NFL Week 15 Rookie Rankings: Surveying Rookie Class, Post-Week 14

Welcome to Week 15 of the 2015 NFL season. Depending on how your favorite team is playing, that may leave you relieved, nervous or excited for the postseason to arrive. More importantly for the purpose of our rookie rankings, rookies have just three regular-season games left to make an impact.

Like any draft class, there are risers and fallers one year removed from the draft. Some pleasant surprises have emerged from the undrafted pool, while several first-rounders are still struggling to even earn playing time. This is a multiyear process of development for all.

We have a lot of data at this point in the season. Although stats help guide our rankings, film is important and helps break close calls as we rank the 2015 rookies. Cross-positional rankings try to account for overall positional value and impact.

Top 50 Overall

Tom Gannam/Associated Press

With the two quarterbacks cementing their positions atop our big board, we must not forget the stellar play of several rookie defenders. The defensive talent emerging throughout the 2015 season is really where the meat of the class is. This is clear looking at the top 20 overall.

The two positions that are severely lacking impact so far are offensive tackle and tight end. There have been flashes here and there for both positions, but the long-term outlook for each is not bright unless there are massive improvements over the next two years. That scenario is possible, but it’s not been an encouraging year.

Injuries have robbed several rookies of playing time, and this class will continue to look better as time passes. Take a look below at our top 50 rookies thus far.

Top 50 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Jameis Winston	QB	Buccaneers	1.1	1	Same
2	Marcus Mariota	QB	Titans	1.2	2	Same
3	Marcus Peters	CB	Chiefs	1.18	3	Same
4	Leonard Williams	DE	Jets	1.6	5	Up
5	Todd Gurley	RB	Rams	1.10	6	Up
6	Amari Cooper	WR	Raiders	1.4	4	Down
7	Mario Edwards Jr.	DE	Raiders	2.3	10	Up
8	Eddie Goldman	DT	Bears	2.7	9	Up
9	Tyler Lockett	WR	Seahawks	3.5	19	Up
10	Ronald Darby	CB	Bills	2.18	7	Down
11	Vic Beasley	DE	Falcons	1.8	12	Up
12	Mitch Morse	OC	Chiefs	2.17	32	Up
13	Thomas Rawls	RB	Seahawks	UDFA	13	Same
14	Damarious Randall	CB	Packers	1.30	8	Down
15	Jordan Hicks	LB	Eagles	3.20	15	Same
16	Eric Kendricks	LB	Vikings	2.23	21	Up
17	Arik Armstead	DE	49ers	1.17	17	Same
18	Adrian Amos	SAF	Bears	2.7	18	Same
19	Kevin Johnson	CB	Texans	1.16	11	Down
20	Byron Jones	SAF	Cowboys	1.27	20	Same
21	Shaq Thompson	LB	Panthers	1.25	38	Up
22	Anthony Harris	SAF	Vikings	UDFA	N/A	Up
23	Ali Marpet	OG	Buccaneers	2.29	23	Same
24	La'el Collins	OG	Cowboys	UDFA	24	Same
25	Markus Golden	LB	Cardinals	2.26	25	Same
26	Rob Havenstein	OT	Rams	2.25	26	Same
27	Henry Anderson	DE	Colts	2.11	27	Same
28	Brandon Scherff	OG	Redskins	1.5	28	Same
29	Denzel Perryman	LB	Chargers	2.16	32	Up
30	Malcom Brown	DT	Patriots	1.32	30	Same
31	Quandre Diggs	CB	Lions	6.24	36	Up
32	Dorial Green-Beckham	WR	Titans	2.9	16	Down
33	Tre' Jackson	OG	Patriots	4.32	33	Same
34	Benardrick McKinney	LB	Texans	4.12	22	Down
35	Stephone Anthony	LB	Saints	1.30	35	Down
36	Hau'oli Kikaha	LB	Saints	2.12	35	Down
37	Landon Collins	SAF	Giants	2.1	37	Same
38	Devin Funchess	WR	Panthers	2.9	14	Down
39	DeVante Parker	WR	Dolphins	1.14	39	Same
40	T.J. Yeldon	RB	Jaguars	2.4	40	Same
41	Stefon Diggs	WR	Vikings	5.10	41	Same
42	Kwon Alexander	LB	Buccaneers	4.25	42	Same
43	Jamison Crowder	WR	Redskins	4.6	24	Down
44	Preston Smith	LB	Redskins	2.6	44	Same
45	Michael Bennett	DT	Jaguars	6.4	N/A	Up
46	Kyshoen Jarrett	SAF	Redskins	6.5	46	Same
47	Bud Dupree	LB	Steelers	1.22	47	Same
48	Shaquille Mason	OG	Patriots	4.32	48	Same
49	Will Tye	TE	Giants	UDFA	N/A	Up
50	Karlos Williams	RB	Bills	5.19	31	Down

