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Predicting Which NFL Rookies Will Have the Biggest Impact This Season
We asked our Sports Illustrated NFL team publishers to predict which rookie on the team they cover will have the biggest impact this season. To no surprise, there were several quarterbacks, receivers and offensive and defensive lineman.
So let’s take a closer look at the rookies you should keep an eye on in this season.
Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr. You don’t have to look far to see the potential Harrison carries, and if the Ohio State product is even half as good as many hope, the Cardinals’ offense will thrive. Harrison’s playmaking will sell tickets instantly, but more importantly will keep the chains moving. — Donnie Druin, Cardinals on SI
Atlanta Falcons: Bralen Trice. This is a tough one for the Falcons since they didn’t draft a single player projected to be a starter. An injury to Kirk Cousins would make the answer obvious with Michael Penix Jr. being inserted into the lineup. Maybe the clearest path to extended playing time belongs to Trice, an edge rusher selected in the third. The Falcons were 31st in pass rush win rate last year and lost their co-leaders for sacks via free agency (Calais Campbell, Dolphins and Bud Dupree, Chargers). —Scott Kennedy, Falcons On SI
Baltimore Ravens: Devontez Walker. The easy pick is first-round selection Nate Wiggins at cornerback, but Walker may be an even more intriguing prospect. Walker struggled with eligibility issues at North Carolina last season, but he was simply outstanding when he was on the field. Baltimore could use an impact rookie at wideout and the Charlotte native certainly has that potential. —Jon Alfano, Ravens On SI
Buffalo Bills: Keon Coleman. Buffalo made 10 selections throughout the 2024 NFL draft, so there are plenty of candidates. We’ll go with Coleman, however, as the talented pass catcher enters a revamped Bills receiving corps that lost Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis in the offseason. There are targets to be earned, and Coleman—who caught 50 passes for 658 yards and 11 touchdowns at Florida State last season—will have the opportunity to earn a significant chunk of them. —Kyle Silagyi, Bills On SI
Carolina Panthers: Xavier Legette. There are very few receivers as big as Legette and can run as fast as he can. His combination of size and speed have drawn comparisons to A.J. Brown and Deebo Samuel. Dave Canales will find creative ways to get him the football, even in the run game from time to time. I wouldn’t be shocked if he develops into Bryce Young’s top target by season’s end. —Schuyler Callihan, Panthers On SI
Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams. The No. 1 pick in the draft will start and his success will determine if the Bears content for the NFC North division title. He’ll also have a big impact on rookie receiver Rome Odunze. —Gene Chamberlain, Bears On SI
Cincinnati Bengals: Kris Jenkins. The Michigan product should play a lot right away in the middle of the Bengals’ defense with D.J. Reader joining the Detroit Lions. Jenkins was a run stopper for the Wolverines, but the Bengals believe he can add some juice to their pass rush and hold up against the run in a tough division. —James Rapien, Bengals On SI
Cleveland Browns: Jamari Thrash. The easy pick here would be Mike Hall Jr., but I’m actually going to go with Thrash. There is quite a bit of uncertainty once you get beyond Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy on the depth chart, and Thrash could end up being an effective slot receiver at the NFL level. He had over 1,100 yards and averaged over 18 yards per catch at Georgia State in 2022. Yes, it was the Sun Belt, but that’s still impressive, and he even looked good in his lone year at Louisville. —Matthew Schmidt, Browns On SI
Dallas Cowboys: Marist Liufau. The team’s third-round pick has generated enormous buzz since stepping onto the field at rookie OTAs. Liufau is precisely the type of linebacker who can excel in Mike Zimmer’s system, and the team’s lack of depth at the position will allow him to find a place in the rotation immediately. Liufau impressed throughout Dallas’s mandatory minicamps, and the staff did nothing but sing his praises. He can also help on special teams, making him a valuable asset in multiple ways. —Josh Sanchez, Cowboys On SI
