Rookie Watch for First-Round Draft Picks

We have seen some of the best rookie performances in recent history so far this season. From Von Miller's four sacks and man-child ability to get to the quarterback, to Julio Jones and A.J. Green looking like seasoned vet wide receivers, it has been an amazing first quarter of the season for rookies. 

Still, no one can even compare to what Cam Netwon has done so far. In fact, he is actually on pace to break Dan Marino's single-season yardage mark. It won't happen, but fun to look at nonetheless. 

However, we have also seen rookies struggle a great deal so far this season. Patrick Peterson has been less than average in coverage, Marcell Dareus continues to get thrown back at the line, while injuries have dampened high expectations for others.

Today, I am going to take a look at how all 32 first-round picks have done so far this season. In doing so, I am going to utilize a rookie grading scale. This means that I am not going to grade Cam Newton's performance compared to that of Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees. Instead, I am going to take a subjective approach and use rationality to determine how each player has performed considering they are rookies.

So, let's get started...

32. OT Derek Sherrod, Green Bay Packers

Most teams only keep seven or eight active offensive linemen for Sundays. Still, it has to come as a surprise that Green Bay has only activated the first-round pick for one game this season; it was against Denver last week. 

You expect a first-round pick at any position to be active and contribute to the team; this is why you draft them so early. I guess Packers coaches just figured that Sherrod wasn't ready to contribute immediately. 

The Mississippi State product has a lot of raw talent; he just needs to work on technique and lateral movement in order to become a contributor this season. It could be seen as a good sign that the Packers activated him for their most recent game. 

Grade: Incomplete 

31. DE Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers

Heyward has been active for two games and made a couple tackles. At 288 pounds, the former Ohio State standout has the look of a Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman. 

Look for him to play a larger role at the defensive end position as the season moves forward considering the Steelers' surprising issues against the run. This is one of the areas that Heyward was extremely strong at for the Buckeyes in college. 

As of right now the rookie is listed as the backup to Brett Keisel at the right defensive end position, but with Aaron Smith out for the short-term, you can expect Heyward to get more playing time as the year progresses.

Grade: Incomplete 

30. DT Muhammad Wilkerson, New York Jets

This dude has one mean streak in him; I guess this is why Rex Ryan and the Jets liked him during the draft process. Over the course of his first couple games, Wilkerson has gotten himself into some "fights" on the football field. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because it shows that he isn't intimidated. I especially liked the preseason spat with New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs. 

In terms of production, Wilkerson is slowly evolving into a nice little, irony intended, force for the Jets defensive line. He has played in all three games, contributing six tackles and a sack. New York's run defense has been surprisingly bad so far this season ranking 27th in the NFL. So, this is something that Wilkerson along with the rest of their front seven is going to have to work on.

Grade: B

29. OT Gabe Carimi, Chicago Bears

Carimi started the Bears season-opening win over the Atlanta Falcons at right tackle and held up decently; from my estimations he did give up a sack and a couple other pressures in the game. However, that was just basically watching a recorded version of the game.

He sprained his knee in the game and should return at some point prior to the Bears' Week 8 bye. At this point Chicago needs Carimi back desperately as they are struggling to protect Jay Cutler. 

Going into the draft I had concluded that he was one of the most "pro-ready" tackles in the draft, and I have not strayed from that opinion. Let's see how he performs after recovering from the injury before drawing any further conclusions.

Grade: Incomplete 

28. RB Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints

Mark Ingram just has the look of an elite NFL running back. He barely gets taken down on the first try and has great field awareness. 

However, that hasn't fully translated to the field on Sunday's yet. He is averaging 3.5 yards per rush through a quarter of the season. I am noticing the former Alabama star stopping his feet far too often in the backfield, which won't work in the NFL. 

In comparing Ingram to other rookie backs, it doesn't seem that the Saints have received the value they expected to get in Ingram. Kendall Hunter, a fourth-round pick of the 49ers, has equaled Ingram's yard-per-carry output, while averaging nearly six yards a touch. Roy Helu has put up more yards and has a better average per touch. Of course, it is way too early in the season to draw any type of conclusion. 

That said, Ingram is still a young running back that has a lot of learning to do. Once he gets the nuances of the NFL down, expect him to be a really good back. 

Grade: B-

27. CB Jimmy Smith, Baltimore Ravens

Jimmy Smith suffered a high ankle sprain in the season opener against Pittsburgh. He is eyeing a Week 6 return and is no longer wearing a protective boot. 

