NFC West Rookies who will Make an Impact in 2020

Here are three rookies on each NFC West team -- the 49ers, the Rams, the Cardinals and the Seahawks -- who will make an impact in 2020.

So far, rookies still haven’t stepped foot on a practice field. They’ve spent the past couple months attempting to learn NFL schemes via video conference.

Good luck with that.

Some of these rookies will struggle big-time in training camp before they figure out what to do. Meaning they might not contribute right away when the regular season starts. That goes for all rookies on all teams.

But before the season ends, some rookies will establish themselves as key contributors. Here are the rookies on each NFC West team who most likely will make an impact at some point in 2020:

THE SEAHAWKS

1. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks -- Round 1, Pick 27.

Brooks will start the season at strongside linebacker, meaning he’ll play at least 50 percent of the Seahawks defensive snaps. Strong-side linebacker is a part-time position -- it’s part of the base defense but not the nickel defense.

But the Seahawks drafted Brooks to play weak-side linebacker -- a full-time position. The current starter at Will is K.J. Wright, who is 30 and has lost a step or three, which is why the Seahawks struggled to cover running backs and tight ends in the pass game last season.

Only a matter of time before Brooks’ takes Wright’s job.

2. Guard Damien Lewis -- Round 3, Pick 69.

Lewis is a run-blocking specialist, and he joined one of the most run-heavy teams in the NFL. He will play.

Lewis might not begin the season as a starter, but his competition is veteran Ethan Pocic, who has missed 18 games the past two seasons. Pocic probably will give the job to Lewis before the end of the season.

3. Running Back DeeJay Dallas -- Round 4, Pick 144.

The Seahawks recently traded for running back Carlos Hyde, who will split carries with starter Chris Carson. So Dallas won’t carry the ball much, if at all. But he still should have a role in the offense.

Neither Carson nor Hyde is a dangerous receiver out of the backfield -- they’re not scatbacks. They’re big. Dallas is a scatback who averaged 11.3 yards per catch in college -- a terrific average for a running back. He should become the Seahawks’ third-down back quickly.

THE RAMS

1. Running Back Cam Akers -- Round 2, Pick 52.

The Rams like to throw to running backs. Todd Gurley caught 154 passes the past three seasons. But now he’s on the Falcons, and the Rams remaining running backs -- Malcolm Brown and Darrell Henderson -- caught just a combined six passes last season.

Which is why the Rams drafted Akers. He caught 69 passes the past three seasons at Florida State. So he will be the third-down back right away. And then, he probably will become the starter by midseason even though he’s just 21, because Brown and Henderson aren’t good. Neither one averaged more than 3.8 yards per carry last season.

2. Wide Receiver Van Jefferson -- Round 2, Pick 57.

The Rams traded starting wide receiver Brandin Cooks to the Texans, then used the pick they received from Houston to take Van Jefferson.

Jefferson was the fastest player at the Senior Bowl this year. Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy recently compared Jefferson to Washington wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who gained 919 receiving yards and scored seven touchdowns as a rookie last season.

Jefferson could start Week 1 for the Rams. His competition is Josh Reynolds, a slot receiver. Jefferson has the speed to play outside. He’ll have a terrific rookie season if he’s anything like McLaurin.

3. Edge Rusher Terrell Lewis -- Round 3, Pick 84.

The Rams lost both of their primary edge-rushers from last season -- Dante Fowler and Clay Matthews.

The Rams still have Samsom Ebukam, who’s a good all-around linebacker, but just a mediocre pass rusher. He recorded 4.5 sacks last season. The Rams also signed Leonard Floyd, who’s a former first-round pick, but hasn’t recorded more than 4.5 sacks in a season since 2016.

If Lewis has any ability whatsoever, he will play in 2020. The Rams are desperate.

THE CARDINALS

1. Linebacker Isaiah Simmons -- Round 1, Pick 8.

The Cardinals drafted Simmons to start right away at linebacker -- he was one of the top defensive prospects in the draft. Theoretically, he can cover George Kittle AND rush the quarterback. Simmons recorded eight sacks last season at Clemson. He will play a ton in 2020.

2. Offensive Tackle Josh Jones -- Round 3, Pick 72.

Jones probably will start the season backing up starting right tackle Marcus Gilbert, whom the Cardinals signed this offseason. But Gilbert is 32, and has missed 20 games the past two seasons. He probably will miss more next season -- his body has begun to break down. So Jones should finish the season as the starting right tackle. He’s a good pass protector who gave up zero sacks his senior season.

3. Running Back Eno Benjamin -- Round 7, Pick 222.

Yes, a seventh-round pick.

The Cardinals have two terrific running backs -- Kenyan Drake and Chase Edmonds. Both averaged more than 5.0 yards per carry for the Cardinals last season.

But both are on the smaller side for running backs -- fewer than 215 pounds. And running backs often get injured, because they take so many hits.

So Benjamin probably won’t play much the first half of the season, but he’ll get an opportunity if Drake or Edmonds misses any time, and they probably will.

THE 49ERS

1. Defensive Tackle Javon Kinlaw -- Round 1, Pick 14.

The 49ers traded DeForest Buckner to the Colts, then essentially used the pick they got in the trade for Kinlaw. So the 49ers expect Kinlaw to replace Buckner next season, meaning start every game at defensive tackle and play more than 800 snaps.

Kinlaw might never live up to Buckner, or Kinlaw might be better than him. Hard to say. But we know Kinlaw will play as a rookie. And he will get lots of one-on-one matchups as offensive linemen focus on Nick Bosa, Dee Ford and Arik Armstead.

Kinlaw could finish the season with eight or nine sacks.

2. Wide Receiver Brandon Aiyuk -- Round 1, Pick 25.

The 49ers traded up for Aiyuk, because they want him to replace Emmanuel Sanders. And Aiyuk probably will replace Sanders eventually -- Aiyuk has supreme talent. But he might not play much in September and October.

Aiyuk has to learn the entire 49ers’ offense, which is complicated. And he has to compete with receivers who know it already -- Kendrick Bourne, Trent Taylor, Jalen Hurd, etc.

Aiyuk could start the season as the 49ers' punt returner, then become the No. 2 or No. 3 receiver by midseason. Or, he might need a year to sit on the bench and learn the system. He was just a one-year starter at Arizona State. Two years ago, he was a backup in college.

3. Tight End Charlie Woerner -- Round 6, Pick 190.

Woerner will have a role in the 49ers’ offense as soon as the 49ers report to camp.

The 49ers drafted him to replace Levine Toilolo as the blocking tight end, because Shanahan always has a designated blocking tight end in his offense. In 2017, it was Logan Paulsen. In 2018, it was Garrett Celek. And last season, it was Toilolo.

Woerner is a phenomenal blocker -- he instantly will improve the 49ers’ rushing attack. And he will allow the 49ers to use Kittle as a receiver more frequently, because Woerner is a good pass-protector, too. Plus, he can play fullback. Meaning he can replace Kyle Juszczyk if Juszczyk gets hurt next season.

And Woerner can replace Kittle temporarily if Kittle holds out for a new contract, which he probably won’t do. But funny things happen in sports.