The 2024 NFL draft class has continued to shock by way of Week 10 of the 2024 regular season.
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels remains to be within the working for MVP, whereas the Patriots‘ Drake Maye is making his case because the second-best rookie signal-caller after solely 5 begins. Elsewhere, two offensive linemen have grow to be staples for AFC playoff contenders, and two NFC groups have a number of defensive standouts. However how do the highest first-year gamers stack up towards one another?
We polled 5 NFL analysts and reporters — Matt Bowen, Kalyn Kahler, Jeff Legwold, Matt Miller and Jordan Reid — to kind a consensus rating of the highest 10 rookies. Who cracked the record after lacking our Week 5 ranking? Is No. 1 choose Caleb Williams, who has struggled the past three games for the Bears, nonetheless within the high 10? Our specialists additionally picked which staff has the very best rookie class and named an overperforming late-rounder and underperforming first-rounder.
Let’s start with Daniels, who repeated because the unanimous high choice.
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Top 10 | Just missed
Big questions
Stats: 2,147 passing yards, 9 TDs, 2 INT; 464 dashing yards, 4 TDs
Drafted: No. 2
Rating after Week 5: No. 1
Daniels has not solely been the very best of the rookie quarterbacks, however he is making a powerful argument as a top-five participant on the place this season.
By means of 10 video games, he has shortly grow to be one of many NFL’s most harmful dual-threat signal-callers. His 71.4 Total QBR ranks fourth, and the Commanders now have a shocking 7-3 document (they’ve a 90% chance of creating the playoffs, in line with ESPN’s FPI projections). Nothing has modified to weaken his maintain on this rating over the previous 5 weeks. — Reid
Stats: 57 receptions, 580 yards, 2 TDs
Drafted: No. 13
Rating after Week 5: No. 3
Bowers ranks seventh in the league in receptions amongst all cross catchers, regardless of enjoying in an offense that has used three totally different quarterbacks. The one tight finish with extra catches than him is Travis Kelce, who has 80 fewer receiving yards.
Bowers has 18 extra receptions and 150 extra receiving yards than the next-best Raiders participant, together with the staff’s longest landing reception: 57 yards against the Broncos in Week 5. — Legwold
Stats: 37 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 2 pressured fumbles
Drafted: No. 19
Rating after Week 5: No. 5
Verse leads all rookies in sacks and has created the eighth-most pressures within the league (28). He’s on the forefront of the Rams’ committee method on the line of defense, filling the large footwear of Aaron Donald after the long run Corridor of Famer’s retirement.
Verse is within the high 5 of our rankings as a result of he is getting a win on 18.4% of his cross rushes, which ranks 16th out of 118 certified defenders. The Rams are locked in a battle within the NFC West, and Verse and fellow rookie and former Florida State teammate Braden Fiske have the expertise to assist them push towards the playoffs. — Miller
Stats: 61 receptions, 607 receiving yards, 3 TDs
Drafted: No. 6
Rating after Week 5: No. 2
Regardless of being held again by the below-average play of quarterback Daniel Jones, Nabers is likely one of the league’s high receivers. He leads all rookies in catches and yards per sport (75.9).
Nabers accounts for 29.2% of his staff’s targets, which ranks second solely to Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson. It nonetheless would not really feel like sufficient for a staff that has the best chance on the No. 1 draft choose, per our FPI projections. — Kahler
Stats: 33 receptions, 499 receiving yards, 6 TDs
Drafted: No. 4
Rating after Week 5: No. 4
Harrison’s six landing receptions are tied for fourth within the NFL, regardless of logging just one sport this season with double-digit targets (Week 8). He’s averaging 15.1 yards per catch and is an in depth route runner who can create separation to the ball and work the center of the sphere.
In a Cardinals passing sport leaning extra on rhythm throws from Kyler Murray than earlier seasons, Harrison ought to proceed to play an outlined position on the perimeter with upside within the crimson zone. — Miller
Stats: 7 begins, 94.1% cross block win fee, 73.4% run block win fee
Drafted: No. 51
Rating after Week 5: No. 6
Contemplating the sturdy lineage of Steelers offensive linemen, the second-round choose entered his rookie season with excessive expectations. It did not take Frazier lengthy to regulate to the NFL, as he was named the Day 1 starter at heart. He has a 94.1% cross block win fee (fifteenth amongst facilities) and hasn’t surrendered a sack this season. His run block win fee ranks twelfth amongst all facilities, and he is rising into one of many league’s high younger inside linemen. — Reid
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Stats: 30 tackles, 9 passes defended, 9 cross breakups
Drafted: No. 22
Rating after Week 5: No. 10
Mitchell has proven extra of a consolation degree in man-to-man protection than some anticipated, merely due to how typically he performed off the ball at Toledo. He has performed effectively sufficient that opposing quarterbacks do not spend numerous time wanting his approach regardless of his inexperience.
