20 Recent Sports Rookies Who Grew Up Fast
Did anyone else think Chicago Cubs rookie Kyle Schwarber looked like a seasoned vet smashing home runs during the MLB playoffs?
Every year, there are incredible rookie performances across all sports. There are players who display maturity and physical skill well beyond their level of experience, players who take on important roles and rise to the occasion.
The following 20 athletes fit that bill. Their talent, maturity and circumstances forced them to grow up quickly, and they did.
For the sake of keeping things recent, we'll stick with the past year-ish. That means the athlete had to be a rookie in the most recent full season of his or her sport or later (2014-15 or 2015-16 for the NBA, NFL and NHL, 2015 for MLB, etc.).
Good rookies have promising skills. Great ones have those plus maturity and the occasion to use both. It's always tough to compare athletes from different sports, and all of the following impressed big-time as rookies, but who had the biggest impact? Or who will?
Honorable Mention: Sam Bennett
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Calgary Flames center Sam Bennett's rookie story is a bit unusual, but he certainly had to grow up quickly once it began.
Bennett made his first appearance in the Flames' final regular-season game and scored his first point within the first minute. Then, he played in all 11 of the Flames' postseason games, notching three goals and one assist.
Head coach Bob Hartley said of Bennet, "He just wants to play. He's one of those thoroughbreds that wants to run and run and run—and gosh, I'm not going to stop him," per Emily Sadler of Sportsnet.
Honorable Mention: Harry Kane
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English footballer Harry Kane gets an honorable mention because he doesn't technically fit the rookie timeline criteria. The forward made his debut with the Tottenham Hotspur first team in 2011. He did, however, make his international debut with England this year (and scored the third time he touched the ball).
Either way, Kane has risen to the occasion as a young star. He has scored 28 Premier League goals in his budding career, and in April, the Professional Footballers' Association named him the Young Player of the Year.
Jerian Grant
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The New York Knicks need something to be hopeful about at the start of this NBA season, and they're getting it from rookie Jerian Grant.
The Knicks traded for the point guard, taken 19th overall in the draft by the Washington Wizards. It's a little early to comment on how Grant will fare in his rookie campaign, but the Knicks were happy with what they saw during the preseason.
Head coach Derek Fisher said, "Jerian's maturity as a rookie is something that was always impressive to us even talking to him at the Chicago combine. I don't think he's necessarily afraid of any moment out there. That's why he's able to make some of the plays that he makes," per Al Iannazzone of Newsday.
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Alison Lee
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Lydia Ko won the LPGA Rookie of the Year Award at age 17 in November 2014, the youngest in LPGA history to do so. However, if we aren't counting the 2014 MLB season, it's tough to count Ko's epic rookie year.
Instead, let's talk about 2015 LPGA rookie Alison Lee, who is following in Ko's footsteps as a young phenom on the course.
Lee qualified for the U.S. Women's Open at age 14 and became one of the nation's top collegiate female golfers at UCLA. She left college during her sophomore year to join the pro tour and is now a 20-year-old rookie with three top-five finishes on the year.
Lee told Nicole Elliott of ESPN.com, "It hasn't always been a smooth road for me, and I don't think a lot of people realize that. But I learned from it and it's what's made me a more humble player today and made me appreciate everything else more."
Jordan Hicks
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The Philadelphia Eagles selected linebacker Jordan Hicks in the third round of the 2015 NFL draft.
During OTAs, veteran teammate Walter Thurmond said of Hicks, "I saw his ability back at OTAs and I didn't realize he was a rookie when I was coming in as a safety, with just how smart he is and how fluid he is as a linebacker," according to Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.
Indeed, Hicks has impressed after injuries moved him up the depth chart, and he has become a key cog in a much-improved defensive unit.
Cyle Larin
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Canadian footballer Cyle Larin is making a splash in MLS with Orlando City SC. The 20-year-old rookie from Ontario played his college soccer at UConn and went No. 1 in the MLS SuperDraft. He also debuted with the Canadian national team in 2014.
Larin scored 17 goals in 27 games during the MLS season, the most for any first-year MLS striker. Per Simon Veness of MLSsoccer.com, there is increasing interest from European clubs to sign him.
Kyle Schwarber
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Chicago Cubs catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber was called up to the majors in June for interleague play and then again in July when starting catcher Miguel Montero suffered an injury.
In his first game back, Schwarber went 3-for-4 against the Atlanta Braves. In his fifth game back, he blasted two home runs in a 5-4 win against the Cincinnati Reds.
Then there were the playoffs. Although the Cubs got swept out of the National League Championship Series, Schwarber left his mark on the postseason, hitting five home runs in nine games. That's good for most in franchise history—not by a rookie, but by anyone.
These weren't quiet home runs either. One actually landed on top of the video board at Wrigley Field.
