Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. In today's installment, he considers which teams' rookie classes have looked the best in Year 1 ...
We've reached the final week of the 2024 NFL regular season. The playoffs are about to begin, setting contenders on a course toward Super Bowl LIX. And after a new champion is crowned, teams will prepare to build and perfect their rosters in the offseason, setting their sights on the next chance to add young talent: the 2025 NFL Draft.
Before the postseason whirlwind kicks off, though, I'd like to take a look back at the contributions from first-year pros this season and assess the top rookie classes to come out of last year's draft. The exercise is especially relevant now, because of how many rookies have made a difference for teams across the playoff field. Yes, team-builders often take a patient approach with youngsters acclimating to the pro game, but the best organizations find ways to help their rookies contribute immediately as starters or key rotational/depth pieces.
With that in mind, here are the five most impactful rookie classes of the 2024 campaign:
Snagging a prospect who can stabilize the quarterback position for a franchise is one thing. Landing a superstar with All-Pro/Pro Bowl/MVP ability is another, the kind of draft coup that should earn top honors for the front office and coaching staff in an article like this. Jayden Daniels (Round 1, No. 2 overall) is everything an organization could hope for in a QB1. He is a dazzling playmaker with a knack for delivering in the clutch as a dynamic runner/thrower with elite arm talent. The Arizona State and LSU product is a confident worker bee who has transformed the Commanders' culture within the locker room. Daniels ranks third all time in offensive touchdowns by an NFL rookie (31) and fourth in offensive yards (4,394); it's little wonder that he earned a Pro Bowl nod and looks like an obvious favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton (Round 2, No. 36) and cornerback Mike Sainristil (Round 2, No. 50) did not flinch when placed into key roles on the Commanders' veteran-laden defense. The Big Ten alums jumpstarted the unit with their athleticism, instincts and playmaking ability; Newton has two sacks and a forced fumble so far, while Sainristil leads the team in picks (two) and passes defensed (11). Dan Quinn's D has been quietly improving down the stretch, allowing just 291.3 yards per game over Washington's current four-game winning streak, the third-best mark in the NFL in that span.
With the rest of their Day 2 picks, the Commanders hit on a trio of players who have all made key contributions to the offense: tight end Ben Sinnott (Round 2, No. 53), left tackle Brandon Coleman (Round 3, No. 67) and receiver Luke McCaffrey (Round 3, No. 100). Heading into 2024, the Commanders were coming off their eighth consecutive season without a winning record. With one week still left to play, they've already clinched a playoff berth while reaching double-digit victories for the first time since 2012 and winning 11 games in a season for the first time since 1991. This team's quick turnaround in Year 1 under Quinn and general manager Adam Peters is a testament to Peters' shrewd drafting and Quinn's superb developmental plan for this crop of rookies.
The Eagles' 2024 draft haul reminds me of their class from 2002, which fueled a Super Bowl run shortly thereafter. Casual observers might not remember the impact of Lito Sheppard (Round 1, No. 26 overall), Michael Lewis (Round 2, No. 58), Sheldon Brown (Round 2, No, 59) and Brian Westbrook (Round 3, No. 91), but die-hard Eagles fans understand how that group helped the team consistently compete with the league's heavyweights and reach Super Bowl XXXIX three seasons later.
Last season, Philly's defense ranked 31st against the pass, 26th overall and 30th in points allowed, and the team fizzled in the Wild Card Round. This season, the Eagles rank first in the NFL in both passing and overall defense and sit third in points allowed. And cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell (Round 1, No. 22) and Cooper DeJean (Round 2, No. 40) are leading the defensive resurgence with their suffocating cover skills. The duo's intelligence, athleticism and versatility have enabled coordinator Vic Fangio to throw a blanket over opposing passing games utilizing various zone and man "match" concepts that keep quarterbacks guessing within the pocket. Mitchell is tied for the lead among all rookies in passes defensed (12) this season, while DeJean ranks second in the NFL in total target EPA (minus-28.3) as the nearest defender, per Next Gen Stats (minimum of 200 coverage snaps).
Jalyx Hunt (Round 3, No. 94) has appeared on just 22.5 percent of the Eagles' defensive snaps, but he's flashed disruptive potential as a rotational player, logging 21 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a pair of tackles for loss. Hunt is a starter-in-waiting for a team that hoards pass-rushing specialists in the bullpen, and the addition to the pipeline of the Cornell and Houston Christian product is another example of how GM Howie Roseman "rebuilds" his roster years before it needs to be repaired.
If running back Will Shipley (Round 4, No. 127) rounds into form as a potential Brian Westbrook clone and receiver Johnny Wilson (Round 6, No. 185) -- who has been targeted just 10 times this season but did log his first career TD catch -- continues to develop, the Eagles will be sitting pretty, poised to make an extended run as title contenders.
