NFL Week 2 Rookie Rankings: Surveying Rookie Class, Post-Week 1

Week 1 of the 2015 NFL season is officially in the books, and some surprising performances came from the rookie class. From the historic debut from No. 2 overall pick Marcus Mariota to undrafted free agent Bobby Richardson, rookies helped make an immediate impact across the NFL. Our weekly rookie rankings have undergone some major changes after our first exposure to the batch of first-year players.

Throughout the season here at Bleacher Report, I’ll be tracking which rookies stand out above their peers with weekly rankings of the NFL’s rookie class. Each week, the top five NFL newcomers at each position, and top 50 overall, will be highlighted.

Over the course of the season, rankings will be based upon which rookies have had the best performance and production for the regular season as a whole. High draft picks won’t end up on the rankings simply based upon their hype coming into the league—they’ll have to prove they belong on the field.

For this week’s rankings, we take a look at which players performed best in Week 1 and showed they have the talent to survive in the NFL. Consideration has been given to where each rookie stands on his team’s depth chart, but the rankings aim to reflect how each player has performed thus far compared to his expectations.

Our preseason rankings are now outdated, even with just one week to judge. The volatile nature of the NFL and small sample size to base these rankings must be factored in as well. The players listed in the following slides, nonetheless, are the ones who stood out the most during the first week of action.

Top 50 Overall

Associated Press

Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota had a historic debut.

As the season progresses, we will track which players are moving up or down the board after having good or bad games. For this week, the listed movement may be fairly severe, based on playing time given to each rookie. The few rookies who really stood out will be catapulted higher on the top-50 overall list.

There are some high draft picks whose Week 1 performances weren't good enough for them to land in the top 50 at all; conversely, some late-round picks and even undrafted rookies stood out enough this first week to be among the top first-year players.

The big storyline of Week 1 will be the stark differences of play from quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota. The draft's No. 2 pick had an incredible debut, throwing four touchdowns in a stunning display of accuracy and command. He’s firmly grasped the top spot on our rookie rankings board.

Winston, however, played to his scouting report. His decision-making and accuracy in general left room for major concern. It didn’t help that a somewhat simple offensive game plan from Tennessee was gashing Tampa Bay's defense.

Top 50 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Marcus Mariota	QB	Titans	1.2	8	Up
2	Tyler Lockett	WR	Seahawks	3.5	6	Up
3	Mitch Morse	OC	Chiefs	2.17	17	Up
4	Marcus Peters	CB	Chiefs	1.18	9	Up
5	Ronald Darby	CB	Bills	2.18	N/A	Up
6	Leonard Williams	DE	Jets	1.6	10	Up
7	Damarious Randall	CB	Packers	1.30	N/A	Up
8	Amari Cooper	WR	Raiders	1.4	4	Down
9	Hau'oli Kikaha	LB	Saints	2.12	N/A	Up
10	Tevin Coleman	RB	Falcons	3.9	49	Up
11	Randy Gregory	DE	Cowboys	2.28	N/A	Up
12	Carl Davis	DE	Ravens	3.26	23	Up
13	Deiontrez Mount	LB	Titans	6.1	N/A	Up
14	Jameis Winston	QB	Buccaneers	1.1	7	Down
15	T.J. Yeldon	RB	Jaguars	2.4	41	Up
16	Stephone Anthony	LB	Saints	1.31	N/A	Up
17	Eddie Goldman	DT	Bears	2.7	N/A	Up
18	Kevin Johnson	CB	Texans	1.16	34	Up
19	Vic Beasley	DE	Falcons	1.8	19	Same
20	Preston Smith	LB	Redskins	2.6	27	Up
21	Jordan Phillips	DT	Dolphins	2.20	N/A	Up
22	Frank Clark	DE	Seahawks	2.31	1	Down
23	Ali Marpet	OG	Buccaneers	2.29	N/A	Up
24	David Parry	DT	Colts	5.15	24	Same
25	Ameer Abdullah	RB	Lions	2.22	25	Same
26	Karlos Williams	RB	Bills	5.19	N/A	Up
27	Jaquiski Tartt	SAF	49ers	2.14	35	Up
28	Shaquille Mason	OG	Patriots	4.34	N/A	Up
29	Landon Collins	SAF	Giants	2.1	47	Up
30	Melvin Gordon	RB	Chargers	1.15	N/A	Up
31	Jeremiah Poutasi	RT	Titans	3.2	N/A	Up
32	Danny Shelton	DT	Browns	1.12	13	Down
33	Jamil Douglas	OG	Dolphins	4.15	33	Same
34	Kwon Alexander	LB	Buccaneers	4.25	26	Down
35	T.J. Clemmings	RT	Vikings	4.11	36	Up
36	Eric Kendricks	LB	Vikings	2.13	16	Down
37	Ty Sambrailo	LT	Broncos	2.27	36	Down
38	Shane Ray	LB	Broncos	1.23	11	Down
39	Michael Bennett	DT	Jaguars	6.4	5	Down
40	Ereck Flowers	OT	Giants	1.9	15	Down
41	Nelson Agholor	WR	Eagles	1.20	14	Down
42	Laken Tomlinson	OG	Lions	1.28	42	Same
43	Paul Dawson	LB	Bengals	3.35	2	Down
44	Phillip Dorsett	WR	Colts	1.29	44	Same
45	Byron Jones	SAF	Cowboys	1.27	45	Same
46	Rashad Greene	WR	Jaguars	5.3	N/A	Up
47	Danielle Hunter	DE	Vikings	3.24	20	Down
48	Maxx Williams	TE	Ravens	2.23	50	Up
49	Zach Zenner	RB	Lions	UDFA	28	Down
50	Quinten Rollins	CB	Packers	2.30	30	Down