Quarterbacks

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

The top two picks in the draft, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, have been as good as anyone could have hoped. While each is working with a somewhat limited team around him, both continue to flash that star quality that was on display so often in college. This has been a fun battle to watch all season long.

Whichever quarterback you prefer really comes down to style. While Winston is less consistent with his decision-making and field vision, he also creates many chunk plays with his exquisite football intelligence. He already understands why nuance skill in the pocket is so important.

Mariota leads Winston in almost every statistical category, and that is because he is more efficient in nature. He takes what defenses give and can still be a playmaker when he has the opportunity. His supporting cast leaves much room for desire, and Mariota should continue improving as his teammates do.

Quarterback Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Jameis Winston	QB	Buccaneers	1.1	1	Same
2	Marcus Mariota	QB	Titans	1.2	2	Same
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

Jeff Roberson/Associated Press

A broken ankle injury to Seahawks’ rookie Thomas Rawls derails his impressive campaign early. He was an excellent undrafted free-agent find, providing needed impact to the Seahawks offense. His status as the second-best running back will not change as the season concludes.

A new addition to the top five is David Johnson of the Arizona Cardinals. He has seen the top five before, but his work as a return man and limited offensive role led to a hiatus during the middle of the season. His emergence as a result of injuries has him back as one of the best rookie backs.

This group is deep and difficult to cipher through because of the competition. Gurley and Rawls are clearly the most impactful thus far, but this is really a position where as many as 10 backs have had moments of brilliance.

Running Back Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Todd Gurley	RB	Rams	1.10	1	Same
2	Thomas Rawls	RB	Seahawks	UDFA	2	Same
3	T.J. Yeldon	RB	Jaguars	2.4	3	Same
4	David Johnson	RB	Cardinals	3.22	N/A	Up
5	Karlos Williams	RB	Bills	5.19	5	Same

Wide Receivers

Jonathan Bachman/Associated Press

On the macro level, the rookie receiver group has had a solid season. We’ve seen good production from several rookies, enough so that the bottom part of our top five has rotated all year long. Week 14 was not the same, though, as only one receiver stood out.

Tyler Lockett had a monstrous performance for the Seahawks. He logged 104 yards and two touchdowns on six receptions. His emergence is not a surprise, as he’s been a top-three receiver all season long. He moves up this week.

Amari Cooper had a disappointing week. He faced the talented Broncos secondary and came away with zero catches on seven targets. His two drops have continued his struggles in that area this season.

Wide Receiver Rankings

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	Dorial Green-Beckham	WR	Titans	2.8	2	Down
4	Devin Funchess	WR	Panthers	2.9	4	Same
5	DeVante Parker	WR	Dolphins	1.14	5	Same

Tight Ends

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

There is finally some movement for our tight end positional rankings. After a great week for the rookie tight ends, we have movers and shakers playing the best football of the season right now. Our new top two are the two leading receivers at the position.

While Clive Walford had several impact catches for Oakland this week, his resume is the most impressive of anyone with his three touchdown receptions. This helped him jump into first despite being second in yards for the season to Will Tye.

Speaking of Tye, he logged his first career touchdown this past week. He’s the most productive player in terms of yards, and his first touchdown was maybe a sign of more to come. He’s a bad blocker, though, which is why he didn’t leapfrog Walford.

Tight End Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Clive Walford	TE	Raiders	3.4	3	Up
2	Will Tye	TE	Giants	UDFA	4	Up
3	Maxx Williams	TE	Ravens	2.23	1	Down
4	Nick Boyle	TE	Ravens	5.35	2	Down
5	James O'Shaughnessy	TE	Chiefs	5.37	5	Same

Offensive Tackles

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

The best rookie tackle of the 2015 season is Rob Havenstein. The Rams' second-round pick has been an impact run-blocker this season and an adequate pass protector. According to Pro Football Focus, he hasn't allowed a single sack this season. 