Smith was slated to be in the Ravens corner rotation either as a starter or in the nickel, but this injury has set that back to a great extent. Coming out of college I really liked the former Colorado star. He has the technique to succeed and isn't afraid to play up at the line—a rare commodity for a rookie corner. 

Moving forward, expect him to have a large impact on what Baltimore is attempting to do in the secondary for the remainder of the 2011 season. 

Grade: Incomplete 

26. WR Jonathan Baldwin, Kansas City Chiefs

I was completely against Kansas City spending their first-round pick on the enigmatic Jon Baldwin. I believed that Torrey Smith, Randall Cobb and Titus Young were all better options at No. 26 because they displayed more on the field and fewer character issues off the field. 

This feeling was vindicated when Baldwin got into a fight with a teammate, Thomas Jones, prior to their opening preseason game. The rookie from Pittsburgh injured his thumb during the incident and hasn't played a snap yet.

He was listed as a limited participant last week and may be ready to go when Kansas City takes the field next. Despite not playing yet, I am not going to give him an incomplete grade because the injury occurred during a boneheaded decision.

Grade: F (he let down the team by acting the part of a fool) 

25. OT James Carpenter, Seattle Seahawks

James Carpenter struggled a great deal in his first few outings, but has continued to slightly improve over the last couple weeks. No longer is the first-round pick getting beat off the ball or losing ground on the outside due to footwork. 

He looked extremely good against a talented pass-rusher in John Abraham last week, even driving him back a couple different times. Technique wasn't a worry either, as his lateral movement looked much better.

Moving forward, I expect him to build on this good play and become an above-average tackle for the Seahawks. Anytime a rookie tackle can improve throughout the season, it has to be considered beneficial to his future outlook.

Grade: B

24. DE Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints

Cameron Jordan is listed as the Saints backup left defensive end on their depth chart, but he has seen substantial playing time through four games and has made an impact. The rookie from Cal has nine tackles and a couple quarterback pressures. 

Still, Jordan has been unable to get to the quarterback in the first four games and is showing some issues in regards to play recognition. I noticed this in the Saints game against Houston a couple weeks ago. 

You can expect him to make more of an impact as the season progresses, but right now he is too inconsistent to be given a great grade.

Grade: C+

23. OL Danny Watkins, Philadelphia Eagles

It is not a good sign when your coaches don't think a first-round pick is even ready to be active on Sundays. This has happened with Danny Watkins in three of the Eagles' first four games. Considering they continue to struggle in pass protection, it is time for him to step up. 

He is going to start at right guard against the Buffalo Bills this week. 

Grade: F (you need to be ready to play immediately as a first-round pick) 

22. OT Anthony Castonzo, Indianapolis Colts

Castonzo has started at left tackle in each of the Colts' first four games, making progress in each outing. Initially, he struggled against the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns, but has been solid over the last two games. 

James Harrison and Adrian Clayborn did have a sack in each of the Colts' last two games from Castonzo's side. Still, he is becoming a much better pass-protector as the season has progressed.

Grade: B-

21. DL Phil Taylor, Cleveland Browns

I did not expect the Cleveland Browns to be giving up over 120 rushing yards with Phil Taylor and Ahtyba Rubin manning the two defensive tackle positions, but that is where they are at right now. Still, I think that has a little more to do with the linebacker play than it has to do with these two monsters.

Phil Taylor has recorded 20 tackles, one sack and three stuffs through four games this season. Those numbers alone indicate that he has had a solid impact thus far in his rookie season.

However, you have to look a little further than that. Taylor continues to hold his own against veteran interior linemen, creating the necessity of double-teams from the opposition. This enables lanes to open up on the outside and the defensive ends to go one-one against tackles. In the future this is going to have a dramatic impact on the success of Cleveland's defense this season.

I was not a fan of Phil Taylor's heading into the draft, but he has proven me wrong. 

Grade: A

20. DE Adrian Clayborn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay has the youngest defensive line in the NFL. You are looking at four different players in the rotation with one year or less of experience. Through their first three games, this inexperience reared its ugly head. However, they stepped up big time against Indianapolis Last week. 

In the middle of this improvement has been Adrian Clayborn from Iowa. In his last two games, the rookie has recorded two sacks and a forced fumble. He has a nonstop motor and is extremely strong in rushing from the outside. 

The impact that we have seen over the last two games only promises to get better as he gains more experience.

