NFL Young Guns: Cam Newton and the Top 10 Rookies in the Game Today

NFL rookies have not had a shortage of opportunities this season. Several, such as Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder, have been thrown into the fire and forced to handle starting positions before they were truly ready.

Others, such as DeMarco Murray and Torrey Smith, have shown that talent doesn't need to be stockpiled in the Top 20 picks of the NFL draft—talent can be found later, and steals are the name of the game.

Others, like Cam Newton and Andy Dalton, have been given the keys from the get-go. Some, like Julio Jones, AJ Green and the aforementioned Torrey Smith, are relied on to be playmakers—to strike fear in the heart of opposing defenses. 

With several successful rookies making imprints on this season, it's time to take a look at the top 10 and see just what each of them are doing.

10. Roy Helu: Washington Redskins

I might get some heat for putting Helu here over the likes of some deserving candidates such as Patrick Peterson—or maybe even Blaine Gabbert—but after an impressive showing against Seattle and previous glimpses of potential, it's time to give him a nod.

Helu is likely the future for the Redskins, as his athletic ability and speed have made him a useful tool in the Redskins backfield. With injuries mounting in Washington, he'll be relied on more than ever as he tries his best to bolster a subpar ground game. 

Best Moment: Helu's best moment as a rookie easily came in last week's triumph over Seattle. With roughly 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, Helu dazzled, showing his oozing potential by hurdling a Seattle player and scampering for a 28-yard touchdown.

9. Christian Ponder: Minnesota Vikings

Christian Ponder was given the keys to the car after Donovan McNabb failed to deliver through the first part of the season.

Ponder, who is the future for the Vikings at the quarterback position, has played surprisingly well and has shown glimpses of greatness in his short time starting. He's been thrown into a difficult situation, but has responded admirably and has made the Vikings competitive in a majority of the games he's started.

Best Moment: His best moment has to be his lone win (Minnesota only has two all season). He outdueled fellow rookie star Cam Newton in a 24-21 nail-biter, throwing for 236 yards and a touchdown.

8. Ryan Kerrigan: Washington Redskins

Ryan Kerrigan has overcome the struggles of the Redskins, finding individual success as a defensive end. He leads the Redskins in sacks, accounting for six this season, and has given the team's stingy defense a boost.

He's been one of the few consistent bright spots for the team, as he constantly pressures the opposing quarterback and makes plays defensively. Unaided by one of the worst offenses in the NFL, he's still making his presence felt opposite Brian Orakpo.

Best Moment: His debut, in which he tipped an Eli Manning pass, intercepted it and returned it for a touchdown in one of the Redskins' rare impressive wins. Thanks to a Kerrigan spark, Washington took down the Giants, 28-14.

7. Julio Jones: Atlanta Falcons

Jones was brought to Atlanta to make big plays. He's a dynamic athlete with an insanely high vertical leap and astounding speed and quickness. He's physically dominant and has soft hands, a reason that so many scouts drooled over his potential.

He's had injury issues this year, but he's still been one of Matt Ryan's most reliable targets, racking up 30 receptions for 498 yards—both third on the team. He's accounted for three 100-yard games and has been, when healthy, Atlanta's most potent deep threat.

Best Moment: Jones' best moment came in his breakout performance against the Indianapolis Colts. He caught two touchdowns, one an 80-yard dash to the end zone and the other a 50-yard gain. He burned the Colts and helped the Falcons dominate, 31-7. 

6. Torrey Smith: Baltimore Ravens

Torrey Smith has been a big play threat since his miracle debut in Week 3 at St. Louis. 

He's become one of the most consistent options for Joe Flacco, as he's topped 75 yards three times and has eclipsed 150 yards twice. He's as fast as Julio Jones, but injuries haven't gotten in the way with Smith.

He can disappear at times, but when he's rolling, he makes his presence felt. He's become one of the most feared deep ball receivers in the league and tabs must be kept on him at all times.

Best Moment: Smith's best moment was easily his first quarter against St. Louis. He caught three passes, all three touchdowns, for a total of 133 yards. He caught a 74-yard strike, a 41-yard burner and an 18-yard score. Talk about the best three first catches of a receiver's career.

Smith finished the game with five receptions for 152 yards and even had a 10-yard carry. His coming-out party was one for the ages.

5. DeMarco Murray: Dallas Cowboys

Similar to Smith, DeMarco Murray is a big play threat who can bust off a big run at any time. He's a halfback whose speed and agility make him tough to stop as he finds the open holes with ease.

