Week 16 Rookie Report: Preston Smith busting out in D.C., Orchard finishes strong

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As the NFL season winds down, coaches and general managers of non-playoff teams are actively using the final weeks to evaluate their rosters heading into 2016, seeing who can be valuable contributors for their teams’ future. Three youngsters saw increased roles Sunday for their downtrodden squads, while a second-rounder continues to emerge on defense for the NFC East champions. Chris Tripodi breaks down what he saw from the first-year crop in the Week 16 Rookie Report. 

Jarryd Hayne (RB-SF)

With Carlos Hyde and Shaun Draughn out of commission in Week 16, Hayne was recalled from the practice squad on Dec. 26 and thrown into the starting lineup a day later against the Lions. The former Australian Rugby star carried nine times for 27 yards and caught five passes for 20 yards in his first extended NFL playing time.

Hayne picked up over half his rushing yards on San Francisco’s opening drive, which culminated in a short touchdown pass and a 7-0 lead. On the game’s second play, Hayne took a handoff and cut back against the grain to find the hole in the defense before being taken down rather easily by a defensive lineman after four yards. A few plays later, Hayne showed good vision and squeezed through a tiny hole before running through multiple arm tackles on his way to 11 yards and a first down.

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Week 15 Rookie Report: Artis-Payne, Hunter step up for playoff-bound teams

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No new rookies from the top 80 of the 2015 NFL draft made a notable impact in Week 15, while many mid-round guys continue to see increased playing time as the season winds down, many due to injuries. This week’s offensive rookies found themselves filling in for high-profile players on playoff teams, while the defensive players that made the report have been playing effective football for a few weeks now, also for contenders. Chris Tripodi takes a look in this week’s Rookie Report. 

Cameron Artis-Payne (RB-Car)

With injury-prone starting running back Jonathan Stewart finally succumbing to an ailment, Artis-Payne headed into Week 15 with an increased opportunity in the Carolina backfield. A late fifth-round pick out of Auburn who Draft Insider had rated as a third-round prospect, Artis-Payne led the Panthers backs with 14 carries for 59 yards and two catches for 34.

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Week 14 Rookie Report: 49ers, Agholor step up, Vikings' Harris fills in

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Two first-round picks made the Rookie Report for the first time this season in Week 14, which says a lot about how their respective seasons have gone to this point. One plays for San Francisco, which also had a mid-round pick play well in his first career start this week. In addition, an undrafted safety made a positive impression in prime time in a possible audition for a starting spot down the line. Chris Tripodi breaks down what he saw from a new batch of first-year players in this week’s Rookie Report.

Nelson Agholor (WR-Phi)

The Eagles entered the 2015 NFL draft in need of a playmaker on offense to complement possession receiver Jordan Matthews. By drafting Agholor with the 20th pick of the first round, Philadelphia thought it was getting just that, a 6-0, 198-pound receiver with sub-4.4 speed.

Instead, all the Eagles had gotten through 13 weeks was 16 receptions and 163 scoreless yards from Agholor, who has struggled to adjust to a starting role as a rookie, as Draft Insider’s Tony Pauline suggested would be the case in Agholor’s scouting report. The former USC star finally found the end zone in Week 14 and finished with three catches for 62 yards on six targets.

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Week 13 Rookie Report: David Johnson and DGB bust out, Frank Clark and Eddie Goldman flash on defense

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This week was the week of the high-upside second-round pick around the NFL. Three players drafted on Day 2, two of whom were potential first-rounders who slipped into the top 10 picks of the second round, made big impacts for their teams in Week 13. Add in a third-round rookie running back who has an opportunity to run with the starting job on the league’s best offense, and you have an exciting group of rookie performers this week. Chris Tripodi breaks them all down. 

David Johnson (RB-Ari)

A third-round pick out of Northern Iowa, David Johnson jumped from third-string to starter in the span of one week thanks to injuries to the backs ahead of him on the depth chart. With Chris Johnson placed on injured reserve with a broken leg and Andre Ellington struggling with turf toe, the younger Johnson rushed for 99 yards and 22 carries and caught two passes for 21 yards and a touchdown.

