NFL Rookies Who Will Play Bigger Roles Than You Think in 2017
The weight of first-year expectations in the NFL can be crippling for high draft picks.
There's a group of coaches and executives whose employment statuses are tied to your success. There are rows upon rows of screaming fans who assume you'll fill a roster void. And there are far older veteran teammates needing you to rise quickly so the misery of last season is avoided.
But the mid-to-late round pick often dodges such intense scrutiny.
They can go about their business and then explode to become one of the league's leading rushers, just as Chicago Bears running back Jordan Howard did in 2016. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill made an even more significant impact for a playoff team with his 12 touchdowns and 1,836 all-purpose yards after being a fifth-round pick.
We expect the top picks to be almost immediate difference-makers. But nearly every year a mid-round pick like Hill or Howard does the same.
Who might those surprising rookies be in 2017?
Chad Williams, Wide Receiver
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You're doing something right as a rookie when wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald—your new teammate who ranks third on the all-time career receptions list—is already showering praise on you in the early days of offseason workouts.
And it's even better when you're being compared to Anquan Boldin, the former Cardinals receiver who ranks ninth on that same list. So yes, life is good for third-round rookie Chad Williams right now.
"He's reminds me of Boldin in terms of the strength of his hands," Fitzgerald told ESPN's Josh Weinfuss when asked about his new teammate. "Once it touches his hands it just doesn't move. He's got unbelievably strong hands."
Williams likely would have been drafted higher if off-field troubles didn't hover over him to some degree. And Fitzgerald is right: Leaping ability and strength at the catch point are his most appealing strengths that pop out. Ultimately, those skills could lead to his rapid climb up the depth chart in Arizona.
Williams sizzled for Grambling State, catching 164 passes for 2,349 yards and 21 touchdowns over the final two years of his collegiate career. He now finds himself on a Cardinals wide receiver depth chart that features Fitzgerald at the top, although the veteran receiver averaged just 9.6 yards per reception in 2016.
Beyond him, John Brown is a deep threat, though he needs to stay healthy after an injury-riddled 2016. And J.J. Nelson has plenty of speed, too, but that's led to only sporadic use and a modest 867 receiving yards over two NFL seasons.
The Cardinals are in a state of transition and flux at wide receiver, leaving the door wide open for Williams to do a whole lot more than just impress his teammates in the spring.
Fabian Moreau, Cornerback
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A cornerback selected in the third round is usually buried on the depth chart. Or that's what should happen most of the time, because there aren't many Week 1 starters left at an in-demand position late on Day 2 of the draft.
But that's where the Washington Redskins picked Fabian Moreau, the former running back-turned-cornerback. At 6'0" and 206 pounds, he has a strong build to match up well with the modern bulked-up wide receiver and shouldn't get pushed around often.
The UCLA product had to battle through some injuries, the most recent being a torn pectoral muscle suffered during his pro day workout. But if Moreau is healthy, the depth-chart blockage above him could clear up quick.
The Redskins secondary is anchored by Josh Norman on one side. That means the cornerback opposite him will see plenty of balls thrown his way, and in 2016, Bashaud Breeland often struggled. The third-year corner finished strong with two interceptions in Week 16, but he allowed five touchdowns and a passer rating of 91.7 in coverage, according to Pro Football Focus.
Meanwhile, Moreau allowed 0.86 yards per cover snap in 2016, per PFF, which tied him for second-best among all draft-eligible Pac-12 cornerbacks.
Jordan Willis, Defensive End
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The Cincinnati Bengals defense didn't end plays for opposing quarterbacks often enough in 2016. Defensive tackle Geno Atkins brought his usual delivery of pain with nine sacks, and defensive end Carlos Dunlap chipped in with eight.
But on the other side, fellow defensive end Michael Johnson continued to sputter. He recorded a meager 3.5 sacks in 2016 and has totaled only 8.5 over the past two years. That's created a massive pass-rushing dead spot, especially with Johnson playing 76.4 percent of the Bengals' defensive snaps.
Enter Jordan Willis, the third-round pick out of Kansas State. A 6'4", 255-pound defensive end, Willis finished third in school history with his 26 sacks over four seasons. He capped off his time at Kansas State with 11.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for a loss in 2016. And even more impressively, he was also second in the country during the 2016 season with 80 pressures, per PFF.
He may not need long to push the 30-year-old Johnson aside and start demanding a sizable chunk of the passing-down snaps.
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Carlos Henderson, Wide Receiver
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The Carlos Henderson online fan club has been loud for quite some time. So the wide receiver out of Louisiana Tech might not exactly be sneaking up on anyone after his 1,535 receiving yards in 2016.
But in a Denver Broncos offense starved for slot production, he still has an opportunity to exceed even the highest rookie expectations. And he'll likely do it in dazzling after-the-catch fashion.