One positive for this group is its run-blocking ability. Havenstein and T.J. Clemmings have been the best in that area, but consistency is lacking.

Just remember this is a long-term process and investment for linemen. They’ll likely bulk up and see great technique improvements next year. The rookie returns have been downright bad to this point, though.

Offensive Tackle Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Rob Havenstein	OT	Rams	2.25	1	Same
2	Ereck Flowers	OT	Giants	1.9	2	Same
3	Ty Sambrailo	OT	Broncos	2.27	3	Same
4	T.J. Clemmings	OT	Vikings	4.11	4	Same
5	Donovan Smith	OT	Buccaneers	2.2	5	Same

Offensive Guards

Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

Week 14 was a good showing for the rookie offensive guards. According to Pro Football Focus, only two of the 12 who played allowed a sack, which is by far the best ratio we’ve seen all season. This has been a good position for the entire season, and the group continues to improve.

Like the tackles, the run blocking has been better than the pass blocking. That’s not to say these aren’t good pass-blockers, though. The three right guards on our list generally play without center help more often than not. To be an effective blocker in one-on-one situations more often than not is not easy.

We have slight movement as A.J. Cann swaps with Max Garcia for the fourth spot. Garcia has been exposed in recent weeks as he allows rushers into his outside hip before he can redirect them. This has led to more pass-blocking struggles compared to his performance early in the year.

Offensive Guard Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Ali Marpet	G	Buccaneers	2.29	1	Same
2	La'el Collins	G	Cowboys	UDFA	2	Same
3	Brandon Scherff	G	Redskins	1.5	3	Same
4	Tre' Jackson	G	Patriots	4.12	5	Up
5	A.J. Cann	G	Jaguars	3.3	N/A	Up

Centers

Ed Zurga/Associated Press

As the weeks pass, we continue to see one good center from the rookie class. Kansas City Chiefs’ center Mitch Morse has been a major upgrade for the offense. He is one of the reasons the O-line has stepped up and helped the offense be more effective at finishing drives.

The other rookies have been underwhelming thus far. Both Hroniss Grasu and Andy Gallik have been starting in recent weeks, but their limitations are clear. Neither has shown the body strength and ability to hold up against NFL defenders at this time.

Center Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Mitch Morse	OC	Chiefs	2.17	1	Same
2	David Andrews	OC	Patriots	UDFA	2	Same
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

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

Whether they're lining up as 3-4 or 4-3 defensive ends, you’re now looking at one of the three best rookie positional groups. This position is as deep as any, and the resurgence from this group over the last two weeks came off a quiet stretch of production. The arrow continues to point upward for these five players and a handful of other names who didn’t make this ranking.

We’ve seen positive play from rookies such as Danielle Hunter, Randy Gregory and Bobby Richardson. While Hunter and Gregory have bigger pedigrees, they were expected to be projects who mostly sat until they were ready. Their early playing time has shown reason for optimism that a breakout is coming in the next two years.

Edge players are another position that generally takes a few years to see major impact. The rushers who can get into the backfield well now should continue to develop into better finishers. Khalil Mack from the 2014 class is a great example of that.

Defensive End Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Leonard Williams	DE	Jets	1.6	1	Same
2	Mario Edwards Jr.	DE	Raiders	2.3	2	Same
3	Vic Beasley	DE	Falcons	1.8	3	Same
4	Arik Armstead	DE	49ers	1.17	4	Same
5	Frank Clark	DE	Seahawks	2.31	5	Same

Defensive Tackles

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

The rookie defensive tackle group has continued to play well this season despite being somewhat limited in pass rushing. Only three of the rookie tackles have any type of significant pass-rush prowess. Eddie Goldman, Michael Bennett and Grady Jarrett have the most upside in that category.

Several others have been stout in run defense and flash some pass-rush talent. Specifically, David Parry and Malcom Brown fall into this category. They still have considerable value.

Two rookies who have some positive momentum are Danny Shelton and Jordan Phillips. Each has been horrible as a run defender this season, but the pass-rush presence has been there. As their bodies transform this summer into better football shape, they may start keeping their pad level low and drive through blockers.