Johnson ran a 4.5 40-yard dash at 6-1, 224 pounds, and while his athleticism has been on display all season in a limited role, it had an extended chance to shine through in Sunday’s win over the Rams. On Johnson’s first carry, which went for six yards, he jumped over a fallen defender just past the line of scrimmage without losing momentum, falling forward for extra yardage at the end of the run.

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Week 12 Rookie Report: Coleman, Parker step in and two Giants step up in loss

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Two highly touted skill players finally got their opportunities to shine in Week 12, as both Tevin Coleman and DeVante Parker were expected to make immediate impacts for their teams after being drafted. Instead, both have dealt with injuries as rookies this year and were thrust into action last weekend after their teammates found themselves sidelined by ailments of their own. Two Giants rookies made the list as well, one of whom was a relative unknown heading into the week. Chris Tripodi breaks down a new batch of rookies for Week 12.

Tevin Coleman (RB-Atl)

When the Falcons drafted Tevin Coleman early in the third round of the 2015 draft, it was presumed they wanted him to be their starting running back, with Devonta Freeman working as a change-of-pace. Both players had 29 touches through two weeks before Coleman missed Weeks 3 and 4 with a rib injury, opening up the backfield for Freeman.

Freeman ran away with the job over the next seven games, playing like one of the best backs in football. A concussion early in last week’s game against the Colts knocked him out early and kept him out of Week 12’s loss to the Vikings, giving Coleman the opportunity to step up. The rookie responded with his first career 100-yard game, rushing for 110 yards on 18 carries.

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Week 10 Rookie Report: Langford impresses again, Patriots have another steal

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This week’s Rookie Report has an interesting mix of rookies for evaluation purposes. Three of the  
four players profiled below were viewed as either too raw to make much of an early impact or question marks when it came to effort level, but went in the first two rounds anyway. The only one who had neither of those labels entering the NFL wasn’t taken until Day 3 and has enjoyed a two-week audition for 2016 while replacing his team’s injured starter, who also happens to be a free agent in the offseason. Chris Tripodi reveals the identities of these players and breaks down what he saw in Week 10.

Jeremy Langford (RB-Chi)

Langford made his second straight start in place of the injured Matt Forte on Sunday against a tough Rams defense. After totaling 142 yards and a touchdown on 21 touches the week before in San Diego, Langford turned 20 carries and seven receptions into 182 total yards and two scores to help lead the Bears to a 37-13 win in St. Louis. There’s a chance Forte returns to the lineup in Week 12 but if he doesn’t, Langford has proven he can carry the load successfully against any defense, and the Bears are less likely to rush their starter back as a result.

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Week 8 Rookie Report: Melvin Gordon's struggles continue, Kwon Alexander enjoys big game

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With no offensive rookies emerging in Week 8, this week’s Rookie Report will focus mostly on the defensive side of the ball. Two first-year defensive backs recently moved into the starting lineup thanks to injuries to the veterans ahead of them, and both were impressive in their extended opportunities. Meanwhile, a Tampa Bay linebacker broke out with a big game in the Bucs’ win and Chris Tripodi breaks down the struggles of one of the most hyped members of this year’s rookie running back class. 

Melvin Gordon (RB-SD)

After two straight years where no running backs were drafted in the first round, Melvin Gordon became the second runner taken in the top 15 after the Chargers selected him to replace the departed Ryan Mathews. Like the rest of the Chargers outside of the passing game, however, Gordon has struggled this season, topping 55 rushing yards in a game just once and proving to be a non-factor in the passing game. While the second part of that equation was expected based on his lack of receiving production at Wisconsin, Gordon continued to struggle on the ground in Sunday’s loss to Baltimore, carrying 18 times for just 54 yards.

