Which NFL draft picks are best positioned for rookie success?

One of the best parts of NFL Draft season is, without a doubt, the sheer chaos that comes in every year and completely trashes everyone’s mock drafts. This year, that chaos was at an all-time high as draft picks were flying fast and furious. There were nine trades in the first round alone, with teams making moves to nab what they hope will be franchise cornerstones for years to come.

As far as offensive skill position players go, wide receivers were in high demand – not at huge surprise, considering this year’s deep class at the position. After the Atlanta Falcons selected USC’s Drake London eighth overall, five more receivers were taken within the next ten picks.

To add to the chaos, the first quarterback wasn’t taken until pick 20, and there were only three running backs taken in the first two rounds, period. It was a far cry from recent drafts, where quarterbacks were the top prizes,  and it’s strange to think we’re not that far removed from running backs like Ezekiel Elliott (fourth overall to the Cowboys in 2016) and Saquon Barkley (second to the Giants in 2018) being the league’s most heralded prospects. It just goes to show how quickly the NFL can change year-to-year.

By the way, if anyone had Desmond Ridder over Malik Willis, or called Willis slipping all the way to the third round, I’d like to have a chat with you before we begin piecing together next year’s mock drafts. Alabama QB Bryce Young no. 1 overall in 2023, anyone?

As far as this year’s class goes, plenty of teams managed to find some upgrades on offence – some came in the first round, while more diamonds in the rough were unearthed on Days 2 and 3. Let’s take a look at some rookies that could be difference makers as soon as September.

Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons (8^th overall)

The Falcons are in the middle of a full-blown rebuild. They dealt longtime QB Matt Ryan to the Colts earlier this off-season, and drafted Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder in the third round to compete with free agent signing Marcus Mariota. Calvin Ridley has been suspended for the year, so this offence is in need of a true WR1, and London can bring that in spades. Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was formerly the Titans’ offensive coordinator, where he was used to working with receiver A.J. Brown, and now has a new weapon to work with.

Paired up with 2021 draftee Kyle Pitts, the 6-foot-4, 219-pound London will be a huge help in the red zone for a team that finished in the bottom third in converting scores inside the 20-yard line in 2021.

Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints (11^th overall)

Being picked in the top 12 in any year is certainly a high honour, but given that the Saints actually traded up to get Olave tells us they believe quarterback Jameis Winston, who’s returning from an ACL injury, can succeed with the proper tools.

Veteran receiver Michael Thomas didn’t play a snap in 2021 due to an ankle injury. If he returns and resumes his aggressive underneath route-running, opponents will have their hands full with Olave taking the deep routes and all-purpose weapon Alvin Kamara wreaking havoc as well.

Christian Watson, WR, Green Bay Packers (34^th overall)

I think it’s safe to say that after Davante Adams was reunited with his former college teammate Derek Carr in Las Vegas, all eyes in Green Bay immediately turned to the draft.

Enter Christian Watson. The 6-foot-4, 208-pound receiver out of North Dakota State is a raw-but-talented wide receiver, and while the early returns might take some finessing from Matt LaFleur, Watson will essentially immediately become a top-two weapon for Aaron Rodgers. Remember, not only is Adams gone, but Marquez Valdes-Scantling has departed as well – after Allen Lazard, there simply aren’t very many receiving weapons (Aaron Jones is no slouch in the passing game, but…he’s also a running back).

Drafting offence in the second round has historically worked out pretty well for the Packers: Randall Cobb (who made his return last year), Jordy Nelson, and Adams himself were all picked in the second round in years past. Maybe lightning does strike…four times?

George Pickens, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers (52^nd overall)

Perhaps the most intriguing wide receiver name in this draft class, Pickens is someone who (health permitting) has the potential to be the best pass catcher when it’s all said and done. He only really fell this far to begin with because of the ACL injury he suffered late in the 2021 season – otherwise, he might have legitimately been one of the top two or three receivers taken.

Aside from his natural talent, he also fell into a perfect situation: the Steelers have proven themselves a real WR factory since the turn of the century, producing players like Plaxico Burress, Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, and Emmanuel Sanders – and that’s without mentioning the current guys on the roster.

With JuJu Smith-Schuster off to Kansas City, Pickens has a real chance to get some early learning in with fellow rookie Kenny Pickett, and can help take some pressure off Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool. It’s a pretty complete offence down in Pittsburgh, and getting a bonus like Pickens can only help.

