Another season has arrived, and with it comes fresh hope for all 32 teams. This is particularly true for the class of talented rookies looking to take their first NFL steps in front of the watchful eyes of thousands of adoring fans.
Which of these youngsters will help his team reach new heights in 2024? And which is best set up for success? Let’s take a look at some young playmakers who are more than ready to make a good first impression on the professional gridiron to start their careers.
Rome Odunze, wide receiver, Chicago Bears
It’s been a long road for Bears fans. Since they lost to the Colts on a rainy Miami evening in Super Bowl XLI 17 years ago, they have had just four winning seasons — one of which was infamously ended by the “double-doink” heard ‘round the football world.
We all know first-overall pick Caleb Williams shoulders most of the pressure to turn things around in Chicago, but he’s going to need some help — and that’s where fellow rookie star Rome Odunze comes into play. The ninth-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft turned in 92 receptions, 13 touchdowns and 1,640 receiving yards in his final year with the Washington Huskies, good enough to name him a consensus All-American wide receiver.
There are other pass-catching options in Chicago, it’s true. D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen and Cole Kmet will compete with Odunze for targets, and D’Andre Swift is always a threat out of the backfield. But if the Bears want to experience consistent success through the air, they would be wise to focus the offence around Odunze bringing his superstar college talents to the pros every Sunday.
Bo Nix, quarterback, Denver Broncos
In a draft class absolutely loaded with quarterbacks — a record six signal-callers were taken in the first round in April — it feels somewhat like Nix might be getting overlooked. How many times can you say that about a top-12 pick?
As a prospect, Nix had some legitimate knocks: At 24, he’s older for a rookie, and he thrived mainly in short yardage passing situations in college. Despite these criticisms, he delivered during the pre-season, not once turning the ball over, taking took zero sacks and slinging it well downfield.
When you factor in the tutelage of his head coach, famed quarterback whisperer Sean Payton, you’ll see an offence that is very play-action heavy and one largely designed to streamline the decision-making process for the rookie. If both Nix and Payton can keep it simple, there’s no reason to believe the Oregon product can’t find success right away.
Jonathon Brooks, running back, Carolina Panthers
We already know one stone-cold fact about Brooks heading into his rookie season: He won’t play for at least the first four games after being placed on the PUP list by the Panthers following a torn ACL suffered in his final year at the University of Texas.
Even so, Bryce Young and company are probably salivating at what he can bring once healthy. He’s hard to bring down, weighing in over 200 pounds, he can change direction on a dime and is a true three-down back. In his lone season as the main back in college, Brooks totalled 1,425 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns. It was enough, even in today’s NFL, to get the Panthers to invest a second-round pick despite the injury.
With Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders as his primary competition at the position, there’s a likely scenario waiting to play out where Brooks is given the reins to the backfield as soon as he returns.
Brian Thomas Jr., wide receiver, Jacksonville Jaguars
The sheer depth of the 2024 wide-receiver class meant teams could get quality playmakers without a top pick, which is what Jacksonville did at 23rd overall. Thomas offers a unique blend of size and speed, standing six-foot-three and 210 pounds, and running a 4.34-second 40-yard dash — a combination you don’t see every day.
With wide receiver Calvin Ridley off to Tennessee, there is a wide-open spot atop the depth chart as quarterback Trevor Lawrence looks to launch the ball downfield. Rookie wide receivers simply don’t get this kind of opportunity very often, and he’ll be given every chance to develop a rapport with Lawrence right away.
Laiatu Latu, defensive line, Indianapolis Colts
It’s been a while since the Colts have had a consistent pair of pass-rushers. They’ve tried filling the gaps with Justin Houston, Yannick Ngakoue and Samson Ebukam, the latter of whom is now on the PUP list with a torn Achilles tendon. While the days of Robert Mathis and newly minted Hall of Famer Dwight Freeney are well in the rear-view, the Colts have an opportunity to at least partially reconstruct a lethal pass rush with Latu now in the mix.
Pairing him with DeForest Buckner and Kwity Paye seems like a recipe for success. Latu racked up 23.5 sacks in his final two years with UCLA, his agility and sheer strength a problem for virtually every program they played. With Buckner and Paye wreaking havoc on the edges — they had a combined 16.5 sacks in 2023 — it’ll leave a lot of one-on-one matchups for Latu to take advantage of.
Demeioun ‘Chop’ Robinson, linebacker, Miami Dolphins
If there’s one thing we know to be true in the NFL, it’s that there’s always someone ready to take your job. Whether it’s injury or performance-related, coaches are always looking for the next player to step up when needed. And health dictates that the Dolphins will need Robinson to step up.
Linebacker Jaelan Phillips was recently activated off the PUP list, less than nine months following an Achilles tear, and in his stead, fellow pass-rusher Bradley Chubb was placed on the PUP list himself, following an AC tear in the penultimate game of last season.
That means there are defensive snaps available for Robinson, selected 21st overall in April, to prove himself. He’s incredibly fast, turning in the second-best time among edge-rushers at the scouting combine with a blazing speed of 4.48 seconds in the 40-yard dash. If he can use that speed to pressure quarterbacks and hold up opposing run games, he’ll find some staying power even when Phillips and Chubb return.
Mike Macdonald, head coach, Seattle Seahawks
When we talk about high-impact rookies, it’s not just limited to players. Take the Seahawks, for example. It’s the dawn of a new era in Seattle — no longer will we watch Pete Carroll frantically chew gum as he paces up and down the sidelines in his signature sneakers, his tenure concluded last sprint after 14 seasons calling the shots.
That duty now falls to 37-year-old Mike Macdonald, who is now officially the youngest head coach in the league. Not only will Macdonald be tasked with leading a team for the very first time, he’ll do it with a trio of first-time coordinators as well: offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, defensive coordinator Aden Durde and special-teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh.
The challenge for any rookie head coach is building your own identity — given that Macdonald got the job based on his defensive prowess in Baltimore, it seems likely that’s where he’ll start. With young players Devon Witherspoon, Jarran Reed, Leonard Williams, Riq Woolen and Byron Murphy II, there’s a real chance the Seahawks could re-create the days of the “Legion of Boom.”