Quarterbacks

Associated Press

No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston couldn't overcome a poor supporting cast in Week 1.

If nothing else, we learned that any concern of the fit between Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt and Marcus Mariota were for naught. Whisenhunt created a masterful, yet simple, offense for Mariota to excel in. The first-year quarterback shredded the Buccaneers defense largely by working to his first read.

Eventually, defenses will change how they approach the Titans and Mariota. But Week 1 was a clinic for the offense. The Titans had more points in the first half, 35, than they had in any entire game in 2014. This is a booming unit right now.

Sliding to second is Jameis Winston. The Buccaneers offensive line was gashed, and Winston did not respond especially well. His biggest flaws, accuracy and consistent decision-making, were on full display.

The rest of the quarterbacks on our top five are backups. Based on preseason play, Packers quarterback Brett Hundley looked readiest to play, although he was playing second- and third-stringers often.

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Marcus Mariota	QB	Titans	1.2	2	Up
2	Jameis Winston	QB	Buccaneers	1.1	1	Down
3	Brett Hundley	QB	Packers	5.11	3	Same
4	Garrett Grayson	QB	Saints	3.11	4	Same
5	Bryce Petty	QB	Jets	4.4	5	Same

Running Backs

Associated Press

Bills running back Karlos Williams found the end zone on a 26-yard run.

The rookie running back landscape hasn’t drastically changed since Week 1. Several backs have emerged as bigger impact players as rookies despite their draft status. It’s looking like a potentially deep crop of backs will make their mark this season.

Since St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley didn’t play, he falls out of our top-five list. We’re still excited about his talent, but this ranking is purely based on results now that we’ve reached the regular season. Expect to see him back in the top five eventually.

The new top back is Atlanta’s Tevin Coleman. He had 80 yards on Monday Night Football against a talented Philadelphia Eagles defense. His fit with the Falcons’ zone-blocking scheme seems promising.

Newcomer Karlos Williams had a breakout game as a backup for the Buffalo Bills. He exploded for 55 yards on just six carries, including a 26-yard touchdown. His burst and size make him a real threat to be a steal for Buffalo.

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Tevin Coleman	RB	Falcons	3.9	5	Up
2	T.J. Yeldon	RB	Jaguars	2.4	4	Up
3	Ameer Abdullah	RB	Lions	2.22	2	Down
4	Karlos Williams	RB	Bills	5.19	N/A	Up
5	Melvin Gordon	RB	Chargers	1.15	N/A	Up

Wide Receivers

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Amari Cooper had a good game in Week 1.

Injuries have taken their toll on the rookie wide receiver class, and we’re just now at the beginning of the regular season. Receivers such as Chicago’s Kevin White and Miami’s DeVante Parker weren’t able to fully showcase their talent in the preseason and Week 1, if at all. That has allowed several others to rise up the rankings.