Skyy Moore, WR, Kansas City Chiefs (54^th overall)

Much like the Adams-Green Bay situation, the sudden trade of Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins raised some eyebrows around the NFL. After all, Hill was one of the most productive receivers in the league with head coach Andy Reid and QB Patrick Mahomes.

With Moore, it’s important to remember that he probably won’t assume the same role that Hill once held – mainly because there are only a few players that can catch a pass five feet away from the line of scrimmage and take it to the house with that kind of speed. With JuJu Smith-Schuster now in town, it sounds like Moore could operate on the outside while JuJu will take the inside routes. Moore’s presence will help add another dimension to an offence that badly needed other playmakers to take the focus off All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce.

Don’t forget, Moore will still be only 21 years old come Week 1 in September – so, he might not be the Hill replacement right away, there’s room to grow. But in the pecking order right now, Moore is at worst tied with JuJu, and should rank above guys like Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Mecole Hardman.

Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers (20^th overall)

The Steelers were wringing every last drop of playmaking out of the now-retired Ben Roethlisberger, even as his right arm seemingly threatened to fall off mid-game at points over his last few seasons.

With that in mind, drafting Kenny Pickett, the QB prospect generally viewed as the most ‘pro-ready’ of his class, seemed like a no-brainer. Not only is he a local pick (he went to Pitt, which means the Steelers saw plenty of him), but he now gets the chance to take the reins of an offence that added rookie wideout George Pickens to a group that already boasted players like RB Najee Harris, WR Diontae Johnson, and TE Pat Freiermuth, and has a pretty stout defence to boot.

The most intriguing aspect of Pickett’s game is his ability to extend plays and run downfield with the football. From 2018 to 2021, he ran the ball 390 times for 716 yards and 18 touchdowns, which (even over four years) is something to look out for from Mike Tomlin & Co.

Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets (36^th overall)

The way the NFL has evolved, we rarely see true “bell cow” running backs anymore – guys who tote the rock 25 to 30 times a game and look good doing it. Committees are the way to go now, as they keep each runner fresh and allow teams to employ different offensive sets.

With Hall, the Jets are getting a guy who doesn’t fumble often, is very difficult to bring down, and who is a player that still has time to become an effective pass-blocker – a must-have skill for running backs these days.

In addition, with RB Michael Carter already on the roster, head coach Robert Saleh will get his committee – maybe even one that looks similar to Cleveland (Nick Chubb/Kareem Hunt) or Denver (Melvin Gordon/Javonte Williams). If the Jets’ running game can look anything like those teams – or even like the one in Saleh’s old stomping grounds with the run-heavy 49ers – then the Jets might have really accelerated their rebuild.

James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills (63^rd overall)

The Bills are one of the most complete teams in the NFL – they have the quarterback, the wide receivers, the offensive line, and the defence. But the running back position has been one that, despite some decent draft capital invested, has simply not been that much more than “serviceable” in the Sean McDermott/Brandon Beane era.

That’s not to say Devin Singletary has been bad – when he finally took hold of the backfield in 2021, he did produce and it helped the Bills advance – but Zack Moss has not developed as people had hoped, and when you have a passing game as potent as the one led by Josh Allen, you need a running game to alleviate some of the pressure.

James Cook, younger brother of Pro Bowl RB Dalvin Cook, is a talented pass-catcher – which fits right in down in Orchard Park. He can handle carries in-between the tackles and can also line up on the outside as a receiver. He’s the ideal complement to Singletary, and will work well as a safety valve for Allen when he’s outside the pocket.

Jelani Woods, TE, Indianapolis Colts (73^rd overall)

Whenever you land a new quarterback, especially a veteran one, you always want to provide him with as many weapons as possible. Luckily for Matt Ryan, his new digs already came pre-furnished – WR Michael Pittman Jr. and RB Jonathan Taylor are no slouches.

However, after Pittman Jr., the pass-catching options were a little sparse – and we know from past experience that Ryan does love to throw the ball to the tight ends. With the retirement of TE Jack Doyle this past year, the Colts went out and grabbed Jelani Woods, one of the most athletic, exciting players in the entire draft class (defence included).

Woods is 6-foot-7, 259 pounds, and ran a 4.61-second 40-yard dash. Combine statistics don’t always translate to actual NFL play, but he’s a big enough guy to have a massive catch radius, and Ryan will look his way often down in the red zone. For a third-round pick, there’s a lot of upside there and plenty of opportunity for Woods’ taking.