Week 12 Rookie Report: Isaiah Crowell headlines a pair of Browns rookies

A few highly drafted offensive linemen have been stellar all season for their teams on the inside, and Chris Tripodi returns to give Browns guard Joel Bitonio and Cowboys guard Zack Martin their due. As usual, a few skill players have seen their opportunities increase over the past few weeks as well, and two came through with their best games of the season in Week 12.

Isaiah Crowell (RB-Cle)

With last week’s release of veteran running back Ben Tate, who entered the season as the Browns’ starter, extra playing time opened up for rookie third-round pick Terrance West (profiled here after Week 2) and the undrafted Isaiah Crowell. While West handled 15 touches to Crowell’s 12, the latter played 16 more snaps by a count of 47-31 after starting the game and was easily the more effective back. That’s not a knock on West, who ran well, but Crowell’s talent pops off the screen every time you watch him play. His 12 carries went for 88 yards and two touchdowns in a Week 12 win over Atlanta, compared to 62 yards on 14 carries for West.

Crowell got off to a slow start early, as his first three runs went for zero yards, but an 11-yard touchdown late in the first quarter got his day going nicely. Backfield penetration from the Falcons’ defensive line threatened to shut down a run to the right, but Crowell’s quick feet allowed him to quickly cut away from the lineman towards an open hole on the left side. Spotting a Miles Austin seal block on the edge, Crowell cut upfield and showed elite burst and acceleration to get through the hole before it closed on his way to the end zone. His hip flexibility is also top-notch, which allows him to cut laterally with ease and get skinny through tight creases.

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Week 11 Rookie Report: More WRs bust out, Devon Kennard fills in well for NYG

More first-year receivers made Chris Tripodi’s Rookie Report this week, and that is most certainly a trend that has been set throughout the entire 2014 season. Many are referring to this receiver class as one of the best of all time, and it’s becoming more difficult to argue with that statement as the season goes on. But this week wasn’t all about wide receivers, as a late-round quarterback turned in one of the better performances for a first-year signal caller this season and another Day 3 pick showed well in his opportunity on the defensive side of the ball.

Zach Mettenberger (QB-Ten)

A sixth-round pick out of LSU, Mettenberger became the fourth rookie quarterback to start for his team this season before the Titans’ Week 8 game against the Texans. A strong-armed, statuesque passer who fits the old-school quarterback prototype, Mettenberger dropped in the draft after tearing his ACL during his senior season. He also had a few off-field issues dating back to his days at Georgia that had teams worried as well. Through three starts, the first-year passer has played relatively well, especially considering the struggles of his rookie counterparts with much higher draft pedigree. The “Mett Show” almost led Tennessee to an upset of Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football, finishing his best game with 15 completions on 24 attempts, 263 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

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Week 12 ACC Notes: Cameron Erving's position switch helps draft stock

Heading into the season as a Day 2 offensive tackle prospect, Florida State senior Cameron Erving was exposed against Vic Beasley’s speed off the edge earlier this season against Clemson. His struggles continued in the following weeks, but an experiment made necessary by Florida State’s issues replacing center Bryan Stork – who was drafted by the Patriots in the fourth round this season – may help to resuscitate his draft stock.

True freshman Roderick Johnson made his first career start at left tackle as Erving shifted to center for Saturday night’s matchup with Miami, and the move paid immediate dividends for the Seminoles. The offensive line, which has struggled to meet expectations this season despite having multiple NFL prospects, allowed just one sack and paved the way for 114 rushing yards on 19 carries. Erving’s athleticism has always been apparent at left tackle, but it looks to be a huge asset at the center position.

Freshman running Dalvin Cook hit the Hurricanes for two touchdowns of 25 or more yards, and Erving made key blocks on both runs, sealing off holes for the lightning-fast Cook to hit and reach the second level. Erving himself was quick out of his stance and showed more aggression playing inside than he has on the edge, and the senior used his athleticism to make a few nice blocks of his own at the second level. His movement skills fit very well at center and, as pro stars like Alex Mack and Jason Kelce prove, athletic centers can be extremely key pieces to NFL offensive lines.

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Week 9 Rookie Report: More WRs bust loose, and an underrated LB gets his due

After an impressive Week 8 showing by first-year wide receivers, two more made a big impact for their teams during Week 9. One was a first-round pick who had been waiting for a breakout game up until this point, while the other wasn’t drafted at all and had to fight his way onto an NFL roster during training camp and preseason. There were a few other impact rookies around the league as well, including a second-round running back and third-round linebacker taking advantage of injuries to turn in productive games. Chris Tripodi will tell you who showed out to him in this week’s Rookie Report.

Jeremy Hill (RB-Cin)

With a banged-up Giovani Bernard sitting out the Bengals’ Week 9 game against the Jaguars, the second running back drafted this past May was thrust into a starting role. Coming into the game with just one outing of 40 yards or more this season, Cincinnati’s second-round pick exploded for 154 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries to help the Bengals win in the absence of their 2013 second-round pick. With Bernard looking doubtful to play on Thursday Night Football this week as well, Hill should get another shot to show off his skills.

The skills that Hill put on tape against Jacksonville were highly impressive, especially his change of direction ability as a 238-pound running back. The LSU product showed the ability to quickly alter his path against backfield penetration and cut against the grain, even completely reversing field on one run to pick up 11 yards. A toss play to the right side was going nowhere and Hill stopped moving, recognized the defense’s overpursuit on the backside and ran back parallel to the line of scrimmage and around the corner for the first down. Hill accelerated better than a back his size would be expected to, which allows him to trust his quick feet.

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