NFL training camps are almost here, which means the rookies that teams just drafted are going to get their first real shot to show their coaches what they’re made of.Every season, there are some rookies that shine and make immediate impacts, and then there are other rookies who can’t seem to find the field.
With that being said, here are five rookies who I think could really struggle in their first year as a pro.
Ziggy Ansah, DE, Detroit Lions
Ansah has all the athletic ability in the world, but his actual pass-rushing skill set is so raw. In his college career, he had 4.5 sacks. That’s it. Four seasons of college football, and 4.5 sacks.I’m not saying Ansah will be a total bust, because I think that he’ll be a pretty solid pass rusher in a few years, but his athletic ability alone won’t be enough for him to get past offensive linemen in the NFL right away.
Geno Smith, QB, New York Jets
Geno Smith is being put in an unfair situation. He was drafted to a team with no one to throw the ball to, and into a media circus. If Smith somehow plays well, the media will talk him up to be the next Joe Montana, and if he plays bad, they’ll call him the next Mark Sanchez.It’s just a bad situation for Smith. Until he gets some weapons to throw the ball to, he can’t succeed.
Dion Jordan, OLB, Miami
Jordan is very similar to Ansah in the sense that his technique is extremely raw, but he is an elite athlete. Another knock on Jordan is that he has serious durability issues.The college game is slow compared to the NFL, and it’s hard to imagine someone staying healthy in the NFL when they couldn’t do it in college.
Barkevious Mingo, DE, Cleveland Browns
Once again, another uber-athletic pass-rusher comes up in this discussion. Mingo, just like Jordan and Ansah, is a freak athlete with raw pass rushing technique.Like I said with Ansah before, Mingo could be a very good pass rusher down the line, but he won’t be until his technique improves.
D.J. Hayden, CB, Oakland Raiders
Cornerback may be the second hardest position in the NFL behind quarterback, and Hayden is going to step in and be the Raiders top CB from day one. That means he’ll be going up against some of the NFL’s best wide receivers.Solid, experienced veterans struggle to cover these elite receivers, so how do you think a rookie will fare?
[tps_footer][Mike Lucas Sports][/tps_footer]