Amari Cooper
8 of 22
The Oakland Raiders won three games all year in 2014. Through six games of the 2015 season, they have already matched that win total.
Part of the reason for the improvement is rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper. The fourth-overall draft pick has already put up three 100-plus-yard receiving games and looks like he'll be a real impact player for the foreseeable future.
In fact, according to Kevin Patra of NFL.com, the last rookie to have 100-plus receiving yards in his first six games was Mike Ditka in 1961.
New York Jets defensive back Buster Skrine (who will face Cooper in Week 8) said of the receiver, "He reminds me of A.J. Green. He came in and made an impact right away. He's just a complete receiver. He's advanced to be a rookie. He's one of the top receivers in the game right now," per Rich Cimini of ESPN.
Jack Eichel
9 of 22
The Buffalo Sabres took center Jack Eichel No. 2 overall in the NHL draft, and the rookie has not yet disappointed.
Before he was even drafted, Eichel gained valuable experience on an international scale, helping the U.S. win a bronze medal at the IIHF World Championship in May. Since the NHL season started, Eichel has scored three goals in his first nine games. He's also celebrated his 19th birthday.
Pierre LeBrun of ESPN reported Buffalo winger Matt Moulson said, "As confident and as good as he is, he's a very humble person."
Natalie Achonwa
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Indiana Fever forward Natalie Achonwa missed her first WNBA season due to injury, making her second season her rookie year. It can't be easy to sit out your first professional season, but Achonwa handled it well.
Sam Yonack of the WNBA reported Fever head coach Stephanie White said, "She has great maturity. She reminds me a lot of Tamika [Catchings] when Tamika came in as a rookie. Sort of mature beyond her years on and off the court."
In 2015, Achonwa played in 28 of her team's 34 regular-season games, tallying 8.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. She earned Rookie of the Month honors in July, and her team made it all the way to the NBA Finals.
Todd Gurley
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St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley has only started three games through Week 7, but to say he has made an impact would be an understatement.
Gurley was the first running back taken in the 2015 NFL draft but faced injury issues heading into the season. His first start came in Week 4 against the Arizona Cardinals, in which he ran for 146 yards. In the next two games he ran for 159 and 128, respectively and tallied two touchdowns in Week 7.
According to Robert Mays of Grantland, the Rams' QBR on play-action passes was 60.8 before Gurley's first start. Afterward, that number rose to 94.4.
Quarterback Nick Foles said via Fox Sports, "There's not many people that can run like that, that have ever played this game. He's a young guy that keeps working hard. The sky's the limit to what he can do throughout his career."
Andrew Wiggins
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Andrew Wiggins had a lot to deal with his rookie season. The Cleveland Cavaliers selected the guard first overall in the 2014 draft but later traded him to Minnesota to get Kevin Love.
Surely Wiggins had emotions attached to the trade, but his college coach, Bill Self of Kansas, said, "I think he's handled everything great. He's excited," via ESPN.com.
Wiggins went on to become a real contributor on a team hoping to play its way back into relevance. Wiggins started all 82 games his rookie season and averaged 16.9 points per, the second-best figure for any Minnesota rookie in history, according to a statement from NBA.com.
He was also the first Timberwolves player to ever win the Rookie of the Year Award.
Francisco Lindor
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The Cleveland Indians called up shortstop Francisco Lindor in June.
Manager Terry Francona said, "He's just a really mature kid and he is grasping things really quickly. That bodes well for us. He's a fun kid to be around," per Matthew Florjancic of WKYC in Cleveland.
His defense isn't too shabby, either. Michael Baumann of Grantland wrote Lindor is "part of a midseason adjustment that changed Cleveland's defense from one of the worst in the game to one of the best."
All told, Lindor batted .313/.353/.482 in 99 games, recorded 122 hits and committed just 10 errors at short.
Connor McDavid
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Hype doesn't get much bigger than what has surrounded NHL rookie Connor McDavid. The No. 1 overall draft pick has been called the "Next Great One." No pressure.
Luckily for the Edmonton Oilers, McDavid has handled the situation with maturity and played well, even in this young NHL season. Through his first nine games, McDavid led his team in goals and points.
After a tough loss against the Los Angeles Kings, Bruce McCurdy of the Edmonton Journal wrote:
"To his credit the 18-year-old dealt with that crushing disappointment a lot more resolutely than some (ahem) 60-year-old fans did. His professional demeanour in the immediate aftermath of that game was impressive to behold, lending another insight into the youngster's ongoing focus on what happens next as opposed to what's over and done with.
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It's early, but the future is bright for this young star.
Marcus Mariota
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The Tennessee Titans took Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota with the second overall pick of the 2015 NFL draft. Mariota's season certainly started off with an Andrew Luck-esque quality, in that he has displayed poise and calm under pressure not commonly associated with rookie starters.