Grade: A-

19. CB Prince Amukamara, New York Giants

Many people, including myself, were surprised that Amukamara fell to the late teens in April's draft. After all, he finished a college career as one of the best on-ball defenders in the draft, right up there with Patrick Peterson. 

We all knew the New York Giants needed this type of talent in their secondary. 

However, a devastating broken foot in early August caused all this optimism to come to a grinding halt. "The Prince" hasn't played a game, just recently having his protective boot removed. 

You can expect the first-round pick to be back at some point this season, but I am not sure how much he will be able to contribute. 

Grade: Incomplete 

18. DE Corey Liuget, San Diego Chargers

The San Diego Chargers went against the grain of a 3-4 defense in selecting the pass-rusher from Illinois. Liuget looked really good in training camp, but hasn't been able to translate that to the regular season. He has been active for just two games due to a high ankle sprain. In those two games, Liuget has combined for three tackles without a sack.

San Diego thought they were going to get a seasoned pass-rusher immediately, but up until now it hasn't worked out that way. Liuget needs to do better in terms of conditioning, consistency and technique. It would seem that he is far from becoming an impact player in the NFL.

Grade: D+

17. OT Nate Solder, New England Patriots

Nate Solder looks like a seasoned veteran out there. He hasn't shown any signs of inexperience or issues with technique so far and is doing a great job in protecting Tom Brady.

Moreover, Solder has been extremely strong in run-blocking thus far as the Patriots are averaging over five yards running to his side. If Solder keeps this up he will be an All-Pro offensive tackle when all is said and done. 

New England couldn't have done better with their first-round selection.

Grade: A

16. LB Ryan Kerrigan, Washington Redskins

What a first four games it has been for the former Purdue defensive end. Despite transitioning to the 3-4 outside linebacker role, Kerrigan has been nearly dominating thus far in his career. 

Just look at what he has done up until now. 

He has 18 tackles, 12 solo, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, three passes defended, one interception and one touchdown. You got to be kidding me, right? The thing that impresses me the most about Kerrigan is the fact that he is already a pass-rusher, who has the ability to drop back into coverage if asked. The former Purdue standout has also shown a tremendous amount of consistency. He has recorded at least three tackles in each game, has a sack in each of the last three and a forced fumble in each of the last two.

Washington couldn't have received more value with the No. 16 pick in April's draft. Still, you have to wonder how good will this guy end up being. It also doesn't hurt that they have Brian Orakpo at the other outside linebacker position opposite Kerrigan.

Grade: A+

15. OL Mike Pouncey, Miami Dolphins

Like his brother, Maurkice last season, Mike Pouncey has been able to come right in and play like a veteran offensive lineman. This is an extremely rare feat for rookies along this unit. 

Pouncey has been great in opening up holes in the middle for Miami's set of running backs and he has done a surprisingly good job in pass protection as well. Look for the rookie's impact to be felt a lot more when Daniel Thomas, another first-year player, returns from injury. Reggie Bush hasn't proven he can run up the middle, so when they get a back behind Pouncey that is good at that, watch out. 

Moving forward, Pouncey translates into an All-Pro performer; he may even be near that level right now.

Grade: A+

14. DE Robert Quinn, St. Louis Rams

Many scouts considered Robert Quinn the second-best pass-rusher out of the draft class after Von Miller. This despite the fact that he missed the 2010 season due to NCAA rules violations. Then in March he was diagnosed with a brain tumor that many doctors said should have left him "brain dead." 

Still, through all this adversity Quinn was able to make it into the first half of the opening round in April's draft. 

After being a healthy scratch for the Rams season opener Quinn has come on somewhat strong in the last couple outings. He recorded a sack against Eli Manning and the New York Giants a couple weeks ago and came up with a great forced fumble on Ryan Torrain last week. 

However, Quinn has been a mild disappointment so far this season. He hasn't shown the consistency necessary to get a lot of playing time and struggles with pro-ready pass-rush moves. I fully expect the former North Carolina star to be a solid player in the NFL, but he still has a lot to learn.

Grade: C

13. DL Nick Fairley, Detroit Lions

Man this guy was a monster for the Auburn Tigers during their national title run last season. In fact, some could argue that he was almost as important to their success as Cam Newton, that may be stretching it. 

Still, this dude has the athletic ability and strength to dominate the interior of Detroit's defensive line with Ndamukong Suh for years to come. 

Then came the foot injury in early August that has kept the rookie out of every Detroit Lions game thus far. He did practice towards the end of September before the training staff decided it was too soon. But, don't fret Lions fans—he practiced again on Wednesday and may make his NFL debut against Chicago this upcoming Monday.