Henderson averaged an incredible 18.7 yards per catch in 2016 while scoring 23 times (twice as a returner). His field vision and jarring change-of-direction ability are what truly set Henderson apart. The 22-year-old recorded a comically high 48 missed tackles forced in 2016, per PFF, which nearly doubled the next closest receiver.
The Broncos have plenty of outside speed from wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. But they need someone who can generate chunk gains from short-to-intermediate throws, especially with either Trevor Siemian or Paxton Lynch set to be under center. Both quarterbacks are still inexperienced and could benefit from the comfort of a trusted slot target.
Henderson has an opportunity to grow up fast, and to do it with a team still only one year removed from a championship season.
Samaje Perine, Running Back
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If the Washington Redskins are going to take the next step in an NFC East filled with offensive firepower, they need a more multidimensional attack. Specifically, they need a running back who can bully his way forward and shoulder a large workload.
For a time it looked like that would be Rob Kelley. But the nine starts and 168 carries he was given in 2016 turned into only one game with 100-plus rushing yards and a pedestrian per-carry average of 4.2 yards. The end result was a Redskins rushing offense that ranked a lowly 21st.
That won't fly in 2017 for a team with an otherwise loaded offense. Which is why Samaje Perine could easily steal the top job away from Kelley.
At 5'11" and 233 pounds, the fourth-round pick is a rumbling barrel of hurt. He punished defenders on his way to an average of 1,374 rushing yards per season over three years with the Oklahoma Sooners. And for a large-bodied receiver, he's also skilled as a pass-catcher, with 40 catches for the Sooners even though Joe Mixon was often around to absorb the passing-down work.
Perine's weakness may be his lack of elusiveness in the open field once he gets to the second level. But that should improve over time, and for now, he's still the broad-shouldered power runner the Redskins need.
Joe Williams, Running Back
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Running back Joe Williams could quickly become much more than just a depth option or platoon mate with the oft-injured Carlos Hyde. Instead, he could turn Hyde into the depth option.
Hyde is entering the final season of his rookie contract with the San Francisco 49ers. He's shown promise at times while pinballing off defenders with his violent running style. But his approach has led to frequent injuries, with Hyde missing 14 games over his three-year career.
It's difficult to trust him long-term, and the new 49ers regime led by head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch has no ties to the former second-round pick. They're tasked with molding their own roster, and Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reported Shanahan is really excited about Williams.
"Coach Kyle Shanahan desperately wanted Williams and convinced general manager John Lynch to reconsider Williams’ exclusion from the team’s draft plan," Maiocco wrote in response to a question about Williams' odds of unseating Hyde.
The fact Shanahan is giddy about Williams is the first and strongest sign he could ascend the depth chart fast. The next is that his 4.41-second speed in the 40-yard dash translated to 1,407 rushing yards over only nine games for Utah in 2016. And that total was reached at a blistering pace of 6.7 yards per carry.
Jake Butt, Tight End
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The Broncos might have a draft steal if Jake Butt's knee heals for good. They scooped up the former Michigan tight end in the fifth round, and he has the potential to develop into a long-term solution at an offensive weak spot.
And he could also be a surprising short-term answer.
Butt recorded 1,200 receiving yards over his final two years with the Wolverines. Then he had the unfortunate luck of shredding his ACL in the Orange Bowl. But this isn't Butt's first spin on the ACL recovery merry-go-round.
He tore the same ACL in February 2013 during offseason conditioning. Then Butt was back on the field in 2014 and made a solid contribution with 21 receptions for 211 yards and two touchdowns over nine games.
After the draft, Broncos head coach Vance Joseph told Troy Renck of ABC's Denver7 he expects Butt to be cleared by late August. Even if he starts the year on the PUP list, that will leave over half the season for Butt to fill a gaping offensive void.
In 2016, Virgil Green led all Broncos tight ends with only 237 receiving yards. So once Butt is healthy and somewhat close to his usual self, there won't be much standing in his way.
Jamaal Williams, Running Back
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Ty Montgomery was a natural fit at running back for the Green Bay Packers in 2016.
His 6'0", 216-pound frame comes with a punch when he slashes decisively through holes. That led to his average of 5.9 yards per carry and 457 rushing yards overall while logging just six starts.
But his inexperience is still a factor as the Packers go forward with Montgomery atop their running back depth chart. They tossed out a wide net by drafting three running backs, and the one likely to rise is fourth-round pick Jamaal Williams.
Williams finished his time at BYU with 1,375 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 2016. There's a special slipperiness to him, as his 55 missed tackles forced were tied for eighth among draft-eligible 2016 running backs, per PFF.
He could challenge Montgomery enough in training camp to earn a share of the carries in a committee situation. But if the incumbent falters, Williams will still be there, ready and waiting for a larger role in his rookie year.
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