The 2023 NFL rookie class has been memorable. This season, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud set a single-game rookie passing document in Week 9. Rams receiver Puka Nacua set an NFL document for probably the most receiving yards in a season by a rookie. Two operating backs rushed for greater than 900 yards, and 18 defenders had three or extra sacks. And an NFL-record 10 rookie quarterbacks recorded a begin for his or her staff.
Now that the common season is over, we now have arrived at our closing top-10 rookie rankings. This rating takes solely the common season into consideration, so something that occurred this previous weekend within the playoffs is off limits and never factored into the highest 10.
We polled 5 of our ESPN NFL specialists — Matt Bowen, Jeff Legwold, Brooke Pryor, Matt Miller and Jordan Reid — for a consensus rating of the highest 10 rookies. They weighed in on every participant who made the checklist, together with three gamers who fell simply outdoors the checklist. Lastly, they debated whether or not Stroud is a lock for Offensive Rookie of the 12 months, picked out the season’s second-half rookie MVP, recognized an overperformer and an underperformer, and named somebody who may get away of their sophomore marketing campaign.
Let’s start with the lone rookie QB who led his staff to the playoffs.
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Prime 10 | Simply missed
Massive questions
Stats: 4,108 passing yards, 23 TD passes, 5 INT; 3 speeding TDs, 167 speeding yards
Drafted: No. 2 total
2023 recap: Stroud is a talented passer who displayed the poise of a veteran participant within the pocket and the power to create performs outdoors of construction. He was set as much as assault all three ranges of the sphere in Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik’s system, posting a league-leading 73.9 QBR versus zone protection, whereas including 66 explosive passing performs, the third most within the NFL.
Stroud led the NFL in passing yards per sport (273.9) and touchdown-to-interception ratio (4.6). In response to the Elias Sports activities Bureau, he’s the primary rookie to steer the NFL in touchdown-to-interception ratio (minimal 15 passing TDs). Stroud elevated the Houston offense to new heights, main his staff to the playoffs, and he’s presently the favourite for Offensive Rookie of the 12 months.
2024 outlook: Anticipate Stroud to place the Texans in place to compete for the AFC South title as soon as once more. With receiver Tank Dell wholesome, again within the combine and boosting the playmaking capability of the Houston passing sport, Stroud may put up numbers that maintain him on the MVP radar. — Bowen
Stats: 105 catches, 1,486 receiving yards, 6 TDs
Drafted: No. 177 total
2023 recap: Nacua broke a 63-year document for receiving yards by a rookie, as he completed the common season with 1,486 yards on his 105 receptions. That is fairly the worth for a fifth-round decide who had struggled with accidents at occasions throughout his school profession.
Nacua makes contested catches, and his routes are crisp. He’s already one of many league’s finest on the place, breaking tackles as soon as he has the ball — 43% of his receiving yards got here after first contact, a exceptional quantity given his excessive quantity of labor.
2024 outlook: Nacua’s bodily type of play and intense observe habits will all the time put him vulnerable to harm. In school, he suffered his justifiable share of accidents that contributed to him being picked within the fifth spherical final April. But when wholesome, there is no such thing as a cause to consider he could not comply with up his elite rookie season with one other nice effort for the Rams subsequent season. — Legwold
Stats: 33 tackles, 6 sacks, 2 pressured fumbles, 1 fumble restoration, 1 defensive TD
Drafted: No. 9 total
2023 recap: At occasions, Carter has appeared precisely just like the participant that the staff traded as much as choose with the No. 9 total decide. His first-step quickness and pass-rush repertoire are continuously an excessive amount of for inside defenders. Carter considerably cooled down through the closing stretch of the season, however the outcomes have nonetheless been noteworthy. His 15.7% cross rush win charge ranked second amongst rookies and thirty sixth within the league.
2024 outlook: With Eagles veteran Fletcher Cox scheduled to turn out to be a free agent within the offseason, it is truthful to anticipate an expanded function for Carter throughout his second season if Cox would not return. Carter is a transparent constructing block for the Eagles transferring ahead and helps maintain the staff’s identification of being robust within the trenches intact. He’s with out query a disruptive power within the center, however the flashes of optimistic play might want to turn out to be extra constant in a full-time function. — Reid
Stats: 86 catches, 889 receiving yards, 10 TDs
Drafted: No. 34 total
2023 recap: From his first sport, LaPorta established himself as a dependable a part of the Lions’ offense, catching all 5 targets in his debut. He completed the season by setting the NFL document for many receptions in a season by a rookie tight finish.
LaPorta led the league in third-down targets amongst tight ends (39) and in tight finish receptions (10) and receiving yards (110) in tight-window targets, underscoring quarterback Jared Goff’s belief within the rookie. LaPorta did not rating his first landing till Week 3, however he completed with 10 scores and earned a Professional Bowl nod.
