Seven NFL rookies who could have the biggest impact in 2023

One of the best aspects of any NFL season are the moments right before it starts. Every second is filled with anticipation, as fans have talked themselves into any number of reasons why their team could find success in 2023. 

A big part of that is the yearly addition of rookies and the promise of future glory they bring along with them. While not all will contribute right away, many will soon be seen on highlight reels for the next several months — so which ones should we be looking out for? Let’s take a look at a few that are primed for the biggest impacts this coming season.

Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts 

It’s tough to compile a list like this without including a quarterback, especially in today’s NFL — it’s perhaps the most important position in any sport, in terms of how much this one player’s fingerprints are all over a team’s offence. Richardson has long had the word 'raw' attached to his name, but for good reason: if he develops as the Colts hope, he could be a potential top-five signal-caller in the NFL when it comes to the combination of explosiveness and elusiveness when using his feet.

The absence of running back Jonathan Taylor (at least for the first four weeks of the season) will surely not make his life any easier, but he has a stable of wide receivers who are extremely talented, including Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce, not to mention fellow rookie Josh Downs. Add in an offensive line that features elite pieces such as Quenton Nelson, and the mobile Richardson should have plenty of time to look (or run) downfield. 

Demario Douglas, WR, New England Patriots 

You don’t often see this: not only is Bill Belichick opening the season with six wide receivers, but two of them are… sixth-round rookies? 

Both Douglas and former LSU standout Kayshon Boutte forced Belichick’s hand with their strong pre-season play, clearly developing a strong rapport with quarterback Mac Jones. In the post-Jakobi Meyers era, there are a lot of receiving yards and touchdowns up for grabs (pun not intended), and while Douglas will be competing with a host of other wideouts, the five-foot-eight Liberty alumnus is going to be right in the mix to produce in Bill O’Brien’s offence from Day 1. 

Dalton Kincaid, TE, Buffalo Bills 

It’s long been understood that forecasting offensive production from rookie tight ends is somewhat of a difficult task — not only do they have the responsibility of running correct routes, but tight ends are often used to block and chip incoming defenders, and that can often prove to be a tall order for newcomers to the NFL. 

Having said that, it looks like the Bills have gone out of their way to get yet another weapon for quarterback Josh Allen — not only did they make Kincaid the first tight end drafted this past April, by all accounts, he’s been fast-tracked through the Ken Dorsey-led offence following a collegiate career that saw him grab 126 passes over five seasons, and 16 touchdowns over the last two. With no clear cut second option behind Stefon Diggs, even as a rookie, Kincaid seems primed to break out in Orchard Park.  

Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens 

Despite having an MVP talent under centre for years now in quarterback Lamar Jackson, it has seemed the Ravens have not necessarily gone out of their way to stockpile receiving threats that make his life easier. The ground game has certainly operated well, but the aerial attack has been… lacking in recent years. 

Enter Zay Flowers, who broke records for career touchdowns, receptions, and receiving yards at Boston College. He’s smaller in stature at five-foot-nine, but still immediately becomes the No. 1 receiver for Jackson; Flowers is a home run waiting to happen on any given play, and with new offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s love for explosive plays via shots downfield, Flowers is going to be given every opportunity to succeed right away. 

Jalen Carter, DT, Philadelphia Eagles 

We’ve all seen the highlight by now: on his first pre-season snap, Jalen Carter sheds an offensive tackle in mere seconds to immediately blow up a play. 

While maturity concerns are what caused him to slide all to No. 9 in the draft, the talent has always been there, and he’s now been added to a locker room that has respected defensive veterans such as Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, and Darius Slay, who has dubbed the former Bulldog 'Baby Rhino.'  

Already in possession of the league’s best defensive line, the Eagles will liberally deploy Carter on the interior at the line of scrimmage, where he will have plenty of space to continue beating guards off the draw when he’s matched up one-on-one. 

Joey Porter Jr., CB, Pittsburgh Steelers 

It doesn’t feel like that long ago since Steelers linebacker Joey Porter was terrorizing opposing quarterbacks for Bill Cowher’s Steel Curtain — and now his son will be doing the same to opposing wide receivers for Mike Tomlin. Time truly is a flat circle. 

In all seriousness, Porter Jr. was viewed by many as — at worst — the second-best cornerback in this year’s NFL Draft, and yet did not get drafted in the first round. Now, with a chip on his shoulder, he’ll get a chance to stand next to ball-hawking defensive backs Patrick Peterson and Minkah Fitzpatrick in the secondary, and with both TJ Watt and Cam Heyward in front forcing quarterbacks to throw off-balance throws, Porter Jr. will get all the opportunity in the world to prove any doubters wrong.

Devon Witherspoon, CB, Seattle Seahawks 

If Porter Jr. was CB2 in the 2023 NFL Draft, then Witherspoon is CB1 — while it was a surprise to see Seattle go after another cornerback following a breakout season for Tariq Woolen at the position in 2022, general manager John Schneider clearly felt building a tandem that has echoes of the 'Legion of Boom' secondary was something worth swinging for. 

There are a lot of comparisons to Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner — Witherspoon isn’t quite as tall as Gardner, but the knack for the ball is absolutely there. He’s going to be tested early and often as a rookie, but don’t be surprised to see him match up with opposing teams's top options as soon as Week 1.