Football is back! Preseason matches may largely consist of one team’s third-choice line-up against another team’s third-choice line-up but after six long months without any NFL matches whatsoever, I, for one, absolutely lapped up the games we had on this past weekend. One of the most interesting things about them was getting the chance to see some of league’s rookies suit up for their new teams for the first time. So, here are five rookies that stood out to me in the first week of preseason matches.

It’s an obvious one but I have to start with the number one overall pick in this year’s draft. Bears fans were beyond excited to see the new leader of their franchise in action and they were treated to a whole quarter of him. And in the words of fellow Franchise Tag writer Alex Evans, Bears fans “couldn’t have really asked for a better start from Williams.” His first pass attempt may have resulted in a scramble and him throwing the ball away but for his second he showed composure in the pocket before finding DJ Moore in the middle of the field for 12 yards, a connection we can expect to see a lot more of this upcoming season. His decision making was one of the main things that stood out to me in this first showing, perhaps exemplified by his very next pass – a flick out to D’Andre Swift as his pocket collapsed that resulted in a 42-yard gain. Many quarterbacks would have taken a sack in this scenario, but his quick thinking resulted in a huge gain for his team. His movement throughout was another stand-out, the highlight being a roll out to his right and a terrific 26-yard throw on the move to Cole Kmet. Williams was also able to show the ability he has with his legs, scrambling out of another collapsing pocket (worryingly, a bit of a theme for the Bears’ O-line) for a 13-yard gain. He was at one point fortunate not to throw an interception when targeting fellow rookie Rome Odunze from his own endzone but, overall, this was a debut that will only get Bears fans more excited.

The second quarterback on this list is the sixth selected in this year’s draft. Nix came in at the end of the first quarter and left after the opening drive of the third, completing 15 out of 21 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t have a smooth start, being extremely fortunate to not have his first throw picked off and missing on his second, throwing too low to Lil’Jordan Humphrey. He hit on his third though, scrambling out to his left and completing to Courtland Sutton on the byline for a 22-yard gain, and then followed this up with a good 11-yard completion to Josh Reynolds for a first down. A fumble off the next snap, which he fell on and recovered, was another shaky moment on his opening drive but after this he grew more composed and started to really impress.

Nix showcased all the attributes that led to Sean Payton picking him up with the 12th overall pick. He was tidy, accurate, and got the ball out of his hands extremely quickly, making good quick decisions in the process. His touchdown pass to Marvin Mims showcased this, getting the ball out in the blink of an eye and hitting Mims perfectly in the endzone. He became more settled as the game went on and led his team to a field goal just before halftime with a drive that started on his own 16-yard line and with just 1:23 left on the clock. Nix was calm throughout the drive and worked through his options well, getting the ball out cleanly and quickly to keep the chains moving with time ticking by. Nix also gave us a glimpse of his running ability in this match, something I would expect to see more of when the season starts. Overall, this was a very solid debut from Nix, and I look forward to seeing more of him as he gets more comfortable with Sean Payton’s system.

The first non-QB on this list is the 213th overall pick from Texas, wide receiver Jordan Whittington. With the 177th overall pick last year, the Rams hit gold with Puka Nacua breaking rookie records for receptions and receiving yards. Off this showing, it looks like the Rams have possibly again found a wide receiver star later on in the draft. Whittington ended this game with 6 receptions and 74 receiving yards but, more than the stat line, it was his safe hands and physical running style that draws comparisons to Nacua. His first catch, for 13 yards, was with two Cowboys defenders in close proximity and he caught his second six yards from the line of scrimmage, immediately broke a tackle, and then carried the ball for a 30-yard gain, fighting through another tackle at the end to get the Rams into first and goal. Throughout the game, Whittington showed great hands catching under pressure from defenders and a real physicality when fighting for extra yardage. Under Sean McVay and his coaches’ tutelage, I can see Jordan Whittington turning into another potent weapon for the Rams this season.

Last year’s leading offense, who possess the most explosive running back duo in the NFL in Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane, decided to trade up in the fourth round of this year’s draft to pick up yet another explosive running back. And if this first showing is any indication, then the Dolphins have got themselves another gem. Jaylen Wright rushed for 55 yards off 10 carries against the Falcons and showed his speed and vision with his performance. His first run was for only 2 yards but on the very next play, he found a gap and rushed for 9 and a first down. He then immediately followed this up by finding another hole, breaking a tackle, and rushing for 10 yards and another first down. His next run involved him finding another hole right up the middle and taking the ball in for a 5-yard rushing touchdown. Here, he made his only mistake of the day, throwing the ball he scored his first NFL touchdown with into the crowd. He nearly made a mistake on the actual field in the third quarter when he initially bobbled a backward pass from Mike White, six yards behind the line of scrimmage, but he recovered to dodge the incoming defenders and then showcase his terrific speed by running the width of the field to turn a potential 6-yard loss into a 14-yard gain. Having Mostert, Achane and now Jaylen Wright in their running backroom is almost unfair on opposing defences and I am really looking forward to seeing what Wright can do in a real game.

There is a Minnesota Viking on this list, but I haven’t gone for JJ McCarthy, who did impress throwing for 188 yards and 2 touchdowns, but his fellow first-round pick Dallas Turner. He may have only played 22 snaps, but he made himself felt in that time. Turner constantly got into the backfield, getting the better of three-time Pro Bowler Andrus Peat on a number of occasions. On 3rd and 1 at the Minnesota 16-yard line, Turner beat Peat on the outside and slammed into Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell just as he got the ball away to Brock Bowers for a first down. Narrowly missing out on getting a sack that time, Turner got himself one just three plays later when on 3rd and goal on the three-yard line he again beat Andrus Peat on the outside and took down Aidan O’Connell for a 10-yard loss, which forced the Raiders to settle for a field goal. He was a nuisance throughout his time on the field, despite being double teamed at times with Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel both on the sidelines for this match. He beat tackle Thayer Munford Jr. at one point with a spin move and Gardner Minshew needed guard Dylan Parham to come across and save him from becoming Turner’s second sack victim of the match. Off this first showing, I can see plenty more sacks coming Dallas Turner’s way this upcoming season.

I know I said I was naming five rookies, but I have to give an honourable mention to Saints’ rookie kicker Charlie Smyth. With his first ever kick in an NFL game, he hit a game-winning field goal from 37 yards with just seconds remaining to give the Saints a 16-14 victory over the Cardinals. To make this story even more remarkable, a year ago Northern Ireland’s Charlie Smyth had never even kicked a football before, but he has come through the NFL’s international player pathway programme to earn a spot on the Saints’ squad this preseason. Here’s hoping we see much more of him in the NFL.

Daniel Rowe

Five Rookies That Stood Out in Preseason Week 1

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