Less than three years after Les Snead infamously dismissed the usefulness of draft picks at the parade celebrating the Rams' victory in Super Bowl LVI, the GM's team has re-emerged as a perennial playoff contender thanks to, yes, an impressive track record of acquiring and shepherding rookie talent. Despite lacking high selections over several drafts, L.A. used an exceptional identification process and on-field development plan to enable players chosen in the middle to late rounds to exceed their draft status early in their careers. And the newbies brought on this year stand out for the way they helped push the Rams toward a second consecutive playoff bid after starting 1-4.
Jared Verse (Round 1, No. 19 overall) -- the first player selected by L.A. with a first-round pick since the franchise took Jared Goff at No. 1 overall in 2016 -- made an immediate impact off the edge, racking up 65 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries so far, ultimately earning a Pro Bowl nod. The Florida State standout and his former college teammate, Braden Fiske (Round 2, No. 39), joined with second-year pros Kobie Turner and Byron Young to provide the Rams with the kind of disruptive front no one envisioned when Aaron Donald hung up his cleats at the end of last season. With safety Kamren Kinchens (Round 3, No. 99) shining in the secondary (four interceptions, tied for second among rookies, and six passes defensed in 16 games, with three starts to his name), undrafted rookie linebacker Omar Speights taking on a starting role (64 tackles and two passes defensed) and Tyler Davis (Round 6, No. 196) pitching in as a rotational defensive tackle, the play of this young D has been one of the league's biggest surprises.
Elsewhere on the depth chart, the offense has not relied on rookie running back Blake Corum (Round 3, No. 83) as much as anticipated (243 scrimmage yards on 62 touches). However, the kicking-game heroics of Joshua Karty (Round 6, No. 209) have helped Matthew Stafford and Co. put enough points on the board (Karty ranks second among rookies with 106 points scored) to secure a spot in the postseason tournament.
Jim Harbaugh deserves credit for changing the Chargers' culture, but GM Joe Hortiz accelerated the transformation with a strong 2024 draft class. The decision to take an offensive tackle with the regime's first pick was met with groans and growls from some observers who would have liked to see the Bolts pick up a premier offensive weapon, but Joe Alt (Round 1, No. 5 overall) has validated the choice, solidifying a front line that has imposed its will on opponents throughout the season. The Notre Dame standout plays like an experienced vet on the edge, exhibiting the polished technique and heavy hands needed to stymie elite defensive ends and rush linebackers. Whether shadowboxing in pass protection or pummeling foes as a run blocker, Alt has upgraded the right tackle spot and helped the Chargers re-emerge as a playoff squad behind a blue-collar offense.
Ladd McConkey (Round 2, No. 34) stepped into the WR1 role and added the clutch playmaking the Chargers needed in the passing game. Whether he's moving the chains on various underneath routes or slipping past defenders on slick double-moves, the pass catcher has flourished as the most-targeted player (104 targets) in a run-heavy offense, as evidenced by his 1,000-yard season and seven receiving TDs. Running back Kimani Vidal (Round 6, No. 181) has chipped in 217 scrimmaged yards and a score on 48 touches (4.8 yards per touch).
On defense, cornerback Tarheeb Still (Round 5, No. 137) clocked a highlight-reel play in his pro debut, helping sack Patrick Mahomes in Week 4, and he continued to climb from there. The Maryland product has racked up team-high 10 passes defensed and four picks (tied for second-most among rookies), two of which came in one game: a narrow Week 13 win over the Falcons, when Still scored the decisive points on a pick-six of Kirk Cousins. Linebacker Junior Colson (Round 3, No. 69) and cornerback Cam Hart (Round 5, No. 140) have flashed as part-time contributors and could carve out bigger roles with a solid offseason of work.
Green Bay’s commitment to building a championship-caliber roster with homegrown talent has led to consistent success for the franchise. Though some fans yearn for a flashier approach at times, GM Brian Gutekunst has carried on the "draft and develop" tradition established by Hall of Fame executive Ron Wolf and the late Ted Thompson to keep the Packers in the hunt.
The 2024 class has done its part to keep the good times rolling, with LB Edgerrin Cooper (Round 2, No. 45), S Javon Bullard (Round 2, No. 58) and S Evan Williams (Round 4, No. 111) playing key roles in Jeff Hafley's "see ball, get ball" defense. The youngsters fly around with reckless abandon, punishing runners and pass catchers at every turn. With the defense producing turnovers at an impressive clip -- Green Bay has 29 takeaways, ranking fourth in the league -- the youngsters' contributions as immediate-impact players should not go unnoticed.
If versatile OL Jordan Morgan (Round 1, No. 25) and RB MarShawn Lloyd (Round 3, No. 88) can boost the offense in 2025, this draft haul will be even more impressive -- and Green Bay will continue to secure playoff berths and make postseason runs utilizing a formula that has worked for the franchise since the early 1990s.