I am not sure how much of an impact Fairley will make right away, but make no mistake about it—he will be an impact player in the NFL.

Grade: Incomplete

12. QB Christian Ponder, Minnesota Vikings

The time might becoming for the fourth quarterback selected in April's draft. After all, the Minnesota Vikings have started 0-4 and sit four games behind both Green Bay and Detroit. 

Still, Leslie Frazier has committed to veteran Donovan McNabb for the Vikings' next game. 

There will come a time, sooner rather than later, when Ponder's name will be called for Minnesota this season. When it happens I have no doubt that the former Florida State signal-caller will be up for the task. He showed great field vision and accuracy during the preseason, which should allow Vikings fans something to look forward to.

Grade: Incomplete

11. DE J.J. Watt, Houston Texans

Some people questioned the Texans' selection of J.J. Watt with the 11th pick in April's draft. After all, they were dead last in pass defense and Prince Amukamara was staring them right in the face. 

Well, this decision doesn't look too bad now. 

Through four games, Watt has surpassed all possible expectations. Despite only having one sack during that time, he has been able to frustrate offensive linemen and put pressure on the quarterback multiple times. Additionally, the first-round pick has been more than solid in rush defense—something that 3-4 teams look for in a defensive end. 

Expect him to continue that progression as the season moves forward.

Grade: A

10. QB Blaine Gabbert, Jacksonville Jaguars

This is where the grading curve gets interesting. How do you gauge the success of a rookie quarterback in his first couple NFL starts? No, I am not even going to try to compare Gabbert to Cam Newton; that would automatically give the former a failing grade.

Instead, I will compare him to top-10 picks from previous seasons and how they fared early on. 

In Mark Sanchez's first two starts with the Jets in 2009, he completed just under 60 percent of his passes, averaged about eight yards per attempt and threw two touchdowns, compared to one interception.

In 2008, Matt Ryan started for the Atlanta Falcons from the outset and didn't perform at a high level, with less than a 50 percent completion rate and two interceptions compared to one touchdown.

Through Gabbert's first three games, two starts, he has completed less than 50 percent of his passes and has a 62.9 quarterback rating. It goes without saying that he has struggled a great deal. Still, it is hard to envision a rookie quarterback (not named Newton) coming in and performing at a high level in such a situation. 

I like Blaine Gabbert's field vision and accuracy; it should help supplement Maurice Jones-Drew for the remainder of the season. Expect him to get better as the season progresses.

Grade: B

9. OT Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys

Tyron Smith struggled against the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers in the Cowboys' first two games, but has stepped it up a great deal over the last couple of weeks. At only 20, Smith is the youngest starter in the entire league; he was born in 1990—makes you feel old huh? Me too!

I like the lateral movement and athletic ability of this 300-pound offensive tackle. He gets off the ball quickly, doesn't get beat too often at the line and limits stupid holding penalties and false starts. 

Expect this progression to continue, but for now I have to conclude that Tyron Smith is already an above-average NFL starter.

Grade: B+

8. QB Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans

For all you Tennessee Titans fans that wanted to see Jake Locker get considerable playing time this season, think again. Matt Hasselbeck has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league up to this point and has Tennessee in contention for a division title through four games. 

Where does that leave Locker? Well, learning behind a true professional and better off long-term because of it. 

Locker did get into the game for one play against Cleveland last week, throwing an incomplete pass. Just chalk this season up as one in which Locker will be able to learn from one of the best people in the entire league. 

Grade: Incomplete 

7. LB Aldon Smith, San Francisco 49ers

Aldon Smith is every defensive coordinator's best dream and worst nightmare. He has the athletic ability and pass-rushing technique to dominate at this level. With Smith's speed, physical stature and pure brute strength he makes for an ideal 3-4 outside linebacker. 

Still, he has only played in certain situations for San Francisco this season as they attempt to ease him in the lineup. The major reason for that is that Aldon Smith doesn't have the necessary experience to drop back into coverage after switching from a defensive end in college.

Still, Smith has had his moments. He has broken up a couple passes at the line of scrimmage, both on third downs, putting pressure on both Tony Romo and Andy Dalton prior to last week's breakout performance. Smith recorded five tackles, four solo and had 1.5 sacks, while putting pressure on Michael Vick multiple times last week. When San Francisco said Aldon Smith was ready, he performed like the elite pass-rusher that many of us expected.