Denver Broncos: Bo Nix. The first-round quarterback is in a three-way competition for the starting job, but he’ll eventually get the nod. The Oregon product gets the ball out on time and does not take sacks. There is no player in Denver, let alone a rookie, whose 2024 season will have a greater impact than Nix. —Chad Jensen, Broncos On SI
Detroit Lions: Terrion Arnold. The No. 24 overall pick has the chance to start right away for the Lions. After being one of the league's worst pass defenses in 2023, they revamped their secondary this offseason. His instincts and fearless mentality suggest he'll acclimate quickly, and he has the potential to be the lockdown corner the Lions’ defense lacked in recent years. John Maakaron, Lions On SI
Green Bay Packers: Javon Bullard. The Packers had five picks in the top 100. The second of those picks, Bullard, is the one who must be an immediate difference-maker. Green Bay had one of the worst safety groups in the NFL last season. The primary starters, Darnell Savage and Jonathan Owens, combined for four passes defensed. McKinney is proven, but the Packers need Bullard—the first of three safeties drafted—to be an impact player as well. — Bill Huber, Packers On SI
Houston Texans: Kamari Lassiter. During 11-on-11 practices in June, the second-rounder recorded a pair of pass deflections and an interception of quarterback C.J. Stroud. He also had a chance to record some of his defensive stops on veteran wideout Stefon Diggs. —Coty M. Davis, Texans On SI
Indianapolis Colts: Laiatu Latu. This a is a close one between receiver Adonai Mitchell and Latu, but Latu has the clearer path to immediate success. Latu should be a designated pass rusher immediately and his pass-rush tools should be difficult for even veteran offensive tackles to combat. —Jake Arthur, Colts On SI
Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Thomas Jr. The first-round pick and former LSU star drew rave reviews during OTAs for his speed, and wide receiver coach Chad Hall has instructed him to try to let Trevor Lawrence overthrow him. Lawrence has never had a vertical weapon such as Thomas, who is the only rookie currently guaranteed to have a starting role. —John Shipley, Jaguars On SI
Kansas City Chiefs: Kingsley Suamataia. Several members of the Chiefs’ 2024 draft class will make an impact early and often this season, but I’m giving Suamataia the nod over No. 28 pick Xavier Worthy. The second-rounder will be charged with protecting Patrick Mahomes’s blindside if all goes right. While I expect Worthy to make plays as a rookie, he won’t be asked to be WR1 out of the gate. —Joshua Brisco, Chiefs on SI
Los Angeles Chargers: Ladd McConkey. The former two-time CFP national champion wide receiver fell to the second round, but he could quickly become Justin Herbert's No. 1 wideout after the team parted ways with Pro Bowler Keenan Allen and Mike Williams in the offseason. —Alex Kirschenbaum, Chargers On SI
Los Angeles Rams: Braden Fiske. The Rams moved up in the draft, including trading away a second-round pick in 2025, to select Fiske, who will replace the retired Aaron Donald. The Rams are high on Fiske, who has an attacker mentality. First-round rookie Jared Verse will also see significant playing time, but Fiske will have a significant role. —Ricardo Sandoval, Rams On SI
Las Vegas Raiders: Jackson Powers-Johnson. The left guard from Oregon will remind many people of the old-school toughness that once struck fear in the NFL with former Raiders stalwarts. Powers-Johnson should earn a spot on the starting offensive line and never look back. —Hondo S. Carpenter, Sr., Raiders On SI
Miami Dolphins: Chop Robinson. With star pass rushers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb both returning from serious late-season injuries, the Dolphins likely will need help for their pass rush from other sources—at least at the beginning of the season. Robinson, the team’s first-round pick, didn’t put up big sack numbers at Penn State, but he has freakish athletic ability to be a factor from the start. —Alain Poupart, Dolphins On SI
Minnesota Vikings: Dallas Turner. You don’t have to gauge this one any further than reminding yourself that star left tackle Christian Darrisaw was wowed by Turner during minicamp. Turner’s explosiveness on the edge in Brian Flores’s defensive scheme makes him an immediate Defensive Rookie of the Year favorite. —Joe Nelson, Vikings On SI