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Week 7 Rookie Report: Yeldon returns, speedy receivers make their mark

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We’re at the point in the NFL season where rookies who didn’t come out of the gate hot have had a month and a half to get their feet wet in the pros, which usually leads to an increased comfort level as October comes to a close. This week’s edition of the Rookie Report features a slow-starting rookie running back who carried his team’s offense to a Week 7 win, as well as two speedy wide receivers who made the most of their opportunities in their team’s victories. Chris Tripodi breaks it all down in this week’s report. 

T.J. Yeldon (RB-Jax)

Just one year after signing Toby Gerhart to a three-year, $10.5 million contract, the Jaguars admitted the failure of that move by drafting T.J. Yeldon with the fourth pick in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Yeldon burst onto the scene as a freshman at Alabama, rushing for 1,108 yards while sharing carries with Eddie Lacy and totaling over 3,000 rushing yards in his three years with the Crimson Tide. Jacksonville saw enough in Yeldon to make him the third running back off the board, hoping he could spark a running game that put too much responsibility on a raw Blake Bortles last season. After missing Week 6 with a groin injury, Yeldon’s career-high 115 yards against the Bills in London on Sunday played an important role in Jacksonville’s close victory.

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Week 6 Rookie Report: Diggs bonds with Bridgewater and two rookie LBs impress

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While many highly drafted rookies are already making an impact in their teams’ starting lineups, some had yet to see an opportunity to start sitting behind veterans on the depth chart. This week’s Rookie Report breaks down three rookies who shined filling in for injured starters and stated their case to keep their newfound roles, while a first-year Packers cornerback made the list for a second straight week. Chris Tripodi breaks down the best of Week 6’s rookie performances. 

Stefon Diggs (WR-Min)

A former five-star recruit out of high school, Diggs slid to the fifth round of the this year’s draft after two injury-plagued seasons at Maryland, including a broken fibula that cost him six games in 2013. As a result, Diggs ended up being a nice value according to our WR board, which had him rated as a late-third or early-fourth rounder. With ineffective starter Charles Johnson sidelined for the second straight game, Diggs caught seven passes for 129 yards in Sunday’s win over the Chiefs just a week after making six receptions for 87 yards in his first significant playing time of the season.

Diggs put on a clinic in the first quarter, making Chiefs cornerbacks look silly with his precise route-running. His first catch came on the Vikings’ initial drive, as Diggs lined up outside to the right. He sold the deep route well at his stem before sharply cutting out to the sideline, turning fellow rookie Marcus Peters around and creating great separation. He showed nice extension to make the grab above his head along with the awareness to tap his feet before his momentum took him out of bounds.

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Week 5 Rookie Report: Rawls, Strong take advantage of extra playing time

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As is generally the case when the NFL calendar flips to October, injuries are beginning to dominate the league landscape. Continuing a theme from last week’s report, another rookie running back stole the show in Week 5, this time while filling in for his team’s injured starter. An AFC South wide receiver made the most of his opportunities after being activated for the first time this season, and a couple first-year defensive backs made big plays in the secondary. Chris Tripodi breaks down this week’s impressive rookie performances. 

Thomas Rawls (RB-Sea)

With Marshawn Lynch hobbled ever since Seattle’s Week 2 game in Green Bay, Thomas Rawls has taken the reigns in the Seahawks backfield over the past three weeks. An undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan, Rawls impressed enough in training camp to convince Seattle he was ready to be their primary backup, and they shipped 2013 second-round pick Christine Michael to Dallas and waived Robert Turbin before signing Fred Jackson to work on passing downs. Despite a rough outing in Week 4, Rawls has made the Seahawks look smart for entrusting him behind their 29-year-old workhorse, especially after his 23-carry, 169-yard performance in a loss to the Bengals on Sunday.

