Just two weeks into the season it has become clear we have another exciting group of rookies to watch this year. From quarterbacks to receivers, defensive tackles to a free safety. The 2013 rookie class has performed well so far and has proven why the class was considered to be so deep. After another great week of action we have some new names amongst the top-10 rookie rankings and players moving up and out.
10. Luke Joeckel Offensive Tackle, Jacksonville Jaguars
The second overall pick starts to stumble down a bit. He begins to fall as other rookies really start to shine and take center stage. But because of pathetic playing surrounding Joeckel, a negative light has really started to surround him.
While the Jaguars failed to score their first touchdown of the season until garbage time against the Oakland Raiders, Joeckel deserves credit for preventing this offense from being even worse. Joeckel has done a nice job giving the Jaguars quarterback carousel of Blaine Gabbert and Chad Henne a little protection from the outside rush. Unfortunately, all of the pressure has been coming for the inside, which really has shut down this offense. We still haven’t seen Joeckel play at the high level that made him the second overall pick but he doesn’t have a quarterback who can mask the rookie mistakes he has made.
9. Kiko Alonso Middle Linebacker, Buffalo Bills
We welcome another Bills rookie to the top-10 rankings after Alonso dominated in their win against the Panthers. Since earning the starting middle linebacker job for Buffalo, Mack has played well and his performance is a big reason why Buffalo won on Sunday.
Whenever the Bills needed a big play on defense, Alonso was usually the guy to get it done. He was a missile on the field following the ball wherever it went wrapping up nine solo tackles. He even came after the quarterback a few times racking up a sack and bringing extra inside pressure on Cam Newton. Alonso made another big play with an interception that really displayed his instincts and quick reaction. He picked up on Newton’s eyes and jumped the route for the big interception. In two games he already has 14 solo tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, and an interception. The Bills second round pick has been a stud for this team and is ready to contend for defensive rookie of the year honors.
8. Sheldon Richardson Defensive Tackle, New York Jets
Entering the 2013 NFL Draft, the Jets already had a scary front seven with Muhammad Wilkerson, Kendrick Ellis and Quinton Coples. Then they added Richardson with the 13th overall pick to start at right end.
That selection is already paying off big dividends for the Jets as Wilkerson is establishing himself as one of the better 34 ends in football. Wilkerson has been a matchup nightmare, totaling 12 total tackles and half a sack in two games. Some questioned the Jets selection and if Richardson would fit well in the Jets scheme. But he has already displayed his versatility and speed in just two weeks. He helped keep the Patriots offense off-balance all night, just as he did in his first game against Tampa Bay. He left on Thursday night with a shoulder injury, but will only become a more disruptive force once he is healthy and back in the lineup.
7. Eric Reid Free Safety, San Francisco 49ers
If not for a concussion suffered early on Sunday night against the Seattle Seahawks, Reid could have pushed himself even higher on this list. Reid made a clean hit across the middle but the collision left him with a concussion and he was ruled out for the rest of the game. But for the first quarter and a half he was active, Reid again was making plays.
In just over a quarter of play, Reid had two solo tackles and a pass deflected but once again his big play came off the turnover. Russell Wilson felt pressure up the middle on his throw deep to receiver Golden Tate and when Tate got his feet tangled up with Reid going for the ball, the safety took advantage. Reid played the ball like a centerfielder and went back to make the interception. It was a very close game at the time and gave San Francisco the ball at their 30-yard line. For the second week in a row, Reid picked up an interception and made a big play for this defense. As long as he is cleared this week he will play against the Colts and have a chance to extend his interception streak to three games.
6. Giovani Bernard Running Back, Cincinnati Bengals
Finally, Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden set Bernard free to roam wild on the offense. After “Free Gio” nearly became a trending topic this week, we saw Bernard go crazy on Monday Night Football.
The Bengals struggled offensively for much of the game against the Steelers but their two touchdowns came from the electrifying rookie. While BenJarvus Green-Ellis was more effective than last week, it was Bernard who executed near the goal line. He delivered on a seven-yard touchdown run up the middle to give Cincinnati its first lead of the game. He then came up big in the second half showing off his skills as a receiver, taking a short pass to the house on a 27-yard catch and run. Bernard would finish the day with eight carries for 38 yards and a touchdown and his lone reception was the 27-yard touchdown. This is only the beginning of what Bernard has in store and it should only be a matter of time before he takes over as Cincinnati’s top running back.
5. E.J. Manuel Quarterback, Buffalo Bills
You love to see a rookie quarterback get their first win no matter the result. But when they earn that victory thanks to a game-winning drive that ended with a touchdown pass, you have to give them some love in the rookie rankings.
