The 100 Yard Spin

Top NFL Rookies to Watch in 2010

We are less than two weeks away from NFL training camp reporting dates and there are a lot of questions around the league that will need to be answered. In the meantime we as fans are left to prognosticate and speculate as to how various issues concerning our favorite teams will pan out.
Ever since the inception of free agency in the NFL teams have put more emphasis on rookie players. Instead of taking the best players available in the draft many teams have leaned more towards picking a player that fills a need. This is true for a number of reasons. One being that teams now are more likely to lose key players and find themselves with a sudden need a spot that was aptly filled just a couple months earlier, and another is simply that rookies sometimes offer a cheaper option to fill a need instead of dishing out high wages for expensive veteran free agents.
This year’s draft was undoubtedly full of talent. Some of those guys will find success but a majority of them will falter through the rigors of the pro game and struggle to make a name for themselves on the playing field any time soon. It is my estimate that only about one out of four first round picks will even come close to realizing their potential in their first year as a pro. It often takes a few years for these young men to get a grasp of the speed and complexity of the game and in the end maybe one out of three first round picks even come close to becoming the players that the team that drafted him envisions.
Every class is filled with studs, duds (or busts), and sleepers. Following is a list of my top ten rookies that I believe will vie for the league’s annual rookie of the year awards.

Offense:

1. RB Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers – This guy seems to be the most obvious pick for offensive rookie of the year honors. He is stepping into an already potent offense complete with a pro-bowl caliber quarterback, receiver, tight end, guard, and tackle. Mathews showed a nose for the end zone in college, scoring 19 times in ’09 and also possesses natural pass-catching ability. At 5’11” 218 lbs. he has the size to pound it out inside and possesses enough speed to outrun a lot of defenders. If he does not find success early and often it will not be long before people start calling him a bust.
2. QB Jimmy Clausen, Carolina Panthers – Nobody felt more slighted after the draft than this guy. For some reason every single team in the league except the Panthers passed up on him. A lot of teams snubbed him twice while the Broncos and Buccaneers said no thanks to him three times. Clausen will have his chance to seek revenge on the Bucs twice a year in the NFC south and I would not be surprised to see him nail down a starting job very soon. Once he gets the nod he will have three studs to play ball with in DeAngelo Williams, Jonthan Stewart and Steve Smith.
3. WR Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys – We all know about his problems and his talent was very evident in his first two seasons at Oklahoma State, but few guys are walking into a better situation than Bryant. He has a lot of work cut out for him but the pieces are already in place to help him find success early. He gets to catch balls thrown by stud QB Tony Romo and all-pro tight end Jason Witten will draw a lot of the attention in the passing game. Bryant is also lucky to have receivers Miles Austin and Roy Williams already on the roster so he will not be faced with a ton of pressure to be a starter right away. Mot of the pressure will be on Williams who has struggled mightily after owner Jerry Jones traded a first round pick to Detroit for him.
4. RB Jahvid Best, Detroit Lions – If Best stays healthy and displays the type of skills he showed in college he could single-handedly change the entire dynamic of the Lions offense. He has blazing speed and he is a tougher runner than most people realize. He reminds me of Warrick Dunn with more speed. If the Lions win at least seven games and Best conjures up any memories of Barry Sanders in the minds of Detroit area fans he could be a lock for top rookie honors.
5. OT Bryan Bulaga, Green Bay Packers – You do not see too many offensive tackles taking home any ROY awards but Bulaga could get some consideration, especially if he helps the Packers cut down on the number of times Aaron Rodgers gets hit. He’s my dark horse pick to win and with the way the O-line in Green Bay has been suffering injuries over the last couple years it is very likely that Bulaga will get his shot to prove himself sooner rather than later. He may be a little rough around the edges as far as technique goes but he can pass protect as good as any other rookie lineman and that is exactly what the team needs.

Defense:

1. MLB Rolando McClain, Oakland Raiders – This guy has the ability, and will be given every opportunity, to lead the team in tackles as a rookie. They need him to solidify the middle of the defense by stopping the run, which has been a big weakness in the Raider’s defense for a while. A 150 tackle season is possible for this rookie as long as he keeps working as hard as he did at Alabama.
2. DE Brandon Graham, Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles need another player to penetrate the backfield and nobody in college football did that better than Graham over the last two years. He may not be super fast but he is very quick and strong. He also knows how to use leverage, often getting underneath an opposing blocker’s pads and ripping through them to get pressure on the quarterback. Do not be surprised if he gets 10 sacks as a rookie.
3. DT Ndamokung Suh, Detroit Lions – The Lions got a gift from the Rams when they passed on Suh in favor of quarterback Sam Bradford with the first overall pick. Suh has all the tools to be a dominant lineman and all eyes will be on him. The Lions had the worst D-line in the league the last few years but Suh, along with newly acquired veterans Kyle Vanden Bosch and Corey Williams, should change the way offensive coordinators game plan for the Lions’ defense.
4. S Earl Thomas, Seattle Seahawks – The ‘Hawks needed a playmaker in their secondary and they got one in Thomas. He was outrageously good as a safety at Texas the last two years and would have been moved to play corner if he had stayed in school. He is fast, can handle man or zone coverages, and possesses good ball skills. He will probably play free safety now but may find himself at corner one day. Do not be surprised to see him nab five interceptions as rookie while being amongst the team leaders in tackles.
5. CB Joe Haden, Cleveland Browns – A tough player on the perimeter who excelled in run support at Florida. He did it all on in college though and the Browns need him to lock down a starting spot ASAP. He stumbled a bit at the combine but one cannot overlook his production on the field. One thing that makes him intriguing is the fact that he played his best during big games. He will get his chance to cover some good receiver in the AFC North Division, including Anquan Boldin, Chad Ochocinco, and Hines Ward.

Top players to not make this list:

1. QB Sam Bradford, St Louis Rams – It is tough for quarterbacks to make strong impressions as rookies and Bradford is not necessarily stepping into a good situation in St Louis. He may play well enough but the guys who will be attempting to catch his passes are suspect. There are also some questions on the O-line that need to be answered and until some guys prove themselves I will fear for the rookie quarterback’s safety.
2. S Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs – This guy was actually the hardest player to leave off the list, which is more of a testament to the overall quality of talent in this year’s rookie class than it is a knock on his abilities. The one thing that turns me off on him is the simple fact that KC’s run defense is extremely suspect, which may limit Berry’s opportunities to make plays.
3. OLB/DE Sergio Kindle, Baltimore Ravens – Despite being a team leader at Texas and possessing some nice quickness, Kindle’s lack of elite strength may limit him a bit as a rookie. Give him a year though and he could be among the league leaders in sacks. On the other hand, he could turn out a fine rookie season on a team that knows how to play defense.
4. DE Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants – Freakish athlete who could someday be a perennial pro-bowl player. He will be given an opportunity to rush the passer as a rookie but may be limited by his lack of technique and experience playing against top competition. One sure bet is that he will do more hand-springs than any other rookie this year.
5. RB C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills – Playing in Buffalo alone does not help Spiller’s chances of receiving any rookie awards and he is a little injury prone. Besides, he has Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch to contend with in the backfield as well.