Defensive Tackle Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Eddie Goldman	DT	Bears	2.7	1	Same
2	Malcom Brown	DT	Patriots	1.32	2	Same
3	David Parry	DT	Colts	5.15	5	Up
4	Grady Jarrett	DT	Falcons	5.1	3	Down
5	Michael Bennett	DT	Jaguars	6.4	N/A	Up

Linebackers

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

Possibly the best rookie group is the linebackers. Whether standing up in a 3-4 or a 4-3 base, the top five linebackers are listed below. Although Jordan Hicks was the top linebacker, he has been removed for the time being to help highlight other high performers since he is out.

We have some movement in our top five. While Benardrick McKinney really struggled in coverage last week, Shaq Thompson returned to a significant snap count. He’s been a perfect fit for Carolina’s defense.

Although Mario Edwards Jr. has seen more snaps at outside linebacker for Oakland lately, we’re leaving him in the defensive end class for now. He’s still logged more snaps at end than linebacker, per Pro Football Focus, and this also allows us to give recognition to others.

Linebacker Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Eric Kendricks	LB	Vikings	2.13	1	Same
2	Markus Golden	LB	Cardinals	2.26	4	Up
3	Benardrick McKinney	LB	Texans	2.11	2	Down
4	Shaq Thompson	LB	Panthers	1.25	N/A	Up
5	Denzel Perryman	LB	Chargers	2.16	5	Same

Cornerbacks

Jim Mone/Associated Press

The cornerbacks have been an excellent group of rookies thus far. From start to finish, we've been able to debate the merits of four quality rookies at a very difficult position to play. The fifth spot, now occupied by Quandre Diggs, has also been competitive.

There are different flavors for everyone's preference in this group. While physical cornerbacks like MArcus Peters and Kevin Johnson have had much success, so are their adversaries. Both Ronald Darby and Damarious Randall are more twitched-up athletes playing the position than the more technical corners.

I prefer Peters because of his ability to provide sticky coverage, even if he has allowed seven touchdowns. He continues to improve in the redzone, as he's shut out his opponents since Week 8. 

Cornerback Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Marcus Peters	CB	Chiefs	1.18	1	Same
2	Ronald Darby	CB	Bills	2.18	2	Same
3	Damarious Randall	CB	Packers	1.30	3	Same
4	Kevin Johnson	CB	Texans	1.16	4	Same
5	Quandre Diggs	CB	Lions	6.24	5	Same

Safeties

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Finding safeties who can impact the passing game consistently is one of the most difficult tasks for a team. The instincts and athleticism required to play the position are not easily quantifiable. But one rookie touched the field for the first time in 2015 and showed more ball skills than anyone else in the class.

Anthony Harris of the Minnesota Vikings continued his ball-hawking ways in Week 14. He stepped in for the injured Harrison Smith and was more than solid. We’ll see if he can continue playing that well down the stretch.

Adrian Amos and Byron Jones have put out some quality film as well. Their versatility and ability to play tough-nosed defense in the running game are valuable. But more impactful plays need to start coming from each safety.

Safety Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Adrian Amos	SAF	Bears	5.6	1	Same
2	Byron Jones	SAF	Cowboys	1.27	2	Same
3	Anthony Harris	SAF	Vikings	UDFA	N/A	Up
4	Landon Collins	SAF	Giants	2.1	3	Down
5	Clayton Geathers	SAF	Colts	4.10	5	Same

Specialists

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

A surprisingly competitive group as the season has moved along, the rookie specialists have made significant impacts on games. Whether a kicker, punter or return man, we've seen almost a dozen names rotate in and out of this ranking. This is a major positive, as some young players must make their presence felt on special teams before they can contribute elsewhere.

This week's star is Lucky Whitehead. The Cowboys found the FAU product as an undrafted free agent and must be incredibly happy with his production. He's averaging 33.7 yards per kick return this year. 

Specialist Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos.	Team	Pick	LW	Moving
1	Josh Lambo	K	Chargers	UDFA	1	Same
2	Matt Darr	P	Dolphins	UDFA	2	Same
3	Lucky Whitehead	KR	Cowboys	UDFA	N/A	Up
4	Keith Mumphery	KR	Texans	5.39	4	Same
5	Kaelin Clay	KR	Ravens	6.8	5	Same

All stats used are from Pro-Football-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

Ian Wharton is an NFL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. 

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