New England Patriots: Caedan Wallace. All eyes will be on Drake Maye, but Wallace will have a ton of responsibility protecting Maye’s blindside. New England selected him with the expectation he could transition and fill their hole at left tackle, yet how that shift goes remains to be seen, considering he played mainly right tackle during his time at Penn State. —Jared Koch, Patriots On SI
New Orleans Saints: Kool-Aid McKinstry. Dennis Allen plans to add the Alabama product to the Saints’ cornerback rotation alongside veterans Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo and Alontae Taylor. Bringing McKinstry in as a new playmaker could improve the team's interception rate. Apart from his memorable name, his confidence and swagger are anticipated to bring excitement to the upcoming season. — Kyle T. Mosley, Saints On SI
New York Giants: Expectations are sky high for first-round draft pick Malik Nabers, who further stoked the excitement about his upcoming first season in blue with his showing during OTAs and the mandatory minicamp. The Giants haven’t had a receiver such as Nabers since 2018, the final year of Odell Beckham Jr.’s tenure with the team. With the Giants looking to get more explosive on offense, Nabers showed during his time at LSU that he can bring that element. —Patricia Traina, Giants On SI
New York Jets: Olu Fashanu. The 11th pick in the draft, Fashanu will be afforded the opportunity on Day 1 to make a significant impact on the Jets’ offensive line. The Penn State product will take over one of the tackle spots along the newly revamped line. The rookie will have plenty of pressure on him to perform in front of Aaron Rodger. In fact, Fashanu’s performance this season may directly predicate whether New York ends up in the playoffs amidst a tough division. —Kade Kistner, Jets On SI
Philadelphia Eagles: Cooper DeJean. The 40th pick, DeJean has less competition for playing time than first-round pick Quinyon Mitchell. Both are expected to get on the field early but DeJean spent most of his spring in the slot where the oft-injured Avonte Maddox has missed 21 games over the past two seasons. Mitchell will be fighting for time with Darius Slay, impressive second-year prospect Kelee Ringo and the hungry Isaiah Rodgers, who is back from a gambling suspension —John McMullen, Eagles On SI
Pittsburgh Steelers: Zach Frazier. The Steelers have struggled to find a center since the retirement of Maurkice Pouncey, but the second-rounder looks the part. He’s a physical, hard-nosed lineman who should fit well in Arthur Smith’s run-heavy offense. Troy Fautanu is a close second, but Pittsburgh has always had their best offensive lines when they have a strong center. —Noah Strackbein, Steelers On SI
San Francisco 49ers: Renardo Green. I would go with first-round pick Ricky Pearsall if the 49ers trade Brandon Aiyuk before the season starts. But for now, it seems like Aiyuk will spend at least one more season with the 49ers. So Pearsall will sit while second-rounder Green most likely will start as the nickelback. He was excellent during OTAs and minicamp. —Grant Cohn, 49ers On SI
Seattle Seahawks: Byron Murphy II. Cited as the best defensive player in the draft by John Schneider, the Seahawks will be counting on the uber-athletic Murphy to immediately wreak havoc alongside Leonard Williams and Jarran Reed. Even if he doesn’t start right away, with the ability to be disruptive at multiple positions up front, he should be poised to make a substantial impact as a pass rusher and run defender. —Corbin Smith, Seahawks On SI
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Chris Braswell. Many have praised rookie wideout Jalen McMillan, but Tampa Bay’s pass rush has been anemic for quite a few seasons—should Braswell come out firing in his rookie year, Tampa Bay’s entire defense could improve from the ground up with a pass rush to bring the heat. —River Wells, Buccaneers On SI
Tennessee Titans: JC Latham. The Titans drafted Latham to be their left tackle despite him playing on the right side in college. Some would say it was a reach to take him at No. 7, but it’s a sign of how valuable the Titans view him. He’ll start right away protecting Will Levis’s blindside. —Jeremy Brener, Titans On SI
Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels. The rookie quarterback will be the biggest storyline of training camp, especially once the pads come on and the preseason games commence. Closer to the Commanders, who starts at left tackle and left guard may be even more important. —David Harrison, Commanders On SI
ON SI CONTRIBUTORS