Tennessee quarterbacks coach John McNulty said, via MMQB with Peter King, Mariota is "as smart a football player as I've been around."
In five starts, Mariota has thrown for 1,239 yards and nine touchdowns with a 63.6 percent completion rate. His team has just one win and he has already missed time due to injury, but as far as rookie QBs go, Mariota has performed about as well as the Titans could've hoped.
Aaron Ekblad
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The Florida Panthers took defenseman Aaron Ekblad with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NHL draft. Just 18 years old at the start of the season, Eckblad went on to set the franchise records for rookie defensemen in goals (12), points (39) and assists (27).
According to Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com, NHL Network analyst Craig Button said, "I haven't seen an 18-year-old have command of the game as Aaron has since Scott Stevens [with the Washington Capitals in 1982-83]. Scott was more physical, more rambunctious, but I'm talking purely being able to impact the game."
Ekblad also took home the Calder Memorial Trophy as the Rookie of the Year.
Derek Carr
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It's not easy to step into a starting quarterback role in the NFL and have success as a rookie. Derek Carr's Oakland Raiders may have only won three games in his freshman campaign, but the 36th overall draft pick showed real promise for the future.
The only QB from his draft class to start all 16 games in 2014, Carr threw for 3,270 yards and 21 touchdowns with a completion percentage of 58.1. He also broke basically every Raiders rookie passing record, per Raiders.com.
Bay Area reporter Michael Wagaman wrote (via ESPN.com), "Derek Carr has shown so much remarkable poise and maturity with the Oakland Raiders this season that it's been difficult at times to remember that he's still just a rookie."
Carlos Correa
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The Houston Astros called up then-20-year-old shortstop Carlos Correa in June, and he hit the ground running.
Actually, Tracy Ringolsby of MLB.com reported Astros manager A.J. Hinch said, "We did ease him in a couple of games. I thought it would be longer. We wanted to see how he handled what is a big step.''
That was after he moved Correa from sixth to second in the batting order just five games in.
Correa tallied 14 hits in his first nine games, the first player in franchise history to do so. He went on to hit .279/.345/.512 with 22 home runs and 68 RBI in just 99 games.
He and Cleveland's Francisco Lindor were two of the top American League rookies, certainly, and Correa only edges Lindor on this list because his team went a little farther.
Odell Beckham Jr.
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New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. caught the world's attention in November 2014 with that insane one-handed grab against the Dallas Cowboys. But his rookie season was more than just one catch.
Forced to carry more of the load with Victor Cruz on the shelf, Beckham caught for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns in just 12 games while averaging an insane 108.8 yards per game.
He won the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in a landslide.
Noah Syndergaard
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Few of MLB's many talented rookies this year had more impact on a more successful team than New York Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard.
The right-hander was called up in May and went 9-7 in 24 regular-season starts with a 3.24 ERA. Robert Pace of Fox Sports wrote Syndergaard "has provided the Mets with a dominant middle-rotation option who would be the ace on some teams."
In the postseason, he notched a win against the Chicago Cubs and was used in relief to help close out the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Division Series.
With the Mets in an 0-2 World Series hole, captain David Wright said, "He's throwing the ball as well as anybody in the playoffs. I think when you have that type of stuff and the command he has shown especially in the playoffs, you should have a lot of confidence," per Kevin Kernan of the New York Post.
Teddy Bridgewater
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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater went late in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft. After years of inconsistency at QB, the Vikings began to see the makings of a real leader during Bridgewater's rookie year.
The QB out of Louisville threw for 2,919 yards and 14 touchdowns in 13 games. Both his completion percentage (64.4) and passer rating (85.2) topped those of another rookie QB sensation, Oakland's Derek Carr (58.1 and 76.6, respectively).
In 2014, Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune reported then-Vikings running back Jerome Felton said, "You see it right away. Teddy's maturity is impressive. And he's humble. He's genuine in his push to learn and prepare. He's just steady. All the time."
Kris Bryant
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A lot of young talent contributed to the incredible season the Chicago Cubs just had—Kyle Schwarber, Addison Russell, Kris Bryant. Ahead of the National League Wild Card Game, Cubs veteran catcher David Ross said, per Carrie Muskat of MLB.com:
"These guys have had to deal with expectations and new things and adversity all year long, so this should be a walk in the park for them. It's a real mature group for how young they are. They've come up in the spotlight more than a guy like me...They're young heroes in Chicago already, I think they're going to be fine.
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However, perhaps none had higher expectations placed upon him than Bryant. The hype surrounding the young phenom was intense, the date of his call-up hotly debated in the sports world.
After that call-up happened in mid-April, Bryant did not disappoint. He hit .275/.369/.488 with 26 home runs and 99 RBI on the year.
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