback, he is going to have his ups and downs.

"This is going to take some time, folks. Winston might turn into a franchise quarterback someday, but it's not going to happen soon," Tom Jones of the Tampa Bay Times wrote after Winston's latest performance. "That's not a knock against Winston. That's simply the reality of the situation."

The reality is that the Buccaneers are not going to leap into contention this season. Mike Glennon (preseason passer rating of 82.8) has looked quite a bit better than Winston (52.7) in exhibition games, but Glennon isn't going to send Tampa to the playoffs.

Getting Winston experience will be more important than winning games in 2015. 

The only reason the Buccaneers should second-guess the decision to roll with Winston is if it appears the offensive line is bad enough to consistently put him at risk of injury. Tampa is expected to start rookie tackle Donovan Smith and possibly rookie guard Ali Marpet, so this is a legitimate concern.

Still, if Winston is going to be the future of the Buccaneers, then it makes sense to let him start now.

Vic Beasley, DE, Atlanta Falcons

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The Atlanta Falcons struggled to get to opposing quarterbacks in 2014, sacking them just 22 times all season.

New head coach Dan Quinn isn't likely to stand for a similar campaign, which is precisely why pass-rusher Vic Beasley will be on the field early and often as a rookie.

Beasley, who racked up 12 sacks at Clemson last season, will likely be a large piece of Atlanta's pass-rushing puzzle in 2015. He hasn't sacked the quarterback yet in preseason, but his athleticism and instinct have been on full display. 

Pro Football Focus credits Beasley with two tackles, one quarterback hit, two additional pressures and one batted pass on 47 preseason snaps. The site also rates him 15th overall among all 4-3 defensive ends.

In other words, Beasley has already shown he can impact a game in more ways than one.

"The early indication is he's ready to be an every-down player," Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com wrote earlier in the preseason. "But his primary focus is being the dominant pass-rusher the Falcons expect him to be. Beasley's goal is double-digit sacks in his first season."

Beasley was listed as a starting end on the Falcons' first depth chart of the preseason, but he will probably be part of a rotation that also includes Tyson Jackson, O'Brien Schofield and Adrian Clayborn. This should be a much more productive unit than the one Atlanta fielded a year ago. 

Ereck Flowers, OT, New York Giants

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The New York Giants used the ninth overall pick in this year's draft to select Miami offensive lineman Ereck Flowers. However, the team might not have been inclined to thrust him into a starting role if not for the serious pectoral injury suffered by starting left tackle Will Beatty. 

Flowers has been working primarily in Beatty's spot at left tackle, but the team does have the option of sliding over a veteran such as Marshall Newhouse if it feels such a move is necessary.

Either way, it seems clear that Flowers is looking at a starting job at one of the tackle spots. The good news is that, while he has experienced some preseason struggles, Flowers looks like a player on the rise.

He probably had his best outing of the preseason this past week against the New York Jets and their fearsome defensive front. 

"It's hard to complain about what you've seen from Flowers this preseason," Jordan Raanan of NJ.com wrote after the Week 3 matchup. "He's a rookie left tackle holding his own, and he did so again on Saturday night against a good Jets defensive line."

The Giants have listed Flowers as the starting left tackle since the first depth chart of the preseason, and there doesn't seem to be any reason to move him from that spot after three preseason contests.

Tyler Lockett, WR/KR, Seattle Seahawks

Technically, Kansas State product Tyler Lockett might not be starting for the Seattle Seahawks when the regular season kicks off. 

At least, he might not be starting at wide receiver.

However, there is no question that Lockett has solidified his role as Seattle's primary return specialist. The rookie speedster scored on an impressive 103-yard kickoff return in the first week of the preseason and followed that up with a 67-yard punt return for a touchdown against the San Diego Chargers this past weekend.

Lockett has been so impressive, in fact, that Elliot Harrison of NFL.com recently predicted he would make the 2015 All-Pro team as a returner.

"He's got great feel," head coach Pete Carroll said, via Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com. "He's got all the guts that you need to be a great returner. And he's got obviously really terrific vision to use the whole field for that return."

The skills that allow Lockett to excel as a return specialist can serve him well as a slot receiver, so don't be surprised if he is also the team's primary option there.

At the very least, expect him to perform like a true playmaker from the start of Week 1.

Danny Shelton, DT, Cleveland Browns

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Last season, no NFL team was worse at stopping the run than the Cleveland Browns. This is why the Browns spent an early first-round pick (12th overall) on former Washington defensive tackle Danny Shelton and why he steps right into a starting role.

At 6'2" and 339 pounds, Shelton immediately becomes a space-eater in the middle of Cleveland's 3-4 defense. However, the rookie has shown through three preseason games that he is much more than a big body. Shelton has been shedding blocks, chasing ball-carriers across the field and controlling the line of scrimmage.

Pat McManamon of ESPN.com recently explained why the preseason statics (four tackles) don't quite do Shelton justice:

"

He clogs the middle, makes tackles when he can and has shown the ability to pursue plays outside the numbers -- a trait that caught the eye of line coach Anthony Weaver when watching his college tape. Coach Mike Pettine said that Shelton’s numbers won’t jump off the stat sheet because of the position he plays, but the game has never been too big for him and he’s done all that’s been asked of him.