The 5-9, 215-pound rookie made his presence felt on Seattle’s initial touchdown drive in the first quarter Sunday, showing both patience and vision as a runner. His first run went for seven yards, as he beat backfield penetration to turn the corner before being shoved out of bounds. After a couple two-yard runs, Rawls took a second-and-six handoff out of the shotgun for 23 yards, doing an excellent job of patiently waiting for tiny openings and quickly darting through them. Once at the second level, Rawls ran right through a Pacman Jones tackle attempt for an extra 10 yards, and the Seahawks scored three plays later.

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Week 4 Rookie Report: Gurley, Duke bust out at RB, Saints' rookie LBs make instant impact

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After the 2014 NFL Draft produced what was hailed as the best wide receiver class in NFL history, albeit one that has struggled so far this season, the 2015 NFL Draft was one of the strongest drafts in recent memory when it came to the running back position. To nobody’s surprise, each week of the NFL season has featured a breakout performer at the position. Week 1 saw Ameer Abdullah electrify before Matt Jones busted out in Week 2 and Karlos Williams got loose during Week 3.

The trend continued this week with not just one, but two rookie running backs looking to put a stranglehold on their team’s starting jobs. Chris Tripodi breaks down those two running backs, along with a couple Saints linebackers who helped their team to a much-needed win in primetime Sunday night.

Todd Gurley (RB-StL)

After sitting out the first two games of his NFL career to complete his recovery from a torn ACL suffered last November, Todd Gurley returned to the field with a six-carry, nine-yard performance in Week 3. Rams head coach Jeff Fisher vowed to get his team’s first-round pick more involved in Week 4, but after the No. 10 overall pick had just four first-half carries for two yards and found no room to run behind St. Louis’ shaky offensive line, it looked as though his second week back on the gridiron would be just another lost game on his road to recovery. Little did anybody know what Gurley had in store for the second half.

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Week 3 Rookie Report: Cooper explodes and former FSU stars make big impact for Bills

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Just a week after Jameis Winston had the best game of his young career, two of his former Florida State teammates played key roles in a big win for their current team. The highest-drafted receiver in the 2015 class showed why he was so highly regarded, while a first-year linebacker got a shot to play significant snaps in a win. Chris Tripodi breaks down Week 3’s impact rookies, all of whom helped their teams to victory. 

Karlos Williams (RB-Buf)

Hyped by some as a potential first-round pick heading into his senior year thanks to elite size (6-0, 230) and speed (4.45), Karlos Williams fell to the middle of the fifth round before the Buffalo Bills snatched him up. A former safety at Florida State, Williams moved to running back before his junior season but found himself leapfrogged on the depth chart by Dalvin Cook towards the end of his final year. Williams is making teams pay for passing on him so far in his rookie season, as his 12-carry, 110-yard performance Sunday has him up to 186 rushing yards in three games on just 24 carries, and he’s scored a touchdown in each contest.

Williams didn’t touch the ball until Buffalo’s fourth possession Sunday, but made a quick impact with an 18-yard run. On a toss left, Williams patiently followed his blockers before showing a nice burst through the opening on the outside to get the first down. On the next play, he showed his ability to find the cutback lane nicely on a five-yard run. Williams stayed tight to his linemen waiting for their blocks, drawing the linebacker towards him before quickly cutting into the vacated hole for five yards. The rookie then busted a 12-yard run up the middle by running through multiple arm tackles around the line of scrimmage.

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Week 2 Rookie Report: Winston bounces back as Jones breaks out

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Week 2 of the NFL season was one of the weirdest weeks in recent memory, but one thing wasn’t strange about it: Rookies stepping up and making a big impact in wins for their team, including many who had poor or quiet Week 1 performances. Three of the four rookies Chris Tripodi breaks down today played instrumental roles in their team’s victories, including a top pick who was a big reason for his team’s loss in Week 1. 

Jameis Winston (QB-TB)

To say Winston had a rough Week 1 would be doing the word “rough” a huge disservice. Winston’s first career touchdown pass actually went the other way, as Coty Sensabaugh picked him off on the rookie’s first possession. While he threw two touchdowns, the Florida State product completed just 16 of 33 passes for 210 yards in a 28-point loss. He was much more efficient against the Saints in Week 2, completing 14 of 21 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown and adding 23 yards and a score on the ground.