Mitchell has performed 96% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps and has not surrendered a landing as the closest defender in protection. Amongst all corners who’ve been focused a minimum of 40 occasions in protection, Mitchell ranks eighth in completion share allowed (52.3%). — Legwold
Stats: 37 receptions, 607 receiving yards, 5 TDs
Drafted: No. 23
Rating after Week 5: No. 9
Thomas shortly proved his big-play value in Jacksonville, creating chemistry and belief with quarterback Trevor Lawrence. He ranks within the high 10 within the NFL in touchdowns and has a rookie-best 16.4 yards per reception (a quantity that exhibits how effectively his explosive means at LSU has translated to the professionals).
With Lawrence’s standing for the remainder of this season in query because of injury, Thomas would possibly see his numbers drop. However he is the Jaguars’ future WR1. — Miller
Stats: 954 passing yards, 7 TDs, 5 INTs; 233 dashing yards, 1 TD
Drafted: No. 3
Rating after Week 5: Not ranked
Maye is recent off an vital narrative win, outplaying No. 1 choose Caleb Williams on Sunday. His numbers weren’t wonderful, however he was the one who completed with a landing cross and greater than 200 passing yards, not Williams.
The last time we ranked rookies, Maye wasn’t an choice as a result of he hadn’t earned the starting job. Since then, he has reenergized a Patriots staff with two wins and an insane scrambling touchdown pass that despatched the Patriots to additional time in Week 9. Regardless of some unhealthy interceptions, Maye is demonstrating progress in every sport. — Kahler
Stats: 8 begins, 91.0% cross block win fee, 75.6% run block win fee
Drafted: No. 5
Rating after Week 5: Simply missed
Alt has been enjoying his greatest soccer over the previous 4 weeks. From Weeks 7 by way of 10, he posted a pass block win rate of 95.2%, together with a 100% determine on 29 snaps within the Week 8 win over the Saints. Together with his 6-foot-8 body, Alt has proven the flexibility to knock edge rushers off their tracks. He suits the Chargers’ offensive id below Jim Harbaugh as a run blocker on the level of assault. — Bowen
Simply missed
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Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos: 1,968 passing yards, 10 TDs, 6 INTs; 290 dashing yards, 4 TDs
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Cooper DeJean, CB, Philadelphia Eagles: 19 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 2 cross breakups, 1 fumble restoration
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Braden Fiske, DT, Los Angeles Rams: 26 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 1 pressured fumble, 2 fumble recoveries
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Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 492 dashing yards, 188 receiving yards, 4 whole TDs
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Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers: 37 receptions, 492 receiving yards, 4 TDs
Additionally acquired top-15 votes from our panelists: Caleb Williams, QB, Bears; Dominick Puni, OG, 49ers; Tykee Smith, S, Buccaneers; Calen Bullock, S, Texans: Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Packers; Dru Phillips, CB, Giants.
Which staff has the very best rookie class up to now?
The Rams might need to print new T-shirts as a result of they used “them picks” and used them effectively. First-round edge rusher Jared Verse is on the within lane for the Defensive Rookie of the Yr, whereas second-round defensive sort out Braden Fiske is continuous to fill out the stat sheet. Security Kamren Kinchens, a third-round choose, has two interceptions whereas enjoying 30.3% of the staff’s defensive snaps. Undrafted rookie security Jaylen McCollough has 4 interceptions this season — all coming in a four-game span, together with two against the Raiders.
They’ve had a number of sixth-rounders contribute as effectively. Kicker Joshua Karty is 16-of-19 on subject objective makes an attempt. Beaux Limmer is a starter at heart. And extensive receiver Jordan Whittington has 201 receiving yards on 18 receptions. General, the Rams have 16 rookies on their roster who’re doing work. — Legwold
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Which first-rounder is underperforming?
Dallas Turner, LB, Minnesota Vikings. Turner, the No. 17 choose within the draft, was anticipated to spice up a Minnesota edge rush that sorely wanted assist. And the staff made an costly draft-day trade to get him, which pointed to a clearly recognized early position. However he has barely performed this season.
Week 10 was Turner’s greatest efficiency up to now, with six pressures on 24 snaps, however his position is in flux shifting ahead. The Minnesota protection has been top-of-the-line items within the NFL this season, however Turner’s lack of a constant position is regarding. — Miller
Which late-rounder is overperforming?
Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, New York Giants. It is uncommon to see fifth-round rookies step right into a pivotal position, however Tracy has executed simply that with 545 dashing yards and three touchdowns this season. A former receiver turned working again at Iowa and Purdue, Tracy’s versatility has shone by way of as a runner and cross catcher.
He was slated as a backup to Devin Singletary, however his position has continued to extend after breaking out with 129 dashing yards in Week 6. Tracy, who went No. 166 within the draft, is likely one of the few shiny spots on the New York offense. — Reid
