Tag: NFL Rookies

2024 Rookie preview: Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots

2024 Rookie preview and stat projection for New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye

There has been a large and looming shadow in New England ever since the departure of Tom Brady, one that swiftly sent the Patriot’s last first round quarterback packing. After selecting North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye with the third overall pick, the Patriots are hoping to end their streak of shaky quarterback play and bring back some of the consistency their legendary franchise quarterback once gave them in spades.

It’s fair to say that Maye is heading into the worst situation out of all his fellow rookie quarterbacks, with the offensive side of the ball in shambles. The cupboard is bare when it comes to playmakers for Maye to work with, with New England boasting the weakest group of receivers in the entire league. Maye might have to lean on a strong running game and what should be a solid defense in order to see some success early on should he snag the starting job.

What he lacks in talent around him, Maye should be able to make up with the raw talent he possesses. Though Maye is a bit of a work in progress when it comes to the more fundamental areas of the position, he has a serious knack for finding a way to make plays with subpar talent, as we saw at North Carolina. Maye is too talented to keep off the field early on and he should show some flashes in his rookie season.

Stat projection: 3,700 passing yards, 250 rushing yards, 24 touchdowns, 12 interceptions 

Lions place fourth-round rookie on NFI list to start training camp

Lions place fourth-round rookie Giovanni Manu on NFI list to start training camp

The Detroit Lions open their training camp on Tuesday, but the team will not have one of its fourth-round draft picks available to play right away. After reporting with the rest of the rookie class on Saturday, the Lions placed Giovanni Manu on the non-football injury list.

No reason for the move was released by the Lions. Manu had been a full participant in minicamp and OTAs earlier in the offseason.

Manu was a surprise selection as the 126th pick in April’s draft after playing in the relative obscurity of Canadian college football at the University of British Columbia. A 6-foot-7, 352-pound offensive tackle, Manu arrived in Canada from his native Tonga as a basketball player before finding football.

Detroit traded a 2025 third-round pick to land Manu in the late fourth round. He’s viewed as an athletic project with high long-term upside but isn’t expected to contribute as a rookie. Starting on the NFI list won’t help accelerate Manu’s development, unfortunately.

Pair of Ravens rookie draft picks not physically ready to start training camp

Ravens rookie draft picks Adisa Isaac and T.J. Tampa were placed on reserve lists ahead of Baltimore’s training camp

The rookies for the Baltimore Ravens reported for training camp duty on Monday. A pair of draft picks will have to wait before they can participate, however.

Third-round EDGE Adisa Isaac and fourth-round cornerback T.J. Tampa were placed on reserve lists at the start of Ravens camp.

Isaac was placed on the non-football injury (NFI) list with an undisclosed injury. The pass rusher from Penn State worked out at the NFL Scouting Combine and did not have any injuries of note for the Nittany Lions.

Tampa is headed for the physically unable to perform, or PUP list. The corner from Iowa State can be activated at any time and is eligible to participate in team activities, but not practices, while on the PUP reserve list.

Isaac can also participate in team activities, but his NFI designation means the Ravens are not obligated to pay him for an injury that occurred outside of his football duties with the team.

Both Isaac and Tampa are expected to compete for significant contribution roles as rookies, once the Ravens clear them to play.

2024 Rookie preview: Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders

2024 Rookie preview: Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders and his expectations as the No. 2 overall pick

In a search that is a decade in the making, the Washington Commanders have seemingly finally found the franchise quarterback that they have been desperately searching for. Holding the second pick in the draft, this Washington team secured the Heisman-winning signal-caller out of LSU in Jayden Daniels.

While the situation Daniels is walking into is less than desirable given the state of the offensive line, there is a lot to like about Daniel’s ability and the weapons that surround him as he sets up to take over as the full-time starter. The likes of veteran Terry McLaurin, Dyami Brown, Jahan Dotson, and fellow rookie Luke McCaffrey should give Daniels plenty of opportunity to replicate some of the numbers he put up last college season.

New offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is going to bring a lot of what Daniels ran at LSU over to a NFL offense to take full advantage of his unique skillset. Expect to see a lot of read option, extending play deep balls, and spread concepts in Washington. While Daniels himself should look comfortable and excel in his new digs, it’s hard to imagine the Washington offensive line holding up the same way. Expect Daniels to show plenty of flashes but for the talent surrounding him to ultimately hold the team back.

Stat projection: 3,400 passing yards, 850 rushing yards, 25 touchdowns, 7 interceptions

Unsigned rookie Malachi Corley losing ground in the Jets receiver room to this 2nd-year WR

Unsigned rookie Malachi Corley losing ground in the Jets receiver room to this 2nd-year WR, Xavier Gipson

While we can never truly know or speculate why a rookie contract takes so long or so little to sign, it can only help a rookie to get a deal done and get on the field as soon as possible, given the adjustment it takes from college to the pros. Another big reason why is there are many hungry mouths to feed within any given roster, and with enough time one of those players could end up snagging your job. In New York, rookie Malachi Corley could be experiencing just that with second-year receiver Xavier Gipson showing out

With early reports stating that Gipson is currently ahead of Corley on the depth chart, and given the explosiveness we have seen out of the second-year pro, it could be hard for the rookie to catch up should he miss any time out on the field. Last season, we saw flashes of greatness out of Gipson when he was given a shot, and if he is able to build upon that, he could be locked in as the full-time slot receiver for the team, leaving Corley on the bench for most of New York’s offensive sets.