"

Shelton is the type of true nose tackle that Cleveland has long been missing. He should instantly improve the woeful run defense and make the pass-rushers more effective when he is on the field.

Shelton is currently rated 48th overall among all defensive tackles by Pro Football Focus for the preseason.

Brandon Scherff, OG, Washington Redskins

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Rookie guard Brandon Scherff hasn't made the fast transition to the NFL that the Washington Redskins might have hoped for when they selected him with the fifth overall selection.

However, the former Iowa standout has shown progress during training camp and in the preseason. 

Scherff received a positive overall grade from Pro Football Focus for his performance this past weekend against the Baltimore Ravens and was rated second overall among Washington guards for the game. He was on the field for 43 total plays.

More importantly, he has settled in at his position after the team initially experimented with him at right guard.

"He’s really taken that role on," head coach Jay Gruden said of having Scherff at guard, per Mike Jones of the Washington Post. "You can see him play with a lot more confidence, a lot more juice in there. He’s a lot more comfortable in there, and that’s fine."

Right now it appears that Scherff will be starting next to second-year tackle Morgan Moses. 

"I think they’re good. We’ve got a great young core over there, a lot of talent between the two of those guys. I think they’re going to be good for a long time to come," veteran lineman Trent Williams said of the young duo, via the Washington Post. "Just adjusting to the NFL game is going to be difficult regardless, but it’s not a huge deal."

If Scherff can help improve the Washington line—which allowed 58 sacks in 2014—then he will be a huge deal. 

Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland Raiders

It's easy to like what we've seen thus far from Oakland Raiders rookie wideout Amari Cooper. It's even easier to imagine him starting on the outside in Week 1.

The speedy 6'1", 211-pound pass catcher is still learning the nuances of the pro game, sure, but he is physically gifted and seems to instinctively know the position.

"Frankly, Cooper, who turned 21 in June, looks like a five-year veteran," Bill Williamson of ESPN.com wrote earlier in training camp.

On Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, he even got the better of Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson.

Cooper finished this last game with four receptions and 62 yards. He now has eight catches for 124 yards for the preseason and is rated third overall among Raiders receivers by Pro Football Focus.

Better still, Cooper seems to be building a rapport with quarterback Derek Carr.

"Certainly, you're seeing glimpses of a very bright future," head coach Jack Del Rio said of the connection, via Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News.

Expect Cooper and Carr to be one of the more interesting young offensive pairings in the league this season.

Rob Havenstein, OT & Jamon Brown, OG, St. Louis Rams

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The St. Louis Rams have listed rookie offensive tackle Rob Havenstein as a starter on the right side of the line ever since releasing the first unofficial depth chart of the preseason. 

The mammoth 6'7", 321-pound Wisconsin product looks the part of an NFL lineman, though he does have some work to do if he is going to develop into a star. According to Pro Football Focus, he has been responsible for allowing two sacks in 58 preseason snaps.

Havenstein is joined on the Rams' line by rookie guard Jamon Brown, who has performed even more impressively in the preseason.

Brown is rated seventh overall among all NFL guards by Pro Football Focus.

Havenstein and Brown have both been working primarily on the right side of the line since arriving in St. Louis. However, Brown saw time at left guard in the team's last preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts.

"Just getting them work," head coach Jeff Fisher said of the move, per Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com. "[Brown] played quite a bit on the left side in college and we wanted to get him some work there." 

Getting as much work for the rookies will be important. Both linemen should be in the starting lineup when the Rams open the season against the Seahawks. 

Marcus Mariota, QB, Tennessee Titans

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Like his counterpart in Tampa, Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota has taken both lumps and leaps this preseason.

However, he has steadily improved and has managed to string together solid outings in back-to-back weeks.

Mariota had a pair of turnovers in his preseason debut but then was steady in Week 2 (5-of-8 for 59 yards) and even better in Week 3 (7-of-11 for 99 yards). He also appeared comfortable and calm while facing two tough defenses—the Rams and the Kansas City Chiefs—in Weeks 2 and 3.

"It's just preseason, and things will get much tougher in a couple weeks for Mariota," Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports wrote of Mariota after his game. "But to this point the Titans have to be thrilled with what they've seen from the second overall pick of the draft."

The Titans have other options at quarterback. Journeyman Charlie Whitehurst and second-year passer Zach Mettenberger are both rated higher than the rookie by Pro Football Focus. However, Mariota has shown enough promise and progression to warrant getting him the nod.

Right now, it appears that Mariota is done for the preseason and can start focusing on the opener against Tampa Bay.

"He's making a lot of progress, and we feel good about where he's going," head coach Ken Whisenhunt said of Mariota possibly appearing in the preseason finale, per Jason Wolf of the Tennessean. "So you could look at it as another opportunity to get him a little bit more work. You could look at it as an opportunity to not expose him to something that could keep him out of the first game."

His next test will likely come against Winston and the Buccaneers on September 13.