Winston’s first pass of the game came on an early third-down play, as he rifled a 21-yard completion to Austin Seferian-Jenkins for a first down. The rookie quarterback stood tall in the pocket despite some pressure and put the pass high enough to prevent the trailing defensive back from making a play on the ball and allow his 6-6 tight end to go up and get the ball. Winston almost had another big completion to Seferian-Jenkins in the second quarter, but underthrew the wide-open tight end deep down the field on a play-action pass, leading to a drop. If Winston had driven the ball further, the play had an outside chance to be a touchdown despite safety Kenny Phillips bearing down on Seferian-Jenkins.


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Week 1 Rookie Report: Was Mariota really perfect?

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Rarely does the first week of the NFL season give us a matchup between the top two picks in the NFL Draft, but the 2015 schedulemakers did just that, pitting No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against No. 2 pick Marcus Mariota and the Tennessee Titans. To the winner go the spoils, they say, and the winner is one of four rookies Chris Tripodi takes a look at in 2015’s inaugural Rookie Report, along with the league’s newest electric running back and two Pac-12 defenders who made an impact for their new teams.

Marcus Mariota (QB-Ten)

A Heisman Trophy, gaudy statistics and a clean off-the-field resume weren’t enough to get Marcus Mariota drafted over Jameis Winston, but if Sunday was any indication, that could prove to be a mistake by the Bucs. Draft Insider was one of the few places you could find Mariota rated ahead of Winston in pre-draft rankings, with the former Oregon quarterback sitting one spot ahead of the Florida State star at No. 3. Mariota’s debut was a smashing success, as he went 13-for-16 for 209 yards and four touchdowns and became the first rookie since Fran Tarkenton in 1961 to toss at least four scores.

After consecutive incompletions to start the game, Mariota threaded the needle between two Bucs to Delanie Walker over the middle for a 22-yard gain before hitting Kendall Wright with a 52-yard catch-and-run touchdown strike. While Mariota had Walker eyed from the moment he received the shotgun snap, he put enough velocity on his pass and threw high so Walker could grab it without either defender having much chance to make a play on the ball. The score to Wright came on a play-action pass from the shotgun, which froze the linebacker and gave Mariota an immediate window to hit Wright in stride and create the opportunity for yards after the catch.

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Grading the Draft: NFC South

For the first time since each conference went to four separate divisions, the NFC South was won by the same team in consecutive seasons. The Panthers may not have cracked .500 to accomplish the feat, but did pick up a playoff victory before losing to the eventual NFC champion Seahawks. Also for the second straight year, both the Buccaneers and Falcons landed top-eight picks as both teams look to climb back to the top of the division.

Atlanta Falcons

With the eighth overall selection, the Falcons upgraded a pass rush in desperate need of speed off the edge by drafting Clemson’s Vic Beasley. Beasley’s speed, explosiveness and agility are off the charts and he registered 25 sacks in his final two seasons with the Tigers. Beasley should make an immediate impact rushing off the edge in Atlanta, but his lack of bulk and shoddy run defense will have to be covered up by his teammates.

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Grading the Draft: AFC South

For the second straight season, the AFC South held two of the draft’s top three picks. The Jaguars picked third in both years, and that’s where much of the intrigue with this year’s draft began after the top-rated quarterbacks went with the first two picks. Chris Tripodi breaks down the division’s draft hauls.

Houston Texans

Just a season after drafting first overall, Houston found itself in the middle of the first round despite getting nothing from 2014 top pick Jadeveon Clowney. The Texans again bolstered their defense, drafting Wake Forest cornerback Kevin Johnson with the 16th pick. Johnathan Joseph is set to be a free agent next season, and Johnson is capable of playing the slot as a rookie then taking over on the outside in 2016 if Joseph isn’t retained. A physical player despite his thin build, Johnson shows excellent instincts in coverage and is capable in both man and zone. He must add strength and improve his tackling but if he does, Johnson can be a plus starter.

