NFL: Rookie Watch Week 1

By Rory Daniels

Each week in Rookie Watch, we will take a look at the best and worst of the new crop of NFL stars as they navigate their first season in the league. This week, we take a look at how Cam Ward fared in an opening day loss as well as an impressive display from a star who saw his draft stock fall.

All data provided by Pro Football Focus.

Ward faces an uphill battle but shows promise

On paper, Cam Ward’s first NFL start fell a bit flat, but the tape tells us otherwise. Despite only throwing for 112 yards with a completion rate under 50%, Ward routinely showed us why the Titans so highly valued him. The issue he will have to overcome is the surrounding talent in this offense. He suffered three drops at the hands of the receiving group, which is going to impact his year 1 success severely. Don’t fear, though, Titans fans, this cut-up shows off Ward’s arm talent and smoothness moving around the pocket. This was always going to be tricky vs one of the league’s top defenses, and things are unlikely to improve against the Rams next week.

Jeanty limited by offensive line problems

It was a similar story for Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty. After a couple of early flashes, Jeanty was restricted to 38 rushing yards at 2 yards per carry. He forced 4 missed tackles, but his offensive line was consistently imploding around him. Only one of the five starting offensive linemen had a run blocking grade of above 65.0, making life nearly impossible when the Patriots sold out against the run. While the Raiders got the win, they’ll need to improve their blocking for Jeanty to thrive.

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Mixed bag for offensive linemen

It’s foolish to expect much from rookie offensive linemen, given the step up in competition they face coming into the league. So, to see Armand Membou be so dominant in a losing effort for the Jets vs the Steelers was highly encouraging. Playing at right tackle, Membou was on-field for all 64 snaps, allowing zero pressures, recording a run blocking grade of 90.3 and a pass blocking grade of 78.6. Pretty impressive, considering that for 54 of those snaps, he was opposite TJ Watt!

Elsewhere amongst offensive linemen, two rookies on the interior had difficult starts. Patriots guard Jared Wilson topped the pressures allowed charts for rookies with 6. Fellow Georgia alumnus Dylan Fairchild was promising to begin with for the Bengals, but eventually allowed three pressures as Myles Garrett started wreaking havoc in the Bengals’ backfield. Quite the baptism of fire!

Will Johnson shows draft plummet was unwarranted

The knocks on Will Johnson during draft season were a lingering injury and questionable long speed. Well, Johnson certainly put minds at ease in a very impressive debut. Johnson was targeted 7 times, allowing four catches but with two pass breakups and a remarkable interception that was called back for a penalty elsewhere. His 90.0 zone coverage grade highlighted what the college tape showed, and is why many draftniks had him as a top 15 prospect.

Best of the Rest...

Emeka Egbuka’s first start in the NFL couldn’t have gone much better. Fifty per cent of his four receptions against the Falcons were touchdowns, including the game-winner. Having Egbuka paired with Mike Evans gives Baker Mayfield the weapons he needs to stay atop the NFC South.

Elsewhere, Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell flashed in the league’s opening game, his main highlight being a pass coverage snap vs Brevyn Spann-Ford, where he showed off his athleticism and instincts to tip the ball. He also took snaps at edge and forced a game-turning fumble.

Atlanta’s James Pearce Jr was sold as a pass rush specialist in the draft, and while he was used like that on opening weekend, he showed his dominance vs the Bucs. He tallied four pressures and, most impressively, displayed the strength at the point of the attack that some worried he lacked.

Only one rookie edge rusher managed a sack in Week 1, no surprise that it was Giants edge rusher Abdul Carter, in a losing effort vs the Commanders. The top PFF grade for edge rushers went to Shemar Stewart. He had three pressures for the Bengals vs the Browns and could thrive with heavy attention going to running mate Trey Hendrickson.

Rory-Joe Daniels

NFL & Cfb contributor

AS A LONG-SUFFERING CINCINNATI BENGALS FAN, RORY HAS FOLLOWED THE NFL FOR OVER 20 YEARS. HIS PASSION FOR THE DRAFT LED HIM TO GET ENTANGLED WITH COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND HE HAS BEEN WRITING ABOUT PROSPECTS AND THE CFB LANDSCAPE EVER SINCE.

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