The major rookie standout so far has been Amari Cooper. He tallied five receptions for 47 yards despite playing without his starting quarterback most of Week 1. The former Alabama star has proved to be as NFL-ready as it had seemed.

Dynamic playmakers Nelson Agholor and Tyler Lockett have made strong impressions as well. Agholor looks like a perfect fit for Philadelphia’s spread passing attack, and even though he barely played Week 1, it’s a matter of time before he's blossoming. He can shred defenses with his elite acceleration and quickness. Meanwhile, Lockett is a masterful return man and an underrated route-runner.

The new addition to the top five is Jacksonville slot receiver Rashad Greene. He was a highly productive player at Florida State, and the local product had a solid debut. He racked up seven receptions for 28 yards and a touchdown.

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Amari Cooper	WR	Raiders	1.4	1	Same
2	Tyler Lockett	WR	Seahawks	3.5	3	Up
3	Phillip Dorsett	WR	Colts	1.29	5	Up
4	Rashad Greene	WR	Jaguars	5.19	N/A	Up
5	Nelson Agholor	WR	Eagles	1.20	2	Down

Tight Ends

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

It was a quiet week for the rookie tight end class. Only two rookie tight ends were even targeted in Week 1. Baltimore’s Maxx Williams is currently the leading receiver of the group, despite having just one catch for 15 yards.

For this reason, this list hasn’t changed. We’ll see if injuries or development open up more playing time for these rookies. But it is not overly surprising this class failed to make an impact in the first week of the season.

Two rookies who may see more playing time than anticipated this year are Blake Bell and Tyler Kroft. Although they're backups, the 49ers and Bengals could use their services in the event of an injury, respectively. There are no rookie starters though, which just continues to show the weakness of the class.

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Maxx Williams	TE	Ravens	2.23	1	Same
2	Clive Walford	TE	Raiders	3.4	2	Same
3	MyCole Pruitt	TE	Vikings	6.18	3	Same
4	Blake Bell	TE	49ers	4.18	4	Same
5	Tyler Kroft	TE	Bengals	3.21	5	Same

Offensive Tackles

Associated Press

Jeremiah Poutasi (bottom of picture) helped keep Marcus Mariota clean all game.

Much has changed since the preseason on our rookie offensive tackle rankings. Only eight rookie tackles played any snaps in Week 1, and none played especially well outside of Jeremiah Poutasi. Even he requires a small grain of salt, as he faced a horrible defense in Tampa Bay.

It’s normal for rookie linemen to struggle because of the increased speed and strength of competition. As more colleges use spread offenses, the teaching process of technique just isn’t as important. This rookie class is a great example, as even the most talented players struggle with technique consistency.

That’s a problem for the long-term prognoses of these players. But we’ll let it all play out over the next few seasons. For now, the results of starting a rookie tackle were bad.

Rookie tackles T.J. Clemmings, Ty Sambrailo, Donovan Smith and Ereck Flowers all allowed multiple hurries on their respective quarterback. According to Pro Football Focus, Smith and Flowers allowed a ridiculous four and five hurries, respectively. That’s not quite what these franchises were expecting when they drafted these players.

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Jeremiah Poutasi	OT	Titans	3.2	N/A	Up
2	T.J. Clemmings	OT	Vikings	4.11	4	Up
3	Ty Sambrailo	OT	Broncos	2.27	2	Down
4	Ereck Flowers	OT	Giants	1.9	1	Down
5	Donovan Smith	OT	Buccaneers	2.2	N/A	Up

Offensive Guards

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Shaquille Mason (No. 69) and Tre' Jackson (not pictured) had positive impacts for the Patriots in Week 1.

Unlike the tackle and center position, the rookie guard class looks good so far. There are several rookie starters across the NFL, and the best guard might be buried on the bench in Dallas. Remember, La’el Collins is a backup for the deep and talented Cowboys line.

The rookie guard landscape changed quite a bit in Week 1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ right guard Ali Marpet played much better compared to his preseason performances. Per Pro Football Focus, he allowed a sack but was a positive for a unit that really struggled as a whole.

New England’s duo of Shaquille Mason and Tre' Jackson is new to these rankings. Neither played a full game at guard, but the left and right guard positions were better with the two rookies in the game. We’ll see if the Patriots continue to play each rookie in a full-time capacity.