2024 outlook: Although he entered the playoffs with a knee harm sustained in Week 18, LaPorta picked proper up the place he left off within the common season with a landing in Detroit’s first residence playoff victory because the 1991 season. The Lions are an ascending staff, and LaPorta can be a focus of their future success. — Pryor
Stats: 79 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 pressured fumble, 1 INT, 1 defensive TD, 12 cross breakups
Drafted: No. 5 total
2023 recap: Witherspoon shortly lived as much as his standing as the primary cornerback drafted with shutdown capability. He collected one interception, which he ran again 97 yards for a landing, whereas limiting opposing quarterbacks to a completion proportion of 60.5% with 16 passes defensed. Witherspoon emerged as not simply the most effective rookie cornerback but additionally the most effective pure cowl gamers within the league.
2024 outlook: We noticed 2022 draftee Riq Woolen gather six interceptions in his rookie season earlier than struggling at occasions in 2023, so there’s cause for warning as Seattle strikes on from the Pete Carroll period defensively. That mentioned, Witherspoon was my top-ranked nook within the ’23 draft class for good cause. He has the agility, toughness and instincts to turn out to be one of many NFL’s high cornerbacks in his sophomore season. — Miller
Stats: 45 tackles, 7 sacks
Drafted: No. 3 total
2023 recap: Anderson’s cross rush win charge of 25.8% ranked third within the league, behind solely Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett. Anderson performs a disruptive function for DeMeco Ryans’ protection and presently is among the high candidates for Defensive Rookie of the 12 months. His first-step quickness, energy and lively fingers put him ready to assault the pocket. He is a growing power with a excessive ceiling.
2024 outlook: Since Anderson is taking part in in a defensive system that may create pass-rush matchups from a number of fronts, I totally anticipate him to supply double-digit sacks in ’24. Ryans can set him up on schemed one-on-ones, whereas additionally maximizing his traits off twists and stunts to generate hits on the quarterback. — Bowen
Stats: 182 carries, 945 speeding yards, 10 speeding TDs; 52 catches, 316 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD
Drafted: No. 12 total
2023 recap: David Montgomery led the Lions in speeding, but it surely was Gibbs who left many longing for extra. Gibbs constantly flashed his velocity and explosiveness — 14.8% of his carries went for 10-plus yards, and his 18.98 mph max velocity when crossing the road of scrimmage whereas operating the ball was the tenth finest measured this season, per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats.
However Gibbs did not constantly get a big quantity within the Lions’ assault. He had six video games with fewer than 10 carries and had only one sport with greater than 15 — his 26-carry, 152-yard effort in Week 8 towards the Raiders. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry, and his 10 speeding touchdowns ranked tenth within the league.
2024 outlook: Gibbs is all the time going to be a troublesome matchup for defenses due to his quickness and top-end velocity. It is going to be about how the Lions carve out alternatives for him, particularly if offensive coordinator Ben Johnson strikes on to be a head coach elsewhere. There may be room within the passing sport for a bit of extra work, given Gibbs had seven video games this season with 4 or fewer receptions. — Legwold
Stats: 214 carries, 976 speeding yards, 4 speeding TDs; 58 receptions, 487 receiving yards, 4 TD catches
Drafted: No. 8 total
2023 recap: Robinson entered his first season within the NFL with main expectations. Regardless of an unclear function and inconsistent involvement in a stagnant Falcons offense, his rookie 12 months concerned loads of flashes. He concluded the season as a candidate for Offensive Rookie of the 12 months and has confirmed he has the potential to be a lead again. Robinson has an uncanny capability to interrupt tackles to create new alternatives even when runs aren’t all the time blocked cleanly.
2024 outlook: Getting into a brand new offense throughout his sophomore marketing campaign, Robinson has a talent set that interprets in any scheme and the expertise to make a significant sophomore leap. He is additionally able to getting used continuously within the passing sport. — Reid
Stats: 70 catches, 911 receiving yards, 10 TD catches
Drafted: No. 23 total
2023 recap: With Justin Jefferson’s harm, Addison stepped into an enormous function as a rookie and was greater than prepared for the second. He was 89 yards shy of a 1,000-yard season and recorded 10 touchdowns. With the Vikings’ offensive woes and quarterback carousel after Kirk Cousins was injured, Addison did not put up large numbers constantly, however he had a few breakout video games with two 100-yard performances, together with one in a Week 7 win towards the 49ers.
