Possible rookies of the year, and some who will have to wait
While some players take time to develop and need a couple of years to become stars, there are always some rookies ready to make an impact from the get-go. Evidently some teams will need their rookies to step up big for the team this year if they want to be contenders. Several first-round picks are the obvious choices to look out for but there are some dark horses that people may not see coming.
Some would expect Sam Bradford to be an obvious candidate for rookie of the year but that is unlikely, not due to the struggles Bradford will face as a rookie, but the lack of a supporting cast he’ll have with the St. Louis Rams. Peyton Manning had his own troubles as a rookie and it wasn’t until Edgerin James Marvin Harrison made impact that Manning began to develop into the quarterback he is today. Expect Bradford to provide flashes of what he can do in the future but it will take a couple of years for him to develop into a star and for the Rams to get better.
Ndamukong Suh was projected to be the first overall pick in the draft. Had the Lions had the number one pick, they still would have picked Suh, but the Rams needed a quarterback badly. Perhaps the most gifted defensive tackle out of the draft, Suh will be the foundation of the Lions’ defence for years to come just like Matthew Stafford will be the face of the franchise for years. This year, Suh should make an immediate impact in improving the Lions’ defence.
The San Diego Chargers bid farewell to the former face of the franchise in Ladanian Tomlinson, leaving his replacement with heavy shoes to fill. Meet Ryan Mathews, whom the Chargers traded up to 14th overall to get him in the first round. Mathews has a good combination of power and speed and he is surrounded by a talented offence.
The Chargers are a pass-first team which will provide Mathews with many opportunities to catch defences by surprise and make some big plays for the Chargers. Mathews has a much better supporting cast than most first-round picks which will give him a greater chance at having a great rookie season.
When the Kansas City Chiefs drafted safety Eric Berry, they not only got the best safety in the draft, but perhaps the best leader. Berry has great football senses and has proven to be capable of leading a team. His keen instincts and intelligence, along with his athleticism, are a great starting point for the Chiefs’ defence.
Berry may just be the start of the Chiefs' building their way back to the top of the AFC West. If teams think they’ll be able to walk all over the Chiefs, Berry may give them different ideas and he has the chance to truly stand out.
Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones may have drafted Dez Bryant to make up for not drafting Randy Moss for character issues, but the move may also prove to be beneficial. Bryant starts on a great team with a great quarterback, and he has Miles Austin on the opposite side. That will take the opposing defences’ attention away from him. That will give him opportunities in single coverage and can light up the league right away.
There are certainly other names worth mentioning like Buffalo Bills’ running back C.J Spiller, cornerback Joe Haden of the Browns or Jahvid Best of the Lions, but some rookies will have tougher jobs coming into the league. The door is wide open for any rookie to emerge as a star this year. Some will just take longer than others.
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