Granted, Corley was one of the best receivers in a loaded wide receiver class and showed time and time again to be a dominant force on the football field. It’s going to be a tight race no matter how it plays out, but when it comes down to it, every snap matters for a positional competition like this.

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This Chargers rookie understands the game ‘like he’s been a four- or five-year vet’

Chargers rookie Ladd McConkey understands the game ‘like he’s been a four- or five-year vet’ according to QB Justin Herbert

In recent years the NFL fanbase has been a bit spoiled by stellar performances from rookie players who come in and make immediate impacts that help lift their teams way up in the standings. From Puka Nacua to CJ Stroud, expectations couldn’t be higher for an incoming rookie class than they are right now. What people may be taking for granted is just how tough it is for most players to walk in and adapt to the speed and playbook of the NFL game.

Apparently, Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey could be one that adapts as fast as anyone, according to his new quarterback Justin Herbert.

“He’s just picked up the offense so easily,” Herbert said, via ESPN. “It’s like he’s been a four- or five-year vet. He understands the game.”

This is unsurprising if you followed McConkey during his time at Georgia where he was always a crafty and intelligent player that took full advantage of the defense in front of him and always seemed to be in the right place at the right time for a big play. His physical skill already translated well at the next level, and if his mental game transfers all the same, he could be one of those rookie difference makers we have seen as of late.

Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton could be this year’s Puka Nacua

Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton could be this year’s Puka Nacua as a breakout rookie star

With the Cincinnati Bengals losing franchise staple Tyler Boyd this offseason, the team knew they needed to add some more depth to the receiver position in the draft. Passing over receivers in the first two rounds, the Bengals eventually landed on a receiver who may end up being one of the steals in the draft in former Alabama playmaker Jermaine Burton.

Last season at Alabama, Burton was a certified big play threat, averaging over twenty yards a catch and establishing himself as the primary deep threat of the Crimson Tide offense. Burton’s explosiveness, play strength, and ball skills cannot be understated as they translate extremely well to the next level.

With quarterback Joe Burrow returning fully healthy and teams focusing on shutting down the dynamic duo of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Burton could find himself taking advantage of teams looking away from him. His tape in college showed him consistently bursting past defenders and catching balls over them, and if not for some reported “character issues,” he could have gone much higher in the draft.

Under Zac Taylor this offense is going to be able to spread it out and take advantage of their multiple stud receivers and their new dynamic tight end in Mike Gesicki. The opportunities are going to be there for Burton to shock everyone and find himself as one of the most productive rookie receivers in the league and maybe even cross the 1,000 yard mark.

Raiders TE Brock Bowers makes All-Rookie team

UGA tight end Brock Bowers is the only former Georgia Bulldog to make the All-Rookie offense

The Las Vegas Raiders got a steal when they selected Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers with the No. 13 pick of the 2024 NFL draft. Bowers is already being projected to be one of the biggest impact rookies in the NFL.

Bowers, who is a very consistent receiving option, made NFL.com’s All-Rookie team. Bowers and Georgia safety Javon Bullard are the two former Bulldogs to make the team.

“The Raiders should lean on two tight end sets much more often this year, with Bowers lined up at H-back, on the line or in the slot while 2023 second-round pick Michael Mayer plays the more typical off-tackle spot,” said NFL.com’s Chad Reuter.

“Bowers will be a matchup problem for most linebackers and safeties with his quickness, strength and strong hands, giving Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers a foil to stretch defenses vertically and horizontally. While it’s not the strongest part of his game, Bowers should also earn respect for his run blocking on the outside.”

Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer should be an excellent combination for the Raiders. However, Las Vegas’ quarterback situation is a little bit murky entering 2024. The Raiders are projected to start either Gardner Minshew or Aidan O’Connell this fall. Both of Las Vegas’ quarterback options are not ideal as the Raiders look to compete in the AFC West.

Spencer Rattler turning heads at Saints’ minicamp

Rookie QB Spencer Rattler turning heads at Saints’ minicamp

Possessing one of the NFL’s biggest question marks at quarterback with Derek Carr going into his second year with New Orleans after a bit of a flop first season, the Saints desperately needed to add some competition and new blood to the quarterbacking room. They seem to have found perhaps more than what they were looking for in former South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler according to early camp reports.

This is a great sign for Saints fans considering that Rattler was considered one of the more talented signal callers in the 2024 NFL Draft class, despite only going in the third round. Rattler has always been highly touted, at one point being discussed as a potential number one overall draft pick. Given his inconsistent tape it was hard for teams to make a first round commitment to Rattler, but if New Orleans can get the most out of him, he could end up being a steal and pushing Derek Carr for the starting position sooner rather than later.

Rookie quarterback Drake Maye is stealing the show in New England

Rookie quarterback Drake Maye is stealing the show in New England offseason, building momentum in his first minicamp

There was a lot of hype for former North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. Maye was consistently placed right next to eventual first overall pick Caleb Williams as one of the best signal callers in the entire class, and one of the better prospects to come out in recent memory. After getting leapfrogged by Jayden Daniels in the draft, Maye might have found his perfect landing spot with the Patriots.

Maye has reportedly looked like the clear favorite to land the starting gig early on into minicamps. While it is of course too early to project that with training camp and preseason games to be played out, it has to be a position sign for many given Maye was criticized for his NFL readiness coming out of North Carolina.

Should Maye continue his current trajectory and separate himself further from the pack, Maye could easily find himself as the starter for the Patriots in the opening game of the season.