Young Guns: Cam Newton and the Top 10 NFL Rookies so Far This Season

After nine weeks of the 2011-2012 NFL season, we can finally fully evaluate how some of the top rookies are playing. Some players have made immediate impacts, while others haven't yet stepped onto the field.

On draft night, nobody is 100 percent sure how their team's picks are going to turn out. The Carolina Panthers' fan base had to hold its breath as their team took quarterback Cam Newton only a season after taking Jimmy Clausen in the second round.

Luckily for the Panthers, Newton has turned out to be an excellent pick. This year's draft didn't have too many impact players like Newton, but many are nevertheless making strides on their teams. The Cincinnati Bengals, for instance, are essentially being run by rookies.

Here is a look at the top-performing rookies at the halfway point of the 2011 NFL season.

Honorable Mention: Chris Conte

Drafted: Round 3, Pick 93

Team: Chicago Bears

Position: Strong Safety

2011 Stats: 13 tackles and an interception

Why

While Chris Conte's numbers haven't been amazing so far this season, he has only been playing for a short time. He's only made three starts this season, but coach Lovie Smith has so much faith in Conte that he recently released Pro-Bowl safety Chris Harris.

Conte also plays ahead of Brandon Meriweather, a proven NFL veteran and who last played for the New England Patriots. With more time on the field, Conte has the potential to become a threat at safety in the NFL for seasons to come.

10. Mark Ingram

Drafted: Round 1, Pick 28

Team: New Orleans Saints

Position: Running Back

2011 Stats: 85 attempts, 329 yards, 3 touchdowns

Why

When the Saints went with Mark Ingram in the first round, everyone knew it was the end of Reggie Bush's career in the Big Easy.

Ingram has stepped in and has done a satisfactory job. He isn't the dominant running back that he was at Alabama, but perhaps with time he will become that big threat. Or he could end up being like Bush himself—a complete bust.

To Ingram's credit, he has only started two game so far this season, so his numbers are pretty good, considering the opportunities he has been given. In a generally weak class for running backs, Ingram has made his impact.

9. Torrey Smith

Drafted: Round 2, Pick 58

Team: Baltimore Ravens

Position: Wide Receiver

2011 Stats: 20 receptions, 397 yards, 4 touchdowns

Why

While Torrey Smith isn't as big of a name as Julio Jones or A.J. Green, the Maryland Terrapins product has been solid this year for the Ravens. With Lee Evans out due to injury to start the season, Smith has been able to come in and make an immediate impact.

His four touchdown receptions are second overall among all rookies—even though he only has about half has many receptions as Green, who is the leading rookie receiver.

It's uncertain where Smith will fit once Evans comes back, but perhaps he will even take over as the team's second receiver.

8. DeMarco Murray

Drafted: Round 3, Pick 71

Team: Dallas Cowboys

Position: Running Back

2011 Stats: 80 attempts, 539 Yards, 1 touchdown

Why

Although he is third on the Cowboys' depth chart, DeMarco Murray has shown that he can take over the running back duties from both Felix Jones and Tashard Choice. In two games this season, Murray tore up his opposition. Against the St. Louis Rams in Week 7, Murray ran for 253 yards and a touchdown on 25 attempts. Two weeks later against the Seattle Seahawks, Murray ran for 139 yards on 22 carries.

It will be interesting to see how the Cowboys decide to handle this situation as the season goes on, but so far Murray has proven that he could be a threat in this league.

7. Julio Jones

Drafted: Round 1, Pick 6

Team: Atlanta Falcons

Position: Wide Receiver

2011 Stats: 28 receptions, 489 yards, 2 touchdowns

Why

While it took Julio Jones eight weeks to finally score, he went ahead and celebrated with another touchdown grab in the same game. Jones is fast, and his 489 yards so far this season represent that. He will continue to be quarterback Matt Ryan's deep threat, and with more time on the field, Jones could progress into an elite receiver.

Jones still has ground to make up on Cincinnati Bengals receiver A.J. Green, but there's a chance that these two will be neck and neck in receiving yards at season's end. If anything, Jones will likely be the best or second best receiver to come out of this draft class.