Some will point to a penalty on the final drive that nullified an interception, which would have ended the game. While that may be true a penalty was called and that is part of the game. The Bills are still using a more conservative offense but Manuel showed he could step up in clutch situations. Down by six with just 98 seconds remaining and at his own 20-yard line, Manuel marched down the field completing six of nine passes and added a nine-yard scramble to win the game. It ended with a pass to a wide open Steve Johnson in the corner of the end zone to tie the game and let Dan Carpenter nail the extra point to win the game. Manuel completed 27 of 39 passes for 296 yards with one touchdown and an interception on the day.
4. DeAndre Hopkins Wide Receiver, Houston Texans
We saw Hopkins start to break loose in the second half of his first game against the Chargers in his regular season debut. That momentum carried over this week against the Titans as we saw just how vital Hopkins can and will be for this offense. Hopkins went through a few bumps but when Houston needed him most, he stepped up to win the game.
Hopkins real mistake cost the Texans dearly and is a reason they went into overtime. On third down, Schaub was looking for Hopkins but a miscommunication between the two resulted in a pick six for the Titans. But Schaub didn’t let it influence his connection with Hopkins the rest of the game, especially in overtime. While Andre Johnson sat out with a concussion, Hopkins became the go-to man in this offense and finished with seven receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown. But his biggest plays came on the final drive in overtime with two big catches that put the Texans inside the five and then the game-winning touchdown. Throughout the game Hopkins showed how reliable his hands are and his ability to go up and fight for the football. If Johnson is ruled out for next week, Hopkins could be in for another monster game.
3. Tyrann Mathieu Free Safety, Arizona Cardinals
The player who may have had the most questions entering the draft is now looking like the best defensive rookie in football. Once again this week we saw Mathieu flying all over the field and making plays. He forced a fumble last week near the goal line and many wanted to see how he would top that. While he didn’t walk away with a turnover, he made a big play to help Arizona win the game.
Mathieu finished the day with six solo tackles against the Detroit Lions including one tackle for a loss. He also was a factor in coverage breaking up one pass and keeping Matthew Stafford under 300 passing yards. It was a very good game for Mathieu until the final defensive play of the game, when his performance grew to an even higher level. The Lions were facing a fourth down and completed a short pass, but Mathieu came in and stopped Nate Burleson short of the marker and prevented the first down. The stop gave the Cardinals the ball back and they were able to run out the rest of the clock for the victory. Mathieu has delivered on the praise he received in the preseason and is quickly emerging as the favorite for defensive rookie of the year.
2. Kyle Long Offensive Guard, Chicago Bears
Arguably the best rookie of the preseason, Long struggled a bit in his debut against the Cincinnati Bengals. He had communication issues and struggled picking up blocks and letting his man get by him. But it was a very tough match up against a great Bengals defensive line, and many hoped he would turn it around this week.
He turned it around and more this week against the Vikings and played a key role in helping Chicago start the season 2-0. The first area where Long has helped the Bears is in the running game. He has opened up some gaping holes for Matt Forte who rushed for 90 yards on Sunday and really looked like a top running back. Chicago ran for 129 yards on the day and the right side of the offensive line played a big part in that. The biggest area where Long has helped this team is in pass protection and giving Jay Cutler a clean pocket to look down the field and work with his weapons. Cutler was sacked just once against a very good Vikings offensive line, which enabled him to look deep as he threw for 290 yards and three touchdowns. When Chicago needed to win the game on a last-minute drive, the offensive line gave Cutler all the time he needed to find the open man and march down the field.
1. Tavon Austin Wide Receiver, St. Louis Rams
After weeks of wondering when would Austin breakout and we would see the true talent within, it happened against the Falcons. He was quiet in the preseason in a limited role and while he played well in his first regular season game, everyone was still waiting. But Austin broke free against the Falcons this week and showed why the Rams gave up so much to get him.
While tight end Jared Cook was the star of the Rams offense last week, he was held to just one reception for ten yards on six targets. While Cook was shut down, Austin took advantage of the defense and got open hauling in six receptions for 42 yards. He matched his reception total from last week with just six more yards, but it’s what he did with two of those receptions that stand out. Austin’s first career touchdown came on an incredible catch on the right edge of the end zone. Bradford rolled to the right side and found Austin in the corner, but the ball was heading out of bounds. Austin reached for the ball and caught it while keeping his feet in bounds for the touchdown. Austin added another touchdown later in the game, although it wasn’t nearly as remarkable as the first touchdown. He also carried the ball twice, including once when he was lined up in the backfield as the Rams start to display more of their plans for the rookie. The Rams now prepare for the Cowboys and Austin’s role should only continue to grow from here.