Before they get started with year one of a dream come true, the rookie class of 2024 must first go through the process of preparation—the gauntlet of camp—and the revelation of real game-time action in the National Football League. Just learning the playbook alone can be a hurdle high enough to sideline even your most promising first-round athlete at the professional level, which is why the performances of rookies in the preseason carry significant weight, if you know what to look for. With the decrease in preseason games, we naturally get a smaller sample size of live gameplay reps to evaluate potential rookie impact for the coming season. Reps matter a whole lot in football because, despite what you may think, talent isn’t what drives playing time—trust is. The more reps a coach sees from a player, the more trust he has in that player to show up as expected. Some rookies have a team role awaiting them upon arrival, but most must earn a role through consistent output in practice and with great game reps. So who’s earning trust, and who’s a bust? Let’s check some tape!
1. **Caleb Williams** tops the list of rookies that we gotta ask: “How ya doin’?” Williams is the clear and obvious starter in Chicago, and he has had no shortage of practice reps with the first-team unit. In his preseason time so far, he’s completed half of his throws and has shown flashes of brilliance that got him the top selection overall, making some very real highlight throws. That’s cute and all, but can he just put the damn mayo on the bread? Can Williams show an appetite for the routine 5-yard gain, keeping the offense on schedule? If so, he will earn the trust of his coaches and teammates and put defenses right where he wants them. He’s doing OK.
2. **Nate Wiggins** may have slid a little on draft night, but his game is standing strong—allowing only two catches while recording three pass breakups in his first game out. Wiggins is smooth and quick, and he’s in a defense that needs the skill set he brings. He looks like a first-rounder when he’s matched up against second- and third-team wideouts, and that’s exactly what you want to see. He’s answered enough early questions to gain some starter consideration, but first, he has to show up against true number-one pass catchers. He’s doing OK.
3. **Malik Nabers** is learning a hard lesson about playing wide receiver in the NFL. It’s the most dependent position in the game, and it’s mostly dependent on who’s throwing the ball. In his case, it’s Daniel Jones, and that has not yielded the desired result for Nabers on the stat sheet. With that being said, Nabers has shown the suddenness and scary speed that got him drafted so high. The tape says that he can beat defenders one-on-one, and that’s exactly what the team needs from him. He’s doing pretty good!
4. **Tyler Guyton** is a name that was a bit of a surprise on draft day and was mentioned as a potential draft mistake by the Dallas Cowboys. Reports of his struggles in camp and even a brief illness had fans and talking heads ready to call him a bust already. All Guyton has done, though, is put out some blockbuster-level tape. The rookie left tackle has dominated lesser talent and shocked the world in his recent performance against Max Crosby, an elite edge defender. Guyton’s footwork and punch show up on tape, and if he continues to improve, the Cowboys will officially have a monopoly on rookie offensive line evaluation. He’s doing damn good!
5. **Jayden Daniels** was announced as the Commanders’ Week 1 starter by new head coach Dan Quinn, and most of us yelled out, “Duh.” It should not go unnoticed, no matter how highly drafted, that performance on the field plays a major part in that announcement. Daniels’ quick release and accuracy are glaring as we watch him calmly throw darts from the pocket. He just continues to move his offense forward, taking a dollar here, a five spot there, and then—BOOM. He reminds you that he’s one of the best athletes on the field by keeping the ball and flashing by defenders in the blink of an eye. Daniels has shown not just that he is a starter, but that he’s creating real problems for NFL defenses. Jayden Daniels is doing what a JIMMY does… he’s ballin’!
**Honorable Mention:**
There are a few names that aren’t going to be talked about nationally, at least for now, but should be kept an eye on based on their camp performances and their in-game reps and production matching the camp buzz. You may not know the name yet, but… “Hey rook, how ya doin’?”
– **Trey Benson**: He’s a running back, so naturally the NFL acts like his 43 yards on just nine carries isn’t worth banging the desk over—but it is. He didn’t get 33 of those yards on one carry and then just stumble around the rest of the day. Benson has pep in his step, and the Cards would be wise to use him a lot this season.
– **Olu Fashanu**: He’s just a boring old offensive tackle who has such natural pass-blocking ability that there’s nothing to see here. Literally nothing is going on if you are the edge player going against him. Fashanu is blanking his guy so far, and that’s a good thing when your name is not mentioned as an offensive lineman.
– **Caelen Carson**: Carson was a fifth-round pick by America’s Team, but trust me, not all of America cared. The Cowboys staff, however, think they have identified another late-round gem. Carson has terrorized camp this season by playing aggressively, intercepting passes, and just being a downright dawg. When the Cowboys run out their starting unit in the preseason, we’ve seen Carson assume the role of CB1. That should tell you something, people.
– **Ladd McConkey**: Ladd may only have one preseason catch, but his contribution to the Chargers’ offense is set to be much more impactful as he has all but been named the number one target in Los Angeles. He’s listed as WR1 on the team’s depth chart, and the careful handling of him suggests that he will play a major role in Jim Harbaugh’s first season back on an NFL sideline. Justin Herbert needs reliable pass catchers, and McConkey’s hands are so natural that the USDA approved them when he was just a toddler. Keep a lookout for this young Ladd!
Photo Credit: Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