2024 outlook: Whereas Addison confirmed he may have an effect whatever the quarterback, an enormous a part of his outlook hinges on who can be throwing the ball for Minnesota in 2024, and the way that quarterback will distribute touches between Addison, Jefferson and tight finish T.J. Hockenson. — Pryor
Stats: 103 carries, 800 speeding yards, 8 speeding TDs; 27 catches, 197 receiving yards, 3 receiving TDs
Drafted: No. 84 total
2023 recap: The Dolphins’ third-rounder was one of many league’s most electrical gamers when wholesome, averaging 7.8 yards per carry. Achane additionally acquitted himself properly as a receiving possibility out of the backfield, tying Robinson for probably the most receiving touchdowns by a rookie again (three).
2024 outlook: Staying wholesome would be the key for the speedy Achane in 12 months 2. The Dolphins missed his explosiveness throughout his six-game absence, and with Raheem Mostert’s contract expiring after subsequent season, we may see Achane, who’s on a cheap rookie deal, take over a bigger function within the offense. A 1,000-yard season in Mike McDaniels’ offense looks as if a lock, and a 1,400-yard all-purpose 12 months with double-digit touchdowns is lifelike. — Miller
Simply missed
Byron Younger, OLB, Los Angeles Rams
It is protected to say the Rams crushed the third spherical in final April’s draft with Younger and Kobie Turner. Younger was a relentless within the Rams’ protection, tallying 61 tackles, eight sacks, 19 quarterback hits and two pressured fumbles. He actually got here out of the gate robust with 11 of these quarterback hits within the Rams’ first six video games. — Legwold
Kobie Turner, DT, Los Angeles Rams
Once you tie Aaron Donald’s rookie sack document (9) as Turner did this season — together with 2.5 towards the Giants in Week 17 — you’ve got executed one thing proper. Turner, who normally performed on the nostril within the Rams’ protection, had eight sacks from Week 9 on. — Legwold
Tank Dell, WR, Houston Texans
Dell’s season ended with a fractured fibula suffered within the Texans’ Week 13 win over the Broncos. Nonetheless, Dell completed third on the staff in receptions (47) and second in receiving yards (709) and touchdowns (seven). The Texans had two of the 21 qualifying gamers who averaged greater than 15 yards per reception this season — Nico Collins at seventh (16.2 yards per catch) and Dell at twentieth (15.1 yards). — Legwold
Greatest rookie efficiency of the second half?
It is arduous to make an argument towards Stroud for this one. He had 14 passing touchdowns within the closing eight video games of the common season, together with a whopping 5 touchdowns towards the Buccaneers in Week 9 in a sport wherein he threw for 470 yards. He threw three picks two weeks later towards the Cardinals, however he hasn’t thrown any since. Stroud hasn’t proven any indicators of hitting a rookie wall, as an alternative accelerating via to the postseason. — Pryor
Who will get away in his 2024 sophomore season?
Lukas Van Ness, OLB, Inexperienced Bay Packers. Enjoying in a rotational function on the Inexperienced Bay defensive position, Van Ness flashed in his rookie 12 months, registering 4 sacks, 15 pressures and 32 complete tackles. Along with his 6-foot-5, 272-pound body, he can set an edge versus the run, plus he has the bodily instruments to raise his pass-rush manufacturing in ’24. And you’ll see the optimistic indicators of his improvement on the tape. — Bowen
Is there any situation the place Stroud would not win Offensive Rookie of the 12 months?
I do not see one. Nacua’s season was exceptional and historic, however quarterback comes with a level of issue different positions do not face, particularly rookie quarterbacks who’re tossed into the deep finish from the beginning.
Stroud confirmed how he could possibly be QB1. His accuracy (particularly deep-ball accuracy), throwing ease, in-game calmness and processing capability have been clear from Week 1. And he led his staff to a division title in his first season. — Legwold
Who overperformed in 2023?
Ivan Tempo Jr., ILB, Minnesota Vikings. As an undrafted rookie in the midst of Brian Flores’ protection, Tempo exceeded expectations. He shortly overtook the beginning center linebacker spot after a coaching camp battle getting into the season and by no means appeared again. He completed the common season with 97 tackles, one interception and a pair of.5 sacks.
Tempo’s aggressive and bodily nature match completely within the Vikings’ attacking scheme that depends closely on producing strain by blitzing second-level defenders. Tempo is one key cog the staff can pencil in as a starter within the center in 2024. — Reid
Who underperformed in 2023?
Bryce Younger, QB, Carolina Panthers. The explanations the No. 1 total decide struggled in 2023 are apparent — an absence of supporting forged at huge receiver, an offensive line coping with accidents and an absence of improvement by a training employees fired halfway via the season. That does not fully erase Younger’s struggles, as he threw 10 interceptions to simply 11 touchdowns with a QBR of 33.4 — which was good for twenty ninth within the league. 12 months 2 will have to be a bounce-back season for Younger, or the Panthers may be taking a look at quarterbacks once more within the 2025 NFL draft. — Miller
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