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Grading the Draft: NFC East

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Despite not replacing DeMarco Murray in a deep running back class, the Dallas Cowboys had one of the best draft hauls in the league thanks to the UDFA signing of projected first-rounder La’El Collins. The Giants, Redskins and Eagles also did well for themselves. Chris Tripodi has our NFC East draft grades.

Dallas Cowboys

In need of depth in the secondary, the Cowboys drafted cornerback Byron Jones with 27th overall pick. A freak athlete who blew up the combine, Jones has good size (6-0, 199) and ball skills and understands the game. He’s an immediate upgrade over 2012 first-round bust Morris Claiborne behind Brandon Carr and Orlando Scandrick. With pick No. 60, Dallas stopped the fall of Nebraska’s Randy Gregory towards the end of the second round. His failed marijuana test at the combine hurt his stock significantly, along with teams’ concerns over his mental capacity as well as other issues we’ve alluded to which have not hit the mainstream press. On the field, Gregory is a great athlete that plays with good leverage and uses his hands well. If the Cowboys can develop him and keep him on the right path, he has Pro Bowl potential.

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Grading the Draft: AFC East

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The New York Jets and Miami Dolphins did their best to close the gap between them and the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, while the Buffalo Bills’ lack of a first-round pick cost them on draft day. Chris Tripodi has our AFC East draft grades. 

Buffalo Bills

Without a first-round pick after trading it to move up from No. 9 to No. 4 for Sammy Watkins last season, the Bills took Ronald Darby with their 50th overall pick. Darby’s 4.38 40-yard dash opened eyes at the NFL combine, but he lacks top size (5-11, 193) and great instincts at the corner position. He just turned 21 and will have time to develop under Rex Ryan (who did not do a good job developing young defensive backs at the New York Jets), but this was an underwhelming start to the Bills’ draft.

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Grading the New York Jets' 2015 draft class

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For the first time in what seems like – and likely is – a very long time, the Jets exited draft weekend feeling good about what they did over the three-day span. Whether it was stopping the perceived slides of talented players or filling holes on both sides of the ball with guys who fit their needs and represented value, general manager Mike Maccagnan and his staff showed a shrewd understanding of how the draft process works.

The Jets entered the draft with six picks, one in each of the first four rounds and two in the seventh. They ended up making six picks, although only half of them were in the slots they had before Thursday’s first round thanks to two separate trades. How did Maccagnan perform in his draft debut?

Round 1, Pick 6: Leonard Williams, DL, USC

Widely projected as a top-five pick that wouldn’t fall past the Redskins, Williams became available to the Jets when Washington selected Iowa lineman Brandon Scherff. Many expected New York to take either West Virginia receiver Kevin White or a pass rusher like Clemson’s Vic Beasley, who came off the board at No. 7 and No. 8, respectively, but Williams was a great choice for the Jets.

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New York Jets’ Day 2 Wish List

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The Jets hit one out of the park Thursday night when Leonard Williams fell into their laps at No. 6 overall. As long as the team doesn’t trade Muhammad Wilkerson, which would be a tough pill for fans to swallow, the Jets will dominate in the trenches with Williams, Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson, as well as Damon Harrison.

While many are wondering how three similar linemen fit together in the same 3-4 front, they shouldn’t be. Todd Bowles will use multiple fronts to get his best players on the field the most, so expect the Jets to run more four-man fronts with either the aging Calvin Pace or the underwhelming Quinton Coples taking more breathers on early downs than last season. Bringing them back in rush situations to replace Harrison would be ideal usage.

Moving onto Friday’s Day 2, there are multiple players available that would fill needs for the Jets and provide appropriate value. New York still has a need for playmakers on offense, whether it’s a space back who can provide a complement to Chris Ivory and Stevan Ridley or a speedy wide receiver who can stretch the field. Fortifying the interior offensive line should be in consideration, as well as a pass rusher.

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