Moving forward, you can expect this contribution to get greater as he becomes more comfortable.

Grade: A-

6. WR Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

Twenty-four receptions and 342 yards—need I even continue? 

Julio Jones is already putting up All-Pro-type numbers and he has only played four games in the NFL, just a little over four years removed from his high school prom.

What makes Jones so good as a rookie is that this production isn't due to the fact that he isn't Matt Ryan's only option in the passing game. He has caught 63 percent of the 38 balls thrown his way, which is simply amazing. Let's just contrast that to his Pro Bowl teammate, Roddy White, who has caught 57 percent of the passes thrown his way. 

That is simply amazing if you ask me.

Grade: A+

5. CB Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals

It is hard to hide from the fact that Patrick Peterson has only three passes defended through four games, while teams continue to throw his way—that really isn't a good sign. That said, you have to look at a couple different variables.

First, all three of those passes defended have come in the last two games, which shows he is progressing as a cover guy. Secondly, rookie corners tend to struggle in the NFL with the receiver-friendly rules that have been implemented as of late.

Peterson is just a stupid-good football player. He plays extremely well at the line of scrimmage and doesn't struggle within the five yards of contact following the snap. You won't see the first-round pick turned around a lot downfield either. 

The one major concern that Arizona should have right now is how Peterson is playing in space one-on-one. He tends to over-jump the outside routes, which allows opposing receivers to get inside position. This is something that can be fixed with the right coaching and experience. 

Don't fret Arizona, he is going to be a superstar in the NFL. It is just going to take some time.

Grade: B-

4. WR A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals

One of the things that I tend to look at when it comes to rookie receivers is productivity; I mentioned this with Julio Jones earlier, but it should be underscored more. You can only catch what is thrown your way and on target. Everything else is out of your hands, pun intended.

Usually rookie receivers have issues getting separation, therefore don't see a lot of targets. Well, this hasn't been the case with A.J. Green. But, has he been productive? 

Andy Dalton has targeted Green 33 times over the first four games and the rookie has 19 receptions for 312 yards. That equates to 9.5 yards per target, compared to Jones' average of nine yards per target. In terms of productivity, a case could be made that Green has been better than Jones; still, it is above what you would expect from a rookie. In fact, one of the best receivers in the game, Andre Johnson, is averaging 9.5 yards per target as well.

Needless to say, A.J. Green has surpassed expectations so far.

Grade: A+

3. DL Marcell Dareus, Buffalo Bills

It has been a struggle for Marcell Dareus so far in his rookie season. He is struggling to maintain position at the line of scrimmage and has been pushed back multiple times; I noticed this against both Oakland and New England. This is one of the reasons Buffalo ranks 25th in rush defense. 

You expect rookie struggles in terms of endurance, strength and technique, but this should worry Buffalo Bills fans. 

Still, Dareus did record his first NFL sack last week against Cincinnati and looked a lot better in these aspects of the game. Once he gains his footing and is able to maintain leverage inside, expect Dareus to be one heck of a football player.

Grade: C

2, LB Von Miller, Denver Broncos

I am going on record right now and calling Von Miller the reincarnation of Lawrence Taylor. Yeah, that is right—I am comparing him to one of the best linebackers to ever play the game. This is how good Miller is right now. It also represents how much better he will be in the future.

Miller has recorded 16 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes defended through four games. You do the math and figure out what pace he is on for right now as I am writing this. It truly is amazing. Let us also grapple with the fact that Miller has been above average in pass defense too, which is an indicator of his overall abilities. 

There is no doubt in my mind that Von Miller is going to be a perennial Pro Bowl player, and it starts this season as a rookie.

Grade: A+

1. QB Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

I think it is important that we understand just how big Cam Newton's early season performance has been so far and how it promises to shatter record books as the year progresses. 

Through four games, Newton has thrown for 1,386 yards and rushed for 133 more, while accounting for nine touchdowns. Peyton Manning holds the rookie passing mark at 3,739. At this pace, Cam Newton is going to break that record sometime during Carolina's 11th game of the season against the Indianapolis Colts. In fact, Newton is on pace to break Dan Marino's single-season yardage record.

I understand we are only one quarter of the way through the season, and Newton is going to face growing pains. There is no chance that he catches Dan Marino, but he probably will surpass Manning's rookie record. 

What I like about Newton is that he is showing tremendous pocket presence and has proven to be an accurate quarterback, two things that scouts questioned heading into the draft. 

What he is doing right now is nothing short of amazing. 

Grade: A++