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Ali Marpet	G	Buccaneers	2.29	N/A	Up
2	Shaquille Mason	G	Patriots	4.32	N/A	Up
3	Jamil Douglas	G	Dolphins	4.15	4	Up
4	Laken Tomlinson	G	Lions	1.28	5	Up
5	Tre' Jackson	G	Patriots	4.12	N/A	Up

Centers

Associated Press

Mitch Morse (No. 61) was a key cog in Kansas City's Week 1 win.

One of the more nondescript positions in the NFL is the offensive center. Rarely do centers have to do the brunt work that a guard or tackle does, yet the center is usually the brain of the unit. He must identify blitzers and the "Mike" linebacker. Centers are incredibly important.

But the NFL has a lot of quality centers, and the rookie pool suggests that not many starters were needed. The two starting rookie centers in Week 1 were the Kansas City Chiefs' Mitch Morse and the Patriots’ David Andrews. Morse, a second-round pick, unsurprisingly earned his spot quickly with the team.

Our rookie rankings reflect Andrews’ status with the Patriots. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed a sack in Week 1, whereas Morse did not. Thus, Morse retains his top spot this week.

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Mitch Morse	OC	Chiefs	2.17	1	Same
2	David Andrews	OC	Patriots	UDFA	N/A	Up
3	Hroniss Grasu	OC	Bears	3.7	3	Same
4	Andy Gallik	OC	Titans	6.32	4	Same
5	Kristjan Sokoli	OC	Seahawks	6.38	5	Same

Defensive Ends

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory made several impact plays in Week 1.

One of the most important roles in the NFL is the pass-rusher. Some pass-rushers have their hand in the dirt, while others stand up, depending on the defensive front. For the sake of keeping it simple, we’ve just sorted defensive ends and linebackers as a separate category, regardless of play style or specific role.

The draft had a deep crop of defensive ends. Some were more polished than others, and a few had major off-field questions. Despite strong performances in the preseason from several rookie defensive ends, only Atlanta’s Vic Beasley received full-time snaps in Week 1.

We didn’t see any dominant performances from the rookie group, but there were notable positive plays from Beasley and Randy Gregory. The latter suffered an ankle injury that may keep him out for a month, but his debut was as strong as anyone's. Dallas may be disappointed that he is hurt, but his fast start is encouraging.

The rest of the group simply didn’t play much. Even after an encouraging preseason from Patriots end Trey Flowers, he never saw the field. Week 1 just didn’t offer many opportunities for the rookie class.

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Randy Gregory	DE	Cowboys	2.28	N/A	Up
2	Vic Beasley	DE	Falcons	1.8	4	Up
3	Leonard Williams	DE	Jets	1.6	3	Same
4	Carl Davis	DE	Ravens	3.26	N/A	Up
5	Frank Clark	DE	Seahawks	2.31	1	Down

Defensive Tackles

Associated Press

Bears defensive tackle Eddie Goldman proved to be a handful in Week 1.

There seems to be a late-round gem or two every year at the defensive tackle position. Whether it's due to poor evaluation by scouts or the player excelling in a new scheme, some prospects end up as impact players despite their draft status. These end up being major steals for franchises.

The preseason seemingly promised early impacts from rookies, but we didn’t see full-time roles for any rookies besides one. Per Pro Football Focus, Cleveland’s first-round pick Danny Shelton played 40 snaps but failed to make an impact in the game. The Jets gashed the Browns on the ground, despite Shelton’s presence.

Our top five this week is closely separated. No one truly stood out as an impact player, but there were several highlight plays among the group. Expect some movement every week in this deep group.

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Eddie Goldman	DT	Bears	2.7	N/A	Up
2	Jordan Phillips	DT	Dolphins	2.20	N/A	Up
3	David Parry	DT	Colts	5.15	5	Up
4	Danny Shelton	DT	Browns	1.12	2	Down
5	Michael Bennett	DT	Jaguars	6.4	1	Down

Linebackers

Jonathan Bachman/Associated Press

Whether he's a traditional middle linebacker or a dynamic pass-rusher, if a player is standing up, you’ll find him listed here. Compiling these players into one group has created a talented list of five individuals. Each will see a large amount of snaps this season.

Similar to the other defensive front positions, the rookie linebacker group didn’t play a ton in Week 1. Only three players actually started, and two are from the same team. New Orleans started both Hau’oli Kikaha and Stephone Anthony, getting decent results from the rookie pair.

