I am going to discuss when they were drafted, grade them on their season, and give a prediction of the future seasons to come. Do I dare predict Hall of Fame for any of these rookies?
I'm being tough on Watkins simply because he was the first WR off the board, taken fourth overall. He didn't produce like a top WR. He finished just short of 1,000 yards and finished 6th among rookies with 65 catches despite starting all 16 games. We know he didn't have a quarterback who can throw deep but they were a competitive team hoping for a playoff spot. His 15 yards per catch were second for all rookies behind Mike Evans.
Mike Evans was one of the only bright spots for the Bucs this year. Among rookies, Evans was tied for first in touchdowns with 12, first in yards per catch, and second in yards with 1,051. This guy does it all, including block (if you haven't seen his vine famous block on Terence Newman you should check it out ). Evans has huge upside even more so if he can relocate.
(Rookie of the Year)
Bursting onto the National spotlight with his three finger catch vs. Dallas, OBJ was the most dominant WR in the NFL the last nine weeks of the season. He's first among rookie in yards with 1,305, 91 catches, and 12 touchdowns. He led all three categories while only starting in 11 games due to an injury in camp. Shattering records already, this kid can end up in Canton.
Cooks has the most to prove still in my opinion. He only started in seven games due to injury and lacked consistency, as much as the entire Saints offense did. His rookie season ended with 550 yards, 53 catches and three touchdowns. Poised for more of a breakout sophomore season, once he and Drew Brees are on the same page watch out. This kid can be a huge weapon.
Benjamin finished with over 1,000 yards and third among rookies with 73 catches. He also led the NFL in drops with ten. He needs to improve his hands and route running as only 50% of his targets were completions. Compare that to OBJ who had a 70% rate. He's a huge redzone target and that was on display with his two touchdowns in the playoffs. He was a steal at 28 for the Panthers.
I didn't give him a very poor grade simply because of the situation he was in. The Jags took a risk drafting him at 39 and the fact that I struggled to find a picture on google of him in a Jags uniform says something. 37 grabs, 422 yards and a touchdown, this collegiate stud has some work to do, and needs to stay healthy.
Notable Others
1. Jarvis Landry B+ ..Had an insane 84 catches, and also helped in the return game.
2. Jordan Matthews B .. Showed great potential in Chip Kelly's offense with 872 yards.
3. Davante Adams B- .. Considering he was the fourth option, Adams still had a nice season.
The Number 13- I believe the top three receivers in this class all wear the number 13 (OBJ, Kelvin Benjamin, Mike Evans).
This rookie class had five players finish with over 800 yards. To put that into perspective in 2009 zero rookies finished with over 800 yards and that was a class that included Percy Harvin, Jeremy Maclin, Michael Crabtree, Hakeem Nicks, Kenny Britt, Mike Wallace, and Julian Edelman. I'm excited to see these guys develop into All-Pro players and possibly even Hall of Famers.