He's run for over 100 yards three times and has surpassed 250 yards once, in his first start against the St. Louis Rams. Murray now seems to be the future of Dallas' backfield, as he continues to make people miss and to prove himself as a steal in the draft.

Best Moment: The Rams must be a launching pad for rookies because Murray's first start was arguably more explosive than Smith's. His first carry of the game was a 91-yard touchdown. His 253 rushing yards was good for ninth most all-time, as he trounced the high numbers of some former greats. It was also the second best game, yardage wise, by a rookie in NFL history.

4. Von Miller: Denver Broncos

Von Miller is likely to win Defensive Player of the Year, as he has become arguably the best member of the stout bunch of Broncos that make up the defensive unit in Denver.

Miller has racked up 11 sacks on the season, placing him first on the team in that category, and he's second in total tackles with 58. He has a penchant for big plays and is becoming the Tim Tebow of this Denver defense; the heart and soul of the unit.

Best Moment: While Miller has shown up time and time again for Denver, his best moment as a rookie came in last week's overtime win against the San Diego Chargers. Miller nailed Mike Tolbert in the backfield for a four-yard loss on a crucial third down which directly led to a missed field goal.

If Miller didn't knock Tolbert back for a loss, there's a chance that San Diego would have won the game, as the kick was as close as could be. The Broncos have Miller to thank for setting Tebow up for another heroic finish.

3. AJ Green: Cincinnati Bengals

AJ Green was taken fourth overall by the Cincinnati Bengals and has done everything expected of him and more. He's become the team's top playmaker, as he's accounted for 745 yards and six touchdowns—the leader for all rookies in both categories. 

His leaping ability is unparalleled and he runs his routes with precision. He gets great position on defending cornerbacks when the ball is in the air, and he seems to be the next great receiver in the NFL.

His future may just be the brightest of all the young wideouts in the league, and the chemistry he's developed with his rookie quarterback Andy Dalton has helped him immensely.

The best thing about Green is that he's the same big play threat as Julio Jones or Torrey Smith, but he's much more consistent than both of them.

Best Moment: There are a plethora of moments to pick from for Green. It could be his leaping catch against the Steelers in which he injured himself but still came down with the touchdown, or it could be his incredible performance in his second game ever, when he went for over 120 yards and a score.

His best moment, however, would be his first-ever NFL catch. He caught Cleveland's defense off guard and snagged a game-winning 41-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

2. Cam Newton: Carolina Panthers

No, it's not a misprint, Cam Newton is not No. 1.

He probably should be, given the fact that as a quarterback, he has the second most rushing touchdowns in the entire NFL and has thrown for the seventh most yards. Still, he's incredibly turnover prone and has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns thus far.

He's brought hope to the Carolina Panthers and has them looking like a team that could compete in the playoffs a few years down the line. He's been an absolute beast in all facets of the game, but winning does count for something, which is why he is not ranked at the top. 

He might be the most exciting quarterback in the league, but he still has to prove himself as a winner in the NFL before he can top the charts.

That being said, he's almost a lock to win Rookie of the Year. That's how good he is.

Best Moment: Newton's best moment so far was his first game when he immediately came on the scene and proved his doubters wrong. He threw for 422 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 18 and a score.

Perhaps better than that was his ability to follow up his performance with a 432-yard outing against the undefeated Green Bay Packers the following week.

1. Andy Dalton: Cincinnati Bengals

You can't be terribly surprised I picked Dalton over Newton.

Dalton became the Bengals' starting quarterback amidst the Carson Palmer controversy and has gotten better and better throughout the season. He's led the Bengals to a 7-4 record and some impressive wins along the way. His relationship with AJ Green has proved one of the most lethal in the NFL, despite the fact they're both rookies.

He's a great decision maker and an accurate passer. He won't wow you with athleticism like Newton, but he'll still find ways to make your jaw drop with his startling precision and consistency.

Dalton has thrown for 16 touchdowns and has a quarterback rating just above Newton's. Watching Dalton play, however, is truly magnificent; he is now the future of the Bengals franchise along with Green.

Best Moment: Dalton's best moment was his comeback win against the Buffalo Bills. After the Bills had shocked the Patriots, no one was giving the Cincinnati a chance, but Dalton strolled in and delivered a victory. He ran for the game-tying score and set his team up for the winning field goal in regulation. He also completed his longest pass to date, a 58-yard strike to AJ Green.