The big surprise name here is Tennessee Titans linebacker Deiontrez Mount. He was a part-time player at Louisville but showed big talent in his debut. According to Pro Football Focus, he created four quarterback pressures in just 29 snaps against the Buccaneers.

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Hau'oli Kikaha	LB	Saints	2.12	N/A	Up
2	Deiontrez Mount	LB	Titans	6.1	N/A	Up
3	Preston Smith	LB	Redskins	2.6	5	Up
4	Stephone Anthony	LB	Saints	1.31	N/A	Up
5	Kwon Alexander	LB	Buccaneers	4.25	4	Down

Cornerbacks

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

The transition into the NFL for cornerbacks can be as steep of a learning curve as it is for any position. Most cornerbacks rely on their pure athleticism to win at the collegiate level, but the NFL requires solid technique.

At least in Week 1, we saw several cornerbacks pass difficult tests. We saw four good performances from the rookie cornerbacks in Week 1. Kansas City’s Marcus Peters drew the toughest matchup, often covering Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins. He allowed two red-zone touchdowns but did compete on each pass. Outside of those two plays, he was good in coverage.

Buffalo’s Ronald Darby was a pleasant surprise in his debut. He grabbed his first interception and provided solid coverage against Colts receivers T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief. That’s not an easy assignment, but Darby was always right there to force a tough catch.

Other notable performances despite limited targets were Green Bay’s Damarious Randall and Houston’s Kevin Johnson. Each was solid and showed he belongs on the field. This rookie class is looking very good early on.

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Marcus Peters	CB	Chiefs	1.18	1	Same
2	Ronald Darby	CB	Bills	2.18	N/A	Up
3	Damarious Randall	CB	Packers	1.30	N/A	Up
4	Kevin Johnson	CB	Texans	1.16	4	Same
5	Byron Jones	CB	Cowboys	1.27	N/A	Up

Safeties

Associated Press

Jaquiski Tartt (No. 29) sacked Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater in Week 1.

It was a quiet week for the rookie safety class. Only two players logged significant snaps, and neither gave an especially notable performance. Chicago’s Adrian Amos and the Giants’ Landon Collins were liabilities in coverage.

It’s no surprise both teams lost their respective games after getting little impact from their safeties. The best safety in Week 1 played just 20 snaps. Jaquiski Tartt is playing a hybrid role for San Francisco, and it fits his skill set perfectly. His biggest impact came on a sack of Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

We knew this safety class was weak entering the draft, and that has been the storyline thus far. We’ll see if any starters emerge throughout the season. Week 1 wasn’t the best showing for the rookie safety class.

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Motion
1	Jaquiski Tartt	SAF	49ers	2.14	1	Same
2	Landon Collins	SAF	Giants	2.1	2	Same
3	Adrian Amos	SAF	Bears	5.6	N/A	Up
4	Clayton Geathers	SAF	Colts	4.10	4	Same
5	Durell Eskridge	SAF	Jets	UDFA	5	Same

Specialists

Donald Miralle/Getty Images

Chargers' kicker Josh Lambo (No. 2) had a solid debut.

It was a good first week for most of the rookie specialists across the league. The most notable rookie specialist that we had No. 1 last week was 49ers’ return man Jarryd Hayne. He fell off this list after being benched for fumbling a punt return.

That leaves us with a few punters and kickers to make up our top five. San Francisco punter Bradley Pinion had a great first game, averaging 43.7 net yards on three punts. Closely behind him is Miami’s Matt Darr, who averaged 43.5 net yards on four punts.

San Diego kicker Josh Lambo is the newcomer here. He drilled two field goals and showed a good leg on kickoffs. He’s not a touchback master, which will limit him on this list if that continues. He still had a strong debut in a winning effort.

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Bradley Pinion	P	49ers	5.29	3	Up
2	Matt Darr	P	Dolphins	UDFA	N/A	Up
3	Josh Lambo	K	Chargers	UDFA	N/A	Up
4	Andrew Franks	K	Dolphins	UDFA	4	Same
5	Jake Ryan	ST	Packers	4.30	N/A	Same

Stats are courtesy of CBSSports.com, unless noted otherwise. Depth-chart information is courtesy of Ourlads.com.