6. Aldon Smith

Drafted: Round 1, Pick 7

Team: San Francisco 49ers

Position: Linebacker

2011 Stats: 13 Tackles, 6.5 Sacks and a Forced Fumble

Why

Rookie linebacker Aldon Smith is off to a hot start this season. He has yet to start a game, but he has 6.5 sacks on the season. Considering that that he only has 13 tackles on the season, it is quite impressive at how much the linebacker has been able to get into the backfield with his limited play.

If Smith keeps up this play on the season, he may find himself entering the starting line up come seasons end. Whether or not he is starting, the 49ers have a great group of linebackers that will keep this defense playing at a high level all season.

5. Patrick Peterson

Drafted: Round 1, Pick 5

Team: Arizona Cardinals

Position: Cornerback

2011 Stats: 35 tackles, 2 interceptions

Why

While his current team, the Arizona Cardinals, are doing much worse then his former college team, the LSU Tigers, Patrick Peterson is putting together a pretty nice rookie season in the desert. With two interceptions on the season, he leads all rookies. His 35 tackles also rank near the top, placing him third amongst rookies, tied with the Washington Redskins rookie linebacker Ryan Kerrigan.

While the Cardinals continue to build their new identity, they know they've found themselves a great shutdown corner for years to come. Kevin Kolb may have been the flashy offseason acquisition for the Cardinals, but Peterson is the real deal.

4. Mason Foster

Drafted: Round 3, Pick 84

Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Position: Linebacker

2011 Stats: 41 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble.

Why

Mason Foster has made a quick impact on the Tampa Bay defense. While the Washington Huskies product isn't even in the Top 50 for tackles this season, his 41 combined leads all rookies. Foster has only started six games this season, but his numbers continue to increase.

In Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints, Foster totaled nine tackles. That was a career high for the young linebacker. His numbers should gradually increase each week as he becomes more prominent within the Buccaneers defense.

3. A.J. Green

Drafted: Round 1, Pick 4

Team: Cincinnati Bengals

Position: Wide Receiver

2011 Stats: 40 receptions, 599 yards, 5 touchdowns

Why

The hype is real with A.J. Green. The Georgia Bulldogs product has come through big, immediately taking on the top wide receiver role for the Bengals. After the departures of Chad Ochocinco and Carson Palmer, it was anyone's guess at how well this offense would perform.

Green and quarterback Andy Dalton have made the bad memories of the last several years disappear quickly, leading the Bengals to a 6-2 start.

Green has been solid week in and week out and has shown the potential to become a premier receiver in the NFL for years to come. This Bengals team is dangerous, and it all starts with their rookies.

2. Andy Dalton

Drafted: Round 2, Pick 35

Team: Cincinnati Bengals

Position: Quarterback

2011 Stats: 61.5 percent passing, 1,696 yards, 12 touchdowns, 7 interceptions

Why

When the Bengals needed to look for a new quarterback—since Carson Palmer wasn't looking to return to the team in 2011—Andy Dalton appeared to be their best option. The Bengals had already nabbed stud wide receiver A.J. Green in the first round, and now they looked to pair him up with the TCU Horned Frogs' star quarterback.

Dalton has proven this season that he is the real deal. The Bengals stand at 6-2 and are looking to make an impact in the AFC. They could be in position to do so with their young stars in Dalton and Green. Dalton's 12 touchdown passes rank him among the Top 12 quarterbacks in the league. Dalton is going to be great for years to come.

1. Cam Newton

Drafted: Round 1, Pick 1

Team: Carolina Panthers

Position: Quarterback

2011 Stats: 60.6 completion percentage, 11 touchdowns, 9 interceptions

Why

When Cam Newton was made the first overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, many people doubted the wisdom of the move, as the Panthers had drafted Jimmy Clausen just a year earlier.

Clausen turned out to be a bust, but luckily Cam Newton has been nothing short of a stud this season. While he still has much to improve on, Newton has proven his critics wrong and potentially could be one of best athletic quarterbacks since Michael Vick.

Newton's Panthers are at 2-6 on the season, but outside of the record, Newton has played extremely well. While they are not winning now, it is hard to imagine that this Panthers team won't be contending for playoff spots in the near future, all due to Newton and his incredible abilities.